MENTAL HEALTH EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS VERIFIED STUDY GUIDE WITH
CORRECT SOLUTIONS GRADED A+ 2026/2027
LATEST UPDATE
Tony, a 45-year-old patient with schizophrenia, sometimes moves his lips silently or
murmurs to himself when he does not realize others are watching. Sometimes when
talking to others, he suddenly stops, appears distracted for a moment, and then
resumes. Based on these observations, Tony most likely is experiencing:
A. illusions
B. delusional thinking
C. auditory hallucinations
D. impaired reality testing - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>C
A patient diagnosed with schizophrenia has auditory hallucinations, delusions of
grandeur, lack of motivation and paranoia. Which assessment finding would the
nurse regard as a negative symptom of schizophrenia?
A. auditory hallucinations
B. delusions of grandeur
C. lack of motivation
D. paranoia - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>C
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,includes social withdrawal and deterioration in function and depressive mood,
followed by perceptual disturbances, magical thinking, and peculiar behavior -
CORRECT ANSWER>>>>prodromal phase
periods of florid positive symptoms (more fully developed and fragrant) e.g.
(hallucination, delusions), and well as negative symptoms (apathy) - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>acute phase
periods in which acute symptoms, particularly the positive symptoms, decrease in
severity - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>stabilization phase
periods in which acute symptoms are in remission, although their might be milder
persistent symptoms (residual symptoms) - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>maintenance phase
A nurse is speaking with a client who has schizophrenia when he suddenly seems to
stop focusing on the nurse's questions and begins looking at the ceiling and talking
to himself. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. stop the interview at this point, and resume later when the client is better able to
concentrate
B. ask the client "are you seeing something on the ceiling?"
C. tell the client, "you seem to be looking at the something on the ceiling. I see
something there too."
D. continue the interview without comment on the clients behavior - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>B
True or false: Atypical (second-generation) antipsychotics treat both the positive and
negative symptoms of schizophrenia. - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>True
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,hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, bizarre behavior - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>positive symptoms
Blunted or flat affect, poverty of thought or speech (alogia), lack of motivation
(avolition), inability to experience pleasure or joy (anhedonia) - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>negative symptoms
Inattention, easily distracted; impaired memory; poor problem-solving skills; poor
decision-making skills; illogical thinking, impaired judgment - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>cognitive symptoms
depression, anxiety, demoralization, suicidility, hopelessness - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>affective/mood symptoms
A nurse observes a patient who is diagnosed with schizophrenia. The patient is
standing immobile, facing the wall with one arm extended in a salute. The patient
remains immobile in this position for 15 minutes, moving only when the nurse gently
lowers the arm. What is the name of this phenomenon?
A. echolalia
B. waxy flexibility
C. depersonalization
D. thought withdrawal - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>B
True or false: The stabilization phase of schizophrenia includes periods of florid
positive symptoms (e.g. hallucinations, delusions) as well as negative symptoms
(e.g. apathy, withdrawal) and cognitive symptoms. - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>False
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, What assessment findings mark the prodromal (early) stage of schizophrenia?
A. Withdrawal, misinterpreting, poor concentration, and magical thinking
B. Auditory hallucinations, ideas of reference, though insertion, and broadcasting
C. Stereotyped behavior, echopraxia, echolalia, and waxy flexibility
D. Loose associations, concrete thinking, and echolalia neologisms - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>A
A nurse at a behavioral health clinic sees an unfamiliar psychiatric diagnosis on a
patient's insurance form. Which resource should the nurse consult to discern the
criteria used to establish this diagnosis?
