Question

A psychiatric-mental health client informs the nurse that a tornado that hit a neighboring town was the client's fault because the client dislikes a neighbor. This disturbance of thought content is known as what?

Answer 1

The disturbance described is known as magical thinking, where an individual believes their thoughts or actions can cause unrelated external events. It's a cognitive distortion that can be understood within the cultural constructs of mental health described in the DSM-5's section on CCD.

Step-by-step explanation:

The disturbance of thought content described by the psychiatric-mental health client, who believes that their dislike of a neighbor caused a tornado, is known as magical thinking. This is a form of cognitive distortion where an individual erroneously links two unrelated events.

Mental health professionals recognize that cultural factors can significantly influence mental health and the manifestation of mental illnesses. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes cultural concepts of distress (CCD) to explain how cultural groups understand and communicate suffering and mental health problems. Misattributing personal thoughts or actions to causing external events without a logical basis can be a presentation of mental health issues that require further assessment and treatment.