A nurse uses Peplau's interpersonal therapy while working with an anxious, withdrawn patient. Interventions should focus on:

A) changing the patient's perceptions about self.
B) improving the patient's interactional skills.
C) using medications to relieve anxiety.
D) reinforcing specific behaviors.

The nurse-patient relationship is structured to provide a model for adaptive interpersonal relationships that can be generalized to others. Changing the patient's perceptions about his- or herself would be appropriate for cognitive therapy. Reinforcing specific behaviors would be used in behavioral therapy. Using medications is the focus of biological therapy.