Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

A patient believes that people on the bus are laughing at him. What type of belief is this?

1. Hallucination

2. Persecutory delusion

3. Paranoid thought

4. Grandiose delusion

The correct answer is: Persecutory delusion

The belief that people on the bus are laughing at the patient is classified as a persecutory delusion. This type of delusion is characterized by the conviction that one is being targeted or harassed by others. In this case, the patient perceives the actions and laughter of others as a personal attack or ridicule, indicating the presence of a delusional belief where the individual feels victimized or persecuted. Hallucinations would involve perceiving something that isn't present, such as hearing voices or seeing things that aren't there, which does not apply in this scenario. Paranoid thoughts can sometimes overlap with persecutory delusions, but they usually refer to a general feeling of mistrust or suspicion rather than a specific belief of being targeted. Grandiose delusions involve an inflated sense of self-importance or power, which is not relevant in the patient's experience of feeling laughed at. The scenario distinctly illustrates how the individual's belief stems from a perceived threat or ridicule from others, fitting the definition of a persecutory delusion.