CCA Patient Psychology & Counseling 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with a maxillofacial prosthesis reports avoiding restaurants because they fear their prosthesis will be noticed. This behavior pattern is best described as:
- Agoraphobia
- Prosthetic non-compliance
- Social avoidance secondary to appearance-related anxiety (Correct answer)
- Situational depression requiring medication
Correct answer: Social avoidance secondary to appearance-related anxiety
Avoidance of social settings due to fear of others noticing a prosthesis is a classic manifestation of appearance-related social anxiety.
Question 2: When explaining the limitations of an auricular prosthesis to a patient, which counseling approach best supports realistic expectations?
- Emphasize only the positive outcomes to maintain patient motivation
- Present balanced information including benefits, limitations, and maintenance requirements (Correct answer)
- Defer all expectations discussions to the prescribing physician
- Focus exclusively on cosmetic outcomes and avoid discussing durability
Correct answer: Present balanced information including benefits, limitations, and maintenance requirements
Informed consent and realistic expectations require balanced, honest communication about all aspects of prosthetic rehabilitation.
Question 3: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a patient who lost facial structures in an accident would most likely manifest during prosthetic care as:
- Hypervigilance, avoidance of clinical settings, and intrusive memories triggered by treatment (Correct answer)
- Excessive cheerfulness masking underlying distress
- Complete inability to communicate with the care team
- Requests for unnecessarily complex prosthetic designs
Correct answer: Hypervigilance, avoidance of clinical settings, and intrusive memories triggered by treatment
PTSD commonly presents with hypervigilance, avoidance behaviors, and intrusive re-experiencing that can be triggered by medical environments and procedures.
Question 4: Which of the following is the MOST appropriate way for an anaplastologist to respond to a patient who discloses suicidal ideation?
- Continue the appointment and document the disclosure in the chart only
- Immediately dismiss the patient and call emergency services without speaking to them further
- Acknowledge the disclosure seriously, express care, and ensure immediate connection to mental health resources (Correct answer)
- Advise the patient that the prosthesis will improve their mood and proceed with the fitting
Correct answer: Acknowledge the disclosure seriously, express care, and ensure immediate connection to mental health resources
Suicidal ideation requires immediate, compassionate response and coordination with mental health professionals; ignoring or minimizing it is clinically and ethically inappropriate.
Question 5: The term 'adjustment disorder' as it applies to craniofacial prosthetic patients most accurately describes:
- Inability to mechanically adjust or secure the prosthesis
- A maladaptive emotional or behavioral response to a significant life stressor exceeding what is normally expected (Correct answer)
- Disagreement between patient and provider about prosthetic design
- A chronic psychiatric condition requiring long-term pharmacotherapy
Correct answer: A maladaptive emotional or behavioral response to a significant life stressor exceeding what is normally expected
Adjustment disorder is a DSM-defined condition involving disproportionate distress in response to an identifiable stressor such as disfigurement or diagnosis.
Question 6: Cultural competence in anaplastology counseling requires the clinician to:
- Apply the same counseling script universally to ensure consistency
- Recognize that cultural backgrounds influence patient perceptions of disfigurement, healing, and prosthetic use (Correct answer)
- Avoid discussing cultural beliefs to prevent misunderstanding
- Prioritize prosthetic aesthetics over cultural considerations
Correct answer: Recognize that cultural backgrounds influence patient perceptions of disfigurement, healing, and prosthetic use
Cultural factors deeply influence how patients understand illness, disfigurement, and rehabilitation; culturally competent care adapts to these differences.
Question 7: A newly diagnosed cancer patient who requires a nasal prosthesis expresses that they haven't told their family about their diagnosis. The anaplastologist should:
- Contact the family directly to ensure adequate home support
- Respect the patient's autonomy and confidentiality while offering resources for family communication support (Correct answer)
- Refuse to proceed with prosthetic fitting until family is informed
- Document the disclosure and take no further action
Correct answer: Respect the patient's autonomy and confidentiality while offering resources for family communication support
Patient confidentiality and autonomy must be respected; the anaplastologist can offer support and resources without breaching confidentiality.
CCA Patient Psychology & Counseling 3
A patient with a maxillofacial prosthesis reports avoiding restaurants because they fear their prosthesis will be noticed.
This behavior pattern is best described as: