New Mental Health Study Set UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing occasional feelings of sadness because of
the recent death of a beloved pet. The client's appetite, sleep patterns, and daily routine have
not changed. How should the nurse interpret the client's behaviors?
1. The client's behaviors demonstrate mental illness in the form of depression.
2. The client's behaviors are extensive, which indicates the presence of mental illness.
3. The client's behaviors are not congruent with cultural norms.
4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no functional impairment, indicating no mental illness.
- CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 4
Rationale: The nurse should assess that the client's daily functioning is not impaired. The
client who experiences feelings of sadness after the loss of a pet is responding within normal
expectations. Without significant impairment, the client's distress does not indicate a mental
illness.
At what point should the nurse determine that a client is at risk for developing a mental
illness?
1. When thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are not reflective of the DSM-5 criteria.
2. When maladaptive responses to stress are coupled with interference in daily functioning.
3. When a client communicates significant distress.
4. When a client uses defense mechanisms as ego protection. - CORRECT
ANSWER ANS: 2
Rationale: The nurse should determine that the client is at risk for mental illness when
responses to stress are maladaptive and interfere with daily functioning. The DSM-5 indicates
that in order to be diagnosed with a mental illness, daily functioning must be significantly
impaired. The client's ability to communicate distress would be considered a positive
attribute.
A nurse is assessing a set of 15-year-old identical twins who respond very differently to
stress. One twin becomes anxious and irritable, and the other withdraws and cries. How
should the nurse explain these different stress responses to the parents?
,1. Reactions to stress are relative rather than absolute; individual responses to stress vary.
2. It is abnormal for identical twins to react differently to similar stressors.
3. Identical twins should share the same temperament and respond similarly to stress.
4. Environmental influences to stress weigh more heavily than genetic influences. -
CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 1
Rationale: The nurse should explain to the parents that, although the twins have identical
DNA, there are several other factors that affect reactions to stress. Mental health is a state of
being that is relative to the individual client. Environmental influences and temperament can
affect stress reactions.
Which client should the nurse anticipate to be most receptive to psychiatric treatment?
1. A Jewish, female social worker.
2. A Baptist, homeless male.
3. A Catholic, black male.
4. A Protestant, Swedish business executive. - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 1
Rationale: The nurse should anticipate that the client of Jewish culture would place a high
importance on preventative health care and would consider mental health as equally
important as physical health. Women are also more likely to seek treatment for mental health
problems than men.
A psychiatric nurse intern states, "This client's use of defense mechanisms should be
eliminated." Which is a correct evaluation of this nurse's statement?
1. Defense mechanisms can be appropriate responses to stress and need not be eliminated.
2. Defense mechanisms are a maladaptive attempt of the ego to manage anxiety and should
always be eliminated.
3. Defense mechanisms, used by individuals with weak ego integrity, should be discouraged
and not eliminated.
4. Defense mechanisms cause disintegration of the ego and should be fostered and
encouraged. - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 1
Rationale: The nurse should determine that defense mechanisms can be appropriate during
times of stress. The client with no defense mechanisms may have a lower tolerance for stress,
thus leading to anxiety disorders. Defense mechanisms should be confronted when they
impede the client from developing healthy coping skills.
,During an intake assessment, a nurse asks both physiological and psychosocial questions. The
client angrily responds, "I'm here for my heart, not my head problems." Which is the nurse's
best response?
1. "It's just a routine part of our assessment. All clients are asked these same questions."
2. "Why are you concerned about these types of questions?"
3. "Psychological factors, like excessive stress, have been found to affect medical
conditions."
4. "We can skip these questions, if you like. It isn't imperative that we complete this section."
- CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 3
Rationale: The nurse should attempt to educate the client on the negative effects of excessive
stress on medical conditions. It is not appropriate to skip physiological and psychosocial
questions, as this would lead to an inaccurate assessment.
An employee uses the defense mechanism of displacement when the boss openly disagrees
with suggestions. What behavior would be expected from this employee?
1. The employee assertively confronts the boss.
2. The employee leaves the staff meeting to work out in the gym.
3. The employee criticizes a coworker.
4. The employee takes the boss out to lunch. - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 3
Rationale: The nurse should expect that the client using the defense mechanism displacement
would criticize a coworker after being confronted by the boss. Displacement refers to
transferring feelings from one target to a neutral or less-threatening target.
