A nurse is caring for a client who smokes and has lung cancer. The client reports, “I'm coughing because I have that cold that everyone has been getting.”
The nurse should identify that the client is using which of the following defense mechanisms?
Denial
Reaction formation
Sublimation
Suppression
The Correct Answer is A
Denial is a defense mechanism where an individual refuses to accept or acknowledge the existence of a problem or a reality that causes anxiety or distress. In this scenario, the client is denying that their coughing is related to their lung cancer, and instead attributing it to a common cold that everyone is getting. This denial may be a way for the client to avoid facing the reality of their illness and the potential consequences of smoking.
Option b, reaction formation, is a defense mechanism where an individual expresses feelings or behaviors that are the opposite of their true feelings to reduce anxiety.
Option c, sublimation, is a defense mechanism where an individual channels their unacceptable impulses into more acceptable or socially appropriate behaviors.
Option d, suppression, is a defense mechanism where an individual consciously pushes down or avoids their thoughts or feelings. None of these defense mechanisms are being exhibited in the scenario described.
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Correct Answer is C
Explanation
This statement shows that the client is not accepting the reality of their prognosis and is dismissing the doctor's professional opinion. Denial is a common stage in the grief process where individuals may refuse to believe or accept a difficult reality, often as a coping mechanism to avoid the pain and sadness of the situation. Options a, b, d, and e do not indicate denial and instead may suggest fatigue, acceptance, physical weakness, and anger or frustration, respectively.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Cognitive therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and beliefs that contribute to psychological distress. In this case, the single parent is experiencing feelings of inadequacy related to work and family since one teenaged child ran away 2 weeks ago. The cognitive therapist would work with the client to identify any negative or distorted thoughts they may be having about themselves, their situation, and their ability to cope.
Through cognitive therapy, the therapist would help the client learn how to challenge and change their negative thoughts and beliefs, replacing them with more realistic and positive ones. The goal of cognitive therapy is to help the client develop new coping skills and ways of thinking that will enable them to better manage their emotions and improve their overall well-being.
Option b, negatively reinforcing an undesirable behavior every day to avoid it, is not a component of cognitive therapy. This approach is more aligned with behavioral therapy, which focuses on modifying behaviors through reinforcement and punishment.
Option c, focusing on conscious mental processes, is partially correct, as cognitive therapy does focus on conscious mental processes. However, this alone does not fully capture the essence of cognitive therapy.
Option d, always discussing Freud ego stages, is not relevant to cognitive therapy, as it is a psychoanalytic approach developed by Freud that focuses on the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences.
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