UP NHM CHO 7 Sept 2022(shift-1st)
Mental Health Nursing
Easy

Which of the following is a characteristic of dependent personality disorder?

Appeared in: UP NHM CHO 7 Sept 2022(shift-1st)

Explanation

  • The core feature of Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) is a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of by others.
  • This deep-seated need results in submissive and clinging behaviors, as individuals with DPD fear they cannot function without the help of others.
  • They experience intense anxiety and feelings of helplessness when alone and have a profound fear of separation or abandonment.
  • This dependency leads them to subordinate their own needs and have significant difficulty making decisions without constant reassurance.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: This is not a defining diagnostic criterion for Dependent Personality Disorder. While individuals with DPD may fear expressing sexual feelings to avoid upsetting a caregiver, 'restraint in illicit relationships' is not a core feature.
  • Option B: Arrogant behavior and an inflated sense of self-importance are hallmark characteristics of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), which is a Cluster B disorder.
  • Option C: Rigidity, stubbornness, and a preoccupation with orderliness and perfectionism are the defining traits of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), a Cluster C disorder.

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 Characteristics of Dependent Personality Disorder as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Nurses must recognize that patients with DPD may be overly compliant and may not report symptoms or discomfort to avoid displeasing healthcare providers.
  • It is crucial to encourage independence and self-care while setting firm, supportive boundaries to avoid fostering further dependency.
  • Patients with DPD are at a higher risk for anxiety, depression, and being in abusive relationships due to their passivity and fear of abandonment.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the core concept in the question stem, which is 'Dependent Personality Disorder'.
  • Recall the defining characteristics of this disorder. The name itself, 'dependent', is a major clue, pointing to reliance on others.
  • Evaluate each option against the known criteria for Dependent Personality Disorder.
  • Option A is not a specific criterion. Option B (arrogance) points to Narcissistic PD. Option C (rigidity) points to Obsessive-Compulsive PD.
  • Option D directly describes the central feature of DPD: an 'excessive need to be taken care of'. This makes it the correct answer.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Characteristics of Dependent Personality Disorder
  • Stem keywords: characteristic, dependent personality disorder
  • Lead-in keywords: Which
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

Q_jw4UlmRE46Cf39ZaTkWi

Reference Book

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) pp. 1795-1797, 1794-1796

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 7207-7209

Practise the full UP NHM CHO 7 Sept 2022(shift-1st)

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

More Personality and Sexual Disorders Questions

More UP NHM CHO 7 Sept 2022(shift-1st) Questions