Anxiety Disorders NCLEX (Answered
With Rationale) 100% Correct
A nursing instructor is teaching about specific phobias. Which student statement
should indicate that learning has occurred?
A. "These clients do not recognize that their fear is excessive and rarely seek
treatment."
B. "These clients have a panic level of fear that is overwhelming and
unreasonable."
C. "These clients experience symptoms that mirror a cerebrovascular accident
(CVA)."
D. "These clients experience the symptoms of tachycardia, dysphagia, and
diaphoresis."
ANS: B
The nursing instructor should evaluate that learning has occurred when the student
knows that clients experiencing phobias have a panic level of fear that is overwhelming
and unreasonable. Phobia is fear cued by a specific object or situation in which
exposure to the stimuli produces an immediate anxiety response.
A client has a history of excessive fear of water. What is the term that a nurse
should use to describe this specific phobia, and under what subtype is this
phobia identified?
A. Aquaphobia, a natural environment type of phobia
B. Aquaphobia, a situational type of phobia
C. Acrophobia, a natural environment type of phobia
D. Acrophobia, a situational type of phobia
ANS: A
The nurse should determine that an excessive fear of water is identified as aquaphobia
which is a natural environment type of phobia. Natural environment-type phobias are
fears about objects or situations that occur in the natural environment such as a fear of
heights or storms.
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with a social phobia from a
client diagnosed with a schizoid personality disorder (SPD)?
A. Clients diagnosed with social phobia can manage anxiety without medications,
whereas clients diagnosed with SPD can manage anxiety only with medications.
B. Clients diagnosed with SPD are distressed by the symptoms experienced in
social settings, whereas clients diagnosed with social phobia are not.
C. Clients diagnosed with social phobia avoid interactions only in social settings,
whereas clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions in all areas of life.
D. Clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions only in social settings, whereas
clients diagnosed with social phobias tend to avoid interactions in all areas of
life.
ANS: C
Clients diagnosed with social phobia avoid interactions only in social settings, whereas
clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions in all areas of life. Social phobia is an
, excessive fear of situations in which a person might do something embarrassing or be
evaluated negatively by others.
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with panic disorder from a
client diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. GAD is acute in nature, and panic disorder is chronic.
B. Chest pain is a common GAD symptom, whereas this symptom is absent in
panic disorders.
C. Hyperventilation is a common symptom in GAD and rare in panic disorder.
D. Depersonalization is commonly seen in panic disorder and absent in GAD.
ANS: D
The nurse should recognize that a client diagnosed with panic disorder experiences
depersonalization, whereas a client diagnosed with GAD would not. Depersonalization
refers to being detached from oneself when experiencing extreme anxiety.
Which treatment should a nurse identify as most appropriate for clients
diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. Long-term treatment with diazepam (Valium)
B. Acute symptom control with citalopram (Celexa)
C. Long-term treatment with buspirone (BuSpar)
D. Acute symptom control with ziprasidone (Geodon)
ANS: C
The nurse should identify that an appropriate treatment for clients diagnosed with GAD
is long-term treatment with buspirone. Buspirone is an anxiolytic medication that is
effective in 60% to 80% of clients with GAD. It takes 10 to 14 days for alleviation of
symptoms but does not have the dependency concerns of other anxiolytics.
A client refuses to go on a cruise to the Bahamas with his spouse due to fearing
that the cruise ship will sink and all will drown. Using a cognitive theory
perspective, how should a nurse explain to the spouse the etiology of this fear?
A. "Your spouse may be unable to resolve internal conflicts which result in
projected anxiety."
B. "Your spouse may be experiencing a distorted and unrealistic appraisal of the
situation."
C. "Your spouse may have a genetic predisposition to overreacting to potential
danger."
D. "Your spouse may have high levels of brain chemicals that may distort
thinking."
ANS: B
The nurse should explain that from a cognitive perspective the client is experiencing a
distorted and unrealistic appraisal of the situation. From a cognitive perspective, fear is
described as the result of faulty cognitions.
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD) from a client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality
disorder?
A. Clients diagnosed with OCD experience both obsessions and compulsions,
and clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder do not.
B. Clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder experience
both obsessions and compulsions, and clients diagnosed with OCD do not.
