A child with psychiatric illness is absent from his school for the last 30 days, but his parents gave a reason to society and the school principal that our child is suffering from jaundice. This statement was given by parents because?

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO - 2017

Explanation

The core reason for the parents' action is the pervasive social stigma against mental illness.
Stigma involves negative stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, causing families to feel shame and fear of social rejection.
To avoid these negative consequences, the parents invent a more socially acceptable physical illness (jaundice) to explain the child's absence.
Studies show that many families want to conceal a relative's mental illness due to stigma, which leads to discrimination and avoidance by others (SRC_2205).

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option B: Lying about the child's illness does not encourage recovery. It can inadvertently teach the child that their condition is shameful, potentially worsening their mental state.
Option C: Positive reinforcement is a specific behavioral therapy technique that involves rewarding a desired behavior to increase its frequency. It is completely unrelated to the parents' act of providing a false reason to the community.
Option D: Negative reinforcement is a behavioral therapy technique where an unpleasant stimulus is removed to increase a desired behavior. This concept has no application to the scenario described.

Related Visual

An infographic illustrating the cycle of mental health stigma: Stereotypes negative beliefs lead to Prejudice negative feelings, which results in Discrimination negative ac...

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Social stigma associated with psychiatric illness as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses have a vital role in combating mental health stigma by educating patients, families, and the community about the true nature of mental illness.
A key nursing intervention is to create a safe, non-judgmental space where families feel comfortable discussing their fears and challenges related to a mental health diagnosis.
Nurses can advocate for patients by correcting misconceptions and promoting an attitude of acceptance and support.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the core action in the scenario: Parents are deliberately providing false information about their child's health.
Next, identify the motivation. Why would someone lie about a psychiatric illness but be open about a physical one like jaundice?
Evaluate the options based on this motivation. Options C and D are specific psychological therapies and are irrelevant to the parents' communication with society.
Option B suggests the lie is to help the child recover, which is counterintuitive. Hiding an illness often implies shame and can be detrimental to recovery.
Option A, 'Stigma,' directly addresses the social dynamics. Mental illness often carries negative social judgment, which provides a strong motive for concealment. This is the most logical explanation for the parents' behavior.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Social stigma associated with psychiatric illness.
Stem keywords: psychiatric illness, absent from school, parents, reason, jaundice
Lead-in keywords: because
Clinical cues: A child with a psychiatric illness is hidden from society.
Clinical cues: Parents substitute a physical illness (jaundice) for a mental one.

Question ID

QYwlwNPeowhuE4FCEW31LI

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) pp. 15224-15226, 15225-15227

E6 Guide to Mental Health & PSYCHIATRIC NURSING R Sreevani— Part 2 (pp 290-564 of 579) p. 164-166

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