Deck 15: Mental Retardation and Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Question 1

Many human characteristics such as height are distributed so the majority of scores fall in the middle of the distribution, with fewer extreme scores. What do we call this type of distribution?

A) bimodal curve
B) standardized curve
C) normal distribution
D) expected distribution

Answer 1

normal distribution

Question 2

A psychologist has collected some data representing the number of friends college students report they have. The data set follows: 6, 4, 3, 2, 7, 3, 8, 5. If the psychologist reports 3 as a measure of central tendency, which measure was used?

A) mode
B) mean
C) median
D) standard deviation

Answer 2

mode

Question 3

According to DSM-IV-TR criteria, a person can only be diagnosed as mentally retarded if he/she has an IQ that is below approximately

A) 25.
B) 50.
C) 70.
D) 90.

Answer 3

70.

Question 4

The cutoff score for mental retardation is approximately two standard deviations below the mean. If IQ scores were normally distributed, this would mean that approximately what percentage of the population would fall below this cutoff?

A) 0.5 percent
B) 2 percent
C) 9 percent
D) 15 percent

Question 5

IQ scores are derived from standard scores, and to calculate a standard score you need to know

A) the mode.
B) the normal distribution.
C) the mean and standard deviation.
D) the mode and the median.

Question 6

Which child is most likely to show a significant change in IQ score if retested five years later?

A) Ann who is four years old
B) Bob who is ten years old
C) Cara who is thirteen years old
D) Darla who is seventeen years old

Question 7

Both the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and DSM-IV-TR define subaverage intellectual functioning in terms of

A) academic performance.
B) a score on an individualized intelligence test.
C) observations and assessments by teachers.
D) observations and assessments by pediatricians.

Question 8

In statistical calculations the square root of the variance is called the

A) standard deviation.
B) standard variation.
C) derived variation.
D) All of the above mean the same thing.

Question 9

What is the mean and standard deviation of most intelligence tests?

A) mean of 85, standard deviation of 15
B) mean of 100, standard deviation of 30
C) mean of 100, standard deviation of 15
D) mean of 115, standard deviation of 30

Question 10

What system was used in early intelligence tests to compute an IQ?

A) comparing a score to group norms
B) dividing chronological age by mental age
C) dividing mental age by chronological age
D) translating a score into standard deviations

Question 11

What do we call the midpoint of a frequency distribution?

A) mode
B) norm
C) mean
D) median

Question 12

The AAIDD and the DSM-IV-TR agree that all of the following are criteria for what the DSM refers to as mental retardation EXCEPT

A) significant limitation in intellectual functioning (IQ<70).
B) significant limitation in adaptive functioning.
C) significant perceptual impairment.
D) onset before age 18.

Question 13

The DSM-IV-TR criteria for mental retardation require a low IQ and deficits in adaptive functioning provided that they are

A) present before age 18.
B) considered irreversible.
C) present for more than one year.
D) unrelated to biological causes.

Question 14

A potential problem for the interpretation of IQ scores is the observation that IQ scores in general are rising across generations. The phenomenon is known as the

A) IQ effect.
B) Flynn effect.
C) Regression to the Mean Effect.
D) None of the above are correct.

Question 15

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) uses a different term for DSM "mental retardation," which is

A) intellectually challenged.
B) savantism.
C) intellectual disability.
D) All of the above are used by the AAIDD.

Question 16

Your teacher uses the story of Chris Burke, who plays Corky Thatcher on Life Goes On, in an abnormal psychology class. What point is your professor trying to illustrate with this story?

A) The deficits associated with autism can be overcome with love and attention.
B) A great deal of damage can be done when someone is labeled as having Down syndrome.
C) People with Down syndrome have a natural ability to relate to others and can make great actors.
D) People with Down syndrome might have subaverage intelligence but it does not necessarily keep them from adapting well in life.

Question 17

The statistic in which the differences from the mean are squared (to eliminate negative numbers) before they are added together and divided by their total number is called the

A) standard deviation.
B) mean deviations.
C) median.
D) variance.

Question 18

Twenty-nine-year-old Brenda has an IQ of 67, yet she finished fourth grade. She lives with her boyfriend, pays her bills with money she earns as a factor worker, and is able to live without supervision. What is Brenda's most likely diagnosis in terms of the DSM-IV classification of mental retardation (MR)?

A) would be considered MR because of low IQ
B) would not be considered MR, because she is over 18
C) would be considered MR because of low educational status
D) would not be considered MR, because she is functioning adaptively

Question 19

You are watching the film Rain Man and based on your course work in abnormal psychology recognize that an appropriate diagnostic category for the character Raymond portrayed by Dustin Hoffman is

A) Rett's disorder.
B) fetal alcohol syndrome.
C) mild mental retardation.
D) autism.