With Rationale) 100% Correct
A nursing instructor is teaching about specific phobias. Which student statement
should indicate that learning has occurred?
A. "These clients do not recognize that their fear is excessive and rarely seek
treatment."
B. "These clients have a panic level of fear that is overwhelming and
unreasonable."
C. "These clients experience symptoms that mirror a cerebrovascular accident
(CVA)."
D. "These clients experience the symptoms of tachycardia, dysphagia, and
diaphoresis."
ANS: B
The nursing instructor should evaluate that learning has occurred when the student
knows that clients experiencing phobias have a panic level of fear that is overwhelming
and unreasonable. Phobia is fear cued by a specific object or situation in which
exposure to the stimuli produces an immediate anxiety response.
A client has a history of excessive fear of water. What is the term that a nurse
should use to describe this specific phobia, and under what subtype is this
phobia identified?
A. Aquaphobia, a natural environment type of phobia
B. Aquaphobia, a situational type of phobia
C. Acrophobia, a natural environment type of phobia
D. Acrophobia, a situational type of phobia
ANS: A
The nurse should determine that an excessive fear of water is identified as aquaphobia
which is a natural environment type of phobia. Natural environment-type phobias are
fears about objects or situations that occur in the natural environment such as a fear of
heights or storms.
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with a social phobia from a
client diagnosed with a schizoid personality disorder (SPD)?
A. Clients diagnosed with social phobia can manage anxiety without medications,
whereas clients diagnosed with SPD can manage anxiety only with medications.
B. Clients diagnosed with SPD are distressed by the symptoms experienced in
social settings, whereas clients diagnosed with social phobia are not.
C. Clients diagnosed with social phobia avoid interactions only in social settings,
whereas clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions in all areas of life.
D. Clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions only in social settings, whereas
clients diagnosed with social phobias tend to avoid interactions in all areas of
life.
ANS: C
Clients diagnosed with social phobia avoid interactions only in social settings, whereas
clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions in all areas of life. Social phobia is an
, excessive fear of situations in which a person might do something embarrassing or be
evaluated negatively by others.
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with panic disorder from a
client diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. GAD is acute in nature, and panic disorder is chronic.
B. Chest pain is a common GAD symptom, whereas this symptom is absent in
panic disorders.
C. Hyperventilation is a common symptom in GAD and rare in panic disorder.
D. Depersonalization is commonly seen in panic disorder and absent in GAD.
ANS: D
The nurse should recognize that a client diagnosed with panic disorder experiences
depersonalization, whereas a client diagnosed with GAD would not. Depersonalization
refers to being detached from oneself when experiencing extreme anxiety.
Which treatment should a nurse identify as most appropriate for clients
diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. Long-term treatment with diazepam (Valium)
B. Acute symptom control with citalopram (Celexa)
C. Long-term treatment with buspirone (BuSpar)
D. Acute symptom control with ziprasidone (Geodon)
ANS: C
The nurse should identify that an appropriate treatment for clients diagnosed with GAD
is long-term treatment with buspirone. Buspirone is an anxiolytic medication that is
effective in 60% to 80% of clients with GAD. It takes 10 to 14 days for alleviation of
symptoms but does not have the dependency concerns of other anxiolytics.
A client refuses to go on a cruise to the Bahamas with his spouse due to fearing
that the cruise ship will sink and all will drown. Using a cognitive theory
perspective, how should a nurse explain to the spouse the etiology of this fear?
A. "Your spouse may be unable to resolve internal conflicts which result in
projected anxiety."
B. "Your spouse may be experiencing a distorted and unrealistic appraisal of the
situation."
C. "Your spouse may have a genetic predisposition to overreacting to potential
danger."
D. "Your spouse may have high levels of brain chemicals that may distort
thinking."
ANS: B
The nurse should explain that from a cognitive perspective the client is experiencing a
distorted and unrealistic appraisal of the situation. From a cognitive perspective, fear is
described as the result of faulty cognitions.
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD) from a client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality
disorder?
A. Clients diagnosed with OCD experience both obsessions and compulsions,
and clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder do not.
B. Clients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder experience
both obsessions and compulsions, and clients diagnosed with OCD do not.
