While the nurse at the personality disorders clinic is interviewing a client, the client constantly scans

Question

the environment and frequently interrupts to ask what the nurse means by certain words or phrases.

The nurse notes that the client is very sensitive to the nurse's nonverbal behavior. His responses are
often argumentative, sarcastic, and hostile. He suggests that he is being hospitalized so "they can
exploit me.". The nurse can make the assessment that the client's behaviors are most consistent with
the clinical picture of
a. paranoid personality disorder.
b. histrionic personality disorder.
c. avoidant personality disorder.
d. narcissistic personality disorder.

Answer 1

A
The behaviors described are consistent with the clinical picture given in the DSM-IV-TR. Option B:
The client with histrionic personality disorder would be flamboyant and attention seeking. Option C:
The client with avoidant personality disorder would be excessively anxious and hypersensitive.
Option D: The client with narcissistic personality disorder would be grandiose and disparaging of
others.