1|Page
NRNP 6635 – Final Exam| Verified Questions
and Correct Answers with Rationale | Latest
Edition 2026 (A Graded)
Exam Structure:
Subject: Psychopathology & Diagnosis
Source: NRNP 6635 Final Exam
Format: Q&A Guide with Rationale
1: A nurse is assessing an older adult with mild cognitive impairment.
Which mental function is most affected?
Options:
A. Executive function
B. Language
C. Remote memory
D. Recent memory
Correct Answer: D. Recent memory
Rationale:
1. Mild cognitive impairment primarily affects short-term or recent
memory.
2. This is often the earliest and most prominent deficit before progression
to dementia.
2: A nurse is reviewing genetic causes of intellectual disability. Which
is the most frequent cause attributed to a specific gene?
Options:
A. Fragile X syndrome
B. Phenylketonuria
, 2|Page
C. Down syndrome
D. Prader-Willi syndrome
Correct Answer: C. Down syndrome
Rationale:
1. Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is the most common genetic cause of
intellectual disability in children.
3: A nurse is studying the pathophysiology of ADHD. Which
neurotransmitter is most associated with its occurrence?
Options:
A. Serotonin
B. Dopamine
C. Norepinephrine
D. GABA
Correct Answer: B. Dopamine
Rationale:
1. Dysregulation of dopamine pathways is strongly implicated in ADHD.
2. This affects attention, motivation, and executive function.
4: A nurse practitioner is evaluating a patient for schizophrenia. What
is the most reliable method to make a diagnosis?
Options:
A. Mental status exam
B. Brain imaging
C. Genetic testing
D. Patient history
Correct Answer: D. Patient history
Rationale:
1. Schizophrenia is a clinical diagnosis based primarily on longitudinal
history.
2. It is not based solely on cross-sectional exams or labs.
5: A nurse is comparing childhood-onset to adult-onset schizophrenia.
Which characteristic is greater in childhood-onset?
Options:
A. Auditory hallucinations
B. Social withdrawal
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C. Delusions
D. Disorganized speech
Correct Answer: B. Social withdrawal
Rationale:
1. Early-onset schizophrenia often presents with more pronounced
negative symptoms.
2. Social withdrawal is a key negative symptom compared to adult-onset
forms.
6: A nurse is caring for a patient who is continually in crisis and
exhibits unpredictable behavior. Which personality disorder is this?
Options:
A. Antisocial
B. Paranoid
C. Borderline
D. Histrionic
Correct Answer: C. Borderline
Rationale:
1. Borderline personality disorder is characterized by emotional
instability.
2. It includes chronic feelings of emptiness, identity disturbance, and
impulsive, crisis-driven behavior.
7: A nurse is conducting a suicide risk assessment. Which factor best
correlates with attempted and completed suicide?
Options:
A. Mental Illness
B. Socioeconomic status
C. Religion
D. Age
Correct Answer: A. Mental Illness
Rationale:
1. The presence of a mental illness is the strongest correlating factor.
2. This particularly includes mood disorders, schizophrenia, and
substance use disorders.
, 4|Page
8: A nurse is reviewing neuroimaging findings in schizophrenia.
Which brain region shows the greatest anatomical abnormalities?
Options:
A. Cerebellum
B. Thalamus
C. Hippocampus
D. Basal ganglia
Correct Answer: D. Basal ganglia
Rationale:
1. Structural and functional abnormalities in the basal ganglia are
frequently observed in schizophrenia.
2. They are implicated in the pathophysiology of movement and thought
disorders.
9: A nurse is caring for a patient with gender dysphoria. In which
condition is genital surgery usually not chosen?
Options:
A. Transgender male-to-female
B. Transgender female-to-male
C. Crossdresser
D. Genderqueer
Correct Answer: C. Crossdresser
Rationale:
1. Crossdressers typically do not desire permanent physical alteration
through surgery.
2. Their gender identity aligns with their birth-assigned sex.
10: A nurse is administering an antipsychotic that carries a black box
warning for agranulocytosis. Which drug requires regular blood
monitoring?
