KPSC Staff Nurse - 2016
Psychiatric Nursing
Easy
Filling up of memory spaces with a detailed false description of an event is termed as?
Appeared in: KPSC Staff Nurse - 2016
Explanation
- Confabulation is a memory disorder where an individual unconsciously creates fabricated or distorted memories to fill in gaps, without the intent to deceive.
- The person genuinely believes these made-up stories are true.
- This symptom is a hallmark of certain neurological conditions that affect memory, such as Korsakoff syndrome (often linked to chronic alcoholism and thiamine deficiency), dementia, and traumatic brain injuries.
- The key feature is the filling of memory voids with plausible-sounding but inaccurate information, as a way for the brain to create a coherent narrative.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Tangentiality is a disorder of the thought process, not memory. It involves straying from the topic of conversation and never returning to the original point.
- Option B: Neologism is a disturbance in speech where a person coins new words or phrases that have meaning only to them. It does not involve creating false memories.
- Option C: Circumstantiality is a thought process disorder characterized by providing excessive, unnecessary, and often tedious detail before eventually getting to the point. It's about an indirect thought process, not fabricating memories.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Disorders of Thought and Memory as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Identifying confabulation is a critical nursing assessment finding that points towards significant neurological or cognitive impairment, prompting further investigation for underlying causes like Korsakoff syndrome or dementia.
- Nursing care for a patient who confabulates involves creating a safe and structured environment, using reality orientation techniques (e.g., calendars, clocks), and providing memory cues.
- It is vital to avoid arguing or directly confronting the patient about their false memories, as this can increase anxiety and agitation. Instead, gently redirect the conversation.
How to Approach the Question
- First, break down the question stem to its core definition: 'Filling up of memory spaces with a detailed false description.'
- Recognize that the key concept is a disturbance in memory, specifically the creation of false content to fill gaps.
- Systematically evaluate each option against this definition.
- Eliminate 'Tangentiality' and 'Circumstantiality' as they describe the flow and direction of thought, not the creation of false memories.
- Eliminate 'Neologism' as it relates to the creation of new words, a disorder of language.
- Identify 'Confabulation' as the precise term that matches the definition of unconsciously fabricating memories to fill in gaps.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Disorders of Thought and Memory
- Stem keywords: memory spaces, false description, event
- Lead-in keywords: termed as
Question ID
QktisDjH3jnyEg4NeFTnXh
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. 3850-3852, 3795-3797
E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 50-52
Practise the full KPSC Staff Nurse - 2016
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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