Deck 16: Pervasive Developmental Disorders and Mental Retardation

Question 1

Which of the following is true regarding pervasive developmental disorders?

A) are apparent early in the child's development
B) affects are social, language, and cognitive systems
C) are a long-lasting impairment
D) All are true.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following is not a pervasive developmental disorder?

A) Rett's disorder
B) childhood disintegrative disorder
C) Tourette's disorder
D) Asperger's disorder

Answer 2

C

Question 3

On which axis of a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis is mental retardation listed?

A) Axis I
B) Axis II
C) Axis III
D) Axis IV

Answer 3

B

Question 4

On which axis of a DSM-IV diagnosis is autism listed?

A) Axis I
B) Axis II
C) Axis III
D) Axis IV

Question 5

Unusual patterns of social and cognitive development, difficulties in social interaction and communication, and restricted interests describe:

A) Rett's disorder
B) Autistic disorder
C) Asperger's disorder
D) Tourette's disorder

Question 6

What is the approximate prevalence of autistic disorder?

A) 3 out of every 100 children
B) 3 out of every 1,000 children
C) 3 out of every 10,000 children
D) 3 out of every 100,000 children

Question 7

Approximately what percentage of cases of autism involve mental retardation?

A) 15%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 70%

Question 8

Ann is conducting research on autism and its associated conditions. The research involves reviewing the case files of all children seen at a clinic over the last five years. During a meeting with her supervisor, she is asked to discuss a typical case. Which of the following would she select?

A) Bill who is autistic and mentally retarded
B) Ken who is autistic and has an IQ of 125
C) Agnes who is autistic and mentally retarded
D) Harriet who is autistic and has an IQ of 170

Question 9

Which of the following disorders tend to occur together?

A) autistic disorder and schizophrenia
B) mental retardation and autistic disorder
C) hypochondriasis and mental retardation
D) Rett's disorder and schizoid personality disorder

Question 10

What is the sex ratio in autistic disorder?

A) twice as common in girls
B) twice as common in boys
C) four times as common in boys
D) equally common in girls and boys

Question 11

What is the most common way to categorize autistic individuals?

A) those with social disturbances, and those without
B) those with language disturbances, and those without
C) those who inherited the disorder, and those who did not
D) those of normal or near normal intelligence, and those who are mentally retarded

Question 12

What are the three major categories of the symptoms that define autistic disorder?

A) activities, communication, and social interaction
B) attention, imagination, and non-verbal expression
C) communication, motor skills, and short-term memory
D) intellectual development, motor movement, and symbolism

Question 13

Which of the following is a clinical feature of autism?

A) rapid weight loss
B) severe nightmares
C) visual hallucinations
D) avoidance of eye contact with people

Question 14

Which of these children exhibits a communication pattern that is common in autistic children?

A) Barry who raises the pitch of his voice
B) Carol who tends to use the past tense
C) Daniel who simply will echo what is said to him
D) Ann who uses words like "goed" instead of went

Question 15

Which of the following is an autistic child most likely to spend time doing?

A) telling stories
B) playing with siblings
C) rocking their bodies
D) worrying about his parents

Question 16

As part of an Abnormal Child Psychology course, you are required to observe children at the Children's Psychiatric Hospital. The child you are observing has been diagnosed with autistic disorder. Which of the following are you most likely to observe?

A) The child stares at you for long periods of time.
B) The child uses words that rhyme with each other.
C) The child clings to you and will not let go for even a minute.
D) The child repeats every word from a television commercial over and over.

Question 17

Which of the following is most likely to be distressing to an autistic child?

A) watching television
B) having no one to play with
C) knowing someone's feelings were hurt
D) moving a piece of furniture to a new place

Question 18

Which of the following is an explanation for the importance of sameness and routine to children with autism?

A) It becomes a cognitive reality.
B) This is an attempt to control exposure to over-stimulation.
C) This limits the number of temper tantrums.
D) This is an attempt to create more stimulation.

Question 19

In which of the following situations is Temple Grandin most likely to learn new things?

A) The material can be visualized.
B) The material is repeated ten times.
C) The material is presented in large print form.
D) The sound of the ocean is played in the background.

