Bonus Chapter 1: Concepts of Personality Development
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 1. A jilted college student is admitted to a hospital following a suicide attempt and states, “No one
will ever love a loser like me.” According to Erikson’s theory of personality development, a
nurse should recognize that this patient has a deficit in which developmental stage?
1. Trust versus mistrust
2. Initiative versus guilt
3. Intimacy versus isolation
4. Ego integrity versus despair
____ 2. A nurse observes a 3-year-old client willingly sharing candy with a sibling. According to Peplau,
which psychological stage of development should the nurse determine that this child has
completed?
1. Learning to count on others
2. Learning to delay satisfaction
3. Identifying oneself
4. Developing skills in participation
____ 3. A 9-month-old child screams every time his mother leaves and will not tolerate anyone else
changing his diaper. The nurse should determine that, according to Mahler’s developmental
theory, this child’s development was arrested at which phase?
1. The autistic phase
2. The symbiotic phase
3. The separation-individuation phase
4. The rapprochement phase
____ 4. According to Peplau, a nurse who provides an abandoned child with parental guidance and praise
following small accomplishments is serving which therapeutic role?
1. Technical expert
2. Resource person
3. Surrogate
4. Leader
____ 5. When assessing clients, a psychiatric nurse should understand that psychoanalytic theory is
based on which underlying concept?
1. A possible genetic basis for the client’s problems
2. The structure and dynamics of the personality
3. Behavioral responses to stressors
4. Maladaptive cognitions
____ 6. Which underlying concept should a nurse associate with interpersonal theory when assessing a
client?
1. The effects of social processes on personality development
2. The effects of unconscious processes and personality structures
3. The effects on thoughts and perceptual processes
, 4. The effects of chemical and genetic influences
____ 7. A physically healthy, 35-year-old, single client lives with his parents, who provide total financial
support. According to Erikson’s theory, which developmental task should a nurse assist the client
to accomplish?
1. Establishing the ability to control emotional reactions
2. Establishing a strong sense of ethics and character structure
3. Establishing and maintaining self-esteem
4. Establishing a career, personal relationships, and societal connections
____ 8. A 1-month-old infant is left alone for extended periods, has little physical stimulation, and is
malnourished. Based on this infant’s situation, in which phase of development, according to
Mahler’s theory, should a nurse expect to see a potential deficit?
1. The symbiotic phase
2. The autistic phase
3. The consolidation phase
4. The rapprochement phase
____ 9. A 6-year-old boy uses his father’s flashlight to explore his 3-year-old sister’s genitalia.
According to Freud, in which stage of psychosocial development should a nurse identify this
behavior as normal?
1. Oral
2. Anal
3. Phallic
4. Latency
____ 10. A married, 26-year-old client works as a schoolteacher. She and her husband have just had their
first child. A nurse should recognize that this client is successfully accomplishing which stage of
Erikson’s developmental theory?
1. Industry versus inferiority
2. Identity versus role confusion
3. Intimacy versus isolation
4. Generativity versus stagnation
____ 11. A 10-year-old child wins the science fair competition and is chosen as a cheerleader for the
basketball team. A nurse should recognize that this child is in the process of successfully
accomplishing which stage of Erikson’s developmental theory?
1. Industry versus inferiority
2. Identity versus role confusion
3. Intimacy versus isolation
4. Generativity versus stagnation
____ 12. A client has flashbacks of sexual abuse by her uncle. She did not have these memories until
recently, when she became sexually active with her boyfriend. A nurse should identify this
experience as which part of Sullivan’s concept of the self-system?
1. The good me
2. The bad me
3. The not me
, 4. The bad you
____ 13. According to Freud, which statement should a nurse associate with predominance of the
superego?
1. “No one is looking, so I will take three cigarettes from Mom’s pack.”
2. “I don’t ever cheat on tests; it is wrong.”
3. “If I skip school, I will get into trouble and fail my test.”
4. “Dad won’t miss this little bit of vodka.”
____ 14. A female complains that her husband only satisfies his sexual needs and never her needs.
According to Freud, which personality structure should a nurse identify as predominantly driving
the husband’s actions?
1. The id
2. The superid
3. The ego
4. The superego
____ 15. A father of a 5-year-old demeans and curses his child for disobedience. In turn, when upset, the
child uses swear words at kindergarten. A school nurse recognizes this behavior as unsuccessful
completion of which stage of development, according to Peplau?
