A cardinal symptom of the schizophrenic client is hallucinations.
A nurse identifies this as a problem in the category of:
A . Impaired communication
B . Sensory-perceptual alterations
C . Altered thought processes
D . Impaired social interaction
Answer: B
Explanation:
(A) Impaired communication refers to decreased ability or inability to use or understand language in an interaction.
(B) In sensory-perceptual alterations an individual has distorted, impaired, or exaggerated responses to incoming stimuli (i.e., a hallucination, which is a false sensory perception that is not associated with real external stimuli).
(C) An altered thought processes problem statement is used when an individual experiences a disruption in cognitive operations and activities (i.e., delusions, loose associations, ideas of reference).
(D) In impaired social interaction, the individual participates too little or too much in social interactions.