Question 1

According to motor control concepts, what do practitioners working with children diagnosed with cerebral palsy focus on during intervention?
A) Normalizing muscle tone for activity
B) Engaging in repetitive movements
C) Passively ranging extremities
D) Participation in activity

Accepted Answer

Practitioners working with children diagnosed with cerebral palsy focus on participation in activity, as this is a key goal of motor control intervention. While normalizing muscle tone, engaging in repetitive movements, and passively ranging extremities may also be important components of intervention, ultimately the goal is to improve the child's ability to participate in meaningful activities and engage with their environment.

Question 2

Russell is shorter than all the other children in his class, and he frequently becomes frustrated that his motor skills are not as good as those of his peers. He hates gym class. What term is used to describe his perception?
A) Depth perception
B) Self-esteem
C) Body awareness
D) Body image

Accepted Answer

Body image refers to an individual's perception of their own physical appearance and abilities, which is relevant to Russell's feelings about his height and motor skills.

Question 3

What is the term for the subtle tone changes a child makes in response to shifts in center of mass, so he can remain upright?
A) Primitive reflex
B) Righting reaction
C) Protective extension
D) Equilibrium reactions

Accepted Answer

The term for the subtle tone changes a child makes in response to shifts in center of mass, so he can remain upright is called equilibrium reactions. Equilibrium reactions are automatic responses of the body to changes in the center of gravity or balance. These reactions help the child maintain an upright posture and prevent falling.

Question 4

Art is just learning to write his name, and he repeats, "start at the top, go down, start at the top, go down, then go across" as he draws the letter A In what stage of motor learning is he?
A) Cognitive
B) Associative
C) Autonomous
D) Blocked

Accepted Answer

Art is in the cognitive stage of motor learning, as he is just beginning to learn the skill of writing his name and is consciously thinking about the steps involved in drawing each letter. He is using a verbal cue to help him remember the steps of writing the letter A.

Question 5

Molly moves from sit to stand and raises her arms over her head to reach for a toy on the top shelf. Which statement describes how she has changed her center of mass and balance?
A) Raised her center of mass, resulting in less stable balance
B) Raised her center of mass, resulting in more stable balance
C) Decreased her center of mass, resulting in less stable balance
D) Decreased her center of mass, resulting in more stable balance

Accepted Answer

When Molly stands and raises her arms over her head, her center of mass is raised, making her balance less stable because the higher the center of mass, the more effort it takes to maintain balance.

Question 6

Which statement is not true of mental practice?
A) It includes performing the skill in one's imagination, without any action involved.
B) It is complicated but has been shown to work with children older than 13 years of age.
C) It is effective in teaching motor skills and retraining the timing and coordination of muscle group activity.
D) It may consist of role playing, watching a video, or imagining.

Accepted Answer

This statement is not true because mental practice has been shown to be effective for individuals of all ages, including children younger than 13 years old. Mental practice can be adjusted to fit the developmental level of the individual and can be used as a tool for teaching a wide variety of motor skills.

Question 7

The practitioner provides a toddler with a corner seat that helps provide stability, enabling the child to reach more accurately for toys. According to dynamic systems theory, what has the therapist decreased to allow more movement?
A) Distractions
B) Strength requirements
C) Degrees of freedom
D) Balance

Accepted Answer

According to dynamic systems theory, movement arises from the interaction between an individual and their environment. The number of degrees of freedom refers to the number of independent movement components available to the body. By providing a stable corner seat, the therapist decreases the number of degrees of freedom, allowing the toddler to focus on specific movements and reach for toys more accurately.

Question 8

Which question is not answered by input from the vestibular system? A) Is the head in upright, midline alignment? B) How fast is the head moving and in what direction? C) Is the head moving? D) What is present in the environment (objects, people)?

Accepted Answer

The input from the vestibular system does not provide information about the objects or people in the environment, as it primarily deals with spatial orientation, balance, and movement.

Question 9

Gayle colors using a variety of markers with ease. In what stage of motor learning is she?
A) Cognitive
B) Associative
C) Autonomous
D) Blocked

Accepted Answer

Gayle's ability to color using a variety of markers with ease indicates she is in the autonomous stage of motor learning. This stage is characterized by being able to perform a skill automatically without much conscious thought or effort.

Question 10

The occupational therapist works to improve 2-year-old Kyle's hand strength in hopes that this will allow him to manipulate objects better in play. What type of approach is the therapist using?
A) Top-down
B) Bottom-up
C) Sideways
D) Occupation-based

Accepted Answer

The therapist is using a bottom-up approach, which means targeting specific components of a skill (such as hand strength) in order to improve overall function (manipulating objects in play).