Question 20

What terms are used to describe underlying problems that account for the cognitive deficits exhibited by children with autistic disorder?

A) visual and auditory imagery
B) symbolic and meta-representations
C) genetic and non-genetic explanations
D) theory of the mind and executive functions

Question 21

What was the purpose of the "squeeze box" designed by Temple Grandin?

A) It restricts the movement of autistic children to reduce potential injury.
B) The padded side boards press tight against the occupant and lead to a reduction in anxiety.
C) The box is a humane way of keeping autistic children safe while they receive various forms of behavioral treatments.
D) It allows autistic children to roam about with some restrictions, yet keeps them safe from injury because it is padded on all sides.

Question 22

"Mindblindness" refers to:

A) the autistic child's deficiency and inability to use desire, knowledge, and belief in self as a way of explaining behavior.
B) an inability to plan, and utilize working memory.
C) the inability to transfer information to different stages of memory.
D) the autistic child's inability to problem-solve and use executive functioning.

Question 23

The cognitive skills in autistic disorders are primarily in the area of:

A) visual perception.
B) factual memory.
C) short-term memory.
D) concrete problem solving.

Question 24

Which of the following would be especially difficult for a child who suffers from autistic disorder?

A) eating with a spoon
B) rolling a marble across the floor
C) pretending that a stick is a sword
D) repeating words heard on a television commercial

Question 25

Which of the following is an example of one of the savant abilities?

A) recognizing dance routines
B) recalling routes or timetables
C) matching objects to similar objects
D) turning toward the direction of a sound

Question 26

What is the most universal symptom of autistic disorder?

A) rocking
B) facial grimaces
C) language disturbances
D) excess responsiveness to stimuli

Question 27

At age nine Ted Hart could read and remember the spelling of five-syllable Greek names for dinosaurs but he could not tie his shoes or differentiate the fantasy on television or in books from reality. Despite his deficits, Ted demonstrates some remarkable abilities that are referred to by the term

A) savant.
B) eugenics.
C) primary intelligence.
D) multiple intelligence.

Question 28

Robert is a 4-year-old boy with autistic disorder. His parents probably have a very hard time getting him to

A) eat.
B) go outside.
C) play patty-cake.
D) walk without help.

Question 29

What aspect of development is the parent of an autistic child most likely to notice as being abnormal?

A) facial features
B) motor development
C) amount of eye contact
D) susceptibility to infection

Question 30

Peter rarely makes eye contact, seldom smiles, and infrequently talks in response to other people. He seems indifferent to everyone, including his parents. Which diagnosis is consistent with Peter's behavior?

A) autistic disorder
B) mental retardation
C) childhood schizophrenia
D) obsessive-compulsive disorder

Question 31

Based on an examination of home videos of children's first birthdays, the frequency of which behavior is most predictive of a later diagnosis of autism?

A) pointing to objects
B) failing to look at other people
C) responding to his/her own name
D) showing an object to other people

Question 32

As a demonstration in your abnormal psychology class, your instructor shows a videotape of children taken at their first birthday parties. Half of the children were subsequently diagnosed with autistic disorder. The instructor asks the class to select the children they believe received this diagnosis. Which of the following indicators would be the best predictor of the diagnosis?

A) imitating the movements of others
B) infrequently looking at the face of another
C) spending most of the time with eyes closed
D) moving hands around in a seemingly random fashion

Question 33

An expert on the neurobiology of autistic disorder was asked to present an overview of research aimed at identifying a cause of the disorder. Which of the following titles would most accurately represent the state of knowledge?

A) "Brain wave patterns are the key"
B) "Neurobiological causes: Likely, but which ones?"
C) "Slow growing tumors in the frontal lobes have a wide impact"
D) "The brain does not distinguish schizophrenia from autistic disorder"

Question 34

What have brain imaging studies shown about the brains of autistic individuals, compared to the brains of non-autistic individuals?

A) smaller limbic systems
B) larger lateral ventricles
C) same level of neurological functioning
D) larger temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes

Question 35

Folstein and Rutter studied sets of identical twins in which only one child was autistic. What did they find to be associated with autism of the affected child?