A fourth-grade boy teases and makes jokes about a cute girl in his class. This behavior should
be identified by a nurse as indicative of which defense mechanism?
1. Displacement
2. Projection
3. Reaction formation
4. Sublimation - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 3
Rationale: The nurse should identify that the boy is using reaction formation as a defense
mechanism. Reaction formation is the attempt to prevent undesirable thoughts from being
expressed by expressing opposite thoughts or behaviors. Displacement refers to transferring
, feelings from one target to another. Rationalization refers to making excuses to justify
behavior. Projection refers to the attribution of unacceptable feelings or behaviors to another
person. Sublimation refers to channeling unacceptable drives or impulses into more
constructive, acceptable activities.
Which nursing statement about the concept of neurosis is most accurate?
1. An individual experiencing neurosis is unaware that he or she is experiencing distress.
2. An individual experiencing neurosis feels helpless to change his or her situation.
3. An individual experiencing neurosis is aware of psychological causes of his or her
behavior.
4. An individual experiencing neurosis has a loss of contact with reality. - CORRECT
ANSWER ANS: 2
Rationale: The nurse should define the concept of neurosis with the following characteristics:
The client feels helpless to change his or her situation, the client is aware that he or she is
experiencing distress, the client is aware the behaviors are maladaptive, the client is unaware
of the psychological causes of the distress, and the client experiences no loss of contact with
reality.
Which nursing statement regarding the concept of psychosis is most accurate?
1. Individuals experiencing psychoses are aware that their behaviors are maladaptive.
2. Individuals experiencing psychoses experience little distress.
3. Individuals experiencing psychoses are aware of experiencing psychological problems.
4. Individuals experiencing psychoses are based in reality. - CORRECT
ANSWER ANS: 2
Rationale: The nurse should understand that the client with psychosis experiences little
distress owing to his or her lack of awareness of reality. The client with psychosis is unaware
that his or her behavior is maladaptive or that he or she has a psychological problem.
When under stress, a client routinely uses alcohol to excess. Finding her drunk, her husband
yells at the client about her chronic alcohol abuse. Which action alerts the nurse to the client's
use of the defense mechanism of denial?
1. The client hides liquor bottles in a closet.
2. The client yells at her son for slouching in his chair.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing occasional feelings of sadness because of
the recent death of a beloved pet. The client's appetite, sleep patterns, and daily routine have
not changed. How should the nurse interpret the client's behaviors?
1. The client's behaviors demonstrate mental illness in the form of depression.
2. The client's behaviors are extensive, which indicates the presence of mental illness.
3. The client's behaviors are not congruent with cultural norms.
4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no functional impairment, indicating no mental illness.
- CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 4
Rationale: The nurse should assess that the client's daily functioning is not impaired. The
client who experiences feelings of sadness after the loss of a pet is responding within normal
expectations. Without significant impairment, the client's distress does not indicate a mental
illness.
At what point should the nurse determine that a client is at risk for developing a mental
illness?
1. When thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are not reflective of the DSM-5 criteria.
2. When maladaptive responses to stress are coupled with interference in daily functioning.
3. When a client communicates significant distress.
4. When a client uses defense mechanisms as ego protection. - CORRECT
ANSWER ANS: 2
Rationale: The nurse should determine that the client is at risk for mental illness when
responses to stress are maladaptive and interfere with daily functioning. The DSM-5 indicates
that in order to be diagnosed with a mental illness, daily functioning must be significantly
impaired. The client's ability to communicate distress would be considered a positive
attribute.
A nurse is assessing a set of 15-year-old identical twins who respond very differently to
stress. One twin becomes anxious and irritable, and the other withdraws and cries. How
should the nurse explain these different stress responses to the parents?
,1. Reactions to stress are relative rather than absolute; individual responses to stress vary.
2. It is abnormal for identical twins to react differently to similar stressors.
3. Identical twins should share the same temperament and respond similarly to stress.
4. Environmental influences to stress weigh more heavily than genetic influences. -
CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 1
Rationale: The nurse should explain to the parents that, although the twins have identical
DNA, there are several other factors that affect reactions to stress. Mental health is a state of
being that is relative to the individual client. Environmental influences and temperament can
affect stress reactions.
Which client should the nurse anticipate to be most receptive to psychiatric treatment?
