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Quizzes > Health & Medicine

RN Personality Disorders Assessment: NCLEX-Style Quiz

Quick, free NCLEX personality disorders quiz. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Stephan GageUpdated Aug 26, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration of a nurse surrounded by personality disorder quiz cards and notes on a sky blue background.

This RN personality disorders assessment quiz helps you practice NCLEX-style scenarios, apply therapeutic communication, and spot safety priorities. Keep building momentum with psych nursing practice questions, or focus on mood conditions with the rn mood disorders quiz. You can also review core concepts with mental health nursing quiz questions to see what to study next.

Which of the following is a key characteristic of Paranoid Personality Disorder?
Pervasive distrust and suspicion of others
History of attention-seeking behavior
Grandiose sense of self-importance
Extreme fear of abandonment
Paranoid Personality Disorder is defined by a longstanding pattern of distrust and suspicion such that others' motives are interpreted as malevolent. Patients often believe that others are exploiting or deceiving them without sufficient evidence. This distrust can impair close relationships and lead to social isolation.
What is the most appropriate initial nursing approach when caring for a client diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder?
Encourage the client to use splitting as a defense
Minimize emotional expressions to avoid escalation
Consistently maintain clear and firm boundaries
Avoid setting limits to promote autonomy
Clients with Borderline Personality Disorder frequently test limits and demonstrate splitting behaviors. Maintaining clear, consistent, and firm boundaries helps establish trust and safety in the therapeutic relationship. It also reduces manipulative interactions and promotes client stability.
Which feature best defines Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
Distrust and suspicion of others' motives
Intense fear of rejection in social situations
A grandiose sense of self-importance and need for admiration
Perfectionism and preoccupation with control
Narcissistic Personality Disorder is marked by pervasive patterns of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy. Individuals often overestimate their abilities and expect special treatment. They may become angry or impatient when they are not the center of attention.
Which set of disorders belongs to Cluster C personality disorders?
Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive
Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal
Histrionic, Narcissistic, Borderline
Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic
Cluster C personality disorders are characterized by anxious and fearful behaviors. Avoidant Personality Disorder involves social inhibition and hypersensitivity to criticism. Dependent Personality Disorder is marked by submissive and clinging behavior. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder features preoccupation with orderliness and control.
A client with Histrionic Personality Disorder is most likely to exhibit which behavior?
Constantly seeking reassurance through seductive behaviors
Extreme social withdrawal and indifference
Excessive perfectionism and rigidity
Preoccupation with fantasies of power
Histrionic Personality Disorder is typified by excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, often manifesting as seductive or provocative behavior. Clients may be uncomfortable when they are not the center of attention. Their emotions can be shallow and rapidly shifting.
What distinguishes Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
In OCPD, symptoms are time-limited
OCPD involves true obsessions and compulsions
Only OCD clients are perfectionistic
Behavior in OCPD is ego-syntonic, whereas in OCD it is ego-dystonic
In OCPD, clients view their need for order and control as appropriate (ego-syntonic). In OCD, intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors are distressing and unwanted (ego-dystonic). OCPD lacks true compulsions performed to reduce anxiety. OCD symptoms are recognized as unreasonable by the patient.
A hallmark feature of Antisocial Personality Disorder is:
Disregard for the rights of others and violation of social norms
Severe fear of separation from attachment figures
Chronic feelings of emptiness and identity disturbance
Intense need for approval and reassurance
Antisocial Personality Disorder involves a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others. Individuals often engage in deceit, impulsivity, and disregard for safety. They lack remorse and may repeatedly break laws or exploit others.
Which feature differentiates Avoidant Personality Disorder from Schizoid Personality Disorder?
Evidence of magical thinking
Lack of empathy and manipulative behavior
Indifference to praise or criticism
Desire for social relationships despite fear of rejection
Clients with Avoidant Personality Disorder desire social interaction but avoid it due to fear of rejection and criticism. By contrast, those with Schizoid Personality Disorder genuinely prefer solitude and show little interest in social relationships. Avoidant clients often have low self-esteem and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation.
Which cognitive pattern is most characteristic of Dependent Personality Disorder?
Strict adherence to rules and orderliness
Overestimation of personal abilities leading to risk-taking
Persistent suspiciousness of others' motives
Belief that one cannot function independently without advice or reassurance
Dependent Personality Disorder is marked by excessive need to be taken care of, leading to submissive and clinging behavior. Clients often believe they lack the ability to make decisions on their own and seek constant reassurance. This reliance can lead to avoidance of responsibility and passive behaviors.
A client with Borderline Personality Disorder frequently engages in splitting. Which nursing intervention is most appropriate?
Consistently apply unit rules and maintain clear limits
Rotate staff frequently to avoid attachment
Provide unlimited autonomy to build trust
Encourage expression of splitting without guidance
Splitting involves seeing people or situations as all good or all bad. Consistent limit setting and rule enforcement help clients integrate positive and negative aspects in a balanced way. This approach reduces manipulative behaviors and promotes emotional stability. Frequent staff changes can exacerbate trust issues.
Which medication class is most commonly used to address mood lability and impulsivity in clients with Borderline Personality Disorder?
Beta-blockers
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Benzodiazepines
First-generation antipsychotics
SSRIs are frequently prescribed to manage mood fluctuations, impulsivity, and comorbid depressive symptoms in Borderline Personality Disorder. They help regulate serotonin levels, which can reduce affective instability. First-generation antipsychotics and benzodiazepines carry higher risk profiles in these clients.
In a therapeutic milieu for personality disorders, when is time-out from group activities appropriate?
As a frequent disciplinary measure for minor infractions
When a client's behavior poses a risk to self or others
To discourage any expression of anger
Whenever a client expresses strong emotions
Time-out is used therapeutically to ensure safety when a client's behavior becomes aggressive or self-destructive. It allows the client to regain control and prevents harm to others. It should not be overused for minor or expected emotional responses. Properly applied, it maintains the therapeutic nature of the milieu.
In psychodynamic therapy for personality disorders, transference refers to:
The projection of feelings about significant others onto the therapist
The therapist's unconscious reactions to the client
Mutual emotional expression in a group session
Client's conscious feedback to the therapist
Transference occurs when clients unconsciously transfer feelings and expectations from past relationships onto the therapist. It is a central concept in psychodynamic therapy and can reveal unresolved conflicts. Therapists analyze transference to help clients gain insight into maladaptive patterns.
According to DSM-5, how many of the eight specific criteria must be met for a diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder?
Four or more
Three or more
Five or more
Six or more
DSM-5 specifies that at least four of the eight listed traits (e.g., preoccupation with details, perfectionism) must be present for Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. These traits must lead to significant impairment or distress. The requirement ensures diagnostic consistency and clinical utility.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Diagnostic Criteria -