A) inheritance of a recessive trait
B) brain injury at or just after birth
C) immunological rejection in utero
D) infection that passed the placenta

Question 36

What has research shown concerning the tendency for autistic disorder to run in families?

A) Autistic disorder does not run in families.
B) The tendency for autistic disorder to occur in families seems related to environmental toxins.
C) Families with an autistic child have an elevated risk of having another child with autistic disorder.
D) Families with high rates of schizophrenia are at elevated risk for having children with autistic disorder.

Question 37

Which statement regarding autistic disorders and schizophrenia is true?

A) Autistic disorder begins early in the life of the child while childhood schizophrenia does not occur until age 7. Still, childhood schizophrenia includes hallucinations and delusions.
B) Autism is a spectrum disorder occurring early in life while schizophrenia is rarely observed before age 12.
C) Research indicates a strong genetic link between schizophrenia and autism.
D) Newer psychotropic medications have a positive correlation with autism but not schizophrenia.

Question 38

Some research on possible genetic factors involved in autistic disorder has compared the parents of children with autistic disorder to parents of children with Down syndrome. In what way are the parents of autistic children different?

A) They are more likely to be aloof and hypersensitive.
B) They have an elevated rate of delusions and hallucinations.
C) They tend to exhibit a number of minor neurological dysfunctions that do meet the diagnostic criteria for a disease.
D) Parents of children with autistic disorder exhibit similar emotions and behavior to those found in parents of children with other serious disorders, although their responses are at a more extreme level.

Question 39

A child psychologist was asked to provide guidelines for distinguishing autistic disorder and childhood schizophrenia. Which of the following would be a helpful guideline for mental health professionals faced with making a differential diagnosis?

A) Childhood schizophrenia is more likely to run in families.
B) Childhood schizophrenia rarely occurs until age 7 or later.
C) Childhood schizophrenia is more likely to involve disordered speech.
D) Childhood schizophrenia tends to have a major impact on peer relationships.

Question 40

Which of the following is the most common form of treatment for autism?

A) antidepressants and tranquilizers
B) flooding and megavitamin therapy
C) behavioral training and medication
D) supportive therapy and behavior modification

Question 41

What is a key indicator of the outcome for autistic children?

A) lack of self-stimulation
B) fairly good language skills
C) lack of facial abnormalities
D) normal motor development

Question 42

Research by Lovaas on an intensive behavioral program for autism found that participants showed increased

A) motor skills.
B) language skills.
C) ability for abstract reasoning.
D) rates of regular classroom placement.

Question 43

An expert on autistic disorder has been invited to give a presentation on the current status of drug treatments for this disorder. Which of the following is the best title for this presentation?

A) "Antidepressants show great promise"
B) "Drugs: Little evidence for effectiveness"
C) "It looks like schizophrenia, so use antipsychotic drugs"
D) "Stimulants: They work with hyperactivity; they should work with autism"

Question 44

When five-year-old Aliens began elementary school the teachers noticed that compared to other children his interests and activities were restricted and he did not interact with other children. His motor behavior was often stereotyped and repetitive, and he appeared clumsy when he walked. A battery of psychological tests reveals no evidence of mental retardation. Based on his age and symptoms, which disorder would mental health professionals suspect in this case?

A) Radios disorder
B) autistic disorder
C) Asperger's disorder
D) childhood disintegrative disorder

Question 45

What is one of the major differences between autistic disorder and Asperger's disorder?

A) There are no significant delays in language in Asperger's disorder.
B) There is a greater degree of memory impairment in autistic disorder.
C) People with autistic disorder generally obtain higher intelligence scores.
D) Asperger's disorder tends to develop much earlier than autistic disorder.

Question 46

Problems with social use of language, motor clumsiness, and speech that is stilted and repetitive are symptoms of:

A) autistic disorder
B) Asperger's disorder
C) Rett's disorder
D) childhood disintegrative disorder

Question 47

Which of the following fits the typical pattern on an intelligence test administered to someone with Asperger's disorder?

