Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice 6th Edition - Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders Related

Review Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice 6th Edition - Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders related questions and content

The nurse is caring for a client in the neighborhood clinic. The client tells the nurse that ever since he was an adolescent, he has avoided social situations because he has one ear that is obviously bigger than the other ear. The nurse observes that one of the client?s ears does not appear to be larger than the other ear. The nurse suspects that the client may be experiencing which of the following?

  • A. Complex somatic symptom disorder
  • B. Functional neurologic symptoms
  • C. Factitious disorder
  • D. Body dysmorphic disorder
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Body dysmorphic disorder (D) involves preoccupation with a perceived physical flaw, like an ear size discrepancy, not observed by others. CSSD (A) involves broader somatic complaints, functional neurologic symptoms (B) involve motor/sensory deficits, and factitious disorder (C) involves intentional symptom fabrication.