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Chapter 18 Review

Check Your Understanding Questions

1. Everyone has personality traits, some much stronger than others. When does a personality trait become a personality disorder?
2. Why is it so difficult to diagnose a personality disorder?
3. Describe the primary characteristics of borderline personality disorder.
4. What characteristics of paranoid personality disorder lead to difficulties in forming and maintaining trusting relationships?
5. Describe some effective strategies for de-escalating an aggressive or anxious client with a personality disorder.
6. What are some therapeutic strategies that clients with personality disorders can employ in the workplace?

Review Questions

1. What behavior is a client with a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder demonstrating when they engage in binge drinking?

  1. a defiant personality
  2. emotional regulation
  3. maladaptive behavior
  4. self-determination

2. What is one reason why personality disorders can be difficult to diagnose?

  1. the fact that clients usually do not present for assistance with personality disorders
  2. the presence of maladaptive behaviors
  3. lack of reliable health history
  4. lack of emotional response from the client

3. What is one of the characteristics shared by most personality disorders?

  1. fear of attention
  2. short onset of duration
  3. a history of violence
  4. dysfunctional relationships

4. What type of personality disorder is characterized by eccentric, odd, or peculiar behavior, thinking, and beliefs?

  1. Cluster A
  2. Cluster B
  3. Cluster C
  4. General personality disorders

5. What personality disorder is characterized by magical thinking, or the idea that one can influence the outcome of specific events by doing something that has no bearing on the circumstances?

  1. obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
  2. schizoid personality disorder
  3. schizotypal personality disorder
  4. avoidant personality disorder

6. What personality disorder is most likely to be associated with illegal activity?

  1. antisocial personality disorder
  2. borderline personality disorder
  3. dependent personality disorder
  4. schizoid personality disorder

7. What common symptom of borderline personality disorder is described as alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation of one’s partner?

  1. body illusion
  2. dissociation
  3. grandiosity
  4. splitting

8. What personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of by others?

  1. Dependent personality disorder (DPD)
  2. Histrionic personality disorder
  3. Narcissistic personality disorder
  4. Avoidant personality disorder

9. A client in treatment for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is experiencing extreme anxiety after their therapy session. What is a good technique for de-escalating the client?

  1. immediately taking the client by the arm and directing them to a quiet place where they can decompress
  2. holding steady eye contact to establish empathy and trust
  3. employing active listening as a strategy
  4. taking control of the situation and instructing the client what to do next

10. What is a true statement regarding the treatment of personality disorders?

  1. Clients with a personality disorder can be cured of their condition forever.
  2. DBT was originally developed to helped cluster C clients improve their feelings of anxiety and need for control.
  3. There are multiple medications that are effective in treating personality disorders.
  4. Psychotherapy is only moderately helpful for clients diagnosed with a cluster A disorder.

11. The nurse is developing a care plan for a client with schizotypal personality disorder. The client has reported a recent history of magical thinking. What does the nurse note is the priority nursing diagnosis?

  1. anxiety
  2. risk for loneliness
  3. risk for self-harm
  4. disturbed thought process

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Mental Health for Undergraduate Nursing Copyright © 2025 by Russelyn Connor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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