Author Question: A community mental health nurse is assigned to visit the home of a child, aged 11 years, to ... (Read 74 times)

penguins · **on:** Jul 19, 2018

A community mental health nurse is assigned to visit the home of a child, aged 11 years, to
investigate his frequent school absences. The nurse finds the child caring for his siblings, aged 4
months, 1
1
2
years, and 3-year-old twins.

Both parents are at work. The house is cluttered and dirty.
The child tells the nurse he would like to attend school regularly, but whenever his mother is called
to work at her part-time job, he must watch the kids because the family cannot afford to pay a
babysitter. He mentions that it does not make a difference anyway, because he is too dumb to learn
much. He adds I don't have any friends at school, probably because I don't deserve any.. Based
on the information obtained thus far, what preliminary assessment can be made?
a. Insufficient data are present to make an assessment.
b. The child and his siblings are experiencing neglect.
c. The children are at high risk for sexual abuse.
d. The children are experiencing physical abuse.

Question 2

Which statement about aggression would serve as a basis for care planning using behavioral
techniques? Aggression

a. runs in families and is manifested as early as infancy.
b. results from abnormalities in the temporal lobe of the brain.
c. results from low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin.
d. is motivated by rewards received for previous aggression.

ong527 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 19, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B
The child is experiencing educational neglect when his parents deprive him of the opportunity to
attend school. It is possible that the other children may be experiencing physical neglect, but more
data should be gathered before making the actual assessment. Options C and D: The information
presented does not indicate high risk for sexual abuse, and no hard evidence of physical abuse is
present.

Answer to Question 2

D
Behavioral theory does not accept aggressive drives as being instinctual or biological. It views
aggressive behavior as a learned response that tends to be repeated if reinforced. Lack of
reinforcement or reinforcing other, more desirable behavior will help extinguish the aggressive
behavior. Option A suggests a genetic origin for aggression. Option B suggests brain abnormality as
the origin for aggression. Option C suggests neurotransmitter abnormality as the origin for
aggression. Behavioral techniques would not necessarily be chosen for these options.