A nurse is assessing a patient with a specific phobia. Which of the following statements by the patient indicates a specific phobia?
"I am afraid of being judged by others when I speak in public.".
"I am afraid of being in places where I can't escape easily.".
"I am afraid of spiders and get extremely anxious when I see one.".
"I am afraid of flying and get panic attacks when I have to travel by plane.".
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A rationale:
This choice describes social anxiety disorder, where the individual fears being judged negatively by others in social situations. It doesn't reflect a specific phobia, which involves a marked and persistent fear of a specific object or situation.
Choice B rationale:
This statement indicates agoraphobia, which is the fear of being in places where escape might be difficult or help unavailable. It doesn't align with the criteria for a specific phobia, where the fear is directed at a specific object or situation.
Choice C rationale:
The correct answer. This choice represents a specific phobia. The fear of spiders is a classic example of a specific phobia, and the extreme anxiety triggered by the sight of a spider indicates an irrational and disproportionate fear response, which is characteristic of this condition.
Choice D rationale:
This statement describes aviophobia, the fear of flying. While it is a phobia, it doesn't cover the full spectrum of specific phobias, which can involve a wide range of objects or situations beyond just flying.
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 B
Explanation
Choice B rationale:
The client's intense fear of embarrassing themselves in front of others and the specific fear related to giving a presentation are indicative of social phobia (social anxiety disorder) Social phobia involves an excessive fear of social situations where the individual fears negative evaluation or judgment by others, leading to avoidance of such situations.
Choice A rationale:
While the client's fear is related to public speaking, the emphasis is on the fear of embarrassment and negative evaluation rather than a fear of a specific object or situation, which aligns more with social phobia.
Choice C rationale:
Agoraphobia does not align with the client's fear of public speaking. Agoraphobia involves the fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help might not be available if a panic attack occurs, often leading to avoidance of various places or situations.
Choice D rationale:
Panic disorder involves recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are not explicitly mentioned in the client's statement. The focus of the client's fear is on the social aspect of giving a presentation rather than on panic attacks.
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