IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026
Mental Health Nursing
Easy

One of the following is an organic mental disorder :

Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026

Explanation

  • Organic mental disorders are defined as conditions with a demonstrable underlying brain dysfunction or a direct physiological cause, such as a medical illness, substance use, or injury.
  • Delirium is a classic example of an acute organic mental disorder. It is characterized by a sudden disturbance in attention, awareness, and cognition.
  • The condition is a direct consequence of an underlying medical issue like an infection (e.g., UTI), metabolic imbalance, hypoxia, or medication side effects, fitting the definition of an organic disorder.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option B: Delusional disorder is classified as a psychotic disorder. Its primary feature is the presence of one or more fixed, false beliefs (delusions), but it is not caused by a direct, demonstrable physical disease or brain dysfunction.
  • Option C: Dissociative disorder involves a disruption and/or discontinuity in the normal integration of consciousness, memory, identity, emotion, and perception. It is considered a psychological response to trauma or stress, not an organic brain condition.
  • Option D: Conversion disorder (Functional Neurologic Symptom Disorder) is a condition where psychological stress manifests as physical, neurological symptoms (like weakness or seizures) without any underlying neurological disease to explain them.

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 Classification of Mental Disorders: Organic vs. Functional as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • It is critical for nurses to distinguish delirium from functional psychiatric disorders. Delirium is a medical emergency that signals an underlying physiological problem (like sepsis or hypoglycemia) which requires immediate investigation and treatment.
  • Misattributing delirium symptoms to a pre-existing mental illness can lead to a delay in treating a life-threatening condition.
  • What if? An elderly patient with a known diagnosis of anxiety suddenly becomes agitated and confused. Instead of assuming it's worsening anxiety, the nurse's priority is to assess for delirium by checking for infection, dehydration, or medication side effects. This approach prioritizes patient safety by ruling out urgent organic causes first.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, define the key term in the question: 'organic mental disorder'. This refers to a mental condition caused by a physical illness or injury affecting the brain.
  • Next, evaluate each option against this definition.
  • Consider Delirium: Is it caused by a physical problem? Yes, it's caused by things like infection, metabolic issues, or drugs.
  • Consider Delusional disorder: Is it caused by a physical problem? No, it's a primary thought disorder.
  • Consider Dissociative and Conversion disorders: Are they caused by a physical problem? No, they are linked to psychological stress or trauma.
  • Based on this analysis, identify Delirium as the only option that fits the definition of an organic mental disorder.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Classification of Mental Disorders: Organic vs. Functional
  • Stem keywords: organic mental disorder
  • Lead-in keywords: One of the following is
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QoFPpBJRKEPhrYUoNdN2Ac

Reference Book

E6 Guide to Mental Health & PSYCHIATRIC NURSING R Sreevani— Part 2 (pp 290-564 of 579) p. 78-80

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 15681-15684

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 1477-1479

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One of the following is an organic mental disorder : - IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026 | NPrep