HALTER VARCAROLIS FOUNDATIONS OF
PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
CLINICAL APPROACH PRACTICE SCRIPT
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
⩥ 2. Which of the following statements about mental illness are true?
Select all that apply.
A) Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or
both.
B) Mental illness is only due to social/cultural factors.
C) Social/cultural factors that relate to mental illness include excessive
dependency on or withdrawal from relationships.
D) Individuals suffering from mental illness are usually able to cope
effectively with daily life.
E) Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience
dissatisfaction with relationships and self. Answer: Ans: A, D, E
Feedback:
Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or
both. Mental illness may be related to individual, interpersonal, or
social/cultural factors. Excessive dependency on or withdrawal from
relationships are interpersonal factors that relate to mental illness.
Individuals suffering from mental illness can feel overwhelmed with
,daily life. Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience
dissatisfaction with relationships and self.
⩥ 3. Which of the following are true regarding mental health and mental
illness?
A) Behavior that may be viewed as acceptable in one culture is always
unacceptable in other cultures.
B) It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
C) In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological,
and social wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships,
effective behavior and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional
stability.
D) Persons who engage in fantasies are mentally ill.. Answer: Ans: C
Feedback:
What one society may view as acceptable and appropriate behavior,
another society may see that as maladaptive, and inappropriate. Mental
health and mental illness are difficult to define precisely. In most cases,
mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social wellness
evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior
and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability. Persons who
engage in fantasies may be mentally healthy, but the inability to
distinguish reality from fantasy is an individual factor that may
contribute to mental illness.
, ⩥ 4. A client grieving the recent loss of her husband asks if she is
becoming mentally ill because she is so sad. The nurse's best response
would be,
A) "You may have a temporary mental illness because you are
experiencing so much pain."
B) "You are not mentally ill. This is an expected reaction to the loss you
have experienced."
C) "Were you generally dissatisfied with your relationship before your
husband's death?"
D) "Try not to worry about that right now. You never know what the
future brings.". Answer: Ans: B
Feedback:
Mental illness includes general dissatisfaction with self, ineffective
relationships, ineffective coping, and lack of personal growth.
Additionally the behavior must not be culturally expected. Acute grief
reactions are expected and therefore not considered mental illness. False
reassurance or overanalysis does not accurately address the client's
concerns.
⩥ 5. The nurse consults the DSM for which of the following purposes?
A) To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
B) To predict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
C) To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical
record
D) To serve as a guide for client assessment. Answer: Ans: D
PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
CLINICAL APPROACH PRACTICE SCRIPT
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
⩥ 2. Which of the following statements about mental illness are true?
Select all that apply.
A) Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or
both.
B) Mental illness is only due to social/cultural factors.
C) Social/cultural factors that relate to mental illness include excessive
dependency on or withdrawal from relationships.
D) Individuals suffering from mental illness are usually able to cope
effectively with daily life.
E) Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience
dissatisfaction with relationships and self. Answer: Ans: A, D, E
Feedback:
Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or
both. Mental illness may be related to individual, interpersonal, or
social/cultural factors. Excessive dependency on or withdrawal from
relationships are interpersonal factors that relate to mental illness.
Individuals suffering from mental illness can feel overwhelmed with
,daily life. Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience
dissatisfaction with relationships and self.
⩥ 3. Which of the following are true regarding mental health and mental
illness?
A) Behavior that may be viewed as acceptable in one culture is always
unacceptable in other cultures.
B) It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
C) In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological,
and social wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships,
effective behavior and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional
stability.
D) Persons who engage in fantasies are mentally ill.. Answer: Ans: C
Feedback:
What one society may view as acceptable and appropriate behavior,
another society may see that as maladaptive, and inappropriate. Mental
health and mental illness are difficult to define precisely. In most cases,
mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social wellness
evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior
and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability. Persons who
engage in fantasies may be mentally healthy, but the inability to
distinguish reality from fantasy is an individual factor that may
contribute to mental illness.
, ⩥ 4. A client grieving the recent loss of her husband asks if she is
becoming mentally ill because she is so sad. The nurse's best response
would be,
A) "You may have a temporary mental illness because you are
experiencing so much pain."
B) "You are not mentally ill. This is an expected reaction to the loss you
have experienced."
C) "Were you generally dissatisfied with your relationship before your
husband's death?"
D) "Try not to worry about that right now. You never know what the
future brings.". Answer: Ans: B
Feedback:
Mental illness includes general dissatisfaction with self, ineffective
relationships, ineffective coping, and lack of personal growth.
Additionally the behavior must not be culturally expected. Acute grief
reactions are expected and therefore not considered mental illness. False
reassurance or overanalysis does not accurately address the client's
concerns.
⩥ 5. The nurse consults the DSM for which of the following purposes?
A) To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
B) To predict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
C) To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical
record
D) To serve as a guide for client assessment. Answer: Ans: D