Question 20

Al is 64 years old; he is currently a patient at a local hospital where a psychological battery revealed that he has subaverage intelligence and related deficits. Physicians and psychologists believe that his condition is the result of a degenerative brain disease. What is Al's most likely diagnosis?

A) dementia
B) delirium
C) emotional trauma
D) Asperger's disorder

Question 21

In 1866 what did the British physician Langdon Down describe for the first time?

A) characteristics of autism.
B) a subgroup of mental retardation.
C) the case of the "wild boy of Aveyron."
D) the condition of pervasive developmental disorder.

Question 22

The majority of individuals with mental retardation are classified as mildly mentally retarded. What level of academic functioning do these individuals typically achieve?

A) kindergarten
B) second grade
C) sixth grade
D) 10th grade

Question 23

A psychologist administered an IQ test to Jonathan, age 12, and found his IQ was 30. Jonathan also exhibits poor motor development and poor communication skills. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A) savant syndrome
B) Korsakoff's syndrome
C) severe mental retardation
D) moderate mental retardation

Question 24

Martin is now 17 years of age and his IQ scores have been steadily declining for the past several years and he has been losing important skills. His most recent IQ score is 55. As you think about whether to diagnose Martin with mental retardation, you remind yourself that this is an unusual case because

A) his IQ score is now below the cutoff of 70, warranting a diagnosis of late onset mental retardation.
B) he has not yet turned 18 so it is too soon to make a diagnosis.
C) mental retardation does not usually involve loss of skills or notable change in condition.
D) IQ scores with people with mental retardation are unreliable and should not be used to confirm a diagnosis.

Question 25

Jim has been diagnosed as mentally retarded. In her report, a social worker notes that Jim is likely to need close supervision for community living over a long term. What term does the DSM-IV-TR use to describe the type of mental retardation that would need this level of support?

A) mild
B) moderate
C) severe
D) profound

Question 26

Which of the following events is the most likely reason that a person formerly classified as mentally retarded would no longer be classified as such a few years later?

A) The person turned 18.
B) The person's IQ increased significantly.
C) The person became financially independent.
D) The demands of work are different than the demands of school.

Question 27

Approximately what percentage of cases of mental retardation can be attributed to known biological abnormalities?

A) 5 percent
B) 20 percent
C) 50 percent
D) 80 percent

Question 28

What is the most common recognized biological cause of mental retardation?

A) PKU
B) Down syndrome
C) lead poisoning
D) fragile X syndrome

Question 29

Which of the following mentally retarded individuals is most likely to be diagnosed with a form of retardation that is due to a known biological origin?

A) Beverly, who has physical handicaps
B) Edward, whose family lives in a poor neighborhood
C) Sara, whose mental retardation is in the mild range
D) Robert, who was six years old when his retardation was diagnosed

Question 30

What category of mental retardation has the smallest number of individuals?

A) mild
B) severe
C) profound
D) moderate

Question 31

What is the primary purpose for which IQ tests were designed?

A) to detect the extraordinarily gifted
B) to assess level of adaptive functioning
C) to rank people according to intelligence
D) to measure potential for school achievement

Question 32

Even though more than 2.3 percent of people have IQs below the 70 cutoff, the best estimate is that only 1 percent of the population has mental retardation. The prevalence of mental retardation is lower that the prevalence of low IQs because

A) IQ tests are not reliable.
B) most forms of mental retardation have biological causes.
C) many adults with low IQs have adequate adaptive skills.
D) only people younger than age 18 can be diagnosed with mental retardation.

Question 33

Compared to IQ scores of people in the normal range of intelligence, evidence indicates that the IQ tests scores of people with mental retardation are

A) more reliable and valid.
B) less reliable and valid.
C) more free of cultural bias.
D) less free of cultural bias.

Question 34

The statistic in which you add a group of scores together and then divide by the number of those scores is called the

A) median.
B) mean.
C) mode.
D) variance.

Question 35

In addition to an IQ test, which of the following instruments might be used to make a diagnosis of mental retardation?

A) Scholastic Aptitude Test
B) Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales
C) Halstead Reitan Neuropsychological Battery
D) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

Question 36

What evidence do psychologists put forth in support of the validity of intelligence tests?

A) The mean IQ score in the population is 100.
B) IQ scores correlate significantly with school achievement.
C) Estimates of the heritability of intelligence are approximately 50 percent.
D) IQ scores in preschool years are moderately correlated with IQ scores based on tests administered at the end of high school.

