A 29-year-old client living with parents has few interpersonal relationships. The client states, I have trouble trusting people. Based on Eriksons developmental theory, which should the nurse recognize as a true statement about this client?
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A
The client has not progressed beyond the trust versus mistrust developmental stage.
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B
Developmental deficits in earlier life stages have impaired the clients adult functioning.
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C
The client cannot move to the next developmental stage until mastering all earlier stages.
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D
The clients developmental problems began in the intimacy versus isolation stage.
The choice that aligns with the client data is Developmental deficits in earlier life stages have impaired the clients adult functioning..
A. The client has not progressed beyond the trust versus mistrust developmental stage.
This would apply in a different scenario where the idea in “The client has not progressed beyond the trust versus mistrust developmental stage.” 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.
B. Developmental deficits in earlier life stages have impaired the clients adult functioning.
This fits because Many individuals with mental health problems are still struggling to achieve tasks from a number of developmental stages. Nurses can plan care to assist these individuals to complete these tasks and move on to a higher developmental level. Need: Psychosocial Integrity 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.
C. The client cannot move to the next developmental stage until mastering all earlier stages.
This might be chosen when the idea in “The client cannot move to the next developmental stage until mastering all earlier stages.” 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. The clients developmental problems began in the intimacy versus isolation stage.
This might be chosen when the idea in “The clients developmental problems began in the intimacy versus isolation stage.” 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.
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.