NSG 221 EXAM 4 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: Obsessive-compulsive person-
ality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with per-
fectionism, mental and interpersonal control, and orderliness at the expense of
flexibility, openness, and efficiency. Clients are preoccupied with orderliness and try
to maintain it in all areas of life. They strive for perfection as though it were attainable
and are preoccupied with details, rules, lists, and schedules to the point of often
missing "the big picture."
2. Dependent personality disorder: Dependent personality disorder is character-
ized by a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of, which leads to sub-
missive and clinging behavior and fears of separation Clients are frequently anxious
and may be mildly uncomfortable. They are often pessimistic and self-critical; other
people hurt their feelings easily. When these clients do experience the end of
a relationship, they urgently and desperately seek another. The unspoken motto
seems to be: "Any relationship is better than no relationship at all."
3. Avoidant personality disorder: Avoidant personality disorder is characterized
by a pervasive pattern of social discomfort and reticence, low self-esteem, and
hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. Clients with avoidant personality disorder
have low self-esteem. They are hypersensitive to negative evaluation from others
and readily believe themselves to be inferior. Clients may report some success in
occupational roles because they are so eager to please or to win a supervisor's
approval. Shyness, awkwardness, or fear of failure, however, may prevent them from
seeking jobs that might be more suitable, challenging, or rewarding.
4. Narcissistic personality disorder: Narcissistic personality disorder is charac-
terized by a pervasive pattern of grandiosity
(in fantasy or behavior), need for
admiration, and lack of empathy. Clients may display an arrogant or haughty attitude.
They lack the ability to recognize or empathize with the feelings of others. Underlying
self-esteem is almost always fragile and vulnerable. These clients are hypersensitive
to criticism and need constant attention and admiration
5. Histrionic personality disorder: Histrionic personality disorder is characterized
by a pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking. The ten-
dency of these clients to exaggerate the closeness of relationships or to dramatize
,relatively minor occurrences can result in unreliable data. Expressed emotions,
though colorful, are insincere and shallow; this is readily apparent to others but not
to clients. They experience rapid shifts in moods and emotions and may be laughing
uproariously one moment and sobbing the next.
6. Bipolar Disorder: BPD is characterized by a pervasive pattern of unstable inter-
personal relationships, self-image, and affect as well as marked impulsivity. BPD is
the most common personality disorder found in clinical settings. It is three times more
, common in women than in men. Up to three-quarters of clients with BPD engage in
deliberate self-harm, sometimes called nonsuicidal self-injury.
7. Antisocial personality disorder: Antisocial personality disorder is characterized
by a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others—and by
the central characteristics of deceit and manipulation.
8. Schizotypal personality disorder: Schizotypal personality disorder is charac-
terized by a pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by acute
discomfort with and reduced capacity for close relationships as well as by cognitive
or perceptual distortions and behavioral eccentricities. Clients often have an odd ap-
pearance that causes others to notice them. They may be unkempt and disheveled,
and their clothes are often ill-fitting, do not match, and may be stained or dirty. They
may wander aimlessly and, at times, become preoccupied with some environmental
detail. Cognitive distortions include ideas of reference, magical thinking, odd or un-
founded beliefs, and a preoccupation with parapsychology, including extrasensory
perception and clairvoyance.
9. Schizoid personality disorder: Schizoid personality disorder is characterized by
a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of
emotional expression in interpersonal settings. Clients generally are accomplished
intellectually and often involved with computers or electronics for work or to pass
their time. Clients may be indecisive and lack future goals or direction. They see no
need for planning and have no aspirations.
10. Paranoid personality disorder: Paranoid personality disorder is characterized
by pervasive mistrust and suspiciousness of others. Clients with this disorder inter-
pret others' actions as potentially harmful. These clients use the defense mechanism
of projection, which is blaming other people, institutions, or events for their own
difficulties
11. Schizoaffective disorder: describes a condition in which the client exhibits
symptoms of psychosis and a mood disorder such as depression.
12. Torticollis: a dystonic reaction that results in muscle spasms in the neck, can
be very painful for the client.
13. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: is a potentially life-threatening reaction
seen with clients taking antipsychotic medications.