Question 37

What did the developers of the DSM-IV-TR seek to accomplish when they decided that mental retardation should be coded on Axis II rather than Axis I?

A) The new coding would focus attention on the biological basis of most forms of mental retardation.
B) The Axis II coding would focus attention on the emotional problems associated with mental retardation.
C) The Axis II coding would separate mental disorders from other forms of mental disorders that tend to have environmental causes.
D) The Axis II designation would focus attention on the failure of most individuals with mental retardation to understand their disabilities.

Question 38

A culture-fair IQ test

A) is designed to be used with one particular culture.
B) contains material equally familiar to people from diverse backgrounds.
C) recognizes cultural differences in the definition of intelligence.
D) is impossible to construct, which is why IQ testing is invalid.

Question 39

Alfred Binet and Theophile Simon developed the first intelligence test in 1905 in response to a request by the French government to identify

A) men fit for the military.
B) extraordinarily gifted individuals.
C) civil service personnel needing further training.
D) children in need of special educational services.

Question 40

Jerry is 21 years old and lives in a group home with people similar to him. When he was six years old, his IQ was determined to be 54. Subsequent IQ tests indicate that it has changed little; he has few physical impairments. Although he was much older than the other students when he finished, he was able to complete sixth grade. What is Jerry's most likely diagnosis?

A) mild mental retardation
B) severe mental retardation
C) profound mental retardation
D) moderate mental retardation

Question 41

What can a caretaker do to diminish the mental retardation associated with PKU?

A) use long‑term behavior modification
B) schedule monthly blood transfusions
C) serve foods that are low in phenylalanine
D) teach the child to communicate via sign language

Question 42

At what point during pregnancy is a mother likely to contract rubella (German measles) that can cause her child to be born with severe mental retardation?

A) in the first three months
B) in the last three months
C) in the second three months
D) right before and during delivery

Question 43

A researcher is investigating the biological and psychological characteristics of a sample of individuals with XYY syndrome. Which of the following is he likely to find?

A) They have criminal records.
B) They experience delusions and hallucinations.
C) Their mean IQ is about 10 points lower than average.
D) Their behavior is likely to meet the criteria for pervasive developmental disorder.

Question 44

By their 30s, individuals with Down syndrome develop brain pathology that is similar to that found in

A) Alzheimer's disease.
B) Parkinson's disease.
C) Huntington's disease.
D) Korsakoff's syndrome.

Question 45

Which disease that can result in mental retardation in children can be transmitted from the mother to the child during delivery?

A) rubella
B) encephalitis
C) toxoplasmosis
D) genital herpes

Question 46

A nurse in a pediatrician's office is instructing the new assistant. They review files in order to help the assistant become familiar with the job and the terminology. When they review one file, they see the word anoxia. What could they conclude about the child based on this description?

A) The baby suffered oxygen deprivation and may be mentally retarded.
B) The child prefers to play by himself rather than in social groups.
C) The child has not developed language at the same rate as other children of his age.
D) The baby has a rare genetic disorder that predisposes him to develop behavioral difficulties.

Question 47

Trisomy 21 is another name for

A) Down syndrome.
B) Turner syndrome.
C) Kanner's syndrome.
D) fragile X syndrome.

Question 48

Which of the following causes of mental retardation results from infection of the brain?

A) encephalitis
B) Turner syndrome
C) Klinefelter syndrome
D) fetal alcohol syndrome

Question 49

The Surgeon General of the United States recommends that what level of alcohol consumption is safe for pregnant women?

A) 1 ounce per day
B) 1 ounce per week
C) 1 ounce per month
D) zero alcohol

Question 50

What types of mental retardation are described by the term cultural-familial?

A) those due to drug abuse during pregnancy
B) those resulting from sexually transmitted diseases
C) those that run in families and are linked to poverty
D) those that are due to chromosomal abnormalities common in certain ethnic groups

Question 51

You are reading the chapter of your textbook that covers mental retardation, and you come to a discussion of rubella, human immunodeficiency virus, syphilis, and encephalitis. They are all included in the same section of this chapter because they are all

A) caused by recessive gene pairings.
B) infectious diseases that can cause mental retardation.
C) the most common forms of death for people with severe and profound mental retardation.
D) the result of per-natal and peri-natal complications.

Question 52

What is the general estimate of the normal range of intelligence that can be attributed to a genetic factor?

A) 10 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 50 percent
D) 75 percent

Question 53

A researcher has collected nationwide data for the age of mothers at the time of birth of their children and the incidence of Down syndrome. What relationship between mothers' age and Down syndrome is this researcher likely to find?

