A nursing home resident has a diagnosis of dysthymic disorder. When planning care for this client, which of the following symptoms should a nurse expect the client to exhibit? (Select all that apply.)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Dysthymic disorder is a chronic depressive disorder that lasts for at least two years, characterized by a depressed mood on most days for more days than not. Therefore, the client would exhibit a sad mood most days (A) and would have been experiencing this for at least two years, such as after the death of their spouse (D). B is incorrect because a mood rating of 2/10 is not significant enough to meet the criteria for dysthymic disorder. C and E are incorrect because labile mood and pressured speech are not typically associated with dysthymic disorder.

A Nursing Home Resident Has a Diagnosis of Dysthymic Disorder