What cognitive level is associated with identifying non-therapeutic behaviors?

• A. Cognitive Level: Remember.
• B. Cognitive Level: Understand.
• C. Cognitive Level: Apply.
• D. Cognitive Level: Analyze.

Answer: (D)

Identifying non-therapeutic behaviors is about analyzing how a nurse’s actions fit into effective versus ineffective communication. To do this well, you break down the interaction into parts, compare each behavior to criteria for therapeutic communication, and judge its impact on rapport and care. This level of thinking goes beyond recalling rules or explaining why something works; it involves distinguishing patterns, evaluating consequences, and deciding which behaviors undermine the therapeutic relationship.

In pediatric nursing, therapeutic communication includes using age-appropriate language, open-ended questions, active listening, and empathy. Non-therapeutic behaviors disrupt that process—things like dismissing parental concerns, giving false reassurance, or steering the conversation away from the child’s or family's perspective. Identifying these requires weighing how a given behavior affects trust, comfort, and participation in care, which is precisely the analytical skill set.

So, recognizing and classifying non-therapeutic behaviors aligns with analyzing cognitive work, rather than simple recall, understanding, or applying knowledge to a new situation.