Mental Health Exam 1 Study Guide 2025: Comprehensive
Psychiatric Nursing Review, Foundational Behavioral
Health Concepts, Practice Questions & Key Terms for
Nursing Students
Prepare for Mental Health Exam 1 with this complete 2025 study guide covering foundational
psychiatric nursing concepts, therapeutic communication, mental status assessment, ethical principles,
basic disorders, and safety interventions. Includes high-yield practice questions, rationales, and essential
terminology to help nursing students master mental health fundamentals and excel on their first exam
Mental Health Exam 1
mental health nursing exam 1
psychiatric nursing exam 1 study guide
mental health nursing practice test
A patient is suspicious and frequently manipulates others. To which psychosexual stage do these traits
relate?
a. Oral
b. Anal
c. Phallic
d. Genital - ANSWER-a
The behaviors in the stem develop as the result of attitudes formed during the oral stage, when an
infant first learns to relate to the environment. Anal-stage traits include stinginess, stubbornness,
orderliness, or their opposites. Phallic stage traits include flirtatiousness, pride, vanity, difficulty with
authority figures, and difficulties with sexual identity. Genital stage traits include the ability to form
satisfying sexual and emotional relationships with members of the opposite sex, emancipation from
parents, a strong sense of personal identity, or the opposites of these traits.
A patient expresses the desire to be cared for by others and often behaves in a helpless fashion. The
patient's needs relate to which stage of psychosexual development?
,a. Latency
b. Phallic
c. Anal
d. Oral - ANSWER-d
Fixation at the oral stage sometimes produces dependent infantile behaviors in adults. Latency fixations
often result in difficulty identifying with others and developing social skills, resulting in a sense of
inadequacy and inferiority. Phallic fixations result in having difficulty with authority figures and poor
sexual identity. Anal fixation sometimes results in retentiveness, rigidity, messiness, destructiveness,
and cruelty.
A nurse listens to a group of recent retirees. One says, "I volunteer with Meals on Wheels, coach teen
sports, and do church visitation." Another laughs and says, "I'm too busy taking care of myself to
volunteer to help others." Which developmental task do these statements contrast?
a. Trust and mistrust
b. Intimacy and isolation
c. Industry and inferiority
d. Generativity and self-absorption - ANSWER-d
Both retirees are in middle adulthood, when the developmental crisis to be resolved is generativity
versus self-absorption. One exemplifies generativity; the other embodies self-absorption. This
developmental crisis would show a contrast between relating to others in a trusting fashion or being
suspicious and lacking trust. Failure to negotiate this developmental crisis would result in a sense of
inferiority or difficulty learning and working as opposed to the ability to work competently. Behaviors
that would be contrasted would be emotional isolation and the ability to love and commit oneself.
A nurse supports a parent for praising a child behaving in a helpful way. When this child behaves with
politeness and helpfulness in adulthood, which feeling will most likely result?
a. Guilt
b. Anxiety
c. Humility
d. Self-esteem - ANSWER-d
,The individual will be living up to the ego ideal, which will result in positive feelings about self. The other
options are incorrect because each represents a negative feeling.
A patient says, "I never know the answers," and "My opinion doesn't count." The nurse correctly
assesses that this patient had difficulty resolving which psychosocial crisis?
a. Initiative versus guilt
b. Trust versus mistrust
c. Autonomy versus shame and doubt
d. Generativity versus self-absorption - ANSWER-c
These statements show severe self-doubt, indicating that the crisis of gaining control over the
environment was not successfully met. Unsuccessful resolution of the crisis of initiative versus guilt
results in feelings of guilt. Unsuccessful resolution of the crisis of trust versus mistrust results in poor
interpersonal relationships and suspicion of others. Unsuccessful resolution of the crisis of generativity
versus self-absorption results in self-absorption that limits the ability to grow as a person.
Which patient statement would lead the nurse to suspect unsuccessful completion of the
developmental task of infancy?
a. "I have very warm and close friendships."
b. "I'm afraid to allow anyone to really get to know me."
c. "I'm always absolutely right, so don't bother saying more."
d. "I'm ashamed that I didn't do things correctly in the first place." - ANSWER-b
According to Erikson, the developmental task of infancy is the development of trust. The correct
response is the only statement clearly showing lack of ability to trust others. Warm, close relationships
suggest the developmental task of infancy was successfully completed; rigidity and self-absorption are
reflected in the belief one is always right; and shame for past actions suggests failure to resolve the crisis
of initiative versus guilt.
