Which symptom is most likely to be present in a client who has catatonia?

Choice A reason: Anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure, is a common negative symptom of schizophrenia and a hallmark of major depressive disorder. While catatonia can occur in the context of these disorders, anhedonia is an internal emotional state and is not one of the objective, motoric diagnostic criteria used to identify a catatonic state. Choice B reason: Tangential speech is a formal thought disorder where the client's answers to questions stray from the original topic. While seen in psychosis, catatonia is more specifically associated with mutism or echolalia (repeating words). Tangentiality represents a disorganized thought process rather than the psychomotor disturbance that defines catatonia. Choice C reason: Irritability is a non-specific mood symptom seen in various psychiatric conditions, including bipolar disorder and depression. It does not meet the diagnostic criteria for catatonia, which requires specific psychomotor behaviors such as stupor, catalepsy, waxy flexibility, or excessive, purposeless motor activity that is not influenced by external stimuli. Choice D reason: Posturing is a classic diagnostic feature of catatonia. It involves the spontaneous and active maintenance of a posture against gravity, often in an awkward or unnatural position, for long periods. Along with waxy flexibility and catalepsy, posturing is a visible manifestation of the profound psychomotor derangement that characterizes catatonic episodes.