1. Learning to count on others
2. Learning to delay satisfaction
3. Identifying oneself
4. Developing skills in participation
____ 16. A nurse is caring for a hospitalized client who is quarrelsome, opinionated, and has little regard
for others. According to Sullivan’s interpersonal theory, the nurse should associate the client’s
behaviors with a previous deficit in which stage of development?
1. Infancy
2. Childhood
3. Early adolescence
4. Late adolescence
Completion
Complete each statement.
17. “It is never right to take something that doesn’t belong to you.” According to Sigmund Freud,
this statement reflects the predominance of the _______________ structure of the personality.
, Bonus Chapter 1: Concepts of Personality Development
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS: 3
Chapter: Bonus Chapter 1, Concepts of Personality Development
Objective: Theory of psychosocial development—Erikson
Page: 7
Heading: Theory of Psychosocial Development > Erikson’s Stages of Personality Development
Integrated Processes: Nursing Process
Client Need: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Cognitive Level: Application [Applying]
Concept: Stress
Difficulty: Moderate
Feedback
1 The trust versus mistrust stage occurs from birth to 18 months.
2 Initiative versus guilt occurs between ages 3 to 6 years
3 The nurse should recognize that the client who states, “No one will ever love a
loser like me” has not adequately completed the intimacy versus isolation stage
of development. The intimacy versus isolation stage is presumed to occur in
young adulthood between the ages of 20 and 30 years. The major developmental
task in this stage is to establish intense, lasting relationships or commitment to
another person, cause, institution, or creative effort.
4 Ego integrity versus despair occurs between age 65 and death.
PTS: 1 CON: Stress
2. ANS: 2
Chapter: Bonus Chapter 1, Concepts of Personality Development
Objective: A Nursing model of interpersonal development—Peplau
Page: 13
Heading: A Nursing Model—Hildegard E. Peplau > Peplau’s Stages of Personality Development
Integrated Processes: Nursing Process
Client Need: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Application [Applying]
Concept: Family Dynamics
Difficulty: Moderate
Feedback
1 Learning to count on others occurs during the first stage of Peplau’s theory.
2 The nurse should determine that this client has completed the learning to delay
satisfaction stage of development, according to Peplau’s interpersonal theory.
This stage typically occurs in toddlerhood when one learns the satisfaction of
pleasing others.
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 1. A jilted college student is admitted to a hospital following a suicide attempt and states, “No one
will ever love a loser like me.” According to Erikson’s theory of personality development, a
nurse should recognize that this patient has a deficit in which developmental stage?
1. Trust versus mistrust
2. Initiative versus guilt
3. Intimacy versus isolation
4. Ego integrity versus despair
____ 2. A nurse observes a 3-year-old client willingly sharing candy with a sibling. According to Peplau,
which psychological stage of development should the nurse determine that this child has
completed?
1. Learning to count on others
2. Learning to delay satisfaction
3. Identifying oneself
4. Developing skills in participation
____ 3. A 9-month-old child screams every time his mother leaves and will not tolerate anyone else
changing his diaper. The nurse should determine that, according to Mahler’s developmental
theory, this child’s development was arrested at which phase?
1. The autistic phase
2. The symbiotic phase
3. The separation-individuation phase
4. The rapprochement phase
____ 4. According to Peplau, a nurse who provides an abandoned child with parental guidance and praise
following small accomplishments is serving which therapeutic role?
1. Technical expert
2. Resource person
3. Surrogate
4. Leader
____ 5. When assessing clients, a psychiatric nurse should understand that psychoanalytic theory is
based on which underlying concept?
1. A possible genetic basis for the client’s problems
2. The structure and dynamics of the personality
3. Behavioral responses to stressors
4. Maladaptive cognitions
____ 6. Which underlying concept should a nurse associate with interpersonal theory when assessing a
client?
1. The effects of social processes on personality development
2. The effects of unconscious processes and personality structures
3. The effects on thoughts and perceptual processes
, 4. The effects of chemical and genetic influences
____ 7. A physically healthy, 35-year-old, single client lives with his parents, who provide total financial
support. According to Erikson’s theory, which developmental task should a nurse assist the client
to accomplish?
1. Establishing the ability to control emotional reactions
2. Establishing a strong sense of ethics and character structure
3. Establishing and maintaining self-esteem
4. Establishing a career, personal relationships, and societal connections
____ 8. A 1-month-old infant is left alone for extended periods, has little physical stimulation, and is
malnourished. Based on this infant’s situation, in which phase of development, according to
Mahler’s theory, should a nurse expect to see a potential deficit?
