2026 Psychiatric Nursing Schizophrenia Study Guide
Practice Questions Answer Explanations Psychosis
Delusions Hallucinations Antipsychotic Therapy
Nursing Interventions
Section 1: Schizophrenia and Psychosis — Questions 1–30
1. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia. Which finding is a positive
symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Flat affect
B. Hallucinations
C. Avolition
D. Anhedonia
Rationale: Hallucinations are positive symptoms of schizophrenia, which are
added experiences that are not normally present. Flat affect, avolition, and
anhedonia are negative symptoms, which represent a decrease or loss of normal
function.
2. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia. Which finding is a negative
symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Delusions
B. Hallucinations
C. Flat affect
D. Disorganized speech
Rationale: Flat affect is a negative symptom of schizophrenia. Delusions,
hallucinations, and disorganized speech are positive symptoms.
3. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
auditory hallucinations. Which intervention is most appropriate?
A. Tell the client the voices are not real
B. Ask the client what the voices are saying
C. Ignore the client's statements about voices
D. Restrict the client's access to others
,Rationale: Asking the client what the voices are saying helps the nurse assess the
content and command nature of the hallucinations. If the voices are commanding
self-harm or harm to others, immediate safety interventions are needed.
4. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
delusions of persecution. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that others are plotting against them
B. Belief that they are a famous person
C. Belief that their thoughts are being broadcast
D. Belief that their body is changing
Rationale: Delusions of persecution involve the belief that others are plotting
against or trying to harm the client. Grandiose delusions involve the belief that one
is famous or powerful.
5. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
grandiose delusions. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that they are a famous or powerful person
B. Belief that others are plotting against them
C. Belief that their thoughts are being broadcast
D. Belief that their body is changing
Rationale: Grandiose delusions involve the belief that one is famous, powerful, or
has special abilities.
6. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
thought broadcasting. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that their thoughts are being heard by others
B. Belief that others are plotting against them
C. Belief that they are a famous person
D. Belief that their body is changing
Rationale: Thought broadcasting is the belief that one's thoughts are being heard
by others. It is a type of delusion commonly seen in schizophrenia.
7. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
thought insertion. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that thoughts are being placed in their mind by others
B. Belief that others are plotting against them
C. Belief that they are a famous person
D. Belief that their body is changing
,Rationale: Thought insertion is the belief that thoughts are being placed in one's
mind by an outside force.
8. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
thought withdrawal. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that thoughts are being removed from their mind by others
B. Belief that others are plotting against them
C. Belief that they are a famous person
D. Belief that their body is changing
Rationale: Thought withdrawal is the belief that thoughts are being removed from
one's mind by an outside force.
9. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing a flat
affect. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Lack of emotional expression
B. Excessive emotional expression
C. Inappropriate emotional expression
D. Rapid mood swings
Rationale: A flat affect is characterized by a lack of emotional expression,
including facial expressions, vocal tone, and gestures.
10. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
avolition. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Lack of motivation to complete tasks
B. Lack of emotional expression
C. Inappropriate emotional expression
D. Rapid mood swings
Rationale: Avolition is a lack of motivation or ability to initiate and complete
goal-directed activities.
11. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing alogia.
Which finding is characteristic?
A. Poverty of speech
B. Excessive speech
C. Rapid speech
D. Pressured speech
Rationale: Alogia is a negative symptom of schizophrenia characterized by
poverty of speech or reduced fluency and productivity of thought and speech.
, 12. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
anhedonia. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Inability to experience pleasure
B. Lack of emotional expression
C. Inappropriate emotional expression
D. Rapid mood swings
Rationale: Anhedonia is the inability to experience pleasure from activities that
are normally enjoyable.
13. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
catatonia. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Motor immobility or excessive motor activity
B. Grandiose ideas
C. Anhedonia
D. Psychomotor retardation
Rationale: Catatonia is characterized by motor immobility (stupor) or excessive
motor activity (excitement) that is not influenced by external stimuli.
14. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing waxy
flexibility. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Maintaining a position imposed by others
B. Grandiose ideas
C. Anhedonia
D. Psychomotor retardation
Rationale: Waxy flexibility is a catatonic symptom characterized by maintaining a
position imposed by another person.
15. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
echolalia. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Repetition of another person's words
B. Repetition of another person's movements
C. Grandiose ideas
D. Anhedonia
Rationale: Echolalia is the repetition of another person's words. Echopraxia is the
repetition of another person's movements.
16. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
echopraxia. Which finding is characteristic?
Practice Questions Answer Explanations Psychosis
Delusions Hallucinations Antipsychotic Therapy
Nursing Interventions
Section 1: Schizophrenia and Psychosis — Questions 1–30
1. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia. Which finding is a positive
symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Flat affect
B. Hallucinations
C. Avolition
D. Anhedonia
Rationale: Hallucinations are positive symptoms of schizophrenia, which are
added experiences that are not normally present. Flat affect, avolition, and
anhedonia are negative symptoms, which represent a decrease or loss of normal
function.
2. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia. Which finding is a negative
symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Delusions
B. Hallucinations
C. Flat affect
D. Disorganized speech
Rationale: Flat affect is a negative symptom of schizophrenia. Delusions,
hallucinations, and disorganized speech are positive symptoms.
3. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
auditory hallucinations. Which intervention is most appropriate?
A. Tell the client the voices are not real
B. Ask the client what the voices are saying
C. Ignore the client's statements about voices
D. Restrict the client's access to others
,Rationale: Asking the client what the voices are saying helps the nurse assess the
content and command nature of the hallucinations. If the voices are commanding
self-harm or harm to others, immediate safety interventions are needed.
4. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
delusions of persecution. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that others are plotting against them
B. Belief that they are a famous person
C. Belief that their thoughts are being broadcast
D. Belief that their body is changing
Rationale: Delusions of persecution involve the belief that others are plotting
against or trying to harm the client. Grandiose delusions involve the belief that one
is famous or powerful.
5. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
grandiose delusions. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that they are a famous or powerful person
B. Belief that others are plotting against them
C. Belief that their thoughts are being broadcast
D. Belief that their body is changing
Rationale: Grandiose delusions involve the belief that one is famous, powerful, or
has special abilities.
6. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
thought broadcasting. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that their thoughts are being heard by others
B. Belief that others are plotting against them
C. Belief that they are a famous person
D. Belief that their body is changing
Rationale: Thought broadcasting is the belief that one's thoughts are being heard
by others. It is a type of delusion commonly seen in schizophrenia.
7. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
thought insertion. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that thoughts are being placed in their mind by others
B. Belief that others are plotting against them
C. Belief that they are a famous person
D. Belief that their body is changing
,Rationale: Thought insertion is the belief that thoughts are being placed in one's
mind by an outside force.
8. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
thought withdrawal. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Belief that thoughts are being removed from their mind by others
B. Belief that others are plotting against them
C. Belief that they are a famous person
D. Belief that their body is changing
Rationale: Thought withdrawal is the belief that thoughts are being removed from
one's mind by an outside force.
9. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing a flat
affect. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Lack of emotional expression
B. Excessive emotional expression
C. Inappropriate emotional expression
D. Rapid mood swings
Rationale: A flat affect is characterized by a lack of emotional expression,
including facial expressions, vocal tone, and gestures.
10. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
avolition. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Lack of motivation to complete tasks
B. Lack of emotional expression
C. Inappropriate emotional expression
D. Rapid mood swings
Rationale: Avolition is a lack of motivation or ability to initiate and complete
goal-directed activities.
11. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing alogia.
Which finding is characteristic?
A. Poverty of speech
B. Excessive speech
C. Rapid speech
D. Pressured speech
Rationale: Alogia is a negative symptom of schizophrenia characterized by
poverty of speech or reduced fluency and productivity of thought and speech.
, 12. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
anhedonia. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Inability to experience pleasure
B. Lack of emotional expression
C. Inappropriate emotional expression
D. Rapid mood swings
Rationale: Anhedonia is the inability to experience pleasure from activities that
are normally enjoyable.
13. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
catatonia. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Motor immobility or excessive motor activity
B. Grandiose ideas
C. Anhedonia
D. Psychomotor retardation
Rationale: Catatonia is characterized by motor immobility (stupor) or excessive
motor activity (excitement) that is not influenced by external stimuli.
14. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing waxy
flexibility. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Maintaining a position imposed by others
B. Grandiose ideas
C. Anhedonia
D. Psychomotor retardation
Rationale: Waxy flexibility is a catatonic symptom characterized by maintaining a
position imposed by another person.
15. A nurse is assessing a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
echolalia. Which finding is characteristic?
A. Repetition of another person's words
B. Repetition of another person's movements
C. Grandiose ideas
D. Anhedonia
Rationale: Echolalia is the repetition of another person's words. Echopraxia is the
repetition of another person's movements.
16. A nurse is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing
echopraxia. Which finding is characteristic?
