Deck 9: Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders  

Question 1

When was autism first defined?

A) Around 1900
B) In the 1940s
C) In the 1960s
D) 1990

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In what percentage of children with autism do symptoms arise in toddlerhood rather than in infancy?

A) 30 percent
B) 50 percent
C) 75 percent
D) 100 percent

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which pattern of social behavior characterizes children with autism?

A) Withdrawal and avoidance
B) Gregariousness
C) Inability to be alone
D) Social phobia

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Echolalia refers to the

A) repetition of animal noises.
B) repetition of the speech sounds a child has spontaneously uttered.
C) mimicking of environmental noises.
D) repetition of speech sounds the child has heard.

Question 5

During the 2008 - 2009 school year, what percentage of students age 6 through 21 with IEPs were identified with autism?

A) 0.70 percent
B) 7 percent
C) 3.0 percent
D) 17 percent

Question 6

Activities such as twirling objects and flapping one's hands in front of one's face are examples of

A) echolalia.
B) repetitive behaviors.
C) self-abusive behaviors.
D) stereotypic behaviors.

Question 7

Students with autism with mild cognitive disabilities or typical cognitive ability may be able to

A) recover from autism without intervention.
B) progress through a general education academic curriculum and receive less intensive behavioral, academic, and social support.
C) function in a general education classroom without accommodations.
D) benefit from intensive psychotherapy.

Question 8

Which statement about current views of the causes of autism is correct?

A) Autism is most likely caused by reactions to immunizations or early childhood infections.
B) Although many genes appear to be associated with autism, no clear causal relationship between a specific genetic abnormality and the occurrence of autism has been established.
C) Research indicates that the cause will be located in an area of the X chromosome.
D) Environmental factors, such as family configuration, are thought to be the primary cause.

Question 9

When we conduct a functional behavior analysis with a student with autism we assume that

A) undesirable behavior will be difficult to eliminate.
B) teaching an alternative behavior will involve changing cognitions.
C) there is little relationship between communication and behavior.
D) every behavior has a communicative intent.

Question 10

Echolalia

A) often represents an attempt at direct communication on the part of the student with autism.
B) is usually nonfunctional communication.
C) is an attempt on the part of the student with autism to memorize language.
D) is a form of schizophrenic speech.

Question 11

Approximately 40 - 55% of children with autism also have

A) a behavior disorder.
B) intellectual disabilities.
C) physical disabilities.
D) a communication disorder.

Question 12

An intervention that has been found to be useful in teaching reciprocal speech to children with autism is

A) the use of message boards.
B) the use of speech-recognition computers.
C) teaching in the context of social interaction.
D) teaching in the context of the regular classroom.

Question 13

Most children with autism would tend to become extremely upset by

A) changes in a daily routine.
B) his or her mother's absence.
C) difficulty in learning a new academic task.
D) inability to make new friends.

Question 14

Students with autism and moderate to severe cognitive disabilities will

A) benefit from a functional, community-based curriculum.
B) require extensive behavior support and skill instruction.
C) benefit from focus on areas of communication, socialization, and generalization.
D) All of the above.

Question 15

According to the federal definition, autism primarily affects a child's ability to

A) move, balance, and coordinate.
B) communicate and interact socially.
C) listen, speak, and write.
D) complete school work and maintain attention.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about families of children with autism is incorrect?

A) Parents have contributed substantially to knowledge about autism.
B) Parents may have difficulty obtaining an accurate diagnosis for their child.
C) Once a diagnosis is obtained, families find treatment decisions to be clearcut.
D) Most interventions for children with autism include intensive teaching by family members.

Question 17

The incidence of Asperger's syndrome is approximately 1 out of

A) 100 children.
B) 500 children.
C) 1,000 children.
D) 10,000 children.

Question 18

Pervasive developmental disorders or autism spectrum disorders do NOT include the following syndromes or conditions

A) Autism.
B) Asperger's syndrome.
C) Attention Deficit Disorder.
D) PDD-NOS.

Question 19

Research suggests that children with Asperger's syndrome may have many of the social and behavioral characteristics of autism, but without

A) range of motion in upper extremities.
B) marked delays in language and cognitive development
C) degree of stereotypic behavior.
D) age of onset of characteristics of autism.

Question 20

Children with autism tend to focus their attention on

A) other people.
B) objects.
C) animals.
D) pictures in books.

Question 21

What is meant by the phrase autism spectrum disorder? Define and differentiate autism, pervasive developmental disorders, and Asperger's syndrome.

Question 22

Social stories are sometimes used as an instructional tool with children with autism to:

A) provide a brief self-instruction plan for a new situation.
B) motivate reading activities by inserting personal experiences.
C) develop skills of receptive communication.
D) create a reinforcing adult-child interpersonal interaction.

Question 23

How can the recent dramatic increase in the number of cases of autism be explained?

Question 24

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is

A) not considered a valid method for individuals with autism.
B) one of the most successful approaches for individuals with autism.
C) focused primarily upon a student's play behaviors.
D) is considered to be a language-based intervention.

Question 25

One aspect of treatment that all specialists agree on is the need for

A) applied behavior analysis.
B) early intervention.
C) treatment with serotonin.
D) the Lovaas method.

Question 26

Describe applied behavior analysis (ABA) and its use with children with autism.

Question 27

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is

A) a point system through which students with autism can earn reinforcers for good behavior.
B) a chart system used by children with autism that depicts the schedule of daily classroom activities.
C) a communication system based on teaching nonverbal children to request information, actions, or objects.
D) sets of pictures grouped into categories, such as family and school, which are used to teach social skills to children with autism.

Question 28

Describe the typical patterns of learning, speech, and behavior in children with autism.

Question 29

Vocal Output Communication Aids (VOCAs) provide opportunities for individuals with autism to:

A) increase the volume of their speech.
B) use audio feedback to reduce the occurrence of echolalia.
C) replay verbal directions or requests to allow time to formulate verbal responses.
D) produce words or sentences by selecting pictures or written words on a communication board.

Question 30

A fundamental component of project TEACCH is

A) a close relationship between families and professionals.
B) institutionalization of the child.
C) up to 40 hours per week of one-on-one therapy.
D) unstructured instructional sessions that allow children to explore.

Question 31

Explain the two primary challenges for families of young children exhibiting behaviors characteristic of autism.

Question 32

Why is early intervention so important for children with autism? Identify two characteristics of effective early intervention for this population.