Defense Mechanism

Question 1

Dealing with anxiety by reaching out to others

Answer 1

altruism

Question 2

Dealing with unacceptable feelings or impulses by unconsciously substituting acceptable forms of expression

Answer 2

sublimination

Question 3

Voluntarily denying unpleasant thoughts and feelings

Answer 3

supression

Question 4

unconsciously putting unacceptable ideas, thoughts, and emotions out of awareness

Answer 4

repression

Question 5

Sudden use of childlike or primitive behaviors that do not correlate with a person’s current developmental level

Answer 5

regression

Question 6

Shifting feelings related to an object, person, or situation to another less threatening object, person, or situation

Answer 6

displacement

Question 7

Unacceptable feelings or behaviors are controlled or kept out of awareness by overcompensating or demonstrating. Overcompensating or demonstrating the opposite behavior of what is felt

Answer 7

reaction formation

Question 8

What is an adaptive use of reaction formation in a smoker?

Answer 8

A person who is trying to quit smoking repeatedly talks to adolescence about the dangers of nicotine

Question 9

What might be a reaction formation of a person who resents caring for an aging parent?

Answer 9

A person who resents having to care for an aging parent becomes overprotective and restricts their freedoms.

Question 10

Performing an act to make up for prior behavior (most commonly seen in children)

Answer 10

Undoing

Question 11

What is a maladaptive use of undoing?

Answer 11

An individual buys their significant other flowers and gifts after an incident of partner abuse

Question 12

What is creating reasonable and acceptable explanations for unacceptable behavior?

Answer 12

Rationalization

Question 13

A disruption in consciousness, memory, identity or perception of the environment that results in compartmentalization of uncomfortable or pleasant aspects to oneself

Answer 13

Dissociation

Question 14

Pretending the truth is not reality to manage unpleasant, anxiety causing thoughts, or feelings

Answer 14

Denial

Question 15

Emphasizing strengths to make up for weaknesses

Answer 15

Compensation

Question 16

Conscious or unconscious assumption of the characteristics of another individual or group

Answer 16

Identification

Question 17

What is an adaptive use of identification of a child with cancer?

Answer 17

A child who has chronic illness pretends to be a nurse for their dolls

Question 18

Separation of emotions and logical facts when analyzing or coping with the situation or event

Answer 18

Intellectualization

Question 19

What might be a maladaptive use of intellectualization with someone who has a terminal illness?

Answer 19

focuses on creating a will and financial matters rather than acknowledging their grief

Question 20

Responding to stress through the unconscious development or physical manifestation not caused by a physical illness

Answer 20

Conversion

Question 21

Demonstrating an inability to reconcile negative and positive attributes of self or others into a cohesive image

Answer 21

Splitting

Question 22

What is an example of splitting with a client-nurse relationship?

Answer 22

A client tells a nurse that the nurse is the only one who cares about them, yet the following day, the client refuses to talk to that nurse.

Question 23

Attributing one’s unacceptable thoughts and feelings onto another who doesn’t have them

Answer 23

Projection

Question 24

what is an example of regression a child who has lost their pet?

Answer 24

A young child temporarily wets the bed when they learn that their pet has died

Question 25

what are some nursing interventions for mild to moderate anxiety (5)

Answer 25

-use active listening
-provide a calm presence recognizing the clients distress
-evaluate past coping mechanisms
-explore alternatives to problem situations
-encourage participation in activities, such as exercise that can temporarily relieve feelings of intention

Question 26

what are some nursing interventions for severe to panic level anxiety? (5)

Answer 26

-Provide an environment that mutes physical and safety needs of a client and remain with the client provide a quiet environment with minimal stimulation
-use medications and restraints only if other interventions have failed to decrease anxiety to safer levels
-encourage gross motor activities such as walking set limits with firm short and simple statements
-speak slowly and in a low pitch
-direct the client to acknowledge reality and focus on what is present in the environment