A nurse interviews a patient who was abducted and raped at gunpoint by an unknown assailant. The patient says, "I can't talk about it. Nothing happened. I have to forget." What is the patient's present coping strategy?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's statement indicates denial, a defense mechanism where the individual refuses to accept reality or facts, effectively blocking external events from awareness.

A Nurse Interviews a Patient Who Was Abducted and Raped