The wife of a patient with schizophrenia is worried about her 17-year-old daughter and asks the nurse what symptoms mark the prodromal stage of schizophrenia. The nurse should respond by listing behaviors such as:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because the symptoms listed: withdrawal, poor concentration, phobic or obsessive behavior, and oddities of speech are characteristic of the prodromal stage of schizophrenia. During this phase, individuals may start to exhibit subtle changes in behavior and thinking, which may signal the onset of the disorder.
Choice B includes symptoms of active psychosis, such as auditory hallucinations and delusions, which are not typically seen in the prodromal stage. Choice C describes symptoms of catatonia, which are not specific to the prodromal phase. Choice D includes symptoms of acute psychosis, such as paranoid delusions, which are not typically present during the prodromal stage.
In summary, the correct answer is A because it accurately reflects the early, subtle symptoms that may precede the full onset of schizophrenia, while the other choices describe symptoms that are more indicative of later stages of the disorder.