Question

a client who is diagnosed with schizophrenia is admitted to the hospital. the nurse assesses the clients mental status. which assessment finding is characteristic of a client with schizophrenia?

mood swings.
extreme sadness.
manipulative behavior.
flat affect.

Explanation:

Analyze clinical manifestations of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is characterized by positive symptoms (e.g., delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech) and negative symptoms (e.g., flat affect, avolition, alogia, anhedonia).

Evaluate the given options

• Mood swings: Characteristic of bipolar disorder or cyclothymia.
• Extreme sadness: Characteristic of major depressive disorder.
• Manipulative behavior: Characteristic of personality disorders, such as borderline or antisocial personality disorder.
• Flat affect: A classic negative symptom of schizophrenia, representing a severe reduction in emotional expressiveness.

Select the correct finding

Flat affect is a primary clinical assessment finding characteristic of schizophrenia.

Answer:

• Mood swings.
• Extreme sadness.
• Manipulative behavior.
• Flat affect. (Correct answer)