A nurse is caring for a client who has bipolar disorder and is experiencing a manic episode. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Choice A reason: Pressured speech is a hallmark of a manic episode. Clients often speak rapidly, loudly, and without pause, making it difficult for others to interrupt. This reflects heightened energy, racing thoughts, and decreased need for sleep, all characteristic of mania. Choice B reason: Blunted affect is more commonly associated with depressive episodes or schizophrenia, not mania. In mania, affect is typically expansive, elevated, or irritable, not blunted. Choice C reason: Catalepsy, a state of muscular rigidity and fixed posture, is associated with catatonic schizophrenia or neurological disorders, not bipolar mania. It is not expected in this scenario. Choice D reason: Echopraxia, the involuntary imitation of another person’s movements, is also associated with catatonia or certain neurological conditions. It is not a feature of mania.