Author Question: The stepfather of a child diagnosed with a conduct disorder wants to know the reason for including ... (Read 78 times)

renzo156 · **on:** Jul 19, 2018

The stepfather of a child diagnosed with a conduct disorder wants to know the reason for including him in family therapy sessions. What will the nurse tell the stepfather is the goal of family therapy?

1. Help the child relive past events and related feelings.
2. Increase the probability that the child's mental health will improve.
3. Speak for the child so the parents can become more aware of the child's potential.
4. Provide an opportunity for the parents to interact with their child in a safe environment.

Question 2

A 7-year-old patient tells the nurse, I did bad things today, and the nurse responds, Tell me about the bad things you did today. What is the nurse doing to connect to the child's experience?

1. Talking about the child's problem behavior.
2. Using the child's own language to engage with him.
3. Asking for specific information about the child's activity.
4. Repeating what the child said to reflect the child's statement back to him.

Anna · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 19, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Answer: 2
Explanation: The goal of family therapy is to increase the likelihood that improvements in the child's mental health will occur. Involving step-parents in family therapy builds support in the home for these gains with consistent and sustained family patterns. Reliving past events and related feelings may occur as part of play therapy. Speaking for the child is not a goal of family therapy. Providing a safe environment for interaction is another aspect of increasing the likelihood that improvements will occur; however, it is not a goal of family therapy.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: 2
Explanation: If a child uses certain language to describe a feeling or experience, the nurse should attempt to use that language in further understanding the child's experience. The point of the nurse's response is not to address the child's bad behavior, but to discuss whatever subject the child introduced. The nurse's open-ended response allows the child to follow his or her own thoughts rather than provide specific information. The nurse is not simply reflecting the child's experience but stimulating further discussion.