A nurse is conducting a group therapy session for several clients. The group is laughing at a joke one of the clients told, when a client who is schizophrenic jumps up and runs out of the room yelling. "You are all making fun of me!" The nurse should identify this behavior as which of the following characteristics of schizophrenia?

A. "Placing your child on her back when sleeping will decrease the risk of SIDS." This statement is accurate. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants be placed on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS. This sleep position has been associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of SIDS since it was introduced in the 1990s. It's essential to educate parents about safe sleep practices to protect their newborns.

B. "Sleep apnea is the main cause of SIDS." This statement is incorrect. Sleep apnea is a separate condition characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. SIDS, on the other hand, is the sudden and unexplained death of an otherwise healthy infant, usually during sleep. While the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, it is not related to sleep apnea.

C. "SIDS is directly correlated with the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines." This statement is incorrect. There is no direct correlation between SIDS and the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccines. Extensive research has shown that vaccines, including the DTaP vaccine, do not cause SIDS. In fact, vaccines are essential for preventing serious infectious diseases and protecting infants' health.

D. "SIDS rates have been rising over the last 10 years." This statement is incorrect. SIDS rates have actually been declining over the past few decades due to public health campaigns promoting safe sleep practices, including placing infants on their backs to sleep. While there may be fluctuations in rates from year to year, the overall trend has been a decrease in SIDS rates, not an increase.

A. Limit the amount of time available to interact with others. This statement does not align with the typical behavior of individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While the client's behavior of constantly picking up after others may indirectly limit interaction time, the primary motivation behind this behavior is more likely related to managing anxiety rather than intentionally limiting social interaction.

B. Manipulate and control others' behaviors. While individuals with OCD may engage in behaviors that affect others, such as seeking reassurance or involving others in their rituals, the behavior described in the scenario does not appear to be aimed at manipulating or controlling others. Instead, it seems driven by the client's internal need to alleviate anxiety through compulsive actions.

C. Decrease anxiety to a tolerable level. This is the correct choice. People with OCD often engage in compulsive behaviors as a way to reduce distressing feelings of anxiety or discomfort. By picking up after others compulsively, the client may experience temporary relief from obsessive thoughts and the associated anxiety. However, the relief is typically short-lived and can lead to a cycle of compulsive behaviors.

D. Focus attention on meaningless tasks. While the behavior of constantly picking up after others may seem repetitive or meaningless to an observer, individuals with OCD typically attribute great significance to their compulsive actions. These behaviors are driven by the need to reduce anxiety or prevent perceived harm rather than a deliberate focus on meaningless tasks.