A 12-year-old girl becomes hysterical every time she strikes out in softball, falls down when rollerskating, or loses when playing games. According to Peplaus interpersonal theory, in which stage of development should the nurse identify a need for improvement?
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A
Learning to count on others
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B
Learning to delay satisfaction
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C
Identifying oneself
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D
Developing skills in participation
In this situation, the nursing judgment that fits the stem is Developing skills in participation.
A. Learning to count on othersB. Learning to delay satisfaction
This could seem tempting if the idea in “Learning to count on othersB. Learning to delay satisfaction” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
C. Identifying oneself
This reflects a related idea, but it fits best when the idea in “Identifying oneself” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
D. Developing skills in participation
This matches the stem because The nurse should identify that this client needs to improve in the Developing skills in participation stage of Peplaus interpersonal theory. Older children in this phase learn the skills of compromise, competition, and cooperation with others. Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance Developmental theories help the nurse connect present coping and relationship patterns to age-expected tasks, which can inform realistic goals, communication style, and supportive interventions. From a nursing standpoint, this selection guides assessment and interventions toward what is most clinically meaningful in the moment—risk reduction, safety, accurate appraisal, and support for adaptive coping.
Conclusion
The stem provides enough information to select the most accurate interpretation without adding extra assumptions. The chosen answer reflects the correct framework, and the remaining choices drift toward incomplete, premature, or misdirected reasoning.