Although ego defense mechanisms and security operations are unconsciously determined and designed
to relieve anxiety, the major difference is:
a. defense mechanisms are intrapsychic and not observable.
b. defense mechanisms cause arrested personal development.
, c. security operations are masterminded by the id and superego.
d. security operations address interpersonal relationship activities. - ANSWER-d
Sullivan's theory explains that security operations are interpersonal relationship activities designed to
relieve anxiety. Because they are interpersonal, they are observable. Defense mechanisms are
unconscious and automatic. Repression is entirely intrapsychic, but other mechanisms result in
observable behaviors. Frequent, continued use of many defense mechanisms often results in reality
distortion and interference with healthy adjustment and emotional development. Occasional use of
defense mechanisms is normal and does not markedly interfere with development. Security operations
are ego centered.
A student nurse says, "I don't need to interact with my patients. I learn what I need to know by
observation." An instructor can best interpret the nursing implications of Sullivan's theory to this
student by responding:
a. "Interactions are required in order to help you develop therapeutic communication skills."
b. "Nurses cannot be isolated. We must interact to provide patients with opportunities to practice
interpersonal skills."
c. "Observing patient interactions will help you formulate priority nursing diagnoses and appropriate
interventions."
d. "It is important to note patients' behavioral changes, because these signify adjustments in
personality." - ANSWER-b
Sullivan believed that the nurse's role includes educating patients and assisting them in developing
effective interpersonal relationships. Mutuality, respect for the patient, unconditional acceptance, and
empathy are cornerstones of Sullivan's theory. The nurse who does not interact with the patient cannot
demonstrate these cornerstones. Observations provide only objective data. Priority nursing diagnoses
usually cannot be accurately established without subjective data from the patient. The other distracters
relate to Maslow and behavioral theory.
A psychiatric technician says, "Common sense is the most important part of working with people who
have mental illness. Theories are just something to fill up textbooks." The nurse wants to educate the
technician by identifying which common use of Sullivan's theory?
a. The method nurses use to determine the best sequence for nursing actions
b. The ongoing use of restraint and seclusion as behavior-management tools
c. The structure of the therapeutic milieu of most behavioral health units
Psychiatric Nursing Review, Foundational Behavioral
Health Concepts, Practice Questions & Key Terms for
Nursing Students
Prepare for Mental Health Exam 1 with this complete 2025 study guide covering foundational
psychiatric nursing concepts, therapeutic communication, mental status assessment, ethical principles,
basic disorders, and safety interventions. Includes high-yield practice questions, rationales, and essential
terminology to help nursing students master mental health fundamentals and excel on their first exam
Mental Health Exam 1
mental health nursing exam 1
psychiatric nursing exam 1 study guide
mental health nursing practice test
A patient is suspicious and frequently manipulates others. To which psychosexual stage do these traits
relate?
a. Oral
b. Anal
c. Phallic
d. Genital - ANSWER-a
The behaviors in the stem develop as the result of attitudes formed during the oral stage, when an
infant first learns to relate to the environment. Anal-stage traits include stinginess, stubbornness,
orderliness, or their opposites. Phallic stage traits include flirtatiousness, pride, vanity, difficulty with
authority figures, and difficulties with sexual identity. Genital stage traits include the ability to form
satisfying sexual and emotional relationships with members of the opposite sex, emancipation from
parents, a strong sense of personal identity, or the opposites of these traits.
A patient expresses the desire to be cared for by others and often behaves in a helpless fashion. The
patient's needs relate to which stage of psychosexual development?
,a. Latency
b. Phallic
c. Anal
d. Oral - ANSWER-d
Fixation at the oral stage sometimes produces dependent infantile behaviors in adults. Latency fixations
often result in difficulty identifying with others and developing social skills, resulting in a sense of
inadequacy and inferiority. Phallic fixations result in having difficulty with authority figures and poor
sexual identity. Anal fixation sometimes results in retentiveness, rigidity, messiness, destructiveness,
and cruelty.
