Which of the following speech patterns is an example of tangential thinking?

Involuntary, excessive continuation or repetition of a single response or idea

Has a lack of a logical relationship between thoughts, making the speech vague, diffuse, and unfocused

Overproductive speech which rapidly moves from topic to topic with a tenuous logical link between topics

Provides a lot of unnecessary detail, never returns to the central point, and never answers the question

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: Involuntary repetition, or perseveration, involves repeating a single idea, often due to frontal lobe dysfunction in disorders like schizophrenia. Unlike tangential thinking, it fixates on one thought without divergence, making it distinct and incorrect for describing the diffuse, off-point speech of tangentially.

Choice B reason: Lacking logical relationships describes loose associations, not tangential thinking. Loose associations, seen in schizophrenia, reflect disorganized thoughts due to dopamine dysregulation, jumping illogically between ideas. Tangentiality diverges with excessive detail, staying somewhat related but off-point, making this option incorrect.

Choice C reason: Overproductive speech with tenuous links describes flight of ideas, common in mania with elevated dopamine. Unlike tangentiality, it involves rapid topic shifts with loose connections, not excessive detail missing the point. This distinction makes it an incorrect choice for tangential thinking.

Choice D reason: Tangential thinking involves excessive, irrelevant details, failing to return to the original question, often seen in schizophrenia or mania. This reflects disrupted executive function in the prefrontal cortex, impairing focus. The description matches this pattern, making it the correct choice for tangential speech.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Process recordings are for nurse self-reflection, not client analysis. They examine nurse communication, not patient abnormalities. Client communication issues, like disorganized speech in schizophrenia, are assessed clinically, not via recordings, making this option incorrect for the tool’s purpose in psychiatric practice.

Choice B reason: Process recordings analyze the nurse’s communication impact, assessing verbal and nonverbal cues on client responses. Effective communication, processed via mirror neurons, fosters therapeutic alliances, calming amygdala-driven anxiety. This self-evaluation improves nurse effectiveness, aligning with the scientific purpose of process recordings in psychiatric care.

Choice C reason: Identifying client communication abnormalities is a clinical assessment task, not the purpose of process recordings. Recordings focus on nurse interactions, not patient speech patterns, like those in mania. This option misaligns with the tool’s introspective goal, making it incorrect for its intended use.

Choice D reason: Clients exploring alternate techniques is a therapeutic goal, not the purpose of process recordings. Recordings analyze nurse communication, not patient skill-building. Effective nurse responses can reduce stress-related cortisol spikes, but this is secondary, making this option incorrect for the recording’s primary purpose.

A. Hydroxyzine (Vistaril) B. Imipramine (Tofranil) C. Propranolol (Inderal) D. Buspirone (Buspar)

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A reason: Hydroxyzine, an antihistamine, reduces anxiety via sedation but is not specific for performance anxiety. It blocks histamine receptors, not sympathetic responses like tachycardia in stage fright. Propranolol better targets physical symptoms, making hydroxyzine less effective for this specific anxiety type.

Choice B reason: Imipramine, a tricyclic, treats generalized anxiety or depression via serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibition but is not ideal for performance anxiety. Its slow onset and side effects make it unsuitable for acute, situational sympathetic activation, unlike propranolol’s rapid effect on physical symptoms.

Choice C reason: Propranolol, a beta-blocker, reduces sympathetic symptoms like tachycardia and trembling in performance anxiety by blocking norepinephrine at beta receptors. This calms physical manifestations of amygdala-driven fear, making it the preferred choice for situational anxiety, aligning with evidence-based treatment for performance anxiety.

Choice D reason: Buspirone enhances serotonin for chronic anxiety but takes weeks to act, unsuitable for acute performance anxiety. Sympathetic activation in stage fright requires rapid beta-blockade, not gradual serotonin modulation, making buspirone incorrect for the immediate needs of this condition.

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Which of the following speech patterns is an example of tangential thinking?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The nursing student understands that the purpose of completing a process recording for the nurse-patient interview is to:

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A patient reports experiencing performance anxiety in front of an audience. The nurse should be aware that this type of anxiety is often treated with which medication?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A patient with paranoia states, “The state is monitoring us through the listening devices hidden in this room. Be careful what you say.” Which response by the nurse would be most therapeutic?

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Which statement shows a nurse has empathy for a patient who made a suicide attempt?

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Planning for patients diagnosed with mental illness is facilitated by understanding that inpatient hospitalization is generally reserved for a patient presenting with what characteristic?

At one point in an assessment interview, a nurse asks, “Does your faith help you in stressful situations?” What assessment topic does this question fall under?