The nurse is caring for a 19-year-old client in the student health clinic and reports experiencing anxiety, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating after recently moving away from home to attend college.
The nurse recognizes these symptoms as consistent with which of the following?
The nurse is caring for a 19-year-old client in the student health clinic and reports experiencing anxiety, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating after recently moving away from home to attend college.
The nurse recognizes these symptoms as consistent with which of the following?
A. Situational crisis
[61%]
B. Adventitious crisis
[4%]
C. Maturational crisis
[25%]
D. Dissociative disorder
[10%]
Statistics
Subject/Lesson
Subject
Mental Health
Lesson
Mental Health
Client Need
Test Plan
Psychosocial Integrity
Related Topic
Crisis Intervention
Item Type
Item Type
Application
Explanation
Choice C is correct. A maturational crisis occurs at a predictable developmental stage in the human lifespan, as initially described by Erik Erikson. These crises emerge when individuals transition into new roles or life phases, such as adolescence, early adulthood, or retirement. In this case, the client is transitioning to independence—leaving home for the first time and starting college—which marks a shift in role identity and requires new coping strategies. These types of crises often bring heightened anxiety, emotional vulnerability, and temporary dysfunction in behavior, as established coping mechanisms no longer suffice.
Choice A is incorrect. A situational crisis is triggered by sudden, unexpected external stressors such as job loss, divorce, or the death of a loved one. These crises are not developmentally based but are defined by the unpredictability and severity of the event. While moving to college can be stressful, it is a common and anticipated part of the developmental trajectory in early adulthood, making it maturational—not situational—in nature.
Choice B is incorrect. An adventitious crisis results from rare, catastrophic, and unplanned events like natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes), terrorism, or violent crime. These events are typically traumatic and may affect individuals or communities, often requiring immediate psychological first aid or disaster response.
Choice D is incorrect. A dissociative disorder involves a disruption in consciousness, identity, memory, or perception. Symptoms might include dissociative amnesia, depersonalization, or derealization. The client’s symptoms—anxiety, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating—are more consistent with a stress response to a developmental life change, not the dissociative symptoms that would signal a psychiatric disorder.
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2 Key Topics
Therapeutic communication
13.3 Therapeutic Communication & Environment
Additional Info
✓ A maturational crisis arises as a person transitions from one stage of life to another, often coinciding with Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development.
✓ These transitions are predictable and part of normal growth, but they may result in temporary vulnerability if coping skills are not yet developed for the new role or identity.
Common Triggers
- Leaving home for the first time (adolescence/early adulthood)
- Marriage or entering a committed relationship
- Becoming a parent
- Midlife transition or "midlife crisis"
- Retirement
- Death of a parent
