During a recent interview, a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia shows the nurse a picture of a man holding a decapitated head. He describes this picture as horrifying but then laughs loudly at the content. What is the best description of this behavior?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of inappropriate affect. An inappropriate affect is an affect clearly discordant with the content of the person's speech. The patient's behavior is not an example of confusion, ambivalence, or depersonalization. Confusion is a disturbance of consciousness characterized by inability to engage in orderly thought or by lack of power to distinguish, choose, or act decisively. Ambivalence is the existence of opposing emotions toward an idea, object, or person. Depersonalization is a loss of identity, feeling of being estranged, or perplexed about one's own identity and meaning of existence. The example in the question demonstrates inappropriate affect. An inappropriate affect is an affect clearly discordant with the content of the person's speech.

During a Recent Interview, a Patient Diagnosed with Schizophrenia Shows