Which of the following scenarios could be indicative of a conversion disorder rather than an anxiety disorder?
A client avoids social situations due to fear of scrutiny.
A client has repetitive, intrusive thoughts about cleanliness.
A client experiences sudden blindness without any medical explanation.
A client experiences panic attacks without any clear trigger.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Avoiding social situations due to a persistent fear of being scrutinized or negatively evaluated by others is the clinical hallmark of Social Anxiety Disorder. This involves cognitive distortions and autonomic arousal in social contexts, but it does not involve the loss of sensory or motor functions characteristic of conversion.
Choice B reason: Repetitive, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) regarding cleanliness, often paired with ritualized washing (compulsions), define Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. While anxiety drives these behaviors, the pathology is centered on neutralizing perceived threats through mental or physical acts rather than manifesting as a neurological deficit or somatic dysfunction.
Choice C reason: Conversion disorder, or functional neurological symptom disorder, involves the loss of voluntary motor or sensory function that cannot be explained by any known neurological or medical condition. Sudden blindness in response to psychological stress is a classic presentation where psychological conflict is "converted" into a physical symptom.
Choice D reason: Sudden, unexpected panic attacks without a clear external trigger are the defining feature of Panic Disorder. These episodes involve intense physiological symptoms such as tachycardia and dyspnea, but they lack the localized neurological deficit, such as paralysis or sensory loss, that characterizes a conversion disorder diagnosis.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy is the gold standard for treating acute stress disorder. It helps patients identify and restructure maladaptive thought patterns related to the trauma and employs coping strategies to manage autonomic arousal, potentially preventing the progression to chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.
Choice B reason: While exposure therapy is a component of CBT often used for chronic PTSD, it must be applied very carefully in the acute phase of stress. Immediate, intensive exposure can sometimes re-traumatize a patient who has not yet developed the foundational stabilization skills taught in broader CBT models.
Choice C reason: Medication alone, such as benzodiazepines or SSRIs, may manage acute symptoms like insomnia or severe anxiety but does not address the underlying cognitive processing of the traumatic event. Evidence suggests that pharmacological intervention is most effective when used as an adjunct to psychotherapeutic modalities.
Choice D reason: Long-term psychoanalysis focuses on unconscious conflicts and early childhood experiences over several years. This approach is not appropriate for the acute, time-limited nature of acute stress disorder, which requires immediate, symptom-focused, and practical interventions to restore the patient's level of functioning.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: Complementary medicine refers to non-mainstream practices used together with conventional medical treatments. This integrated approach aims to treat the whole person, addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs while adhering to standard-of-care protocols established by the biomedical community to ensure patient safety and efficacy.
Choice B reason: The statement that complementary medicine replaces conventional treatments is inaccurate. When a non-mainstream practice is used in place of conventional medicine, it is specifically defined as alternative medicine. Confusing these terms can lead to patient safety risks if standard medical treatments for serious conditions are inappropriately abandoned.
Choice C reason: Alternative medicine is a broad category that includes various systems and practices, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, and energy healing, not just herbal treatments. Restricting the definition to herbs ignores the diverse range of manual therapies, cognitive interventions, and traditional healing systems that fall under the alternative medicine umbrella.
Choice D reason: This statement incorrectly describes alternative medicine. By definition, alternative medicine is used instead of conventional medicine. The practice of using non-mainstream approaches in coordination with conventional medicine to enhance effects or manage symptoms is more accurately described as integrative or complementary medicine.
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