SAUNDERS COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW FOR THE NCLEX-RN
EXAMINATION - GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE LIFE
SPAN EXAM QUESTIONS & A+
GRADED COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
The nurse is preparing to provide instructions to new parents regarding the psychosocial
development of the newborn infant. Using Erikson's psychosocial development theory, the
nurse would instruct the parents to take which measure?
1. Allow the newborn infant to signal a need.
2. Anticipate all needs of the newborn infant.
3. Attend to the newborn infant immediately when crying.
4. Avoid the newborn infant during the first 10 minutes of crying. - correct answer ✔✔1. Allow
the newborn infant to signal a need.
Rationale:
According to Erikson, the caregiver should not try to anticipate the newborn infant's needs at all
times but needs to allow the newborn infant to signal needs. If a newborn infant is not allowed
to signal a need, the newborn will not learn how to control the environment. Erikson believed
that a delayed or prolonged response to a newborn infant's signal would inhibit the
development of trust and lead to mistrust of others.
,The clinic nurse is preparing to explain the concepts of Kohlberg's theory of moral development
with a parent. The nurse would plan to tell the parent that which factor motivates good and bad
actions for the child at the preconventional level?
1. Peer pressure
2. Social pressure
3. Parents' behavior
4. Punishment and reward - correct answer ✔✔4. Punishment and reward
Rationale:
In the preconventional stage, morals are thought to be motivated by punishment and reward. If
the child is obedient and is not punished, then the child is being moral. The child sees actions as
good or bad. If the child's actions are good, the child is praised. If the child's actions are bad, the
child is punished. Options 1, 2, and 3 are not associated factors for this stage of moral
development.
The nurse notes that a 6-year-old child does not recognize that objects exist when the objects
are outside of the visual field. Based on this observation, which action would the nurse take?
1. Report the observation to the pediatrician.
2. Move the objects in the child's direct field of vision.
3. Teach the child how to visually scan the environment.
4. Provide additional lighting for the child during play activities. - correct answer ✔✔1. Report
the observation to the pediatrician.
Rationale:
, According to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, it is normal for the infant or
toddler not to recognize that objects continue to be in existence if out of the visual field;
however, this is abnormal for the 6-year-old. If a 6-year-old child does not recognize that objects
still exist even when outside the visual field, the child is not progressing normally through the
developmental stages. The nurse would report this finding to the pediatrician so that both
medical and psychosocial follow-up can be initiated. Options 2, 3, and 4 delay necessary follow-
up and treatment.
A nursing student is preparing to present a clinical conference to peers regarding Freud's
psychosexual stages of development, specifically the anal stage. The student would plan to
explain to the group that which characteristic relates to the anal stage?
1. This stage is associated with toilet training.
2. This stage is characterized by oral gratification.
3. This stage is characterized by repression of sexuality.
4. This stage is associated with identification with the same-sex parent. - correct answer ✔✔1.
This stage is associated with toilet training.
Rationale:
In general, toilet training occurs during the anal stage. According to Freud, the child gains
pleasure from the elimination of feces and from their retention. Option 2 relates to the oral
stage. Option 3 relates to the latency period. Option 4 relates to the phallic stage.
The nurse is preparing to describe Piaget's cognitive developmental theory to pediatric nursing
staff. The nurse would plan to tell the staff that which child behavior is characteristic of the
formal operations stage?
1. The child's basic abilities to think abstractly and problem-solve are similar to an adult's.
2. The child learns to think in a concrete fashion and expects others to view the world in the
same way.
REVIEW FOR THE NCLEX-RN
EXAMINATION - GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE LIFE
SPAN EXAM QUESTIONS & A+
GRADED COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
The nurse is preparing to provide instructions to new parents regarding the psychosocial
development of the newborn infant. Using Erikson's psychosocial development theory, the
nurse would instruct the parents to take which measure?
1. Allow the newborn infant to signal a need.
2. Anticipate all needs of the newborn infant.
3. Attend to the newborn infant immediately when crying.
4. Avoid the newborn infant during the first 10 minutes of crying. - correct answer ✔✔1. Allow
the newborn infant to signal a need.
Rationale:
According to Erikson, the caregiver should not try to anticipate the newborn infant's needs at all
times but needs to allow the newborn infant to signal needs. If a newborn infant is not allowed
to signal a need, the newborn will not learn how to control the environment. Erikson believed
that a delayed or prolonged response to a newborn infant's signal would inhibit the
development of trust and lead to mistrust of others.
,The clinic nurse is preparing to explain the concepts of Kohlberg's theory of moral development
with a parent. The nurse would plan to tell the parent that which factor motivates good and bad
actions for the child at the preconventional level?
1. Peer pressure
2. Social pressure
3. Parents' behavior
4. Punishment and reward - correct answer ✔✔4. Punishment and reward
Rationale:
In the preconventional stage, morals are thought to be motivated by punishment and reward. If
the child is obedient and is not punished, then the child is being moral. The child sees actions as
good or bad. If the child's actions are good, the child is praised. If the child's actions are bad, the
child is punished. Options 1, 2, and 3 are not associated factors for this stage of moral
development.
The nurse notes that a 6-year-old child does not recognize that objects exist when the objects
are outside of the visual field. Based on this observation, which action would the nurse take?
1. Report the observation to the pediatrician.
2. Move the objects in the child's direct field of vision.
3. Teach the child how to visually scan the environment.
4. Provide additional lighting for the child during play activities. - correct answer ✔✔1. Report
the observation to the pediatrician.
Rationale:
, According to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, it is normal for the infant or
toddler not to recognize that objects continue to be in existence if out of the visual field;
however, this is abnormal for the 6-year-old. If a 6-year-old child does not recognize that objects
still exist even when outside the visual field, the child is not progressing normally through the
developmental stages. The nurse would report this finding to the pediatrician so that both
medical and psychosocial follow-up can be initiated. Options 2, 3, and 4 delay necessary follow-
up and treatment.
A nursing student is preparing to present a clinical conference to peers regarding Freud's
psychosexual stages of development, specifically the anal stage. The student would plan to
explain to the group that which characteristic relates to the anal stage?
1. This stage is associated with toilet training.
2. This stage is characterized by oral gratification.
3. This stage is characterized by repression of sexuality.
4. This stage is associated with identification with the same-sex parent. - correct answer ✔✔1.
This stage is associated with toilet training.
Rationale:
In general, toilet training occurs during the anal stage. According to Freud, the child gains
pleasure from the elimination of feces and from their retention. Option 2 relates to the oral
stage. Option 3 relates to the latency period. Option 4 relates to the phallic stage.
The nurse is preparing to describe Piaget's cognitive developmental theory to pediatric nursing
staff. The nurse would plan to tell the staff that which child behavior is characteristic of the
formal operations stage?
1. The child's basic abilities to think abstractly and problem-solve are similar to an adult's.
2. The child learns to think in a concrete fashion and expects others to view the world in the
same way.
