LSP Child & Adolescent Psychology 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Temperament research by Thomas and Chess identified a cluster of traits (biological rhythmicity, positive mood, adaptability) associated with which temperament type?
- Slow-to-Warm-Up
- Difficult
- Easy (Correct answer)
- Inhibited
Correct answer: Easy
The 'Easy' temperament is characterized by regularity, positive approach to novelty, high adaptability, mild intensity, and generally positive mood.
Question 2: A 17-year-old engages in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) by cutting to relieve emotional pain. The primary function of this behavior is best understood as:
- Manipulative attention-seeking
- Psychotic symptom expression
- Emotion regulation (Correct answer)
- Malingering
Correct answer: Emotion regulation
NSSI most commonly serves an emotion regulation function, providing temporary relief from overwhelming negative affect.
Question 3: Which theory posits that children learn gender roles primarily through observation, imitation, and reinforcement from their social environment?
- Psychoanalytic theory
- Social Learning Theory (Correct answer)
- Gender Schema Theory
- Cognitive-Developmental Theory
Correct answer: Social Learning Theory
Bandura's Social Learning Theory emphasizes that children acquire gender-typed behaviors by observing same-sex models and being reinforced for gender-appropriate behavior.
Question 4: A 5-year-old with a language disorder understands simple instructions but cannot formulate sentences longer than 2 words. This pattern primarily indicates a deficit in:
- Receptive language
- Pragmatic language
- Expressive language (Correct answer)
- Phonological awareness
Correct answer: Expressive language
Expressive language disorder involves difficulty producing language (e.g., forming sentences) despite relatively intact language comprehension.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the 'goodness of fit' model in child development?
- Matching educational curriculum to a child's learning style
- The compatibility between a child's temperament and environmental demands (Correct answer)
- Genetic predisposition interacting with prenatal environment
- The degree to which a child's intelligence matches parental expectations
Correct answer: The compatibility between a child's temperament and environmental demands
The goodness-of-fit model holds that developmental outcomes depend on how well a child's temperamental characteristics match the demands and expectations of the environment.
Question 6: A 16-year-old presents with a pervasive pattern of identity disturbance, fear of abandonment, impulsive behaviors, and brief stress-related paranoia. The most likely DSM-5 diagnosis is:
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder
- Histrionic Personality Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder (Correct answer)
- Antisocial Personality Disorder
Correct answer: Borderline Personality Disorder
BPD features identity instability, frantic efforts to avoid abandonment, impulsivity, and transient stress-related paranoia; it can be diagnosed in adolescents when traits are pervasive.
Question 7: When conducting a child custody evaluation, the primary standard guiding the psychologist's recommendations should be:
- The preferences of the child's primary caregiver
- The financial stability of each parent
- The best interests of the child (Correct answer)
- Equitable division of parenting time
Correct answer: The best interests of the child
The 'best interests of the child' standard is the foundational legal and ethical principle guiding all child custody evaluations and recommendations.
LSP Child & Adolescent Psychology 5
Temperament research by Thomas and Chess identified a cluster of traits (biological rhythmicity, positive mood, adaptability) associated with which temperament type?