Pathological repetition involving imitation of speech of another person is termed as?

Appeared in: IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance -2021

Explanation

Echolalia is the specific term for the psychopathological repetition of words or phrases spoken by another person.
The term is derived from Greek, with 'echo' meaning to repeat and 'lalia' meaning speech, directly matching the question's definition.
This symptom is not voluntary but is an automatic response seen in conditions like schizophrenia (particularly catatonic types), autism, and other neurological disorders.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option B: Echopraxia involves the imitation of movements or actions, not speech. The key differentiator is the domain of imitation (motor vs. verbal).
Option C: Encopresis is an elimination disorder related to the involuntary passage of feces. It has no connection to speech or imitation.
Option D: Enuresis is an elimination disorder involving the involuntary discharge of urine. It is unrelated to speech pathology.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Terminology of Psychiatric Symptoms as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Recognizing echolalia is crucial for nurses as it can be a key diagnostic sign for conditions like autism spectrum disorder in children or catatonia in adults with schizophrenia.
A nurse observing echolalia should document the frequency and context of the behavior, as this information is vital for the psychiatric assessment and treatment plan.
What if the patient was repeating their own last word or phrase? This would be termed 'palilalia', which is distinct from echolalia and often associated with extrapyramidal disorders like Parkinson's disease.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'imitation of speech'.
Analyze the options by breaking them down if possible. 'Echo' suggests repetition.
'Lalia' relates to speech or language, while 'praxia' relates to action or movement.
Based on this, 'Echolalia' is the most logical term for repeating speech.
Eliminate 'Encopresis' and 'Enuresis' as they are clearly related to elimination functions, not speech.
Confirm the choice by recalling the specific definitions of Echolalia and Echopraxia.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Terminology of Psychiatric Symptoms
Stem keywords: pathological repetition, imitation of speech
Lead-in keywords: termed as
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QcXUcqM5MIUtpTh8geqTA2

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) p. 15337-15339

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 3566-3568

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