Which of the following behaviors would best indicate the client is experiencing a mental illness?

In assessing behaviors to ascertain whether client may be suffering from such an ailment, reference must be made to the following characteristics of the behavior With regard to the nature of the behavior, one needs to look at the frequency and time frame within which the behavior occurs. Here's an analysis of each option:

 a. A reduction in the degree of innovation that a client displays. 

 - Assessment: A decrease in creativity without the other scenarios that may come with it, and no other symptoms related to a mental illness may not necessarily be a sign of any serious mental disorder. Creativity is not a fixed trait and can be influenced by one’s experience or by state factors, thus; the decline or the enhancement of creativity may not indicate a mental disorder.

 b. A rising incidence of other emotional stresses. 

 - Assessment: It is unlikely that emotional stress emanates from situational factors and thus should clients experience a change in their stress levels, such that it is persistent, seemingly unrelated or prohibitive to the accomplishment of their tasks, this indicates a mental health problem. More context is needed about the length and severity of the stress in order for this to become a viable option

 c. Mourning of a key family member, for about a month. 

 - Assessment: Bereavement therefore always follows a loss and may take a long time to occur or it may be present for some time then fade away. Certainly, grief lasting for a month is not excluded, and if the person is gradually adapting and works, then this does not attract suspicion of a mental illness.

 d. Lack of ability to build some tolerance to stress arising from a change in environment. 

 - Assessment: If stress from environmental conditions cannot be coped with and this causes a considerable decline in functioning then perhaps that is a sign of an illness of the mind. This option is self-attack because stress may be induced by other operational conditions such as anxiety disorders or mood disorders.