PSYC 450 5.0 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
WELL DETAILED ANSWERS
What psychosocial correlates are noted with seizures? - ✔✔1. Stress is associated with chronic illness
(e.g., loss of control, low self esteem, life restrictions, increased dependency)
2. Family factors are associated with lower cognitive outcomes (e.g., negative reactions, lower SES,
divorce, parental control/dependency)
3. Higher risk of psychopathology (e.g., depression and anxiety)
What background information is necessary for assessments? - ✔✔1) Developmental and Family History
2) Medical Record Review
3) School File Review
4) Prior Assessment Results
5) Multidisciplinary Consultations
6) Risk Factors (Cognitive/mental health/psychosocial/academic)
What are developmental disorders/disabilities? Neurodevelopmental? - ✔✔1) A diverse group of
chronic disorders beginning at any time during developmental period (prior to age 18) that are lifelong.
2) NDD's relate to the structure/functioning of the developing brain which can be inborn or acquired and
specific or global.
What percentage of children/adolescents have an developmental disabiltiy? - ✔✔17% in the US
Major categories of developmental disorders? What are they characterized by? - ✔✔1) Intellectual
disability:
a. Characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour which impacts
educational performance
b. IQ less than 70 for mild ID/50 for severe ID
c. 2 AF areas (communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, use of community
resources, self-direction, functional academic skills, work , leisure, health and safety)
2) Learning disability:
,a. Difficulties with specific areas of learning that have a relation with academic performances.
b. Types: Dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphoia, non verbal learning disabiltiy
c. Can occur at all levels of IQ
3) Communication/language disorders
4) Autism spectrum disorders
a. Characterized by significant deficits in social, communication, and behavioural domains
5) Neuropsychiatric disorders (ADHD/TS/Schizophrenia)
6) Neuromuscular disorders
7) Cerebral palsy
a. Disorders in the development of movement and posture causing activity limitation that are attributed
to non-progressive disturbances in fetal/infant brain
8) Sensory impairments
9) Disability associated with chronic disease
10) Acquired disorders (FASD, TBI, trauma)
11) Spinal cord injuries
What are neural tube deficits? - ✔✔Failure of the neurulation and closure of the neural tube during
development of central nervous system
What is the difference between a disability, disorder, disease, syndrome, and designation? - ✔✔1)
Disability: umbrella term covering impairments, limitations, and participation restrictions
2) Disorder: A combination of signs/symptoms that are indicative of a particulate disorder (no direct
implication of pathology/etiology)
3) Disease: Underlying pathology/etiology is known and there is a distinct biomarker
4) Syndrome - combination of symptoms resulting from a single cause that is associated with a disease
process
5) Designation: Process of assigning students special needs status within school districts so they can
receive special education supports (not always equated with diagnosable disorder/disability
What are the main variables of consideration in the WHO International classification of function,
disability, and health (ICF)? What do they interact with? - ✔✔1) Body functions & structure
, 2) Activity
3) Participation
4) Interact with contextual factors (environmental/personal) AND health condition (disorder/disease)
What are environmental and experiential events associated with pathology? - ✔✔1. Chronic
understimulation/overstimulation
2. trauma/stess
3. loss/defeat
4. Complex/chronic family interactions
5. Self induced stress
Aspects of coping with disability? - ✔✔1. Age of onset
2. Magnitude and overtness
3. Labeling and diagnosis
4. Mainstreaming (integration of disabled and non disabled education)
Approaches in helping those with disabilities? - ✔✔1. Awareness
2. Loss and mourning
3. Acceptance and incorporation into the self image
4. Effective treatment
5. Education and treatment
What is neuropsychology? 3 examples? - ✔✔The study of brain and behaviour relationships
1. Correlating brain structure/function with behaviour
2. Studying behaviour change and making inferences about brain structure/function
3. Studying brain dysfunction through disorder/disease
What cells are the brain made up of? Subtypes/matter? - ✔✔1. Neurons: gray matter
a. Afferent (body to brain)
WELL DETAILED ANSWERS
What psychosocial correlates are noted with seizures? - ✔✔1. Stress is associated with chronic illness
(e.g., loss of control, low self esteem, life restrictions, increased dependency)
2. Family factors are associated with lower cognitive outcomes (e.g., negative reactions, lower SES,
divorce, parental control/dependency)
3. Higher risk of psychopathology (e.g., depression and anxiety)
What background information is necessary for assessments? - ✔✔1) Developmental and Family History
2) Medical Record Review
3) School File Review
4) Prior Assessment Results
5) Multidisciplinary Consultations
6) Risk Factors (Cognitive/mental health/psychosocial/academic)
What are developmental disorders/disabilities? Neurodevelopmental? - ✔✔1) A diverse group of
chronic disorders beginning at any time during developmental period (prior to age 18) that are lifelong.
