Free Master of Occupational Therapy General Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A twelve-month-old is being evaluated by a therapist in a clinical setting. Which of the following landmarks is not likely to have materialized?

Uses a pincer grasp
Moves from seated into prone
Intentionally releases a small item from their grasp
Controls walking by starting and stopping with intention (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Controls walking by starting and stopping with intention

While a 12-month-old may begin to take a few independent steps, controlling walking by starting and stopping with intention is a more advanced gross motor skill that typically develops later, often closer to 15-18 months or even beyond. At 12 months, pincer grasp, moving from seated to prone, and intentional release are generally established developmental milestones.

Question 2: An occupational therapy examination is requested for a patient with a full T5 spinal cord damage. What about this client needs to be evaluated the most?

Seated balance (Correct answer)
Safety with swallowing
Ability to propel a manual wheelchair
Level of assistance needed for toileting

Correct answer: Seated balance

A T5 spinal cord injury results in paralysis below the mid-thoracic level, meaning the trunk muscles below T5 are affected. This significantly impacts trunk control and seated balance, which are crucial for all functional activities performed from a seated position, such as dressing, eating, and wheelchair mobility. Evaluating seated balance is therefore a primary concern for this client.

Question 3: A young adult patient in a mental health rehab facility has rejected to take part in group and one-on-one activities. Which evaluation ought the occupational therapist to choose in order to establish a baseline for the client's roles and use the information to produce goals that are motivating?

Mini-Mental State Evaluation (MMSE)
Activity Card Sort (ACS)
Allen Cognitive Level Screen-5 (ACLS-5)
Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM)

The COPM is a client-centered, individualized outcome measure that helps clients identify and prioritize their occupational performance issues. It is ideal for establishing a baseline of roles and identifying motivating goals because it directly asks the client about their perceived performance and satisfaction in areas they want to address. This approach respects client autonomy and can increase engagement, especially for a reluctant client.

Question 4: A five-month-old who was born at 34 weeks gestation and spent three weeks in the NICU is evaluated by an occupational therapist. The baby is positioned vertically under the shoulders of the therapist. When she tilts the baby to the front, side, and back, the baby holds his head upright. Which healthy reaction is the baby showing?

Landau
Labyrinthine (Correct answer)
Prone tilting
Forward parachute

Correct answer: Labyrinthine

The labyrinthine righting reaction is a primitive reflex that helps orient the head in space in response to changes in body position. When the baby is tilted, the inner ear (labyrinth) senses the change, and the baby's head rights itself to a vertical position. This reflex is crucial for developing head control and is typically present by 2-3 months and integrated by 6 months, making it appropriate for a 5-month-old.

Question 5: In a mental health placement, a supervisor requests her level II fieldwork student to use the Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) Model to frame a client case. Which type of intervention best fits this model?

Use a weighted blanket
Select activities based on volition
Select activities based on the client's identified cognitive level
Modify the social environment by limiting the size of groups (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Modify the social environment by limiting the size of groups

The Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) model emphasizes the dynamic relationship between the person, their context (environment), and the task. Interventions within EHP often focus on altering the context to support performance. Modifying the social environment by limiting group size is a direct application of the EHP model's 'alter' or 'adapt/modify' intervention strategies, aiming to create a more supportive context for the client's participation.

Question 6: An individual who works in a call center is assessed by an occupational therapist who practices in an outpatient clinic. After repeatedly reaching for her desktop phone throughout the day, the patient complains of tingling and numbness in her right forearm and hand. Which test ought to be conducted by the occupational therapist?

Froment's sign
Tinel's sign at the wrist
Tinel's sign at the forearm
Tinel's sign at the elbow (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Tinel's sign at the elbow

Tingling and numbness in the forearm and hand, especially with repetitive reaching, suggests potential nerve compression. Tinel's sign at the elbow specifically tests for ulnar nerve irritation or compression at the cubital tunnel, which is a common site for such symptoms related to repetitive elbow flexion and extension. The ulnar nerve supplies sensation to parts of the forearm and hand, making this the most appropriate diagnostic test for the described symptoms.

Question 7: An 82-year-old man with dementia is being evaluated by an occupational therapist in home health care. Which of the following has to be evaluated the MOST in order for the therapist to offer the right suggestions for activity involvement in between therapy sessions?

Ability to safely prepare meals
Level of independence with toileting
Current and potential systems of support (Correct answer)
Potential fall hazards in the home environment

Correct answer: Current and potential systems of support

For an individual with dementia in home health, the ability to safely and consistently engage in activities between therapy sessions is heavily dependent on the support available. Dementia impacts memory, judgment, and safety, making independent activity planning challenging. Evaluating current and potential systems of support (e.g., family, caregivers, community resources) is crucial for the therapist to develop realistic, safe, and sustainable activity recommendations that can be implemented effectively.

Question 8: Samuel, a 30-year-old man, is being assessed after his multiple sclerosis symptoms worsened. A comprehensive occupational profile with a stronger emphasis on performance skills will be developed by the occupational therapist. Which of the following is a performance skill example?

Values
Routines
Ability to pace (Correct answer)
Muscle tone

Correct answer: Ability to pace

Performance skills are observable, goal-directed actions that a person uses to engage in daily life occupations. The 'ability to pace' is a process skill, which is a category of performance skills, reflecting how an individual manages their energy, effort, and timing during an activity. In contrast, values are client factors, routines are performance patterns, and muscle tone is a client factor (body function), not an observable action.

Question 9: Before cooking a meal, a therapist chooses a physical agent modality for a patient with Raynaud's illness. What modality is not recommended?