Question 11

Which statement is true concerning postural synergies? A) Postural synergies act to help correct for disturbances to balance or equilibrium. B) Postural synergies are present only in children with motor dysfunction. C) Postural synergies cannot be modified through practice and experience. D) Postural synergies are present by 2 years of age and are no longer present by 7 to 10 years of age.

Accepted Answer

Postural synergies are a set of coordinated muscular contraction patterns that act to help correct disturbances to balance or equilibrium. They are present throughout life and can be modified through practice and experience. They are not exclusive to children with motor dysfunction and are not present only during a specific age range.

Question 12

Which type of practice is best for transfer of learning?
A) Blocked
B) Distributed
C) Massed
D) Random

Accepted Answer

Random practice is best for transfer of learning because it requires the learner to adapt and apply skills in varied contexts, enhancing retention and adaptability.

Question 13

Which term refers to the awareness that the body has two sides, that the body is separate from space, and that the limbs on each side of the body can move independently of each other?
A) Body image
B) Reflective self-awareness
C) Laterality
D) Directionality

Accepted Answer

Laterality refers to the awareness that the body has two distinct sides, left and right, and that each side of the body can move independently of the other. This sense of laterality is important for many activities, including sports, dance, and other physical activities that require coordination and control of the limbs on both sides of the body. Body image refers to the subjective perception of one's physical appearance and is a more general term that encompasses a range of attributes beyond laterality. Reflective self-awareness is the ability to recognize oneself as distinct from the environment and as having a unique perspective on the world. Directionality refers to the ability to distinguish between left and right and to understand spatial relationships between different parts of the body and the environment.

Question 14

How would the practitioner best work to improve self-feeding skills with 4-year-old Charlene to ensure transfer of learning?
A) Charlene practices scooping food in clinic.
B) Charlene picks up spoon and brings it to her mouth repeatedly throughout the day.
C) Charlene eats a snack during snack time in the classroom.
D) Charlene plays food games with toys in the classroom.

Accepted Answer

Practicing self-feeding during snack time in the classroom provides a natural context for learning, which enhances the transfer of skills to real-life situations.

Question 15

Andrew tends to sit in a posterior pelvic tilt, although this may prevent him from achieving other milestones. What is the term to describe the tendency to stay in the patterns of the status quo?
A) Dynamic system
B) Affordances
C) Attractor state
D) Degree of freedom

Accepted Answer

The term to describe the tendency to stay in the patterns of the status quo is an attractor state. Andrew's tendency to sit in a posterior pelvic tilt may be due to being in an attractor state where his body has found a stable and comfortable position, but it prevents him from achieving other motor milestones. The other options, dynamic system, affordances, and degree of freedom, are concepts related to motor development but do not specifically address the tendency to stay in a particular pattern.

Quiz 9: Application of Motor Controlmotor Learning to Practice

According to motor control concepts, what do practitioners working with children diagnosed with cerebral palsy focus on during intervention?

Russell is shorter than all the other children in his class, and he frequently becomes frustrated that his motor skills are not as good as those of his peers. He hates gym class. What term is used to describe his perception?

What is the term for the subtle tone changes a child makes in response to shifts in center of mass, so he can remain upright?

Art is just learning to write his name, and he repeats, "start at the top, go down, start at the top, go down, then go across" as he draws the letter A In what stage of motor learning is he?

Molly moves from sit to stand and raises her arms over her head to reach for a toy on the top shelf. Which statement describes how she has changed her center of mass and balance?

Which statement is not true of mental practice?

The practitioner provides a toddler with a corner seat that helps provide stability, enabling the child to reach more accurately for toys. According to dynamic systems theory, what has the therapist decreased to allow more movement?

Which question is not answered by input from the vestibular system?

Gayle colors using a variety of markers with ease. In what stage of motor learning is she?

The occupational therapist works to improve 2-year-old Kyle's hand strength in hopes that this will allow him to manipulate objects better in play. What type of approach is the therapist using?

Which statement is true concerning postural synergies?

Which type of practice is best for transfer of learning?

Which term refers to the awareness that the body has two sides, that the body is separate from space, and that the limbs on each side of the body can move independently of each other?

How would the practitioner best work to improve self-feeding skills with 4-year-old Charlene to ensure transfer of learning?

Andrew tends to sit in a posterior pelvic tilt, although this may prevent him from achieving other milestones. What is the term to describe the tendency to stay in the patterns of the status quo?