A nurse listens to a group of recent retirees. One says, "I volunteer with Meals on Wheels, coach teen
sports, and do church visitation." Another laughs and says, "I'm too busy taking care of myself to
volunteer to help others." Which developmental task do these statements contrast?
a. Trust and mistrust
b. Intimacy and isolation
c. Industry and inferiority
d. Generativity and self-absorption - ANSWER-d
Both retirees are in middle adulthood, when the developmental crisis to be resolved is generativity
versus self-absorption. One exemplifies generativity; the other embodies self-absorption. This
developmental crisis would show a contrast between relating to others in a trusting fashion or being
suspicious and lacking trust. Failure to negotiate this developmental crisis would result in a sense of
inferiority or difficulty learning and working as opposed to the ability to work competently. Behaviors
that would be contrasted would be emotional isolation and the ability to love and commit oneself.
A nurse supports a parent for praising a child behaving in a helpful way. When this child behaves with
politeness and helpfulness in adulthood, which feeling will most likely result?
a. Guilt
b. Anxiety
c. Humility
d. Self-esteem - ANSWER-d
,The individual will be living up to the ego ideal, which will result in positive feelings about self. The other
options are incorrect because each represents a negative feeling.
A patient says, "I never know the answers," and "My opinion doesn't count." The nurse correctly
assesses that this patient had difficulty resolving which psychosocial crisis?
a. Initiative versus guilt
b. Trust versus mistrust
c. Autonomy versus shame and doubt
d. Generativity versus self-absorption - ANSWER-c
These statements show severe self-doubt, indicating that the crisis of gaining control over the
environment was not successfully met. Unsuccessful resolution of the crisis of initiative versus guilt
results in feelings of guilt. Unsuccessful resolution of the crisis of trust versus mistrust results in poor
interpersonal relationships and suspicion of others. Unsuccessful resolution of the crisis of generativity
versus self-absorption results in self-absorption that limits the ability to grow as a person.
Which patient statement would lead the nurse to suspect unsuccessful completion of the
developmental task of infancy?
a. "I have very warm and close friendships."
b. "I'm afraid to allow anyone to really get to know me."
c. "I'm always absolutely right, so don't bother saying more."
d. "I'm ashamed that I didn't do things correctly in the first place." - ANSWER-b
According to Erikson, the developmental task of infancy is the development of trust. The correct
response is the only statement clearly showing lack of ability to trust others. Warm, close relationships
suggest the developmental task of infancy was successfully completed; rigidity and self-absorption are
reflected in the belief one is always right; and shame for past actions suggests failure to resolve the crisis
of initiative versus guilt.
Although ego defense mechanisms and security operations are unconsciously determined and designed
to relieve anxiety, the major difference is:
a. defense mechanisms are intrapsychic and not observable.
b. defense mechanisms cause arrested personal development.
, c. security operations are masterminded by the id and superego.
d. security operations address interpersonal relationship activities. - ANSWER-d
Sullivan's theory explains that security operations are interpersonal relationship activities designed to
relieve anxiety. Because they are interpersonal, they are observable. Defense mechanisms are
unconscious and automatic. Repression is entirely intrapsychic, but other mechanisms result in
observable behaviors. Frequent, continued use of many defense mechanisms often results in reality
distortion and interference with healthy adjustment and emotional development. Occasional use of
defense mechanisms is normal and does not markedly interfere with development. Security operations
are ego centered.
A student nurse says, "I don't need to interact with my patients. I learn what I need to know by
observation." An instructor can best interpret the nursing implications of Sullivan's theory to this
student by responding:
a. "Interactions are required in order to help you develop therapeutic communication skills."
b. "Nurses cannot be isolated. We must interact to provide patients with opportunities to practice
interpersonal skills."
c. "Observing patient interactions will help you formulate priority nursing diagnoses and appropriate
interventions."
d. "It is important to note patients' behavioral changes, because these signify adjustments in
personality." - ANSWER-b
Sullivan believed that the nurse's role includes educating patients and assisting them in developing
effective interpersonal relationships. Mutuality, respect for the patient, unconditional acceptance, and
empathy are cornerstones of Sullivan's theory. The nurse who does not interact with the patient cannot
demonstrate these cornerstones. Observations provide only objective data. Priority nursing diagnoses
usually cannot be accurately established without subjective data from the patient. The other distracters
relate to Maslow and behavioral theory.
A psychiatric technician says, "Common sense is the most important part of working with people who
have mental illness. Theories are just something to fill up textbooks." The nurse wants to educate the
technician by identifying which common use of Sullivan's theory?
a. The method nurses use to determine the best sequence for nursing actions
b. The ongoing use of restraint and seclusion as behavior-management tools
c. The structure of the therapeutic milieu of most behavioral health units
