Anxiety Disorders NCLEX Exam
Questions with Correct Answers
A nursing instructor is teaching about specific phobias. Which student statement should
indicate that learning has occurred?
A. "These clients do not recognize that their fear is excessive and rarely seek
treatment."
B. "These clients have a panic level of fear that is overwhelming and unreasonable."
C. "These clients experience symptoms that mirror a cerebrovascular accident (CVA)."
D. "These clients experience the symptoms of tachycardia, dysphagia, and
diaphoresis." - Answer-ANS: B
A client has a history of excessive fear of water. What is the term that a nurse should
use to describe this specific phobia, and under what subtype is this phobia identified?
A. Aquaphobia, a natural environment type of phobia
B. Aquaphobia, a situational type of phobia
C. Acrophobia, a natural environment type of phobia
D. Acrophobia, a situational type of phobia - Answer-ANS: A
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with a social phobia from a client
diagnosed with a schizoid personality disorder (SPD)?
A. Clients diagnosed with social phobia can manage anxiety without medications,
whereas clients diagnosed with SPD can manage anxiety only with medications.
B. Clients diagnosed with SPD are distressed by the symptoms experienced in social
settings, whereas clients diagnosed with social phobia are not.
C. Clients diagnosed with social phobia avoid interactions only in social settings,
whereas clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions in all areas of life.
D. Clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions only in social settings, whereas clients
diagnosed with social phobias tend to avoid interactions in all areas of life. - Answer-
ANS: C
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with panic disorder from a client
diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. GAD is acute in nature, and panic disorder is chronic.
B. Chest pain is a common GAD symptom, whereas this symptom is absent in panic
disorders.
C. Hyperventilation is a common symptom in GAD and rare in panic disorder.
D. Depersonalization is commonly seen in panic disorder and absent in GAD. - Answer-
ANS: D
Which treatment should a nurse identify as most appropriate for clients diagnosed with
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. Long-term treatment with diazepam (Valium)
B. Acute symptom control with citalopram (Celexa)
, C. Long-term treatment with buspirone (BuSpar)
D. Acute symptom control with ziprasidone (Geodon) - Answer-ANS: C
A client refuses to go on a cruise to the Bahamas with his spouse due to fearing that the
cruise ship will sink and all will drown. Using a cognitive theory perspective, how should
a nurse explain to the spouse the etiology of this fear?
A. "Your spouse may be unable to resolve internal conflicts which result in projected
anxiety."
B. "Your spouse may be experiencing a distorted and unrealistic appraisal of the
situation."
C. "Your spouse may have a genetic predisposition to overreacting to potential danger."
D. "Your spouse may have high levels of brain chemicals that may distort thinking." -
Answer-ANS: B
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD) from a client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder?
A. Clients diagnosed with OCD experience both obsessions and compulsions, and
clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder do not.
B. Clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder experience both
obsessions and compulsions, and clients diagnosed with OCD do not.
C. Clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder experience only
obsessions, and clients diagnosed with OCD experience only compulsions.
D. Clients diagnosed with OCD experience only obsessions, and clients diagnosed with
obsessive-compulsive personality disorder experience only compulsions. - Answer-
ANS: A
A cab driver, stuck in traffic, suddenly is lightheaded, tremulous, diaphoretic, and
experiences tachycardia and dyspnea. An extensive workup in an emergency
department reveals no pathology. Which medical diagnosis is suspected, and what
nursing diagnosis takes priority?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder and a nursing diagnosis of fear
B. Altered sensory perception and a nursing diagnosis of panic disorder
C. Pain disorder and a nursing diagnosis of altered role performance
D. Panic disorder and a nursing diagnosis of anxiety - Answer-ANS: D
A client diagnosed with panic disorder states, "When an attack happens, I feel like I am
going to die." Which is the most appropriate nursing reply?
A. "I know it's frightening, but try to remind yourself that this will only last a short time."
B. "Death from a panic attack happens so infrequently that there is no need to worry."
C. "Most people who experience panic attacks have feelings of impending doom."
D. "Tell me why you think you are going to die every time you have a panic attack." -
Answer-ANS: A
A nursing instructor is teaching about the medications used to treat panic disorder.
Which student statement indicates that learning has occurred?
