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A patient has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. During a recent interview, he shows the nurse a picture of a man holding a decapitated head. He describes this picture as horrifying but laughs loudly when looking at it. This behaviour is a display of:

  • A. Confusion.
  • B. Ambivalence.
  • C. Depersonalization.
  • D. Inappropriate affect.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Inappropriate affect. Inappropriate affect refers to emotions that are not congruent with the situation. In this case, the patient's laughing while describing a horrifying image indicates a disconnect between his emotions and the context. This behavior is commonly seen in schizophrenia, where there is a lack of appropriate emotional response.

A: Confusion does not accurately describe the patient's behavior, as he is able to describe the picture and his emotional response to it.
B: Ambivalence refers to conflicting emotions or attitudes, which is not evident in the patient's behavior.
C: Depersonalization involves feeling detached from oneself or reality, which is not evident in the patient's behavior.

In summary, the patient's inappropriate laughter in response to a horrifying image is indicative of inappropriate affect, a common feature of schizophrenia.