Psychopathology: pseudohallucination: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Psychopathology: pseudohallucination

Sample item

A grieving widow vividly sees her late husband's face in her mind and hears his voice inside her head. She knows it is her imagination. This phenomenon is:

APseudohallucinationBDelusional perceptionCIllusionDTrue auditory hallucination

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Pseudohallucination

Pseudohallucinations are perceived in inner subjective space and lack the substance of real perceptions, and the patient usually keeps insight. They are common in bereavement, neuroses and personality disorders.

Option by option

A. Pseudohallucination (correct)
Correct. Inner-space imagery with insight is a pseudohallucination.
B. Delusional perception
Delusional perception is a normal percept given a delusional meaning.
C. Illusion
An illusion misperceives a real stimulus.
D. True auditory hallucination
True hallucinations are experienced as real and located in external space.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is A, Pseudohallucination. Pseudohallucinations are perceived in inner subjective space and lack the substance of real perceptions, and the patient usually keeps insight.

Why is "Delusional perception" not the answer?

Delusional perception is a normal percept given a delusional meaning.

Why is "Illusion" not the answer?

An illusion misperceives a real stimulus.

Why is "True auditory hallucination" not the answer?

True hallucinations are experienced as real and located in external space.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Psychopathology: pseudohallucination in Psychiatry. They are common in bereavement, neuroses and personality disorders.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Psychopathology: pseudohallucination?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.