Growth and Development Across the Life Span
1. The clinic nurse is preparing to explain the concepts of Kohlberg’s theory of moral
development with a parent. The nurse should 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
Answer: 4 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.
2. The maternity nurse is providing instructions to a new mother regarding the psychosocial
development of the newborn infant. Using Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, the nurse
instructs the mother 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.
Answer: 1 Rationale: According to Erikson, the caregiver should not try to anticipate the
newborn infant’s needs at all times but must 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.
3. 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 should 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.
Answer: 1 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 should report this finding to the
pediatrician. Options 2, 3, and 4 delay necessary follow-up and treatment.
4. A nursing student is presenting a clinical conference to peers regarding Freud’s psychosexual
stages of development, specifically the anal stage. The student explains 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 the gratification of self.
3. This stage is characterized by a tapering off of conscious biological and sexual urges.
4. This stage is associated with pleasurable and conflicting feelings about the genital organs.
Answer: 1 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.
5. The nurse is describing Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory to pediatric nursing staff. The
nurse should tell that staff that which child behavior is characteristic of the formal operations
stage?
1. The child has the ability to think abstractly.
2. The child begins to understand the environment.
3. The child is able to classify, order, and sort facts.
4. The child learns to think in terms of past, present, and future.
Answer: 1 Rationale: In the formal operations stage, the child has the ability to think abstractly
and logically. Option 2 identifies the sensorimotor stage. Option 3 identifies the concrete
operational stage. Option 4 identifies the preoperational stage.
6. The mother of an 8-year-old child tells the clinic nurse that she is concerned about the child
because the child seems to be more attentive to friends than anything else. Using Erikson’s
psychosocial development theory, the nurse should make which response?
1. The clinic nurse is preparing to explain the concepts of Kohlberg’s theory of moral
development with a parent. The nurse should 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
Answer: 4 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.
2. The maternity nurse is providing instructions to a new mother regarding the psychosocial
development of the newborn infant. Using Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, the nurse
instructs the mother 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.
Answer: 1 Rationale: According to Erikson, the caregiver should not try to anticipate the
newborn infant’s needs at all times but must 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.
3. 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 should 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.
Answer: 1 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 should report this finding to the
pediatrician. Options 2, 3, and 4 delay necessary follow-up and treatment.
4. A nursing student is presenting a clinical conference to peers regarding Freud’s psychosexual
stages of development, specifically the anal stage. The student explains 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 the gratification of self.
3. This stage is characterized by a tapering off of conscious biological and sexual urges.
4. This stage is associated with pleasurable and conflicting feelings about the genital organs.
Answer: 1 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.
5. The nurse is describing Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory to pediatric nursing staff. The
nurse should tell that staff that which child behavior is characteristic of the formal operations
stage?
1. The child has the ability to think abstractly.
2. The child begins to understand the environment.
3. The child is able to classify, order, and sort facts.
4. The child learns to think in terms of past, present, and future.
Answer: 1 Rationale: In the formal operations stage, the child has the ability to think abstractly
and logically. Option 2 identifies the sensorimotor stage. Option 3 identifies the concrete
operational stage. Option 4 identifies the preoperational stage.
6. The mother of an 8-year-old child tells the clinic nurse that she is concerned about the child
because the child seems to be more attentive to friends than anything else. Using Erikson’s
psychosocial development theory, the nurse should make which response?