A. "Clonazepam (Klonopin) is particularly effective in the treatment of panic disorder."
Questions with Correct Answers
A nursing instructor is teaching about specific phobias. Which student statement should
indicate that learning has occurred?
A. "These clients do not recognize that their fear is excessive and rarely seek
treatment."
B. "These clients have a panic level of fear that is overwhelming and unreasonable."
C. "These clients experience symptoms that mirror a cerebrovascular accident (CVA)."
D. "These clients experience the symptoms of tachycardia, dysphagia, and
diaphoresis." - Answer-ANS: B
A client has a history of excessive fear of water. What is the term that a nurse should
use to describe this specific phobia, and under what subtype is this phobia identified?
A. Aquaphobia, a natural environment type of phobia
B. Aquaphobia, a situational type of phobia
C. Acrophobia, a natural environment type of phobia
D. Acrophobia, a situational type of phobia - Answer-ANS: A
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with a social phobia from a client
diagnosed with a schizoid personality disorder (SPD)?
A. Clients diagnosed with social phobia can manage anxiety without medications,
whereas clients diagnosed with SPD can manage anxiety only with medications.
B. Clients diagnosed with SPD are distressed by the symptoms experienced in social
settings, whereas clients diagnosed with social phobia are not.
C. Clients diagnosed with social phobia avoid interactions only in social settings,
whereas clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions in all areas of life.
D. Clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions only in social settings, whereas clients
diagnosed with social phobias tend to avoid interactions in all areas of life. - Answer-
ANS: C
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with panic disorder from a client
diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. GAD is acute in nature, and panic disorder is chronic.
B. Chest pain is a common GAD symptom, whereas this symptom is absent in panic
disorders.
C. Hyperventilation is a common symptom in GAD and rare in panic disorder.
D. Depersonalization is commonly seen in panic disorder and absent in GAD. - Answer-
ANS: D
Which treatment should a nurse identify as most appropriate for clients diagnosed with
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. Long-term treatment with diazepam (Valium)
B. Acute symptom control with citalopram (Celexa)
, C. Long-term treatment with buspirone (BuSpar)
D. Acute symptom control with ziprasidone (Geodon) - Answer-ANS: C
A client refuses to go on a cruise to the Bahamas with his spouse due to fearing that the
cruise ship will sink and all will drown. Using a cognitive theory perspective, how should
a nurse explain to the spouse the etiology of this fear?
A. "Your spouse may be unable to resolve internal conflicts which result in projected
anxiety."
B. "Your spouse may be experiencing a distorted and unrealistic appraisal of the
situation."
C. "Your spouse may have a genetic predisposition to overreacting to potential danger."
D. "Your spouse may have high levels of brain chemicals that may distort thinking." -
Answer-ANS: B
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD) from a client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder?
A. Clients diagnosed with OCD experience both obsessions and compulsions, and
clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder do not.
B. Clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder experience both
obsessions and compulsions, and clients diagnosed with OCD do not.
C. Clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder experience only
obsessions, and clients diagnosed with OCD experience only compulsions.
D. Clients diagnosed with OCD experience only obsessions, and clients diagnosed with
obsessive-compulsive personality disorder experience only compulsions. - Answer-
ANS: A
A cab driver, stuck in traffic, suddenly is lightheaded, tremulous, diaphoretic, and
experiences tachycardia and dyspnea. An extensive workup in an emergency
department reveals no pathology. Which medical diagnosis is suspected, and what
nursing diagnosis takes priority?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder and a nursing diagnosis of fear
B. Altered sensory perception and a nursing diagnosis of panic disorder
C. Pain disorder and a nursing diagnosis of altered role performance
D. Panic disorder and a nursing diagnosis of anxiety - Answer-ANS: D
A client diagnosed with panic disorder states, "When an attack happens, I feel like I am
going to die." Which is the most appropriate nursing reply?
A. "I know it's frightening, but try to remind yourself that this will only last a short time."
B. "Death from a panic attack happens so infrequently that there is no need to worry."
C. "Most people who experience panic attacks have feelings of impending doom."
D. "Tell me why you think you are going to die every time you have a panic attack." -
Answer-ANS: A
A nursing instructor is teaching about the medications used to treat panic disorder.
Which student statement indicates that learning has occurred?
A. "Clonazepam (Klonopin) is particularly effective in the treatment of panic disorder."