1. The symbiotic phase
2. The autistic phase
3. The consolidation phase
4. The rapprochement phase
____ 9. A 6-year-old boy uses his father’s flashlight to explore his 3-year-old sister’s genitalia.
According to Freud, in which stage of psychosocial development should a nurse identify this
behavior as normal?
1. Oral
2. Anal
3. Phallic
4. Latency
____ 10. A married, 26-year-old client works as a schoolteacher. She and her husband have just had their
first child. A nurse should recognize that this client is successfully accomplishing which stage of
Erikson’s developmental theory?
1. Industry versus inferiority
2. Identity versus role confusion
3. Intimacy versus isolation
4. Generativity versus stagnation
____ 11. A 10-year-old child wins the science fair competition and is chosen as a cheerleader for the
basketball team. A nurse should recognize that this child is in the process of successfully
accomplishing which stage of Erikson’s developmental theory?
1. Industry versus inferiority
2. Identity versus role confusion
3. Intimacy versus isolation
4. Generativity versus stagnation
____ 12. A client has flashbacks of sexual abuse by her uncle. She did not have these memories until
recently, when she became sexually active with her boyfriend. A nurse should identify this
experience as which part of Sullivan’s concept of the self-system?
1. The good me
2. The bad me
3. The not me
, 4. The bad you
____ 13. According to Freud, which statement should a nurse associate with predominance of the
superego?
1. “No one is looking, so I will take three cigarettes from Mom’s pack.”
2. “I don’t ever cheat on tests; it is wrong.”
3. “If I skip school, I will get into trouble and fail my test.”
4. “Dad won’t miss this little bit of vodka.”
____ 14. A female complains that her husband only satisfies his sexual needs and never her needs.
According to Freud, which personality structure should a nurse identify as predominantly driving
the husband’s actions?
1. The id
2. The superid
3. The ego
4. The superego
____ 15. A father of a 5-year-old demeans and curses his child for disobedience. In turn, when upset, the
child uses swear words at kindergarten. A school nurse recognizes this behavior as unsuccessful
completion of which stage of development, according to Peplau?
1. Learning to count on others
2. Learning to delay satisfaction
3. Identifying oneself
4. Developing skills in participation
____ 16. A nurse is caring for a hospitalized client who is quarrelsome, opinionated, and has little regard
for others. According to Sullivan’s interpersonal theory, the nurse should associate the client’s
behaviors with a previous deficit in which stage of development?
1. Infancy
2. Childhood
3. Early adolescence
4. Late adolescence
Completion
Complete each statement.
17. “It is never right to take something that doesn’t belong to you.” According to Sigmund Freud,
this statement reflects the predominance of the _______________ structure of the personality.
, Bonus Chapter 1: Concepts of Personality Development
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS: 3
Chapter: Bonus Chapter 1, Concepts of Personality Development
Objective: Theory of psychosocial development—Erikson
Page: 7
Heading: Theory of Psychosocial Development > Erikson’s Stages of Personality Development
Integrated Processes: Nursing Process
Client Need: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Cognitive Level: Application [Applying]
Concept: Stress
Difficulty: Moderate
Feedback
1 The trust versus mistrust stage occurs from birth to 18 months.
2 Initiative versus guilt occurs between ages 3 to 6 years
3 The nurse should recognize that the client who states, “No one will ever love a
loser like me” has not adequately completed the intimacy versus isolation stage
of development. The intimacy versus isolation stage is presumed to occur in
young adulthood between the ages of 20 and 30 years. The major developmental
task in this stage is to establish intense, lasting relationships or commitment to
another person, cause, institution, or creative effort.
4 Ego integrity versus despair occurs between age 65 and death.
PTS: 1 CON: Stress
2. ANS: 2
Chapter: Bonus Chapter 1, Concepts of Personality Development
Objective: A Nursing model of interpersonal development—Peplau
Page: 13
Heading: A Nursing Model—Hildegard E. Peplau > Peplau’s Stages of Personality Development
Integrated Processes: Nursing Process
Client Need: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Application [Applying]
Concept: Family Dynamics
Difficulty: Moderate
Feedback
1 Learning to count on others occurs during the first stage of Peplau’s theory.
2 The nurse should determine that this client has completed the learning to delay
satisfaction stage of development, according to Peplau’s interpersonal theory.
This stage typically occurs in toddlerhood when one learns the satisfaction of
pleasing others.