14. Polydipsia: or an excessive ingestion of water, can have potentially life-threat-
1. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: Obsessive-compulsive person-
ality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with per-
fectionism, mental and interpersonal control, and orderliness at the expense of
flexibility, openness, and efficiency. Clients are preoccupied with orderliness and try
to maintain it in all areas of life. They strive for perfection as though it were attainable
and are preoccupied with details, rules, lists, and schedules to the point of often
missing "the big picture."
2. Dependent personality disorder: Dependent personality disorder is character-
ized by a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of, which leads to sub-
missive and clinging behavior and fears of separation Clients are frequently anxious
and may be mildly uncomfortable. They are often pessimistic and self-critical; other
people hurt their feelings easily. When these clients do experience the end of
a relationship, they urgently and desperately seek another. The unspoken motto
seems to be: "Any relationship is better than no relationship at all."
3. Avoidant personality disorder: Avoidant personality disorder is characterized
by a pervasive pattern of social discomfort and reticence, low self-esteem, and
hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. Clients with avoidant personality disorder
have low self-esteem. They are hypersensitive to negative evaluation from others
and readily believe themselves to be inferior. Clients may report some success in
occupational roles because they are so eager to please or to win a supervisor's
approval. Shyness, awkwardness, or fear of failure, however, may prevent them from
seeking jobs that might be more suitable, challenging, or rewarding.
4. Narcissistic personality disorder: Narcissistic personality disorder is charac-
terized by a pervasive pattern of grandiosity
(in fantasy or behavior), need for
admiration, and lack of empathy. Clients may display an arrogant or haughty attitude.
They lack the ability to recognize or empathize with the feelings of others. Underlying
self-esteem is almost always fragile and vulnerable. These clients are hypersensitive
to criticism and need constant attention and admiration
5. Histrionic personality disorder: Histrionic personality disorder is characterized
by a pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking. The ten-
dency of these clients to exaggerate the closeness of relationships or to dramatize
,relatively minor occurrences can result in unreliable data. Expressed emotions,
though colorful, are insincere and shallow; this is readily apparent to others but not
to clients. They experience rapid shifts in moods and emotions and may be laughing
uproariously one moment and sobbing the next.
6. Bipolar Disorder: BPD is characterized by a pervasive pattern of unstable inter-
personal relationships, self-image, and affect as well as marked impulsivity. BPD is
the most common personality disorder found in clinical settings. It is three times more
, common in women than in men. Up to three-quarters of clients with BPD engage in
deliberate self-harm, sometimes called nonsuicidal self-injury.
7. Antisocial personality disorder: Antisocial personality disorder is characterized
by a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others—and by
the central characteristics of deceit and manipulation.
8. Schizotypal personality disorder: Schizotypal personality disorder is charac-
terized by a pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by acute
discomfort with and reduced capacity for close relationships as well as by cognitive
or perceptual distortions and behavioral eccentricities. Clients often have an odd ap-
pearance that causes others to notice them. They may be unkempt and disheveled,
and their clothes are often ill-fitting, do not match, and may be stained or dirty. They
may wander aimlessly and, at times, become preoccupied with some environmental
detail. Cognitive distortions include ideas of reference, magical thinking, odd or un-
founded beliefs, and a preoccupation with parapsychology, including extrasensory
perception and clairvoyance.
9. Schizoid personality disorder: Schizoid personality disorder is characterized by
a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of
emotional expression in interpersonal settings. Clients generally are accomplished
intellectually and often involved with computers or electronics for work or to pass
their time. Clients may be indecisive and lack future goals or direction. They see no
need for planning and have no aspirations.
10. Paranoid personality disorder: Paranoid personality disorder is characterized
by pervasive mistrust and suspiciousness of others. Clients with this disorder inter-
pret others' actions as potentially harmful. These clients use the defense mechanism
of projection, which is blaming other people, institutions, or events for their own
difficulties
11. Schizoaffective disorder: describes a condition in which the client exhibits
symptoms of psychosis and a mood disorder such as depression.
12. Torticollis: a dystonic reaction that results in muscle spasms in the neck, can
be very painful for the client.
13. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: is a potentially life-threatening reaction
seen with clients taking antipsychotic medications.
14. Polydipsia: or an excessive ingestion of water, can have potentially life-threat-
