A client is discussing his recent restlessness and increased irritabil

A client is discussing his recent restlessness and increased irritability. Which of the following as-sessment questions is likely to be most helping in determining the cause of these complaints?

1. “When did you start noticing these changes?”
2. “Has anything caused you to change your usual routine lately?”
3. “Do you have any idea what might be causing these problems?”
4. “What makes you think that you are more irritable than is normal for you?”

ANSWER

ANS: 2
When the sleep-wake cycle becomes disrupted (e.g., by working rotating shifts), other physio-logical functions usually change as well. For example, the person experiences a decreased appe-tite and loses weight. Anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and impaired judgment are other common symptoms of sleep cycle disturbances. Failure to maintain the individual’s usual sleep-wake cycle negatively influences the client’s overall health. Although the other options are not inappropriate, they are not as directly aimed at determining the cause of the changes.