A client with a phobia is experiencing physiological symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, and shortness of breath. These symptoms are most likely due to:
Neurochemical imbalances in the brain.
Negative self-beliefs and cognitive distortions.
Traumatic experiences and learned associations.
Activation of the autonomic nervous system.
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A rationale:
Neurochemical imbalances in the brain are more commonly associated with mood disorders like depression and anxiety disorders in general, rather than being a specific cause of the physiological symptoms seen in phobias.
Choice B rationale:
Negative self-beliefs and cognitive distortions are central to anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder, but they don't directly explain the acute physiological symptoms like palpitations and sweating seen in phobias.
Choice C rationale:
Traumatic experiences and learned associations are relevant to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders. However, they are not the primary cause of physiological symptoms in specific phobias.
Choice D rationale:
The correct answer. Specific phobias trigger a "fight or flight" response through the autonomic nervous system, leading to physiological symptoms like palpitations, sweating, and shortness of breath. This response is an evolutionary adaptation designed to prepare the body to respond to threats.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Specific Phobia is characterized by the active avoidance of certain situations or objects accompanied by intense fear or anxiety. Individuals with specific phobias tend to go to great lengths to avoid the feared stimulus due to the overwhelming distress it causes. This aligns with the behavior described in the question.
Choice B rationale:
Social Phobia involves the fear or avoidance of social situations due to the perceived threat of negative evaluation by others. It doesn't necessarily involve specific situations or objects like the client's behavior in the question.
Choice C rationale:
Agoraphobia involves the fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help might not be available in the event of developing incapacitating symptoms. This doesn't fully match the behavior described, as the client is not expressing fear related to difficulty escaping or lack of available help.
Choice D rationale:
Panic Disorder is characterized by recurrent panic attacks and the persistent worry about future attacks. While panic attacks can be triggered by specific phobias, the avoidance behavior and the focus on certain situations are more indicative of a specific phobia rather than Panic Disorder.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Specific Phobia. This is the correct answer. The client's symptoms of marked fear and anxiety about a specific object or situation that is out of proportion to the actual danger, along with resulting distress and impairment, are characteristic of a specific phobia. Specific phobias involve intense fear and avoidance behavior triggered by specific objects or situations, like heights, animals, or certain environments.
Choice B rationale:
Social Phobia. The client's symptoms do not align with social phobia, which centers around fears of social judgment and performance situations, not specific objects or situations.
Choice C rationale:
Agoraphobia. Agoraphobia involves fear of situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing, such as crowded places. The client's fear does not seem related to this type of avoidance.
Choice D rationale:
Panic Disorder. While panic disorder involves recurrent panic attacks, it does not necessarily involve avoidance of specific objects or situations as the primary response. The client's avoidance behavior is more indicative of a specific phobia.
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