Which level of communication describes non-congruent client feelings?

• A. Level 2: Your communication of client feelings is non-congruent with what client expresses.
• B. Level 1: You do not focus on client's communication and overlook expressed surface feelings.
• C. Level 3: You paraphrase what client said, but the meaning you provide is superficial.
• D. Level 4: You believe you understand what client is driving at and you add significantly to client's expressions of feeling.

Answer: (A)

In therapeutic nurse–client communication, congruence means the nurse’s reply reflects the client’s actual feelings, while non-congruence is when your response does not align with what the client is expressing. The level described as non-congruent is the one where your communication about the client’s feelings doesn’t match the client’s true emotion. For example, if a client says they feel overwhelmed and anxious about a procedure, but you answer in a way that minimizes or contradicts that emotion—like insisting it will be fine or changing the subject—you’re not mirroring the real feeling. This mismatch can hinder trust and open sharing.

To respond more effectively, you would acknowledge the feeling and reflect it back, such as, “You’re feeling overwhelmed and anxious about this procedure.” That alignment encourages the client to continue expressing what they’re experiencing. The other patterns described in the options—ignoring the feelings, paraphrasing without conveying depth, or over-interpreting with your own assumptions—do not capture the sense of mismatch that non-congruent communication denotes.