Chapter 38: The School-Age Child and Family
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which statement accurately describes physical development during the school-age years?
a. The child’s weight almost triples.
b. A child grows an average of 5 cm per year.
c. Few physical differences are apparent
among children at the end of middle
childhood.
d. Fat gradually increases, which
contributes to the child’s heavier
appearance.
ANS: B
In middle childhood, growth in height and weight occur at a slower pace. Between the ages of
6 and 12, children grow 5 cm per year. Children’s weight will almost double during this stage;
they gain 3 kg/year. At the end of middle childhood, girls grow taller and gain more weight
than boys. Children take on a slimmer look with longer legs in middle childhood.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 1102 OBJ:
Nursing Process: Assessment
2. Generally, what is the earliest age when puberty begins?
a. 13 years in girls, 13 years in boys
b. 11 years in girls, 11 years in boys
c. 10 years in girls; 12 years in boys
d. 12 years in girls, 10 years in boys
ANS: C
Secondary sex characteristics start to develop with the onset of puberty, which begins earlier in
girls than it does in boys. Usually there is a 2-year difference in the age at onset between the
sexes.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 1103 OBJ:
Nursing Process: Assessment
3. Which sentence best describes the cognitive abilities of school-age children?
, a. They have developed the ability to reason
abstractly.
b. They become capable of scientific
reasoning and formal logic.
c. They progress from making judgements
based on what they reason, to making
judgements based on what they see.
d. They have the ability to classify, group
and sort, and hold a concept in their
minds while making decisions based
on that concept.
ANS: D
In Piaget’s stage of concrete operations, children have the ability to group, sort, and make
conceptual decisions. Children cannot reason abstractly until late adolescence. Scientific
reasoning and formal logic are also skills of adolescents. Making judgements based on what the
child sees versus what they reason is not a developmental skill.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 1105 OBJ: Nursing
Process: Assessment
4. Which statement describes moral development in younger school-age children?
a. The standards of behaviour now come
from within themselves.
b. They do not yet experience a sense of guilt
when they misbehave.
c. They know the rules and behaviours
expected of them but do not understand
the reasons behind them.
d. They no longer interpret accidents and
misfortunes as punishment for
misdeeds.
ANS: C
Children who are aged 6 and 7 years know the rules and behaviours expected of them, but they
do not understand the reasons for them. Young children do not believe that standards of
behaviour come from within themselves, but that rules are established and set down by
others. Younger school-age children learn standards for acceptable behaviour, act according to
these standards, and feel guilty when they violate them. Misfortunes and accidents are viewed
as punishment for bad acts.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which statement accurately describes physical development during the school-age years?
a. The child’s weight almost triples.
b. A child grows an average of 5 cm per year.
c. Few physical differences are apparent
among children at the end of middle
childhood.
d. Fat gradually increases, which
contributes to the child’s heavier
appearance.
ANS: B
In middle childhood, growth in height and weight occur at a slower pace. Between the ages of
6 and 12, children grow 5 cm per year. Children’s weight will almost double during this stage;
they gain 3 kg/year. At the end of middle childhood, girls grow taller and gain more weight
than boys. Children take on a slimmer look with longer legs in middle childhood.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 1102 OBJ:
Nursing Process: Assessment
2. Generally, what is the earliest age when puberty begins?
a. 13 years in girls, 13 years in boys
b. 11 years in girls, 11 years in boys
c. 10 years in girls; 12 years in boys
d. 12 years in girls, 10 years in boys
ANS: C
Secondary sex characteristics start to develop with the onset of puberty, which begins earlier in
girls than it does in boys. Usually there is a 2-year difference in the age at onset between the
sexes.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 1103 OBJ:
Nursing Process: Assessment
3. Which sentence best describes the cognitive abilities of school-age children?
, a. They have developed the ability to reason
abstractly.
b. They become capable of scientific
reasoning and formal logic.
c. They progress from making judgements
based on what they reason, to making
judgements based on what they see.
d. They have the ability to classify, group
and sort, and hold a concept in their
minds while making decisions based
on that concept.
ANS: D
In Piaget’s stage of concrete operations, children have the ability to group, sort, and make
conceptual decisions. Children cannot reason abstractly until late adolescence. Scientific
reasoning and formal logic are also skills of adolescents. Making judgements based on what the
child sees versus what they reason is not a developmental skill.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 1105 OBJ: Nursing
Process: Assessment
4. Which statement describes moral development in younger school-age children?
a. The standards of behaviour now come
from within themselves.
b. They do not yet experience a sense of guilt
when they misbehave.
c. They know the rules and behaviours
expected of them but do not understand
the reasons behind them.
d. They no longer interpret accidents and
misfortunes as punishment for
misdeeds.
ANS: C
Children who are aged 6 and 7 years know the rules and behaviours expected of them, but they
do not understand the reasons for them. Young children do not believe that standards of
behaviour come from within themselves, but that rules are established and set down by
others. Younger school-age children learn standards for acceptable behaviour, act according to
these standards, and feel guilty when they violate them. Misfortunes and accidents are viewed
as punishment for bad acts.
