Question

A busy attorney with a successful law practice is admitted to an acute care facility with epigastric pain. Since admission, the client has called the nurse every 15 minutes with one request or another. This client is most likely exhibiting:

1. repression.
2. somatization.
3. regression.
4. conversion.

Answer 1

The attorney admitted to the hospital is displaying behavior best described as (3) regression, which is a psychological defense mechanism characterized by a reversion to earlier developmental stages.

Step-by-step explanation:

The attorney admitted with epigastric pain and constantly calling the nurse with requests is most likely exhibiting a behavior known as regression. This is a defense mechanism where an individual reverts to a previous stage of psychological development.

It often occurs when people experience stress, allowing them to temporarily escape their adult responsibilities and return to a state in which they were cared for as a child. Regression can surface in various forms, such as increased dependency, passive behavior, or seeking more attention from caregivers, as seen in this case with the frequent calls to the nurse.