    Interpret DSM-5 criteria for various personality disorders to answer nclex questions on personality disorders accurately.

  2. Differentiate Disorder Subtypes -

    Analyze patient scenarios in this rn personality disorders assessment quiz to distinguish between personality disorder nclex questions effectively.

  3. Apply Nursing Interventions -

    Implement evidence-based strategies and therapeutic communication techniques appropriate for clients with personality disorders on NCLEX personality disorder questions.

  4. Evaluate Intervention Rationale -

    Assess the rationale behind recommended nursing actions to reinforce critical thinking for nclex questions personality disorders.

  5. Self-Assess Knowledge Gaps -

    Use quiz scores to pinpoint areas for review and boost confidence before exam day in your NCLEX prep.

Cheat Sheet

  1. DSM-5 Clusters A, B, and C -

    In an rn personality disorders assessment you'll classify disorders into Cluster A (odd/eccentric), Cluster B (dramatic/emotional), and Cluster C (anxious/fearful). Use the mnemonic "Weird, Wild, Worried" to recall each cluster quickly (University of Washington School of Nursing). This foundation helps you tackle nclex questions on personality disorders by matching vignettes to the correct group.

  2. The "4 D's" of Personality Disorders -

    NCLEX questions personality disorders often test your knowledge of Distress, Deviance, Dysfunction, and Durability as core DSM-5 criteria. Remember that a pattern must be enduring (durable) and pervasive across contexts (APA, DSM-5 Text Revision). This mnemonic ensures you capture the full definition when analyzing scenario-based questions.

  3. Borderline Personality Disorder and DBT -

    Many nclex personality disorder questions focus on borderline traits like self-harm and emotional lability; Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the gold-standard intervention. Recall the DEAR MAN skill (Describe, Express, Assert, Reinforce, Mindful, Appear confident, Negotiate) to manage crises (Linehan Institute). This concrete tool boosts your confidence in selecting the best therapeutic approach.

  4. Risk Assessment for Self-Harm -

    In personality disorder nclex questions, you'll often evaluate suicide or self-injury risk, especially in Borderline PD. Use a structured safety plan: warning signs, coping strategies, and emergency contacts (National Institute for Mental Health). Practicing this sequence ensures you choose the safest, most effective nursing priority.

  5. Structured Communication and Boundaries -

    NCLEX personality disorder questions often hinge on therapeutic communication and limit-setting to prevent manipulation, especially with narcissistic or histrionic traits. Employ clear "I" statements and consistent rules (e.g., "I notice you're upset; we'll talk after you calm down") (Johns Hopkins Nursing). This approach strengthens therapeutic rapport and keeps care on track.

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