A son brings his father to the clinic and tells the nurse that his father has begun to act strangely in the past few days, with unprovoked outbursts of anger. After the incidents, the father expresses remorse for his outburst

Question

The son says, "I've never seen him act this way." Which question would be most appropriate for the nurse to ask next?

A) "Does your father have a history of an anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder?"
B) "Has your father exhibited previous problems expressing anger appropriately?"
C) "Has your father suffered any traumatic injury to his brain recently?"
D) "Has your father injured the back of his head or neck in the past week?"

Answer 1

Ans: C
Asking about injury to the brain would be most appropriate, because the limbic system and cerebral cortex are brain structures most frequently associated with aggressive behavior. Clients with a history of damage to the cerebral cortex are more likely to exhibit increased impulsivity, decreased inhibition, and decreased judgment than are those who have not experienced such damage. Schizophrenia and substance abuse are also associated with violent behavior. Asking about previous problems with anger would be important to know but would not be the priority. Additionally, the son states that the father has never done this before. Injury to the back of the head or neck is not associated with aggression.