Psych Assessment

Question 1

What is the purpose of a psychosocial assessment?

Answer 1

• Picture of current emotional state, mental capacity, and behavioral function
• Basis for developing plan of care
• Clinical baseline to evaluate effectiveness of treatment or measure patient’s progress

Question 2

What are some factor’s that could influence the assessment?

Answer 2

• Patient participation and feedback
• Client health status
• Client’s previous experiences/misconceptions about health care
• Client’s ability to understand
• Nurses attitude/approach

Question 3

What type of environment should the assessment be conducted in?

Answer 3

A comfortable, private, and safe environment for both the client and the nurse

Question 4

What is included in the background assessment of the client?

Answer 4

• Age
• Developmental stage
• Cultural considerations
• Spiritual beliefs
• Previous history

Question 5

What does the nurse asses for the clients overall appearance?

Answer 5

• Hygiene/grooming
• Appropriate dress
• Posture
• Eye contact
• Unusual movements/mannerisms
• Speech

Question 6

Neologisms

Answer 6

invented words that have meaning only to the client

Question 7

Mood

Answer 7

refers to the client’s pervasive and enduring emotional state

Question 8

Affect

Answer 8

the outward expression of the client’s emotional state

Question 9

What are some common terms used in assessing affect?

Answer 9

• Blunted
• Broad
• Flat
• Inappropriate
• Restricted

Question 10

Blunted Affect

Answer 10

showing little or slow to respond facial expression

Question 11

Broad Affect

Answer 11

displaying a full range of emotional expression

Question 12

Flat Affect

Answer 12

showing no facial expression

Question 13

Inappropriate Affect

Answer 13

displaying a facial expression that is incongruent with mood or situation; often silly or giddy regardless of circumstances

Question 14

Restricted Affect

Answer 14

displaying one type of expression; usually serious or somber

Question 15

Thought Process

Answer 15

refers to how the client thinks

Question 16

Thought Content

Answer 16

is what the client actually says

Question 17

Circumstantial Thinking

Answer 17

a client eventually answers a question but only after giving excessive unnecessary detail

Question 18

Delusion

Answer 18

a fixed false belief not based in reality

Question 19

Flight of Ideas

Answer 19

excessive amount and rate of speech composed of fragmented or unrelated ideas

Question 20

Ideas of Reference

Answer 20

client’s inaccurate interpretation that general events are personally directed to him or her

Question 21

Loose Associations

Answer 21

disorganized thinking that jumps from one idea to another with little or no evident relation between thoughts

Question 22

Tangential thinking

Answer 22

wandering off the topic and never providing the information requested

Question 23

Thought Blocking

Answer 23

stopping abruptly in the middle of a sentence or train of thought; sometimes unable to continue the idea

Question 24

Thought Broadcasting

Answer 24

a delusional belief that others can hear or know what the client is thinking

Question 25

Thought insertion

Answer 25

a delusional belief that others are putting ideas or thoughts into the clients head

Question 26

Thought Withdrawal

Answer 26

a delusional belief that others are taking the client’s thoughts away and the client is powerless to stop it

Question 27

Word Salad

Answer 27

flow of unconnected words that convey no meaning to the listener

Question 28

Judgement

Answer 28

refers to the ability to interpret one’s environment and situation correctly and to adapt one’s behavior and decisions accordingly

Question 29

Insight

Answer 29

the ability to understand the true nature of one’s situation and accept some personality responsibility for that situation

Question 30

Self-Concept

Answer 30

the way one views oneself in terms of personal worth and dignity