ANXIETY DISORDERS NCLEX EXAM WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. A nursing instructor is teaching about specific pho- ANS: B
bias. 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 tachy-
cardia, dysphagia, and diaphoresis."
2. A client has a history of excessive fear of water. What ANS: A
is the term that a nurse should use to describe this
specific phobia, and under what subtype is this pho-
bia 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
3. How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed ANS: C
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 diag-
nosed with SPD can manage anxiety only with med-
ications.
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 inter-
actions only in social settings, whereas clients diag-
nosed with SPD avoid interactions in all areas of life.
D. Clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions only
in social settings, whereas clients diagnosed with so-
cial phobias tend to avoid interactions in all areas of
life.
, ANXIETY DISORDERS NCLEX EXAM WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
4. How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed ANS: D
with panic disorder from a client diagnosed with gen-
eralized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. GAD is acute in nature, and panic disorder is chron-
ic.
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 dis-
order and absent in GAD.
5. Which treatment should a nurse identify as most ap- ANS: C
propriate for clients diagnosed with generalized anxi-
ety 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)
6. A client refuses to go on a cruise to the Bahamas ANS: B
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 chemi-
cals that may distort thinking."
7. How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed ANS: A
with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) from a
client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive person-
ality disorder?
A. Clients diagnosed with OCD experience both ob-
1. A nursing instructor is teaching about specific pho- ANS: B
bias. 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 tachy-
cardia, dysphagia, and diaphoresis."
2. A client has a history of excessive fear of water. What ANS: A
is the term that a nurse should use to describe this
specific phobia, and under what subtype is this pho-
bia 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
3. How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed ANS: C
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 diag-
nosed with SPD can manage anxiety only with med-
ications.
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 inter-
actions only in social settings, whereas clients diag-
nosed with SPD avoid interactions in all areas of life.
D. Clients diagnosed with SPD avoid interactions only
in social settings, whereas clients diagnosed with so-
cial phobias tend to avoid interactions in all areas of
life.
, ANXIETY DISORDERS NCLEX EXAM WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
4. How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed ANS: D
with panic disorder from a client diagnosed with gen-
eralized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A. GAD is acute in nature, and panic disorder is chron-
ic.
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 dis-
order and absent in GAD.
5. Which treatment should a nurse identify as most ap- ANS: C
propriate for clients diagnosed with generalized anxi-
ety 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)
6. A client refuses to go on a cruise to the Bahamas ANS: B
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 chemi-
cals that may distort thinking."
7. How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed ANS: A
with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) from a
client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive person-
ality disorder?
A. Clients diagnosed with OCD experience both ob-