A. a behavioral health reference manual
B. a psychiatric nursing textbook
C. DSM-5
D. NANDA international - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>C
A nursing student new to psychiatric mental health nursing asks a peer what resource
he can use to determine which symptoms are present in a specific psychiatric
disorder. The best answer would be:
A. Nursing interventions classification (NIC)
B. Nursing outcomes classification (NOC)
C. NANDA-1 Nursing diagnoses
D. DSM-5 - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>D
Providing a safe environment for patients, orienting the patient to the physical
setting, and assisting the patient to participate in appropriate activities are all part of:
A. milieu therapy
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ANSWERS VERIFIED STUDY GUIDE WITH
CORRECT SOLUTIONS GRADED A+ 2026/2027
LATEST UPDATE
Tony, a 45-year-old patient with schizophrenia, sometimes moves his lips silently or
murmurs to himself when he does not realize others are watching. Sometimes when
talking to others, he suddenly stops, appears distracted for a moment, and then
resumes. Based on these observations, Tony most likely is experiencing:
A. illusions
B. delusional thinking
C. auditory hallucinations
D. impaired reality testing - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>C
A patient diagnosed with schizophrenia has auditory hallucinations, delusions of
grandeur, lack of motivation and paranoia. Which assessment finding would the
nurse regard as a negative symptom of schizophrenia?
A. auditory hallucinations
B. delusions of grandeur
C. lack of motivation
D. paranoia - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>C
Page | 1
,includes social withdrawal and deterioration in function and depressive mood,
followed by perceptual disturbances, magical thinking, and peculiar behavior -
CORRECT ANSWER>>>>prodromal phase
periods of florid positive symptoms (more fully developed and fragrant) e.g.
(hallucination, delusions), and well as negative symptoms (apathy) - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>acute phase
periods in which acute symptoms, particularly the positive symptoms, decrease in
severity - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>stabilization phase
periods in which acute symptoms are in remission, although their might be milder
persistent symptoms (residual symptoms) - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>maintenance phase
A nurse is speaking with a client who has schizophrenia when he suddenly seems to
stop focusing on the nurse's questions and begins looking at the ceiling and talking
to himself. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. stop the interview at this point, and resume later when the client is better able to
concentrate
B. ask the client "are you seeing something on the ceiling?"
C. tell the client, "you seem to be looking at the something on the ceiling. I see
something there too."
D. continue the interview without comment on the clients behavior - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>B
True or false: Atypical (second-generation) antipsychotics treat both the positive and
negative symptoms of schizophrenia. - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>True
Page | 2
,hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, bizarre behavior - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>positive symptoms
Blunted or flat affect, poverty of thought or speech (alogia), lack of motivation
(avolition), inability to experience pleasure or joy (anhedonia) - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>negative symptoms
Inattention, easily distracted; impaired memory; poor problem-solving skills; poor
decision-making skills; illogical thinking, impaired judgment - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>cognitive symptoms
depression, anxiety, demoralization, suicidility, hopelessness - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>affective/mood symptoms
A nurse observes a patient who is diagnosed with schizophrenia. The patient is
standing immobile, facing the wall with one arm extended in a salute. The patient
remains immobile in this position for 15 minutes, moving only when the nurse gently
lowers the arm. What is the name of this phenomenon?
A. echolalia
B. waxy flexibility
C. depersonalization
D. thought withdrawal - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>B
True or false: The stabilization phase of schizophrenia includes periods of florid
positive symptoms (e.g. hallucinations, delusions) as well as negative symptoms
(e.g. apathy, withdrawal) and cognitive symptoms. - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>False
Page | 3
, What assessment findings mark the prodromal (early) stage of schizophrenia?
A. Withdrawal, misinterpreting, poor concentration, and magical thinking
B. Auditory hallucinations, ideas of reference, though insertion, and broadcasting
C. Stereotyped behavior, echopraxia, echolalia, and waxy flexibility
D. Loose associations, concrete thinking, and echolalia neologisms - CORRECT
ANSWER>>>>A
A nurse at a behavioral health clinic sees an unfamiliar psychiatric diagnosis on a
patient's insurance form. Which resource should the nurse consult to discern the
criteria used to establish this diagnosis?
A. a behavioral health reference manual
B. a psychiatric nursing textbook
C. DSM-5
D. NANDA international - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>C
A nursing student new to psychiatric mental health nursing asks a peer what resource
he can use to determine which symptoms are present in a specific psychiatric
disorder. The best answer would be:
A. Nursing interventions classification (NIC)
B. Nursing outcomes classification (NOC)
C. NANDA-1 Nursing diagnoses
D. DSM-5 - CORRECT ANSWER>>>>D
Providing a safe environment for patients, orienting the patient to the physical
setting, and assisting the patient to participate in appropriate activities are all part of:
A. milieu therapy
Page | 4
