Understanding Defense Mechanisms and Development
15. A woman who discovers her husband has committed suicide in the
middle of the night decides to tell her 4- and 6-year-old children the
next morning that the reason daddy is not here today is that he went to
work. Based on their developmental stage, what might they assume when
mommy says she is going to work?
A. Going to work means you are not coming home
B. Mommy will come home, as has been the case in the past
C. When someone cannot be seen, then they cease to exist
D. Daddy will come home when mommy goes to work
16. A mother of a teenage boy is unable to acknowledge that her son’s mental
illness is perpetuated by his poly substance use disorder and is insisting
that his father’s genes are to blame. Which defense mechanism is
employed?
A. Reaction formation
B. Regression
C. Denial
D. Dissociation
Understanding Defense Mechanisms and Development
In the case of a 36-year-old Korean male he has recently begun attending graduate school. ,Despite this new chapter in his life he complains of persistent abdominal pain. Interestingly, this discomfort persists even after undergoing an extensive gastrointestinal work-up, which included both an upper and lower gastroscopy. Therefore, we must consider the defense mechanisms that might be at play. Which of the following defense mechanisms is employed? The options include:
A. Conversion
B. Dissociation
C. Denial
D. Reaction formation
Furthermore, let’s examine another scenario involving the PMHNP treating a client diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder who also exhibits depressive symptoms. Notably, the treatment has incorporated both psychopharmacology and interpersonal psychotherapy. However, the patient abruptly reports a reemergence of symptoms that had previously been in remission. Consequently, we need to determine in what phase of therapy this finding is expected. The options are:
A. Orientation
B. Working/treatment
C. Termination
D. Acclimation
Additionally, we should consider the various attributes of cultural care that may influence the therapeutic alliance. All of the following factors are relevant, except for one. The options are:
A. Religion
B. Gender roles
C. Beliefs
D. Urban setting
Finally, it’s important to recognize that anxiety can arise from intrapsychic conflict among the structures of the mind. Therefore, we must ask: which structure of the mind deals with reality testing and the thinking process? The options include:
A. Id
B. Ego
C. Superego
D. Defense mechanisms