Fluidotherapy
Paraffin
Ultrasound
Cryotherapy (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Cryotherapy

Raynaud's phenomenon is characterized by vasospasm, leading to decreased blood flow and heightened sensitivity to cold in the extremities. Cryotherapy (cold therapy) causes vasoconstriction, which would exacerbate Raynaud's symptoms and is therefore contraindicated. Modalities like fluidotherapy and paraffin provide warmth, promoting vasodilation and improving circulation, which would be beneficial for individuals with Raynaud's.

Question 10: Push-in OT treatments are being provided to a preschooler in their early education classroom. The kid starts screaming and runs around the classroom when the fire alarm goes off. Which tool could the therapist utilize at that time from a sensory perspective?

Offering a transition item
Telling the child to spin around 10 times
Directing the child to a 'cozy corner'
Giving the child a tight hug and hand squeezes (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Giving the child a tight hug and hand squeezes

The child is likely experiencing sensory overload and dysregulation due to the sudden, loud fire alarm. Deep pressure input, such as a tight hug and hand squeezes, provides proprioceptive input that can be calming and organizing for the nervous system. This type of input helps to regulate arousal levels, reduce sensory defensiveness, and offer immediate comfort, helping the child regain emotional and behavioral control.

Question 11: Recently, a 44-year-old woman slipped on some ice and fractured her Colles. She now has complex regional pain syndrome in the damaged wrist and hand even though the fracture has healed. What intervention from the list below is NOT recommended?

Weightbearing activities
Passive range of motion (Correct answer)
Splinting to prevent contractures
Use of a compression glove to manage edema

Correct answer: Passive range of motion

For Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), interventions should prioritize pain management, desensitization, and active movement. Passive range of motion (PROM) can be highly painful and exacerbate symptoms by increasing nerve irritation and inflammation in a hypersensitive limb. Gentle active range of motion, weight-bearing, compression, and splinting for contracture prevention are generally recommended, but PROM is typically avoided due to the risk of increasing pain and sympathetic nervous system activation.

Question 12: A patient with an L1 spinal cord injury is being evaluated by a beginning occupational therapist in a rehab facility. The OT learns that the patient wants to resume sexual activity during the interview section of the exam. Which of the following interventions should a beginning occupational therapist perform?

Education about safe positioning
Catheter and hygiene management
Introduction of energy conservation methods
All of the above (Correct answer)

Correct answer: All of the above

Addressing sexual activity is within the scope of occupational therapy, as it is an important aspect of ADLs, IADLs, and overall quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injury. Even a beginning occupational therapist should be prepared to provide education on safe positioning, catheter and hygiene management, and energy conservation methods. These interventions address the physical, functional, and psychosocial aspects necessary to support a patient in resuming sexual activity safely and effectively.

Question 13: Concerning the creation of a new community building, an occupational therapist is working with an architectural firm. They must build a ramp that elevates the user by 16 inches. Which of the following wheelchair ramps does the occupational therapist advise installing in this building to ensure accessibility?

A 4-foot ramp
An 8-foot ramp
A 12-foot ramp
A 16-foot ramp (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A 16-foot ramp

According to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, the maximum slope for a wheelchair ramp is 1:12. This means for every 1 inch of vertical rise, there must be at least 12 inches (or 1 foot) of horizontal run. For a 16-inch elevation, the minimum ramp length required is 16 inches * 12 = 192 inches, which is equivalent to 16 feet.

Question 14: The staff at a long-term care facility is receiving fall prevention training from an occupational therapist. Which of the following resident characteristics increases the likelihood of falls?

Vertigo
Presbyopia
Fear of falling
All of the above (Correct answer)

Correct answer: All of the above

All the listed characteristics significantly increase the likelihood of falls in older adults. Vertigo directly impairs balance and spatial orientation. Presbyopia, an age-related vision impairment, makes it difficult to perceive environmental hazards accurately. Fear of falling, while psychological, often leads to reduced activity, muscle deconditioning, and an altered, less stable gait pattern, paradoxically increasing the actual risk of falls.

Question 15: Susan, a transcriptionist with a history of carpal tunnel disease and an outpatient client, has been relocated to a position requiring remote work. She worries about how ergonomically sound her new workplace is. Which of the aforementioned suggestions is the ideal one?

For seated typing, the work surface should be no more than 35" high
Wrists should be positioned in neutral
The screen should be placed above eye level so that the neck is in slight extension
Knees should be bent at a 70-degree angle (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Knees should be bent at a 70-degree angle

Maintaining wrists in a neutral position is a fundamental ergonomic principle crucial for preventing and managing carpal tunnel syndrome, as it minimizes pressure on the median nerve. Other options describe incorrect ergonomic setups: the work surface height should allow elbows at 90 degrees with wrists neutral, the screen should be at or slightly below eye level to avoid neck extension, and knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle with feet flat, not 70 degrees.

Question 16: An occupational therapist intends to create a splint for a patient who has wrist drop as a result of radial nerve damage. Which splint is the best option?

Dorsal protection
MCP Flexion block splint
Dynamic extension (Correct answer)
C-bar

Correct answer: Dynamic extension

Wrist drop, caused by radial nerve damage, results in the inability to extend the wrist and fingers. A dynamic extension splint is the best option because it provides passive extension to the wrist and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints while allowing active flexion. This supports functional use of the hand, prevents overstretching of denervated muscles, and maintains functional alignment during nerve recovery.

Free Master of Occupational Therapy General Questions and Answers

A twelve-month-old is being evaluated by a therapist in a clinical setting.
Which of the following landmarks is not likely to have materialized?