NSG526 Final Exam V2 | NSG 526 Clinical
Modalities Adv. Psych | Wilkes University
1. A patient with Borderline Personality Disorder is beginning Dialectical Behavior Therapy
(DBT). Which core component is primarily focused on balancing acceptance and change?
A. Cognitive Restructuring
B. Mindfulness
C. Dialectics
D. Systematic Desensitization
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Dialectics in DBT involves finding a synthesis between opposing
views, specifically the acceptance of the patient’s current state and the necessity for change.
This balance is fundamental to the therapy’s success in stabilizing emotional dysregulation.
The clinician works to validate the patient’s experience while simultaneously pushing for
behavioral modification.
2. When a PMHNP experiences strong feelings toward a patient that remind them of a
significant person from their own past, this is known as:
A. Countertransference
B. Transference
C. Projection
,D. Empathy
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Countertransference refers to the unconscious emotional response of
the therapist to the patient based on the therapist’s own history. Recognizing these feelings
is crucial for maintaining professional boundaries and ensuring the therapeutic process
remains objective. Clinicians should use supervision to process these reactions and prevent
them from impacting patient care.
3. In the OARS model of Motivational Interviewing, what does the ‘A’ stand for?
A. Affirmations
B. Action
C. Assessment
D. Advice
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Affirmations are used in Motivational Interviewing to recognize a
patient’s strengths and efforts toward change. This technique helps build rapport and
increases the patient’s self-efficacy during the recovery process. By highlighting positive
attributes, the PMHNP encourages the patient to continue their progress.
4. Which principle of Trauma-Informed Care emphasizes the importance of shared decision-
making between the provider and the patient?
A. Safety
, B. Trustworthiness
C. Collaboration and Mutuality
D. Empowerment
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Collaboration and Mutuality focus on leveling the power differential
between the clinician and the patient to foster a partnership. This approach recognizes that
everyone has a role in the healing process and respects the patient’s perspective. It shift the
focus from ‘doing to’ the patient to ‘working with’ the patient.
5. During a session, a patient states, ‘If I don’t get this promotion, my entire career is over
and I’ll be a failure forever.’ This is an example of which cognitive distortion?
A. Overgeneralization
B. Personalization
C. Catastrophizing
D. Emotional Reasoning
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Catastrophizing involves imagining the worst possible outcome and
believing it is more likely than it actually is. This distortion often leads to significant anxiety
and prevents the patient from seeing more realistic possibilities. In CBT, the therapist helps
the patient identify this pattern and challenge the irrationality of the thought.
Modalities Adv. Psych | Wilkes University
1. A patient with Borderline Personality Disorder is beginning Dialectical Behavior Therapy
(DBT). Which core component is primarily focused on balancing acceptance and change?
A. Cognitive Restructuring
B. Mindfulness
C. Dialectics
D. Systematic Desensitization
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Dialectics in DBT involves finding a synthesis between opposing
views, specifically the acceptance of the patient’s current state and the necessity for change.
This balance is fundamental to the therapy’s success in stabilizing emotional dysregulation.
The clinician works to validate the patient’s experience while simultaneously pushing for
behavioral modification.
2. When a PMHNP experiences strong feelings toward a patient that remind them of a
significant person from their own past, this is known as:
A. Countertransference
B. Transference
C. Projection
,D. Empathy
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Countertransference refers to the unconscious emotional response of
the therapist to the patient based on the therapist’s own history. Recognizing these feelings
is crucial for maintaining professional boundaries and ensuring the therapeutic process
remains objective. Clinicians should use supervision to process these reactions and prevent
them from impacting patient care.
3. In the OARS model of Motivational Interviewing, what does the ‘A’ stand for?
A. Affirmations
B. Action
C. Assessment
D. Advice
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Affirmations are used in Motivational Interviewing to recognize a
patient’s strengths and efforts toward change. This technique helps build rapport and
increases the patient’s self-efficacy during the recovery process. By highlighting positive
attributes, the PMHNP encourages the patient to continue their progress.
4. Which principle of Trauma-Informed Care emphasizes the importance of shared decision-
making between the provider and the patient?
A. Safety
, B. Trustworthiness
C. Collaboration and Mutuality
D. Empowerment
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Collaboration and Mutuality focus on leveling the power differential
between the clinician and the patient to foster a partnership. This approach recognizes that
everyone has a role in the healing process and respects the patient’s perspective. It shift the
focus from ‘doing to’ the patient to ‘working with’ the patient.
5. During a session, a patient states, ‘If I don’t get this promotion, my entire career is over
and I’ll be a failure forever.’ This is an example of which cognitive distortion?
A. Overgeneralization
B. Personalization
C. Catastrophizing
D. Emotional Reasoning
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Catastrophizing involves imagining the worst possible outcome and
believing it is more likely than it actually is. This distortion often leads to significant anxiety
and prevents the patient from seeing more realistic possibilities. In CBT, the therapist helps
the patient identify this pattern and challenge the irrationality of the thought.