2) NDD's relate to the structure/functioning of the developing brain which can be inborn or acquired and
specific or global.
What percentage of children/adolescents have an developmental disabiltiy? - ✔✔17% in the US
Major categories of developmental disorders? What are they characterized by? - ✔✔1) Intellectual
disability:
a. Characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour which impacts
educational performance
b. IQ less than 70 for mild ID/50 for severe ID
c. 2 AF areas (communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, use of community
resources, self-direction, functional academic skills, work , leisure, health and safety)
2) Learning disability:
,a. Difficulties with specific areas of learning that have a relation with academic performances.
b. Types: Dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphoia, non verbal learning disabiltiy
c. Can occur at all levels of IQ
3) Communication/language disorders
4) Autism spectrum disorders
a. Characterized by significant deficits in social, communication, and behavioural domains
5) Neuropsychiatric disorders (ADHD/TS/Schizophrenia)
6) Neuromuscular disorders
7) Cerebral palsy
a. Disorders in the development of movement and posture causing activity limitation that are attributed
to non-progressive disturbances in fetal/infant brain
8) Sensory impairments
9) Disability associated with chronic disease
10) Acquired disorders (FASD, TBI, trauma)
11) Spinal cord injuries
What are neural tube deficits? - ✔✔Failure of the neurulation and closure of the neural tube during
development of central nervous system
What is the difference between a disability, disorder, disease, syndrome, and designation? - ✔✔1)
Disability: umbrella term covering impairments, limitations, and participation restrictions
2) Disorder: A combination of signs/symptoms that are indicative of a particulate disorder (no direct
implication of pathology/etiology)
3) Disease: Underlying pathology/etiology is known and there is a distinct biomarker
4) Syndrome - combination of symptoms resulting from a single cause that is associated with a disease
process
5) Designation: Process of assigning students special needs status within school districts so they can
receive special education supports (not always equated with diagnosable disorder/disability
What are the main variables of consideration in the WHO International classification of function,
disability, and health (ICF)? What do they interact with? - ✔✔1) Body functions & structure
, 2) Activity
3) Participation
4) Interact with contextual factors (environmental/personal) AND health condition (disorder/disease)
What are environmental and experiential events associated with pathology? - ✔✔1. Chronic
understimulation/overstimulation
2. trauma/stess
3. loss/defeat
4. Complex/chronic family interactions
5. Self induced stress
Aspects of coping with disability? - ✔✔1. Age of onset
2. Magnitude and overtness
3. Labeling and diagnosis
4. Mainstreaming (integration of disabled and non disabled education)
Approaches in helping those with disabilities? - ✔✔1. Awareness
2. Loss and mourning
3. Acceptance and incorporation into the self image
4. Effective treatment
5. Education and treatment
What is neuropsychology? 3 examples? - ✔✔The study of brain and behaviour relationships
1. Correlating brain structure/function with behaviour
2. Studying behaviour change and making inferences about brain structure/function
3. Studying brain dysfunction through disorder/disease
What cells are the brain made up of? Subtypes/matter? - ✔✔1. Neurons: gray matter
a. Afferent (body to brain)
