Question 1

Autism is classified by the DSM?IV as a pervasive psychotic disorder.

Accepted Answer

Autism is classified by the DSM-IV as a pervasive developmental disorder, not a psychotic disorder.

Question 2

Autism spectrum disorder includes autism, childhood disintegrative disorder, and childhood schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

Autism spectrum disorder includes autism, Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), but not childhood schizophrenia.

Question 3

According to Kanner, the fundamental disturbance in autism is the inability to relate to people.

Accepted Answer

Leo Kanner, who first described autism in 1943, identified the inability to relate to people as a core characteristic of the condition.

Question 4

The three DSM-IV diagnostic features of autism are impaired communication, impaired social interaction, and restricted, stereotyped behaviors and interests.

Accepted Answer

The DSM-IV criteria for autism include impairments in communication, social interaction, and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors and interests.

Question 5

By definition, children with autism have insecure attachment.

Accepted Answer

Attachment styles in children with autism can vary, and they can form secure attachments just like neurotypical children. Autism does not inherently determine attachment style.

Question 6

Although language deficits are common in youth with autism, those who acquire language are especially competent in the pragmatics of communication.

Accepted Answer

Youth with autism who acquire language often still face challenges with the pragmatics of communication, which involves the social use of language, such as understanding and using language in context, interpreting non-literal language, and engaging in conversational exchanges.

Question 7

Hyperlexia is when a child reads for hours on end in the form of an obsessive hobby.

Accepted Answer

Hyperlexia is a condition where a child can read at an advanced level beyond their age but may have difficulty with verbal communication and comprehension. It is not characterized by reading as an obsessive hobby.

Question 8

A youth who is disturbed by the sound of a vacuum cleaner may be displaying oversensitivity to stimuli.

Accepted Answer

Oversensitivity to stimuli, also known as sensory processing sensitivity, can cause individuals to have heightened reactions to certain sensory inputs, such as loud noises like a vacuum cleaner.

Question 9

Jimmy is shown a toy car. He hyper-focuses on the wheels spinning them round and round. He does not use the car as a toy and ignores a role model trying to show him how to move the car around on the ground. This is an example of overselectivity.

Accepted Answer

Overselectivity refers to focusing on a single aspect of an object or situation while ignoring other relevant features, as Jimmy does by focusing only on the wheels.

Question 10

Approximately 70% of children with autism exhibit intellectual disability.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that approximately 30-40% of children with autism have an intellectual disability, not 70%.

Question 11

Splinter skills are skills that are strikingly better than those seen in normally developing youth.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Splinter skills are skills that are strikingly...

Question 12

On adaptive behavior scales, youth with autism and higher intelligence tend to have a mismatch between their intellectual abilities and their adaptive skills (adaptive skills lower than expected).

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that individuals with autism, even those with higher intelligence, often exhibit adaptive skills that are lower than what would be expected based on their intellectual abilities.

Question 13

Faux pas stories are designed to test adaptive behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Faux pas stories are designed to test...

Question 14

Another term for theory of mind is mindblindness.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Another term for theory of mind is...

Question 15

There is evidence that youth with autism tend to process perceptual information in a more holistic, global way than do nonautistic children.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that individuals with autism often process perceptual information in a more detail-focused, local way rather than a holistic, global manner.

Question 16

Executive dysfunction is evident in toddlers and late preschool-age children with autism.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Executive dysfunction is evident in toddlers and...

Question 17

Research by Totsika et al., (2011)found no differences in hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, or conduct problems between youth with autism and typically developing youth.

Accepted Answer

Totsika et al. (2011) found that youth with autism exhibited higher levels of hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, and conduct problems compared to typically developing youth.

Question 18

The theory that "refrigerator" parenting causes autism is no longer accepted.

Accepted Answer

The "refrigerator mother" theory, which suggested that autism was caused by cold and unloving mothers, has been discredited and is no longer accepted by the scientific community. Autism is now understood to be a neurodevelopmental disorder with genetic and environmental factors.

Question 19

Genetic studies imply that autism should be considered on a continuum (varying levels of severity)rather than conceptualized as categorical (yes or no).

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves a range of symptoms and severity, supporting the idea of a continuum rather than a strict categorical distinction.

Question 20

Advanced paternal age can increase the risk of autism.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that children born to older fathers have a higher risk of developing autism spectrum disorders, potentially due to genetic mutations that accumulate in sperm as men age.

Quiz 12: Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia