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NU 665 Exam 1 Questions and Answers
What does Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model of stress
and coping emphasize?
Ans: Stress is a result of an individual's appraisal of their resources in
relation to environmental demands.
What is the main critique of traditional Motivational Interviewing
(MI) according to Angelini & Efran (2021)?
Ans: MI's effectiveness is not solely dependent on change talk; the
therapeutic relationship and context are also crucial.
What is Anxious Attachment?
Ans: Anxious attachment arises from inconsistent caregiving, leading to
anxiety about abandonment. Individuals with this style often crave
closeness but fear rejection or being left alone.
What does Secure Attachment look like in adults?
Ans: Adults with secure attachment have stable, healthy relationships.
They balance independence with closeness, communicate effectively,
and are confident in seeking support when needed.
What is Secure Attachment?
Ans: Secure attachment forms when caregivers are consistently
responsive to a child's needs, fostering safety and trust. These
individuals feel comfortable with intimacy, express emotions openly,
and trust others.
A 25-year-old woman with bipolar disorder is newly pregnant. She
is currently stable on valproate. What should be done?
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, 2 | Page
Ans: Discontinue valproate immediately due to its high risk of neural
tube defects. Consider switching to lamotrigine, which is safer in
pregnancy.
A 70-year-old woman with GAD and a history of falls is asking for
medication. Which medication should be avoided?
Ans: Benzodiazepines (e.g., alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam) - They
increase fall risk, cognitive impairment, and dependence in elderly
patients. Consider SSRIs or buspirone instead.
A 36-year-old male combat veteran with PTSD experiences
nightmares and hyperarousal. What medication should be
considered?
Ans: A 36-year-old male combat veteran with PTSD experiences
nightmares and hyperarousal. What medication should be considered?
A 28-year-old female with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
wants a medication that is non-addictive and does not cause
sedation. What is a good option?
Ans: Buspirone - A non-benzodiazepine option that does not cause
sedation or dependence, but takes 2-4 weeks to work.
A 38-year-old male with depression and chronic pain
(fibromyalgia) needs an antidepressant. Which medication would
be a good choice?
Ans: Duloxetine - It treats both depression and neuropathic
pain/fibromyalgia.
A 45-year-old woman with treatment-resistant depression has
tried fluoxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine with minimal
improvement. What is the next step?
Ans: Consider augmentation therapy with lithium, atypical
antipsychotics (e.g., aripiprazole), or triiodothyronine (T3). Alternatively,
MAOIs or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be considered.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
A 24-year-old man with major depressive disorder (MDD) and
nicotine dependence wants to quit smoking. He has no history of
seizures. What antidepressant might be a good option?
Ans: Bupropion - It treats MDD and helps with smoking cessation.
However, it is contraindicated in seizure disorders or eating disorders.
A 32-year-old woman presents with depression, decreased
appetite, weight loss, and insomnia. She denies suicidal ideation
but feels hopeless. She is underweight (BMI 17.8). Which
antidepressant is a good choice?
Ans: Mirtazapine - It promotes weight gain and improves sleep, making
it ideal for underweight patients with insomnia.
What is the black box warning for all antidepressants?
Ans: What is the black box warning for all antidepressants?
Which antipsychotic has a black box warning for increased
mortality in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis?
Ans: All antipsychotics (especially second-generation).
Which benzodiazepine has the highest potential for abuse due to
rapid onset?
Ans: Alprazolam (Xanax).
Which sleep medication is most associated with complex sleep
behaviors like sleepwalking?
Ans: Zolpidem (Ambien).
What are the three hallmark symptoms of serotonin syndrome?
Ans: Hyperreflexia, clonus, autonomic instability (fever, sweating,
tachycardia).
What is the first-line treatment for serotonin syndrome?
© 2025 All rights reserved
NU 665 Exam 1 Questions and Answers
What does Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model of stress
and coping emphasize?
Ans: Stress is a result of an individual's appraisal of their resources in
relation to environmental demands.
What is the main critique of traditional Motivational Interviewing
(MI) according to Angelini & Efran (2021)?
Ans: MI's effectiveness is not solely dependent on change talk; the
therapeutic relationship and context are also crucial.
What is Anxious Attachment?
Ans: Anxious attachment arises from inconsistent caregiving, leading to
anxiety about abandonment. Individuals with this style often crave
closeness but fear rejection or being left alone.
What does Secure Attachment look like in adults?
Ans: Adults with secure attachment have stable, healthy relationships.
They balance independence with closeness, communicate effectively,
and are confident in seeking support when needed.
What is Secure Attachment?
Ans: Secure attachment forms when caregivers are consistently
responsive to a child's needs, fostering safety and trust. These
individuals feel comfortable with intimacy, express emotions openly,
and trust others.
A 25-year-old woman with bipolar disorder is newly pregnant. She
is currently stable on valproate. What should be done?
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
Ans: Discontinue valproate immediately due to its high risk of neural
tube defects. Consider switching to lamotrigine, which is safer in
pregnancy.
A 70-year-old woman with GAD and a history of falls is asking for
medication. Which medication should be avoided?
Ans: Benzodiazepines (e.g., alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam) - They
increase fall risk, cognitive impairment, and dependence in elderly
patients. Consider SSRIs or buspirone instead.
A 36-year-old male combat veteran with PTSD experiences
nightmares and hyperarousal. What medication should be
considered?
Ans: A 36-year-old male combat veteran with PTSD experiences
nightmares and hyperarousal. What medication should be considered?
A 28-year-old female with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
wants a medication that is non-addictive and does not cause
sedation. What is a good option?
Ans: Buspirone - A non-benzodiazepine option that does not cause
sedation or dependence, but takes 2-4 weeks to work.
A 38-year-old male with depression and chronic pain
(fibromyalgia) needs an antidepressant. Which medication would
be a good choice?
Ans: Duloxetine - It treats both depression and neuropathic
pain/fibromyalgia.
A 45-year-old woman with treatment-resistant depression has
tried fluoxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine with minimal
improvement. What is the next step?
Ans: Consider augmentation therapy with lithium, atypical
antipsychotics (e.g., aripiprazole), or triiodothyronine (T3). Alternatively,
MAOIs or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be considered.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
A 24-year-old man with major depressive disorder (MDD) and
nicotine dependence wants to quit smoking. He has no history of
seizures. What antidepressant might be a good option?
Ans: Bupropion - It treats MDD and helps with smoking cessation.
However, it is contraindicated in seizure disorders or eating disorders.
A 32-year-old woman presents with depression, decreased
appetite, weight loss, and insomnia. She denies suicidal ideation
but feels hopeless. She is underweight (BMI 17.8). Which
antidepressant is a good choice?
Ans: Mirtazapine - It promotes weight gain and improves sleep, making
it ideal for underweight patients with insomnia.
What is the black box warning for all antidepressants?
Ans: What is the black box warning for all antidepressants?
Which antipsychotic has a black box warning for increased
mortality in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis?
Ans: All antipsychotics (especially second-generation).
Which benzodiazepine has the highest potential for abuse due to
rapid onset?
Ans: Alprazolam (Xanax).
Which sleep medication is most associated with complex sleep
behaviors like sleepwalking?
Ans: Zolpidem (Ambien).
What are the three hallmark symptoms of serotonin syndrome?
Ans: Hyperreflexia, clonus, autonomic instability (fever, sweating,
tachycardia).
What is the first-line treatment for serotonin syndrome?
© 2025 All rights reserved
