The mental health nurse is caring for a client with Cluster B personality disorder. The nurse would expect the client to exhibit which behaviors? Select all that apply.

  • suspicious of others, magical thinking, eccentric behavior, paranoia, relationship deficits
  • preoccupation with rules and details, hoarding, ritualistic behavior, extremely devoted to work
  • easily bored, poor and shallow interpersonal relationships, enjoys being the center of attention
  • impulsivity, unpredictable behavior, extreme mood shifts, easily angered, playing people against each other
  • suspicious and untrusting of others, argumentative, controlling of others, thoughts of grandiosity
Numbers 3 and 4 are correct.
Clients who are easily bored, have poor and shallow interpersonal relationships, and enjoy being the center of attention have histrionic personality disorder, which is one of the four types of Cluster B personality disorders. Clients who are impulsive, exhibit unpredictable behavior, experience extreme mood shifts, are easily angered, and play people against each other exhibit borderline personality disorder, which is a Cluster B personality disorder. Other Cluster B personality disorders include narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders. Preoccupation with rules and details, hoarding, ritualistic behavior, and extreme devotion to work are characteristics of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, which is one of the Cluster C personality disorders. Other Cluster C personality disorders include dependent and avoidant personality disorders. Clients who are suspicious of others and engage in magical thinking, eccentric behavior, paranoia, and relationship deficits exhibit schizoid personality disorder, which is a Cluster A personality disorder. Clients who are suspicious and untrusting of others, are argumentative, are controlling of others, and have thoughts of grandiosity have paranoid personality disorder, which is a Cluster A disorder. The other Cluster A disorder is schizotypal personality disorder.