1. A Jewish, female social worker.
2. A Baptist, homeless male.
3. A Catholic, black male.
4. A Protestant, Swedish business executive. - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 1
Rationale: The nurse should anticipate that the client of Jewish culture would place a high
importance on preventative health care and would consider mental health as equally
important as physical health. Women are also more likely to seek treatment for mental health
problems than men.
A psychiatric nurse intern states, "This client's use of defense mechanisms should be
eliminated." Which is a correct evaluation of this nurse's statement?
1. Defense mechanisms can be appropriate responses to stress and need not be eliminated.
2. Defense mechanisms are a maladaptive attempt of the ego to manage anxiety and should
always be eliminated.
3. Defense mechanisms, used by individuals with weak ego integrity, should be discouraged
and not eliminated.
4. Defense mechanisms cause disintegration of the ego and should be fostered and
encouraged. - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 1
Rationale: The nurse should determine that defense mechanisms can be appropriate during
times of stress. The client with no defense mechanisms may have a lower tolerance for stress,
thus leading to anxiety disorders. Defense mechanisms should be confronted when they
impede the client from developing healthy coping skills.
,During an intake assessment, a nurse asks both physiological and psychosocial questions. The
client angrily responds, "I'm here for my heart, not my head problems." Which is the nurse's
best response?
1. "It's just a routine part of our assessment. All clients are asked these same questions."
2. "Why are you concerned about these types of questions?"
3. "Psychological factors, like excessive stress, have been found to affect medical
conditions."
4. "We can skip these questions, if you like. It isn't imperative that we complete this section."
- CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 3
Rationale: The nurse should attempt to educate the client on the negative effects of excessive
stress on medical conditions. It is not appropriate to skip physiological and psychosocial
questions, as this would lead to an inaccurate assessment.
An employee uses the defense mechanism of displacement when the boss openly disagrees
with suggestions. What behavior would be expected from this employee?
1. The employee assertively confronts the boss.
2. The employee leaves the staff meeting to work out in the gym.
3. The employee criticizes a coworker.
4. The employee takes the boss out to lunch. - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 3
Rationale: The nurse should expect that the client using the defense mechanism displacement
would criticize a coworker after being confronted by the boss. Displacement refers to
transferring feelings from one target to a neutral or less-threatening target.
A fourth-grade boy teases and makes jokes about a cute girl in his class. This behavior should
be identified by a nurse as indicative of which defense mechanism?
1. Displacement
2. Projection
3. Reaction formation
4. Sublimation - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: 3
Rationale: The nurse should identify that the boy is using reaction formation as a defense
mechanism. Reaction formation is the attempt to prevent undesirable thoughts from being
expressed by expressing opposite thoughts or behaviors. Displacement refers to transferring
, feelings from one target to another. Rationalization refers to making excuses to justify
behavior. Projection refers to the attribution of unacceptable feelings or behaviors to another
person. Sublimation refers to channeling unacceptable drives or impulses into more
constructive, acceptable activities.
Which nursing statement about the concept of neurosis is most accurate?
1. An individual experiencing neurosis is unaware that he or she is experiencing distress.
2. An individual experiencing neurosis feels helpless to change his or her situation.
3. An individual experiencing neurosis is aware of psychological causes of his or her
behavior.
4. An individual experiencing neurosis has a loss of contact with reality. - CORRECT
ANSWER ANS: 2
Rationale: The nurse should define the concept of neurosis with the following characteristics:
The client feels helpless to change his or her situation, the client is aware that he or she is
experiencing distress, the client is aware the behaviors are maladaptive, the client is unaware
of the psychological causes of the distress, and the client experiences no loss of contact with
reality.
Which nursing statement regarding the concept of psychosis is most accurate?
1. Individuals experiencing psychoses are aware that their behaviors are maladaptive.
2. Individuals experiencing psychoses experience little distress.
3. Individuals experiencing psychoses are aware of experiencing psychological problems.
4. Individuals experiencing psychoses are based in reality. - CORRECT
ANSWER ANS: 2
Rationale: The nurse should understand that the client with psychosis experiences little
distress owing to his or her lack of awareness of reality. The client with psychosis is unaware
that his or her behavior is maladaptive or that he or she has a psychological problem.
When under stress, a client routinely uses alcohol to excess. Finding her drunk, her husband
yells at the client about her chronic alcohol abuse. Which action alerts the nurse to the client's
use of the defense mechanism of denial?
1. The client hides liquor bottles in a closet.
2. The client yells at her son for slouching in his chair.
