IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance-2019
Psychiatric Nursing
Easy
Depression is characterized by all, except?
Appeared in: IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance-2019
Explanation
- Loosening of association is a formal thought disorder where a person's ideas shift from one subject to another that is unrelated or only obliquely related.
- This symptom reflects disorganized thinking and is considered a hallmark of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
- While depression profoundly affects mood, cognition (e.g., concentration, decision-making), and physical function, it does not typically involve a formal thought disorder like loosening of associations.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: This is incorrect because psychomotor retardation is a classic symptom of major depression.
- Option C: This is incorrect because the inability to experience pleasure, known as anhedonia, is a core diagnostic criterion for major depression.
- Option D: This is incorrect because a pervasive sad mood is the most well-known and fundamental symptom of depression.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Symptomatology of Major Depressive Disorder as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Accurately identifying symptoms is crucial for the differential diagnosis between mood disorders (like depression) and psychotic disorders (like schizophrenia), as their treatment plans differ significantly.
- A nurse's detailed Mental Status Examination (MSE) provides the essential data to distinguish between mood symptoms and thought process disorders, directly impacting the quality and direction of psychiatric care.
- What if? If a patient with severe depression also exhibits loosening of associations, the diagnosis might be Major Depressive Disorder with Psychotic Features or Schizoaffective Disorder. This would necessitate adding an antipsychotic medication to the antidepressant regimen.
How to Approach the Question
- First, analyze the question's structure. It's an 'except' question, which requires you to identify the option that does NOT fit the condition mentioned (depression).
- Review each option and evaluate if it is a known, characteristic symptom of depression.
- Recall that psychomotor retardation (slowing of movement), anhedonia (loss of pleasure), and pervasive sadness are all core features of depression.
- Consider 'loosening of association.' This term describes a disorganized thought process where ideas are not logically connected.
- Recognize that this type of thought disorder is a hallmark of psychosis, particularly schizophrenia, not a primary mood disorder like depression.
- Conclude that loosening of association is the correct answer because it is the exception among the choices.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Symptomatology of Major Depressive Disorder
- Stem keywords: Depression, characterized by
- Lead-in keywords: except
- Negative lead-in flag: This is a negative-lead-in question, asking you to identify the option that is NOT a feature of depression.
Question ID
Qa8tLFYDy5WGwZakZA3dd_
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. 13868-13870, 5383-5385, 5384-5386
Practise the full IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance-2019
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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