State of uneasiness arising out of anticipation of danger is termed as?

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2021

Explanation

Anxiety is defined as a state of uneasiness, distress, or apprehension that is future-oriented.
The core feature described in the question is the 'anticipation of danger,' which directly aligns with the clinical definition of anxiety.
Unlike fear, which is a response to an immediate and specific threat, anxiety is a response to a threat that is perceived as uncontrollable or unavoidable but is not present at the moment.

Option A: Obsessions are intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges, not a general state of uneasiness. They are a cognitive component, whereas anxiety is an emotional state.
Option C: A phobia is an intense and irrational fear tied to a specific object or situation (e.g., spiders, heights). The question describes a general 'anticipation of danger' without a specific trigger.
Option D: Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts (e.g., hand washing, counting) that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. They are actions taken to relieve anxiety, not the state of anxiety itself.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definition of Anxiety and Differentiation from Related Psychiatric Terms as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Recognizing the signs of anxiety is a fundamental nursing skill, as it is one of the most common psychological responses to illness and hospitalization.
Nurses must be able to differentiate between anxiety, fear, and other conditions to implement the correct interventions, such as providing reassurance for anxiety versus ensuring immediate safety for fear.
What if the patient's uneasiness was linked to a specific, immediate, and identifiable threat, like a fire alarm going off? The state would then be classified as Fear, requiring immediate action for safety (e.g., evacuation) rather than primarily psychological reassurance.

How to Approach the Question

First, break down the question stem to identify the core concepts: 'state of uneasiness' and 'anticipation of danger'.
Note that 'anticipation' implies a future-oriented concern, not a response to something happening right now.
Evaluate each option based on this core concept.
Eliminate 'Obsessions' (which are thoughts) and 'Compulsions' (which are actions).
Differentiate between the remaining emotional states: 'Phobia' is a fear of a specific thing, while 'Anxiety' is a more generalized or non-specific feeling of apprehension about the future.
Since the question does not mention a specific trigger, 'Anxiety' is the most fitting answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Definition of Anxiety and Differentiation from Related Psychiatric Terms
Stem keywords: uneasiness, anticipation of danger
Lead-in keywords: termed as
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Psychology Morgan King 9e Part 2 p. 255-257

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 1341-1343

Practise the full RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2021

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