Chapter 7: Assessing Psychosocial, Cognitive, and Moral Development

The clinic nurse is educating a caregiver about promoting the development of a 2-year-old child. Which statement should be included in the teaching?

"Allow the child to make choices when possible."

A nurse is performing an assessment on a 16-year-old client. The nurse determines the client is developing normally according to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development when the client makes which of the following statements?

"I prefer to be with my friends rather than my family."

The nurse is assessing a 40-year-old client. The nurse determines the client has met Erikson's stage of psychosocial development for middle adulthood when the client makes which of the following statements?

"I volunteer frequently at the homeless shelter."

The nurse is assessing a 66-year-old client diagnosed with cancer. The nurse determines that the client has achieved the appropriate Erikson's developmental stage when the client makes which of the following statements?

"I've lived a pretty good life."

A 90-year-old client is crying and states to the nurse, "I've had such a wasted life." The most appropriate response from the nurse will be

"You are feeling like you have had a wasted life...?"

The nurse plans care for an older client who does not possess formal operational thinking. What care will this client need? Select all that apply.

1. Actions to stay as healthy as possible 2. Completion of activities of daily living 3. Teaching on the correct way to take medication

The nurse is concerned that a middle-aged adult is experiencing a developmental issue. According to Freud, which mannerism indicates a fixation at the oral stage? Select all that apply.

1. Smoking 2. Nail biting 3. Overreacting 4. Excessive talking

The nurse is developing a plan of care for an older adult who lives independently. Which of the following should the nurse include?

Allow additional time for the client to perform activities of daily living.

In what life stage, defined by Erikson, is group identity important?

Adolescence

The nurse prepares information for an in-service program on the selection of nursing diagnoses to address psychosocial needs. Which diagnosis would be appropriate for any client age?

Anxiety

A 3-year-old boy walks into an examination room with his mother and sees a tongue depressor. He points to it and says, "popsicle!" The nurse recognizes this as which adaptive process, as described by Piaget?

Assimilation

The mother of a 2 year old is very frustrated because the toddler wants to dress herself every day. The nurse recognizes the toddler is in what stage of Erikson?

Autonomy

The nurse notes that a toddler is having issues while being toilet trained. According to Erikson, in which stage of development is this child?

Autonomy versus shame and doubt

A nurse is talking to an 8-year-old boy who is proud of himself for washing his hands before every meal this past week. The nurse recognizes that this client is eager to please the nurse and his own parents. The nurse realizes that this boy is most likely in which level of moral development, according to Kohlberg?

Conventional

The nurse observes a young adult community member protest a political figure's attendance at a town hall meeting and threatens other people who want to listen to what the candidate has to say. What does this behavior indicate about the young adult's moral development?

Conventional level not attained

An older client tells the nurse "My family do not talk to me. I have no point of living." This is an example of what stage of Erikson's development?

Despair

Which of the following statements is true regarding developmental theories?

Developmental theory often reflects the culture/life experiences of the theorist.

A middle-aged client is overheard telling another person about the desire to "not get caught" performing an inappropriate action while at work. What does this indicate about the client's moral development?

Difficulty achieving the post-conventional level of development

The nurse has been assigned a 10-year-old client admitted to the hospital for treatment. Based on Erikson's stages of development for school-age children, the nurse should implement which of the following interventions for this client to promote normal development while hospitalized?

Encourage the client to continue schoolwork.

A 12-year-old child is working on algebra problems in order to solve the calculation for "x." Which stage of Piaget's development is this child demonstrating?

Formal operational

The person who is able to correctly calculate algebraic equations has most likely attained which Piagetian stage of cognitive development?

Formal operational.

A middle aged man tells the nurse "My kids still come to me for advice when making big decisions, but it is still their decision to make." This is an example of what stage of Erikson?

Generativity

What term refers to the drive to establish and guide the next generation?