A) an average IQ score with significantly higher performance scores than verbal scores
B) a below average IQ score with much higher verbal scores than performance scores
C) an average IQ score with significantly higher verbal scores than performance scores
D) a below average IQ score with much higher scores on the performance tests than verbal tests

Question 48

Which of the following disorders is extremely rare; occurring only once in every million births?

A) Rett's disorder
B) childhood disintegrative disorder
C) Asperger's disorder
D) None of the above.

Question 49

For the first five months of life, Jessica seemed to be developing normally. Then, her head gradually began to stop growing; a pediatrician described her condition as microcephaly. She demonstrated impaired language development, poor coordination, and a loss of social interactions. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A) Rett's disorder
B) autistic disorder
C) childhood schizophrenia
D) childhood disintegrative disorder

Question 50

Which of these children is most likely to receive the diagnosis of Rett's disorder for the first time?

A) Ann who is 2 years old
B) Bill who is 11 years old
C) Steve who is 6 years old
D) Charlene who is 10 years old

Question 51

Luanne presented with a normal developmental history. However, at 6 months of age the development of her head slowed. Language development and social skills began to diminish. She began to tap her hands. She is in the early stages of:

A) microcephaly
B) childhood schizophrenia
C) Rett's disorder
D) Mosanicism

Question 52

Which of the following pervasive developmental disorders typically occurs in females only?

A) Rett's disorder
B) autistic disorder
C) Asperger's disorder
D) childhood disintegrative disorder

Question 53

You are asked to give a report on childhood disintegrative disorder and Rett's disorder. After reviewing information on both disorders, what similarity will you include in your report?

A) Both disorders are inherited via a dominant gene.
B) Both disorders occur more often in males than in females.
C) Both disorders are associated with a shortened life expectancy.
D) Both disorders develop after an initial period of normal development.

Question 54

A pediatrician and a psychologist are developing a treatment plan for a child who has been diagnosed with Rett's disorder. What caution will they discuss when they consider the use of antipsychotic drugs?

A) The drugs can induce a childhood form of tardive dyskinesia that could lead to death.
B) Antidepressants have shown great promise, although they may induce a rebound form of depression.
C) The drugs may reduce stereotyped behaviors; however, they may also increase the frequency of seizures.
D) Clozapine has shown great promise with difficult cases of schizophrenia, therefore, it should work with Rett's disorder. However, if the child is not carefully monitored, serious side effects could develop.

Question 55

Childhood autism, Rett's disorder, and Asperger's disorder are considered to be part of:

A) childhood schizophrenia
B) autistic spectrum disorders
C) developmental disorders
D) autistic disorder spectrum

Question 56

Which of the following would not be included in Lorna Wing's grouping of autistic spectrum disorders?

A) passives
B) loners
C) aloofs
D) unusuals

Question 57

Epidemiological studies indicate that the number of individuals in the United States who meet the criteria for mental retardation is approximately 1 in every

A) 10
B) 100
C) 250
D) 1,000

Question 58

Which characteristics are associated with the diagnosis of mental retardation?

A) brain damage and lack of responsibility
B) below average intelligence and normal adaptive functioning
C) normal intelligence and below average adaptive functioning
D) below average intelligence and below average adaptive functioning

Question 59

Mental retardation is defined by a significantly below-average level of intelligence that accompanies

A) chromosomal abnormality.
B) impaired adaptive functioning.
C) noticeable physical abnormalities.
D) disinterest in human relationships.

Question 60

Which of the following is one of the elements of the DSM-IV-TR criteria for identifying mental retardation?

A) IQ below 50
B) occurrence prior to age 18
C) documented evidence of brain damage
D) failure to develop age-appropriate social interaction skills

Question 61

Ted has been diagnosed as exhibiting autistic disorder and mental retardation. On which axes of the DSM-IV-TR, would these two diagnoses be entered?

A) I and IV
B) II and III
C) I and III
D) I and II

Question 62

What is the most common degree of mental retardation?

A) mild
B) moderate
C) severe
D) profound

Question 63

What are the two general categories of the causes of mental retardation?

A) accidental and genetic factors
B) autistic and nonautistic factors
C) intentional and unintentional factors
D) psychosocial and pathological factors

Question 64

About what percentage of all cases of mental retardation are classified as profound?

