RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2023
Psychology
Easy

A person who is avoiding becoming aware of some painful aspect of reality is

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2023

Explanation

  • The question describes the core feature of the defense mechanism known as denial.
  • Denial is the unconscious refusal to accept facts, information, or the reality of a situation to protect oneself from painful emotions.
  • It is a primitive defense mechanism often seen in response to a traumatic event or a life-altering diagnosis.
  • The key action is 'avoiding awareness,' which directly corresponds to the definition of denial.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option B: Projection involves attributing one's own undesirable thoughts or feelings onto someone else, rather than refusing to acknowledge reality itself.
  • Option C: Deteriorating is a general term for a worsening condition and is not a specific psychological defense mechanism.
  • Option D: Acceptance is the opposite of avoiding reality. It involves acknowledging and processing the painful situation.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Psychological Defense Mechanisms as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Nurses frequently encounter denial in patients who have received a difficult diagnosis (e.g., cancer, diabetes). Recognizing denial is the first step in providing empathetic support and patient education.
  • It is crucial not to confront a patient's denial aggressively. Instead, a nurse should build trust and provide clear, factual information gently and repeatedly, allowing the patient to process it at their own pace.
  • What if? If a patient is in the acceptance stage instead of denial, the nursing focus shifts from gentle reality orientation to collaborative care planning, discussing treatment options, advance directives, and quality of life goals.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the key phrase in the stem: 'avoiding becoming aware of some painful aspect of reality'.
  • This is a definition-based question. Your task is to match this definition to one of the options.
  • Define each option in your mind: Denial (refusing reality), Projection (blaming others), Deteriorating (worsening), Acceptance (acknowledging reality).
  • Compare the definition in the stem with the definitions of the options.
  • The phrase 'avoiding... reality' directly matches the definition of Denial.
  • Eliminate the other options: Projection is about blaming, Deteriorating is not a defense mechanism, and Acceptance is the opposite.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Psychological Defense Mechanisms
  • Stem keywords: avoiding, painful aspect of reality
  • Lead-in keywords: is
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QrXBOpenm53VUztEvaU8HH

Reference Book

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 3344-3346

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 2577-2579

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 4 p. 37-39

Practise the full RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2023

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.

More Defense Mechanisms Questions

More RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2023 Questions