Practice Exam: Developmental Neuropsychology
Based on: Anderson, V., Northam, E., & Wrennall, J. (2018). Developmental Neuropsychology: A
Clinical Approach (2nd ed.).
Scope: 60 questions | Week 8 (Alexithymia) is excluded
Chapter 1: Childhood Neuropsychology
Question 1. Child neuropsychology studies the relationship between brain and behaviour within the
context of an immature but rapidly developing brain. Two influential models from the late 1980s
dominate the field. Which model is characterised by the white matter hypothesis as the underlying
neurological explanation for the cognitive profile?
a. Dennis' model (1989)
b. Rourke's NVLD model (1988, 1989)
c. Johnson's model (2001)
Question 2. The concept "growing into deficits" implies the following. Which statement best
describes this concept?
a. Children with severe brain injury show pronounced cognitive deficits immediately after the injury,
which then decrease with age.
b. Early insults initially appear to cause few problems, but children show increasing deficits as
development progresses.
c. Brain injury at a young age always leads to more severe deficits than injury at a later age.
Question 3. According to the biopsychosocial perspective in child neuropsychology, the following
applies. Which statement is correct?
a. The outcome of early brain injury can be predicted with certainty based on the severity of the
injury alone.
b. Some children with severe injuries do well, while others with relatively mild insults experience
lifelong impairments.
c. Only biological factors determine the outcome of early brain injury.
Question 4. Rourke's NVLD model describes core characteristics. Which of the following combinations
of features is correct?
a. Visual-spatial strengths, auditory-verbal weaknesses
b. Bilateral tactile-perceptual deficiencies, visual-spatial problems, with intact auditory/verbal skills
c. Language problems as a core feature, with intact motor skills
Question 5. Dennis' multidimensional model divides skill development into levels. Which three levels
are distinguished?
, a. Acute, subacute, and chronic
b. Emerging, developing, and established
c. Cognitive, socio-emotional, and adaptive
Chapter 3: Cognitive and Social Development
Question 6. Brain pathology significantly increases variability in cognitive development. Children with
early brain injuries show a different developmental pattern than healthy children. Which
phenomenon does this describe?
a. The equipotentiality model
b. Domain-specific development
c. The "growing into deficits" phenomenon
Question 7. Recent evidence suggests that individual cognitive modalities do not follow an
independent process. Information processing skills are considered critical for all aspects of cognitive
development. Which theoretical perspective does this support?
a. The domain-specific perspective
b. The domain-generalist perspective
c. The Piagetian stage model
Question 8. According to Anderson's model (2002), executive functions include three integrated
domains. Which are they?
a. Visual-spatial processing, verbal fluency, and inhibition
b. Attentional control, cognitive flexibility, and goal setting
c. Working memory, processing speed, and long-term memory
Question 9. _______________________ is an information processing model with components of
attention, memory, processing speed, and central executive functions. Which model is missing?
a. Luria's model (1973)
b. Cowan's model (1995, 1988)
c. Baddeley's model
Question 10. Regarding the development of executive functions, the following applies. Which
statement is correct?
a. Executive functions are fully developed at birth and decline with age.
b. Executive functions emerge in early childhood but are only fully measurable in late childhood and
reach full development in adolescence.
c. Executive functions develop exclusively in adolescence and are not present before that.
Based on: Anderson, V., Northam, E., & Wrennall, J. (2018). Developmental Neuropsychology: A
Clinical Approach (2nd ed.).
Scope: 60 questions | Week 8 (Alexithymia) is excluded
Chapter 1: Childhood Neuropsychology
Question 1. Child neuropsychology studies the relationship between brain and behaviour within the
context of an immature but rapidly developing brain. Two influential models from the late 1980s
dominate the field. Which model is characterised by the white matter hypothesis as the underlying
neurological explanation for the cognitive profile?
a. Dennis' model (1989)
b. Rourke's NVLD model (1988, 1989)
c. Johnson's model (2001)
Question 2. The concept "growing into deficits" implies the following. Which statement best
describes this concept?
a. Children with severe brain injury show pronounced cognitive deficits immediately after the injury,
which then decrease with age.
b. Early insults initially appear to cause few problems, but children show increasing deficits as
development progresses.
c. Brain injury at a young age always leads to more severe deficits than injury at a later age.
Question 3. According to the biopsychosocial perspective in child neuropsychology, the following
applies. Which statement is correct?
a. The outcome of early brain injury can be predicted with certainty based on the severity of the
injury alone.
b. Some children with severe injuries do well, while others with relatively mild insults experience
lifelong impairments.
c. Only biological factors determine the outcome of early brain injury.
Question 4. Rourke's NVLD model describes core characteristics. Which of the following combinations
of features is correct?
a. Visual-spatial strengths, auditory-verbal weaknesses
b. Bilateral tactile-perceptual deficiencies, visual-spatial problems, with intact auditory/verbal skills
c. Language problems as a core feature, with intact motor skills
Question 5. Dennis' multidimensional model divides skill development into levels. Which three levels
are distinguished?
, a. Acute, subacute, and chronic
b. Emerging, developing, and established
c. Cognitive, socio-emotional, and adaptive
Chapter 3: Cognitive and Social Development
Question 6. Brain pathology significantly increases variability in cognitive development. Children with
early brain injuries show a different developmental pattern than healthy children. Which
phenomenon does this describe?
a. The equipotentiality model
b. Domain-specific development
c. The "growing into deficits" phenomenon
Question 7. Recent evidence suggests that individual cognitive modalities do not follow an
independent process. Information processing skills are considered critical for all aspects of cognitive
development. Which theoretical perspective does this support?
a. The domain-specific perspective
b. The domain-generalist perspective
c. The Piagetian stage model
Question 8. According to Anderson's model (2002), executive functions include three integrated
domains. Which are they?
a. Visual-spatial processing, verbal fluency, and inhibition
b. Attentional control, cognitive flexibility, and goal setting
c. Working memory, processing speed, and long-term memory
Question 9. _______________________ is an information processing model with components of
attention, memory, processing speed, and central executive functions. Which model is missing?
a. Luria's model (1973)
b. Cowan's model (1995, 1988)
c. Baddeley's model
Question 10. Regarding the development of executive functions, the following applies. Which
statement is correct?
a. Executive functions are fully developed at birth and decline with age.
b. Executive functions emerge in early childhood but are only fully measurable in late childhood and
reach full development in adolescence.
c. Executive functions develop exclusively in adolescence and are not present before that.
