BTSC 3 August 2025
Mental Health Nursing
Easy

What is the fear of marriage called?

Appeared in: BTSC 3 August 2025

Explanation

  • Gamophobia is the specific term for an irrational and persistent fear of marriage or entering into a long-term committed relationship.
  • The term is derived from the Greek words 'gamos' meaning marriage, and 'phobos' meaning fear.
  • It is classified as a specific phobia, which is a type of anxiety disorder.
  • Individuals with gamophobia may experience intense anxiety, panic attacks, or distress when faced with the prospect of marriage.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option B: Acrophobia is the fear of heights.
  • Option C: Claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed or confined spaces.
  • Option D: Insectophobia, also known as entomophobia, is the fear of insects.

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 Terminology of Specific Phobias as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Nurses may encounter patients with various phobias in clinical settings. Recognizing the signs of a phobia is crucial for providing compassionate care and avoiding triggers.
  • For example, a patient with claustrophobia may experience severe anxiety during an MRI scan. A nurse's understanding allows for appropriate interventions, such as patient education, relaxation techniques, or discussing sedation options with the medical team.
  • Understanding terms like Gamophobia is relevant in psychiatric nursing for assessing relationship dynamics and commitment issues that may be part of a patient's broader mental health concerns.
How to Approach the Question
  • This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of specific terminology.
  • First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'fear of marriage'.
  • Next, analyze the options provided. All options end in '-phobia,' which correctly signifies 'fear'.
  • Focus on the prefix of each word to determine its meaning.
  • Recall or deduce the meaning of each prefix: 'Gamo-' relates to marriage (from Greek 'gamos'), 'Acro-' to heights, 'Claustro-' to enclosed spaces, and 'Insecto-' to insects.
  • Match the key phrase 'fear of marriage' with the correct prefix 'Gamo-', leading to the answer Gamophobia.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Terminology of Specific Phobias
  • Stem keywords: fear of marriage
  • Lead-in keywords: What is... called
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QehAuuZLTvEWG8FE8lS2kO

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. 3869-3872

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