A) 25%
B) 15%
C) 5%
D) 1%

Question 65

Peggy has been slow in development since birth; her IQ is 30. She cannot feed or dress herself, and interacts with others only by laughing or giggling. In which category of mental retardation would Peggy be classified?

A) mild retardation
B) profound autism
C) severe retardation
D) moderate retardation

Question 66

A person with significantly impaired adaptive functioning and an IQ of 45 would be classified at which level of mental retardation?

A) mild
B) severe
C) profound
D) moderate

Question 67

Alice has been in special education classes since preschool. Although she can feed and dress herself well, she needs help selecting appropriate clothes. She can write simple letters and use the telephone, but does not seem aware of current events and is unable to write about abstractions. She is expected to complete the equivalent of the sixth grade. In what category of mental retardation would Alice be classified?

A) mild
B) severe
C) profound
D) moderate

Question 68

What grade level of academic functioning do people with mild mental retardation typically achieve?

A) first
B) third
C) sixth
D) eighth

Question 69

What is the cause of phenylketonuria?

A) rubella virus
B) air-borne toxins
C) a gene mutation
D) excess levels of neurotransmitters

Question 70

Sally's newborn was diagnosed with phenylketonuria. Which of the following is the most likely treatment suggested by her pediatrician?

A) a restrictive diet
B) cognitive stimulation
C) surgery to reduce brain swelling
D) antipsychotic drugs to reduce seizures

Question 71

A pediatrician is visiting the parents of a newborn in the hospital. The results of required tests reveal the infant has PKU. When the parents ask what this means, what is the pediatrician likely to tell them?

A) "Your child has inherited a tendency to develop language at a slower rate than average."
B) "Your child has an inherited metabolic disorder that can be treated by dietary restrictions."
C) "A toxin has been found in your child's blood; however, we should be able flush it from his system and it will have no long term effects."
D) "A brain scan has revealed a loss of cells in some key areas of the brain that often results from exposure to alcohol during pregnancy."

Question 72

Which person is most likely to show Fragile X syndrome?

A) a girl whose father carries the gene for Fragile X
B) a girl whose mother carries the gene for Fragile X
C) a boy whose father carries the gene for Fragile X
D) a boy whose mother carries the gene for Fragile X

Question 73

Down syndrome is caused by

A) severe malnutrition.
B) a chromosomal abnormality.
C) oxygen deprivation before birth.
D) an infection that passes the placenta.

Question 74

What is the most common chromosomal abnormality that causes Down syndrome?

A) one number 21 chromosome
B) two number 21 chromosomes
C) three number 21 chromosomes
D) absence of number 21 chromosomes

Question 75

What physical characteristics are often found in Down syndrome?

A) flat face, small nose, small ears
B) long face, bulging eyes, and long fingers
C) thin upper lip, flat cheeks, and low-set ears
D) small eyes, large ears, and bulging forehead

Question 76

In addition to being mentally retarded, Down syndrome children often have

A) heart problems.
B) damaged kidneys.
C) personality disorders.
D) metabolic dysfunctions.

Question 77

Trisomy 13, trisomy 18, and trisomy 21 are all causes of mental retardation associated with

A) prenatal infections.
B) metabolic dysfunctions.
C) fragile areas on the X chromosome.
D) more than the normal number of chromosomes.

Question 78

Tim has a flat face, small nose, eyes that appear to slant upward because of small folds of skin at the inside corner, short arms and legs, and small squarish hands. These physical features are typical of a chromosomal disorder called

A) phenylketonuria.
B) Down syndrome.
C) Tay-Sachs disease.
D) Fragile X syndrome.

Question 79

Which of these new mothers has an elevated risk of having a child with Down syndrome?

A) Meg who is 45 years old
B) Sally who has abused alcohol for years
C) Phyllis who has untreated phenylketonuria
D) Dana who has been diagnosed as mildly mentally retarded

Question 80

Nondisfunction, translacatim; and masaicism are types of chromosomal abnormalities occurring in:

A) Down syndrome
B) childhood disintegrative disorder
C) childhood schizophrenia
D) PKU