When a client diagnosed with bipolar disorder returns from a church service and tells the nurse, "God has chosen me for a special mission," the nurse understands that the client is displaying symptoms of:

An idea of reference is the client's belief that everything that happens is somehow related to the client's destiny. In this example, the client interprets that the church sermon, along with all the songs and bulletins, are messages from God, intended only for the client. Ideas of reference are related to schizophrenia, delusional disorder, and the manic state of bipolar disorder.