Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 78%
Simulated
A nurse is caring for a client who has a new diagnosis of somatic symptoms disorder. The nurse should identify that the client must have been experiencing manifestations of the disorder for how long before diagnosis?
Correct answer
C
Rationale
The correct answer is C: 3 months. According to the DSM-5 criteria, for a diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder, the individual must be experiencing somatic symptoms for at least 6 months. Therefore, the nurse should identify that the client must have been experiencing manifestations of the disorder for at least 3 months before diagnosis, as this aligns with the diagnostic criteria. Choices A, D, and E are incorrect because they do not meet the minimum duration of symptoms required for the diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder. Choice B is incorrect as it exceeds the minimum duration criteria specified in the DSM-5.