Introduction to Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents,
Section 1.1 Historical Views and Breakthroughs
1. Chapter 1 — Section 1.1 — The Emergence of Social
Conscience
Stem: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reformers
highlighted poor living conditions, child labor, and lack of
education as causes of childhood behavioral problems. Which
concept best describes this historical shift?
A. Moral treatment
B. Social determinants of child mental health
C. Psychoanalytic child guidance
D. Biological determinism
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): This reflects the growing recognition
that social and environmental conditions (poverty, schooling,
labor) shape child development and mental health — an early
articulation of social determinants. It shifted focus beyond
individual pathology to community and policy interventions.
Rationale — Incorrect (A): Moral treatment emphasized
humane care in institutions, not broad social factors like labor
or education.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Psychoanalytic child guidance
,focused on intrapsychic development and family dynamics
rather than structural social conditions.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Biological determinism attributes
behavior mainly to innate biology, opposite to the social-
conscience emphasis.
Teaching Point: Social conditions profoundly influence child
psychopathology and service development.
2. Chapter 1 — Section 1.1 — The Emergence of Social
Conscience
Stem: A municipal program in the early 20th century
established school-based clinics to identify learning and
behavior problems. Which historical implication does this best
illustrate?
A. Medicalization of childhood problems
B. Rise of community-based prevention and early identification
C. Abandonment of institutional care
D. Emergence of psychotropic medication as first-line treatment
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): School-based clinics exemplify
community-level early identification and prevention, reflecting a
move toward accessible, preventative services rather than only
institutional care.
Rationale — Incorrect (A): While medicalization occurred later,
school clinics primarily focused on identification and support,
,not solely medical labeling.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Institutional care continued; school
clinics supplemented, not replaced, institutions.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Psychotropic medication became
prominent mid-20th century; school clinics predate medication
as primary intervention.
Teaching Point: Early community programs emphasized
prevention and access in child mental health.
3. Chapter 1 — Section 1.1 — Early Biological Attributions
Stem: Early biological theories for childhood behavior problems
often focused on neurological insults (e.g., birth injury). Today,
how is such an early biological attribution viewed within
developmental psychopathology?
A. As sole cause of most disorders
B. As one risk factor interacting with environment over
development
C. As irrelevant because genetics explain all variance
D. As proof that psychotherapy is ineffective
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): Developmental psychopathology
recognizes biological insults as risk factors that interact with
environmental influences across time to shape outcomes
(multifinality and equifinality).
Rationale — Incorrect (A): Rarely is any biological factor
, considered the sole cause; multiple influences are typical.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Genetics contribute but do not fully
account for variance; environment matters.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Psychotherapy can be effective even
when biological risk exists; biological risk does not negate
psychosocial interventions.
Teaching Point: Biological risks interact with environment to
shape developmental outcomes.
4. Chapter 1 — Section 1.1 — Early Biological Attributions
Stem: Which of the following historical beliefs exemplifies an
early biological attribution for antisocial behavior in children?
A. Immoral upbringing
B. Humoral imbalance
C. Contagion from peers
D. Faulty school curriculum
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): Humoral theories (ancient/early
medical beliefs about bodily fluids) represent early biological
attributions that behavior stems from bodily imbalance.
Rationale — Incorrect (A): “Immoral upbringing” is a
social/moral attribution, not biological.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Peer contagion is a social
explanation focusing on learning and modeling.
Section 1.1 Historical Views and Breakthroughs
1. Chapter 1 — Section 1.1 — The Emergence of Social
Conscience
Stem: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reformers
highlighted poor living conditions, child labor, and lack of
education as causes of childhood behavioral problems. Which
concept best describes this historical shift?
A. Moral treatment
B. Social determinants of child mental health
C. Psychoanalytic child guidance
D. Biological determinism
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): This reflects the growing recognition
that social and environmental conditions (poverty, schooling,
labor) shape child development and mental health — an early
articulation of social determinants. It shifted focus beyond
individual pathology to community and policy interventions.
Rationale — Incorrect (A): Moral treatment emphasized
humane care in institutions, not broad social factors like labor
or education.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Psychoanalytic child guidance
,focused on intrapsychic development and family dynamics
rather than structural social conditions.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Biological determinism attributes
behavior mainly to innate biology, opposite to the social-
conscience emphasis.
Teaching Point: Social conditions profoundly influence child
psychopathology and service development.
2. Chapter 1 — Section 1.1 — The Emergence of Social
Conscience
Stem: A municipal program in the early 20th century
established school-based clinics to identify learning and
behavior problems. Which historical implication does this best
illustrate?
A. Medicalization of childhood problems
B. Rise of community-based prevention and early identification
C. Abandonment of institutional care
D. Emergence of psychotropic medication as first-line treatment
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): School-based clinics exemplify
community-level early identification and prevention, reflecting a
move toward accessible, preventative services rather than only
institutional care.
Rationale — Incorrect (A): While medicalization occurred later,
school clinics primarily focused on identification and support,
,not solely medical labeling.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Institutional care continued; school
clinics supplemented, not replaced, institutions.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Psychotropic medication became
prominent mid-20th century; school clinics predate medication
as primary intervention.
Teaching Point: Early community programs emphasized
prevention and access in child mental health.
3. Chapter 1 — Section 1.1 — Early Biological Attributions
Stem: Early biological theories for childhood behavior problems
often focused on neurological insults (e.g., birth injury). Today,
how is such an early biological attribution viewed within
developmental psychopathology?
A. As sole cause of most disorders
B. As one risk factor interacting with environment over
development
C. As irrelevant because genetics explain all variance
D. As proof that psychotherapy is ineffective
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): Developmental psychopathology
recognizes biological insults as risk factors that interact with
environmental influences across time to shape outcomes
(multifinality and equifinality).
Rationale — Incorrect (A): Rarely is any biological factor
, considered the sole cause; multiple influences are typical.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Genetics contribute but do not fully
account for variance; environment matters.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Psychotherapy can be effective even
when biological risk exists; biological risk does not negate
psychosocial interventions.
Teaching Point: Biological risks interact with environment to
shape developmental outcomes.
4. Chapter 1 — Section 1.1 — Early Biological Attributions
Stem: Which of the following historical beliefs exemplifies an
early biological attribution for antisocial behavior in children?
A. Immoral upbringing
B. Humoral imbalance
C. Contagion from peers
D. Faulty school curriculum
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): Humoral theories (ancient/early
medical beliefs about bodily fluids) represent early biological
attributions that behavior stems from bodily imbalance.
Rationale — Incorrect (A): “Immoral upbringing” is a
social/moral attribution, not biological.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Peer contagion is a social
explanation focusing on learning and modeling.
