What is the term for anxiety that arises in response to a specific known trigger, such as a phobia?
Free-floating anxiety
Signal anxiety
Somatic symptom disorder
Malingering
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A reason: Free-floating anxiety is characterized by a pervasive, chronic sense of unease or dread that is not attached to any specific object, event, or situational trigger. It is a hallmark feature of generalized anxiety disorder, where the individual experiences persistent apprehension without a clearly identifiable or discrete external stimulus.
Choice B reason: Signal anxiety refers to a learned response to an anticipated event or a specific identifiable stimulus that the individual perceives as threatening. In clinical psychopathology, this serves as an ego defense mechanism, alerting the person to internal or external danger, such as the specific triggers encountered in phobic disorders.
Choice C reason: Somatic symptom disorder involves an intense focus on physical symptoms, such as pain or fatigue, which causes significant emotional distress and functional impairment. While anxiety may be present, the primary clinical feature is the manifestation of physical complaints that are disproportionate to any underlying medical pathology or etiology.
Choice D reason: Malingering is the intentional production of false or grossly exaggerated physical or psychological symptoms, motivated by external incentives such as avoiding work, obtaining financial compensation, or procuring drugs. It is not an anxiety disorder but rather a deliberate behavior aimed at achieving a specific, tangible secondary gain.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Taking 8 tablets per dose would mean the patient receives 8 mg twice a day, totaling 16 mg daily. This is 4 times the prescribed 4 mg daily amount. Such a high dose would place the patient at extreme risk for severe extrapyramidal symptoms, sedation, and significant metabolic disturbances.
Choice B reason: If the patient took 4 tablets per dose, they would receive 4 mg twice daily, totaling 8 mg per day. This is double the prescribed daily dose. While 8 mg is within the therapeutic range for some patients, the nurse must strictly follow the 4 mg total daily order as written.
Choice C reason: To calculate the dose per administration, the total daily dose (4 mg) must be divided by the number of doses per day (2). This equals 2 mg per dose. Since the tablets are 1 mg each, the calculation is 2 mg / 1 mg = 2 tablets per dose to achieve the correct amount.
Choice D reason: Taking 6 tablets per dose would result in a total daily intake of 12 mg (6 mg per dose). This is 3 times the prescribed dose. Overdosing on risperidone can lead to life-threatening complications such as QTc interval prolongation, which can progress to dangerous cardiac arrhythmias like Torsade de Pointes.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: Acetylcholine is primarily involved in peripheral parasympathetic nervous system function and central cognitive processes like memory and attention. While it plays a role in various neuropsychiatric conditions, it is not the primary neurotransmitter system targeted in the standard pharmacological management of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms.
Choice B reason: Dopamine dysregulation is heavily implicated in schizophrenia and certain tic disorders. While dopamine antagonists are sometimes used as augmenting agents in treatment-resistant OCD, they are not the first-line target. The pathophysiology of OCD is more directly linked to the serotonergic pathways within the orbitofrontal-striatal-thalamic circuitry.
Choice C reason: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter and is the main target for benzodiazepines in treating acute anxiety or panic. However, GABAergic modulation does not address the core intrusive thoughts or ritualistic compulsions of OCD as effectively as medications that increase synaptic serotonin availability.
Choice D reason: Serotonin is the primary target because Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line treatment for OCD. Increasing serotonin levels in the synaptic cleft helps modulate the overactive communication between the orbitofrontal cortex and the basal ganglia, which is thought to drive the repetitive thoughts and behaviors seen in the disorder.
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