Psychiatric Assessment and Diagnosis Flashcards
6 cards from real Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Psychiatric Assessment and Diagnosis flashcards as text
Which criterion differentiates schizophrenia from schizoaffective disorder?
Answer: In schizoaffective disorder, mood episodes are present for the majority of the illness duration
Schizoaffective disorder requires that mood episodes (manic or depressive) are present for the majority of the total illness duration alongside psychotic symptoms.
A PMHNP is assessing negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Which symptom cluster is classified as 'negative'?
Answer: Alogia, anhedonia, avolition, and flat affect
Negative symptoms represent a diminution of normal functions, including restricted speech (alogia), lack of pleasure (anhedonia), lack of motivation (avolition), and flattened affect.
According to DSM-5, a major depressive episode requires at least how many symptoms persisting for a minimum of how many weeks?
Answer: 5 symptoms for 2 weeks
DSM-5 requires at least 5 of 9 specified symptoms present for a minimum of 2 weeks, with at least one being depressed mood or anhedonia.
A PMHNP documents 'loosening of associations' in a patient. This thought process abnormality means:
Answer: The patient's thinking shifts between topics with tenuous connections
Loosening of associations describes fragmented, illogical thinking where ideas shift with weak or absent logical connections.
Which structured clinical assessment instrument is considered the gold standard for diagnosing DSM-5 disorders in research settings?
Answer: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID)
The SCID is a semi-structured diagnostic interview conducted by trained clinicians and is considered the gold standard for establishing DSM diagnoses.
A PMHNP suspects factitious disorder in a patient who fabricates symptoms. How does factitious disorder differ from malingering?
Answer: Malingering has external incentives; factitious disorder is driven by psychological need to assume the sick role
In factitious disorder, symptom falsification is motivated by a psychological need to assume the sick role, with no external gains; malingering involves intentional feigning for external rewards.