Updated/Latest Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 8th Edition by Sheila L Videbeck 2025–2026 Comprehensive Test Bank Questions and Answers for Mental Health Nursing Examination Preparation Therapeutic Communication Clinical Judgment Psychiatric Care and NC

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 8th edition by Videbeck Test Bank YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




Chapter 1 YF




1. The nurse is assessing the factors contributing to the well-being of a newly admitted
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client. Which of the following would the nurse identify as having a positive impact on the
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individual's mental health?
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A) Not needing others for companionship YF YF YF YF




B) The ability to effectively manage stress YF YF YF YF YF




C) A family history of mental illness YF YF YF YF YF




D) Strivingfortotalself-reliance F
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Y F
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Ans: B
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Feedback:
Individual factors influencing mental health include biologic makeup, autonomy,
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independence, self-esteem, capacity for growth, vitality, ability to find meaning in life,
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emotional resilience or hardiness, sense of belonging, reality orientation, and coping or
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stress management abilities. Interpersonal factors such as intimacy and a balance of
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separateness and connectedness are both needed for good mental health, and therefore a
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healthy person would need others for companionship. A family history of mental illness
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could relate to the biologic makeup of an individual, which may have a negative impact on
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an individual's mental health, as well as a negative impact on an individual's interpersonal
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and socialñcultural factors of health. Total self-reliance is not possible, and a positive
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social/cultural factor is access to adequate resources.
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2. Which of the following statements about mental illness are true? Select all that apply.
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A) Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




B) Mental illness is only due to social/cultural factors. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




C) Social/cultural factors that relate to mental illness include excessive dependency on YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




or withdrawal from relationships.
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D) Individuals suffering from mental illness are usually able to cope effectively with YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




daily life. YF YF




E) Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




relationships and self.
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Ans: A, D, E Y F YF YF




Feedback:
Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. Mental illness
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may be related to individual, interpersonal, or social/cultural factors. Excessive
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dependency on or withdrawal from relationships are interpersonal factors that relate to
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mental illness. Individuals suffering from mental illness can feel overwhelmed with daily
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life. Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with
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relationships and self.
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,3. Which of the following are true regarding mental health and mental illness?
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A) Behavior that may be viewed as acceptable in one culture is always unacceptable in YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




other cultures. YF YF




B) It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
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C) In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social
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wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonalrelationships, effective behavior
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and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability.
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D) Persons who engage in fantasies are mentally ill. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




Ans: C
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Feedback:
What one society may view as acceptable and appropriate behavior, another society may see
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that as maladaptive, and inappropriate. Mental health and mental illness are difficult to
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define precisely. In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and
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social wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and
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coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability. Persons who engage in fantasies may
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be mentally healthy, but the inability to distinguish reality from fantasy is an individual
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factor that may contribute to mental illness.
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4. A client grieving the recent loss of her husband asks if she is becoming mentally ill
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because she is so sad. The nurse's best response would be,
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A) ìYou may have a temporary mental illness because you are experiencing so much
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pain.î YF




B) ìYou are not mentally ill. This is an expected reaction to the loss you haveYF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




experienced.î YF




C) ìWere you generally dissatisfied with your relationship before your husband's YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




death?î YF




D) ìTry not to worry about that right now. You never know what the future brings.î Ans:
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YB F




Feedback:
Mental illness includes general dissatisfaction with self, ineffective relationships,
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ineffective coping, and lack of personal growth. Additionally the behavior must not be
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culturally expected. Acute grief reactions are expected and therefore not considered mental
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illness. False reassurance or overanalysis does not accurately address the client's concerns.
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,5. The nurse consults the DSM for which of the following purposes?
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A) To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
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B) To predict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
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C) To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical record
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D) To serve as a guide for client assessment
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Ans: D
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Feedback:
The DSM provides standard nomenclature, presents defining characteristics, and identifies
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underlying causes of mental disorders. It does not provide care plans or prognostic
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outcomes of treatment. Diagnosis of mental illness is not within the generalist RN's scope
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of practice, so documenting the code in the medical record would be inappropriate.
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6. Which would be a reason for a student nurse to use the DSM?
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A) Identifying the medical diagnosis YF YF YF




B) Treat clients YF




C) Evaluate treatments YF




D) Understand the reason for the admission and the nature of psychiatric illnesses. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




Ans: D
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Feedback:
Although student nurses do not use the DSM to diagnose clients, they will find it a helpful
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resource to understand the reason for the admission and to begin building knowledge about
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the nature of psychiatric illnesses. Identifying the medical diagnosis, treating, and
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evaluating treatments are not a part of the nursing process.
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7. The legislation enacted in 1963 was largely responsible for which of the following shifts in
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care for the mentally ill?
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A) The widespread use of community-based services YF YF YF YF YF




B) The advancement in pharmacotherapies YF YF YF




C) Increased access to hospitalization YF YF YF




D) Improved rights for clients in long-term institutional care YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




Ans: A
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Feedback:
The Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963 accomplished the release
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of individuals from long-term stays in state institutions, the decrease in admissions to
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hospitals, and the development of community-based services as an alternative to hospital
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care.
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, 8. Which one of the following is a result of federal legislation?
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A) Making it easier to commit people for mental health treatment against their will. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




B) Making it more difficult to commit people for mental health treatment against YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




their will. YF YF




C) State mental institutions being the primary source of care for mentally ill persons.
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D) Improved care for mentally illpersons. YF YF YF YF YF




Ans: B
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Feedback:
Commitment laws changed in the early 1970s, making it more difficult to commit YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




people for mental health treatment against their will. Deinstitutionalization
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accomplished the release of individuals from long-term stays in state institutions.
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Deinstitutionalization also had negative effects in that some mentally ill persons are
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subjected to the revolving door effect, which may limit care for mentally ill persons.
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9. The goal of the 1963 Community Mental Health Centers Act was to
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A) ensure patients' rights for the mentally ill. YF YF YF YF YF YF




B) deinstitutionalize state hospitals. YF YF




C) provide funds to build hospitals with psychiatric units. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




D) treat people with mental illness in a humane fashion. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




Ans: B
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Feedback:
The 1963 Community Mental Health Centers Act intimated the movement toward treating
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those with mental illness in a less restrictive environment. This legislation resulted in the
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shift of clients with mental illness from large state institutions to care based in the
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community. Answer choices A, C, and D were not purposes of the 1963 Community Mental
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Health Centers Act.
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10. The creation of asylums during the 1800s was meant to
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A) improve treatment of mental disorders. YF YF YF YF




B) provide food and shelter for the mentally ill. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




C) punish people with mental illness who were believed to be possessed. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




D) remove dangerous people with mental illness fromthe community. YF YF YF YF YF YF YF YF




Ans: B
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Feedback:
The asylum was meant to be a safe haven with food, shelter, and humane treatment for the
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mentally ill. Asylums were not used to improve treatment of mental disorders or to punish
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mentally ill people who were believed to be possessed. The asylum was not created to
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remove the dangerously mentally ill from the community.
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