Options:
A. Clozapine
B. Risperidone
C. Olanzapine
D. Quetiapine
Correct Answer: A. Clozapine
Rationale:
NRNP 6635 – Final Exam| Verified Questions
and Correct Answers with Rationale | Latest
Edition 2026 (A Graded)
Exam Structure:
Subject: Psychopathology & Diagnosis
Source: NRNP 6635 Final Exam
Format: Q&A Guide with Rationale
1: A nurse is assessing an older adult with mild cognitive impairment.
Which mental function is most affected?
Options:
A. Executive function
B. Language
C. Remote memory
D. Recent memory
Correct Answer: D. Recent memory
Rationale:
1. Mild cognitive impairment primarily affects short-term or recent
memory.
2. This is often the earliest and most prominent deficit before progression
to dementia.
2: A nurse is reviewing genetic causes of intellectual disability. Which
is the most frequent cause attributed to a specific gene?
Options:
A. Fragile X syndrome
B. Phenylketonuria
, 2|Page
C. Down syndrome
D. Prader-Willi syndrome
Correct Answer: C. Down syndrome
Rationale:
1. Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is the most common genetic cause of
intellectual disability in children.
3: A nurse is studying the pathophysiology of ADHD. Which
neurotransmitter is most associated with its occurrence?
Options:
A. Serotonin
B. Dopamine
C. Norepinephrine
D. GABA
Correct Answer: B. Dopamine
Rationale:
1. Dysregulation of dopamine pathways is strongly implicated in ADHD.
2. This affects attention, motivation, and executive function.
4: A nurse practitioner is evaluating a patient for schizophrenia. What
is the most reliable method to make a diagnosis?
Options:
A. Mental status exam
B. Brain imaging
C. Genetic testing
D. Patient history
Correct Answer: D. Patient history
Rationale:
1. Schizophrenia is a clinical diagnosis based primarily on longitudinal
history.
2. It is not based solely on cross-sectional exams or labs.
5: A nurse is comparing childhood-onset to adult-onset schizophrenia.
Which characteristic is greater in childhood-onset?
Options:
A. Auditory hallucinations
B. Social withdrawal
, 3|Page
C. Delusions
D. Disorganized speech
Correct Answer: B. Social withdrawal
Rationale:
1. Early-onset schizophrenia often presents with more pronounced
negative symptoms.
2. Social withdrawal is a key negative symptom compared to adult-onset
forms.
6: A nurse is caring for a patient who is continually in crisis and
exhibits unpredictable behavior. Which personality disorder is this?
Options:
A. Antisocial
B. Paranoid
C. Borderline
D. Histrionic
Correct Answer: C. Borderline
Rationale:
1. Borderline personality disorder is characterized by emotional
instability.
2. It includes chronic feelings of emptiness, identity disturbance, and
impulsive, crisis-driven behavior.
7: A nurse is conducting a suicide risk assessment. Which factor best
correlates with attempted and completed suicide?
Options:
A. Mental Illness
B. Socioeconomic status
C. Religion
D. Age
Correct Answer: A. Mental Illness
Rationale:
1. The presence of a mental illness is the strongest correlating factor.
2. This particularly includes mood disorders, schizophrenia, and
substance use disorders.
, 4|Page
8: A nurse is reviewing neuroimaging findings in schizophrenia.
Which brain region shows the greatest anatomical abnormalities?
Options:
A. Cerebellum
B. Thalamus
C. Hippocampus
D. Basal ganglia
Correct Answer: D. Basal ganglia
Rationale:
1. Structural and functional abnormalities in the basal ganglia are
frequently observed in schizophrenia.
2. They are implicated in the pathophysiology of movement and thought
disorders.
9: A nurse is caring for a patient with gender dysphoria. In which
condition is genital surgery usually not chosen?
Options:
A. Transgender male-to-female
B. Transgender female-to-male
C. Crossdresser
D. Genderqueer
Correct Answer: C. Crossdresser
Rationale:
1. Crossdressers typically do not desire permanent physical alteration
through surgery.
2. Their gender identity aligns with their birth-assigned sex.
10: A nurse is administering an antipsychotic that carries a black box
warning for agranulocytosis. Which drug requires regular blood
monitoring?
Options:
A. Clozapine
B. Risperidone
C. Olanzapine
D. Quetiapine
Correct Answer: A. Clozapine
Rationale:
