A nurse is assessing a client with a phobia. Which non-pharmacological therapy should the nurse recommend to help the client cope with their fear?

Choice A rationale:

This choice inaccurately describes specific phobias, not social phobia. Specific phobias are centered around specific triggers, while social phobia involves a fear of being negatively evaluated in social or performance situations.

Choice B rationale:

Social phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder, is indeed characterized by a fear of being judged, criticized, or embarrassed in social or performance situations. This fear often leads individuals to avoid social interactions or endure them with significant distress.

Choice C rationale:

This choice relates to agoraphobia, not social phobia. Agoraphobia involves the fear of being in situations from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing, such as crowded places or public transportation.

Choice D rationale:

This choice inaccurately characterizes specific phobias, not social phobia. Specific phobias are focused on particular triggers and are not related to a fear of a specific object, situation, or activity that poses little or no actual danger.

Choice A rationale:

The client reporting decreased fear and anxiety related to phobias (Choice A) is a subjective outcome that might not accurately reflect the effectiveness of the nursing interventions. It relies solely on the client's self-report and might not provide an objective measure of improvement.

Choice B rationale:

The client demonstrating increased avoidance behavior (Choice B) is not an outcome aimed at reducing fear and anxiety. Increased avoidance behavior would actually indicate a worsening of the phobia-related symptoms, as the client is avoiding the feared stimulus more.

Choice C rationale:

The client engaging in exposure therapy without excessive distress (Choice C) is a desired outcome for interventions targeting phobias. Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing the client to the feared stimulus in a controlled manner. If the client can tolerate exposure without excessive distress, it indicates a positive response to the intervention and a reduction in fear and anxiety over time.

Choice D rationale:

The client applying cognitive-behavioral techniques ineffectively (Choice D) is not a desirable outcome. The goal of cognitive-behavioral techniques is to equip the client with effective coping strategies to manage their phobias. If the client is applying these techniques ineffectively, it indicates a need for further intervention or adjustment of the therapeutic approach.