Generativity

The nurse completes her interview of a 39-year-old female client who seems happily married with four healthy children who are doing very well in school and who works part time as a college professor. The nurse would be able to conclude that this client is in which of the following psychosocial developmental stages?

Generativity.

A middle-aged adult nurse is having difficulty using the computerized documentation system. What does this indicate about the nurse's developmental level?

Has difficulty meeting work expectations

The nurse notes that an adolescent client demonstrates confusion and the inability to focus on tasks. According to Erikson, which central task is this client having difficulty completing?

Identity versus role confusion

All the following are stages in Erik Erikson's model of development except which one?

Identity vs. isolation

A nurse is discussing summer plans with a 16-year-old girl. The client tells the nurse she will be working her first job. The nurse recalls that, according to Erikson, which of the following is the primary task of adolescents?

Identity vs. role confusion

The nurse is deciding if an older client's moral behavior is normal or abnormal. What should the nurse consider before making this decision?

If the client is harming self or others

During an assessment the nurse asks the client "how do you learn the best?" What is the reason for the nurse to ask this question?

It is because each person learns differently

The nurse learns that a client has a family member with a mental health disorder. Why is this information helpful when planning this client's care?

It may be genetic and influence the client's mental health

The nurse suspects that a middle-aged adult is having an issue with generativity. What did the nurse assess to come to this conclusion?

Lack of interest in future generations

In Erik Erikson's stage of generativity vs. stagnation, the mature adult needs to be what?

Needed

The nurse believes that a young adult has achieved the conventional level of moral reasoning. What behavior caused the nurse to make this decision?

Obeys the law

The mother of an adolescent is concerned because the client's personality "seems to be changing daily." If Erikson's theory is followed, what should the nurse include when responding to this mother?

Personality evolves throughout the life span

During the Erikson stage of Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt, the nurse can best foster development by encouraging which action?

Potty training

The nurse recognizes that a child is most likely in Piaget's preoperational stage of development when observing which activity?

Pretend play

The parents of a teenager tell the nurse he has become despondent and does not associate with any of his old friends but is not involved a crowd that uses drugs. The nurse recognizes the teen is experiencing what state of Erikson?

Role confusion

A nurse is assessing a 24-year-old client in terms of her psychosocial development, following Erikson's approach. Which of the following would the nurse most likely identify as an abnormal finding in this client?

Sexual promiscuity

A middle aged adult female tells the nurse that she cannot decide whether or not she needs the recommended surgery. She states she will have to let her husband make the decision for her. The is an example of what stage of Erikson?

Stagnation

A client explains that she has been feeling stress at work lately because her boss has been asking her to perform accounting measures that went against her conscience. According to Freud, which component of the personality is associated with the conscience?

Superego

The nurse is caring for a young child. The child draws a picture of their home and gives it to the nurse. Which is the correct documentation?

The child is in the preoperational stage according to Piaget.

A nurse is assessing an 82-year-old client in terms of his psychosocial development, following Piaget's approach. Which of the following would the nurse most likely identify as an abnormal finding in this client?

The need for assistance in correctly taking daily medication

The nurse completes a psychosocial assessment of a middle-aged client. What should the nurse do next?

Validate the data

The person who has attained Kohlberg's Conventional level of moral development is best described as

desiring to avoid disapproval from others and be considered a respectful, helpful person.

A 50-year-old client tells the nurse that she enjoys babysitting her grandchildren while their parents are attending night classes at the local college. She also shares that on many days she volunteers at a neighborhood food bank. Erikson would most likely place this client as

positively resolving a sense of generativity versus stagnation.

Each of Erik Erikson's central developmental tasks is composed of opposing viewpoints. Erikson thus theorized that

the person must accomplish a healthy balance between these opposing viewpoints in order to progress to the next psychosocial stage.

A nurse is assessing a 73-year-old client in terms of her psychosexual development. Which of the following would the nurse most likely identify as an abnormal finding in this client?

Avoidance of relationships