A nurse is assessing clients with somatic symptom illnesses. Select all the statements that accurately describe illness anxiety disorder.
The client experiences altered voluntary motor functions.
The client has excessive or maladaptive responses to symptoms.
The client is preoccupied with having a serious illness.
The client intentionally produces physical symptoms.
The client's symptoms are not intentionally produced and cause distress.
Correct Answer : B,C,E
Choice A rationale:
The client experiences altered voluntary motor functions. This choice is not accurate in describing illness anxiety disorder. Altered voluntary motor functions are more characteristic of conversion disorder, not illness anxiety disorder.
Choice B rationale:
The client has excessive or maladaptive responses to symptoms. This choice accurately describes illness anxiety disorder. Individuals with this disorder exhibit excessive worry and preoccupation with the possibility of having a serious illness, often responding to mild or non-specific symptoms with disproportionate anxiety and distress.
Choice C rationale:
The client is preoccupied with having a serious illness. This choice is correct in describing illness anxiety disorder. Preoccupation with having a serious illness, despite little or no medical evidence, is a hallmark of this disorder. This preoccupation can lead to significant distress and impairment in daily functioning.
Choice D rationale:
The client intentionally produces physical symptoms. This choice is not accurate for illness anxiety disorder. Intentional symptom production is more characteristic of factitious disorder, where individuals purposefully produce or feign symptoms for various reasons.
Choice E rationale:
The client's symptoms are not intentionally produced and cause distress. This choice accurately characterizes illness anxiety disorder. The symptoms experienced by individuals with this disorder are not intentionally produced but are associated with distress due to the individual's persistent fear and belief in having a serious illness.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
"Conversion disorder.". Choice A is not the correct answer. Conversion disorder involves the development of physical symptoms, such as motor or sensory deficits, that suggest a neurological or medical condition but are actually caused by psychological factors. It does not involve intentional production or falsification of symptoms for attention.
Choice B rationale:
"Illness anxiety disorder.". Choice B is not the correct answer. Illness anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive worry and fear of having a serious illness, even in the absence of medical evidence. It does not involve intentional fabrication of symptoms for attention.
Choice C rationale:
"Factitious disorder.". Choice C is the correct answer. Factitious disorder is characterized by intentionally producing or falsifying physical or psychological symptoms to assume the role of a sick person. The primary motivation is to receive attention, care, and sympathy from medical professionals or others. This behavior is driven by psychological factors rather than genuine medical need.
Choice D rationale:
"Somatic symptom disorder.". Choice D is not the correct answer. Somatic symptom disorder involves experiencing distressing physical symptoms that interfere with daily life. While the symptoms are real and genuinely felt, the central issue in somatic symptom disorder is the excessive response to these symptoms and the preoccupation with health concerns. It is not primarily about intentionally falsifying symptoms for attention.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Altered motor functions and sensory symptoms are more indicative of conversion disorder rather than illness anxiety disorder. Conversion disorder involves neurological symptoms that cannot be medically explained, which contrasts with the preoccupation with serious illness seen in illness anxiety disorder.
Choice B rationale:
Intentionally producing physical symptoms for attention aligns with factitious disorder, where individuals feign or induce symptoms to assume the sick role. This behavior does not align with the diagnostic criteria for illness anxiety disorder.
Choice C rationale:
This choice correctly identifies the key characteristic of illness anxiety disorder, which involves excessive worry about having a serious illness despite minimal or no symptoms. This preoccupation causes distress and often leads the individual to seek medical reassurance repeatedly.
Choice D rationale:
Experiencing chronic physical symptoms with excessive responses might be seen in somatic symptom disorder, where the distress and impairment caused by the symptoms are disproportionate. However, this choice does not specifically address the preoccupation with serious illness that defines illness anxiety disorder.
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