Question

The nurse is assessing a client who is believed to have a borderline personality disorder. Which question is most important to include in this assessment?

a) "How many close friends do you have?"
b) "Do you have a history of substance abuse?"
c) "Do you experience intense fear of abandonment?"
d) "Have you ever been diagnosed with depression?"

Answer 1

c) "Do you experience intense fear of abandonment?"

Answer 2

The key question for assessing borderline personality disorder is whether the individual experiences intense fear of abandonment, as it reflects a primary characteristic of the disorder.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse is assessing a client who is believed to have borderline personality disorder. The most important question to include in this assessment to specifically address borderline personality disorder characteristics is: c) "Do you experience intense fear of abandonment?" This question directly relates to one of the main features of borderline personality disorder, which is a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect, often due to a fear of abandonment.

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by intense, unstable relationships and a distorted self-image. Patients may swing from intense closeness to intense anger with the same person based on their fears and perceptions. Understanding the fear of abandonment helps in diagnosing this disorder because it can lead to frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment, which is a critical sign of borderline personality disorder.