Individual Practice SWES Practice Test

A client expressing the belief that the FBI is monitoring his thoughts is experiencing what psychological phenomenon?

1. Hallucination

2. Delusion

3. Neurosis

4. Paranoia

The correct answer is: Delusion

The belief that the FBI is monitoring one's thoughts reflects a fixed, false belief that is resistant to reasoning or contrary evidence, which characterizes a delusion. Delusions are often associated with various mental health conditions and can involve themes of persecution, grandeur, or control. In this scenario, the client's belief indicates a strong conviction that is not based on reality, which aligns perfectly with the definition of a delusion. While paranoia could also fit this scenario, it's important to note that paranoia typically refers to the anxious feeling that one is being persecuted or targeted, without the same degree of fixed, false belief. Neurosis refers to a range of mental health issues that cause distress but do not involve severe distortions of reality, such as delusions. Hallucinations would involve perceiving things that are not present, such as hearing voices, which is not the case here. Thus, the most accurate classification of the client's experience is a delusion.