Child Life Normalization and Psychosocial Support Flashcards
6 cards from real Child Life Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Child Life Normalization and Psychosocial Support flashcards as text
A child life specialist is evaluating a child's psychosocial adjustment to a long-term hospitalization. Which indicator is MOST concerning?
Answer: The child consistently refuses play, withdraws from family interaction, and shows persistent sleep disturbance
Persistent refusal to engage in play, withdrawal from family, and sleep disturbance across multiple domains signals significant psychosocial distress requiring escalation.
Expressive arts activities in a pediatric hospital setting PRIMARILY serve to:
Answer: Offer children a nonverbal outlet for processing illness-related emotions and maintaining creativity
Expressive arts provide a nonverbal outlet through which children can process complex illness-related emotions, maintain creativity, and exercise agency during hospitalization.
In supporting a child through the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness, the child life specialist should FIRST:
Answer: Assess the child's current understanding of their illness and the family's communication preferences
Assessing the child's current understanding and the family's communication preferences is the essential first step before any psychosocial support or education is provided.
Child life specialists support 'medical play' for hospitalized children PRIMARILY because it:
Answer: Allows children to process medical experiences, gain mastery, and reduce procedure-related anxiety through play
Medical play allows children to process, rehearse, and gain mastery over healthcare experiences, which reduces anxiety and supports psychological adaptation to hospitalization.
Which of the following BEST describes the goal of a child life specialist's work with a child who has completed cancer treatment and is returning to school?
Answer: Preparing the child for reintegration by addressing fears, building coping strategies, and liaising with school staff
School reintegration support addresses the child's fears about returning, builds coping strategies for peer questions, and ensures school staff are prepared to support the child appropriately.
The concept of 'post-traumatic growth' in pediatric healthcare refers to:
Answer: Positive psychological changes, such as increased resilience or deeper relationships, that can emerge following adversity
Post-traumatic growth describes positive psychological changes, such as increased resilience, empathy, or a deeper appreciation for life, that can emerge following significant adversity.