A) a very weak relationship
B) incidence of Down syndrome increases with mothers' age
C) incidence of Down syndrome decreases with mothers' age
D) incidence of Down syndrome increases with mothers' age up to age 35 then decreases

Question 54

Which of the following symptoms are associated with fetal alcohol syndrome?

A) severe mental retardation and gaze aversion
B) profound mental retardation and sensory deficits
C) mild mental retardation and learning disabilities
D) moderate mental retardation and motor dysfunctions

Question 55

Which of these newborns represents the clearest example of a premature birth?

A) Sal who has PKU
B) David who weighs under 5 pounds
C) Barbara who is 20 inches tall
D) Eve who was born after 40 weeks of gestation

Question 56

You are reading the chapter of your textbook that covers mental retardation, and you come to a discussion of phenylketonuria, Tay-Sachs disease, Hurler syndrome, and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. They are all included in the same section of this chapter because they

A) are all mild forms of mental retardation.
B) only affect boys.
C) are caused by recessive gene pairings.
D) are all linked to chromosome 21.

Question 57

What is one common cause of lead exposure in children?

A) insulation
B) canned foods
C) heating systems
D) chips of lead-based paint

Question 58

Fragile X syndrome is characterized by

A) an extra Y sex chromosome.
B) an extra X sex chromosome.
C) a missing X sex chromosome.
D) an abnormality on the X sex chromosome.

Question 59

Which of the following occurs only in females?

A) XYY syndrome
B) Turner syndrome
C) fragile X syndrome
D) Klinefelter syndrome

Question 60

What is the problem in Rh incompatibility during pregnancy?

A) Chromosomal abnormalities cause retardation.
B) Unmetabolized amino acids cause brain damage.
C) Brain infection causes damaging cranial pressure.
D) The mother's antibodies attack the blood cells of the fetus.

Question 61

What do psychologists mean when they say that an autistic individual lacks a theory of mind?

A) The individual's brain is so damaged there is no mind there.
B) These individuals fail to appreciate that other people have a point of reference that differs from their own.
C) The disorder is so devastating that there is no chance of recovery and it affects the mental health of other family members.
D) The inability to bond to caretakers has left these individuals in an existential vacuum, without a way of explaining the complexity that surrounds them.

Question 62

Which of the following pairs of individuals show the highest correlation in IQ scores?

A) adoptive parent and child
B) biological parent and child
C) monozygotic twins reared apart
D) biological siblings reared together

Question 63

Which of the following characterizes the physical appearance of autistic children?

A) uncoordinated movements
B) small head circumference
C) normal physical appearance
D) "mongoloid" facial features

Question 64

Which of the following is an example of the eugenics movement in the United States?

A) the selective breeding of people with high IQs
B) the investigation of the human genome
C) the forced sterilization of people with mental retardation
D) the establishment of Head Start programs

Question 65

What has research on the effectiveness of Head Start revealed?

A) long-term increases in IQ levels
B) no reduction in cultural-familial retardation
C) short-term increases in IQ and academic achievement
D) improved health but no differences in academic performance

Question 66

Why does Temple Grandin describe herself as "an anthropologist on Mars"?

A) Her autism has left her with difficulties in understanding normal social behaviors so she must rely on deliberate observations to infer others' feelings.
B) She can communicate with other autistic individuals using a code that she has developed.
C) Like most people with autism, she has unusual beliefs, including a belief that she has had a past life as an alien.
D) Like an anthropologist, the search for clues to understand the causes of autism requires digging deeply into one's past.

Question 67

Why does cultural-familial retardation occur more frequently among the poor?

A) Poor nutrition causes PKU.
B) Impoverished environments can be less intellectually stimulating.
C) Chromosomal abnormalities are more common in the lower classes.
D) Sexually transmitted diseases are more common in the lower classes.

Question 68

Approximately what percentage of children with autistic disorder remain mute?

A) 5 percent
B) 10 percent
C) 25 percent
D) 50 percent

Question 69

You are attempting to design ways of observing young children that predict an increased risk for autism. Based on the recent NIMH research you would look for all of the following signs EXCEPT

A) exceptional artistic or mathematical ability.
B) orienting to their names less than others.
C) engaging in repetitive movements more than others.
D) looking at other children less than others.

Question 70

A common problem with PDD is where the subtleties of speech production are unusual: disturbed in rate, rhythm, and intonation. The disturbed child or adult sounds unusual to the normal listener, even when the speech content is normal. This is labeled

A) aphonia.
B) dysprosody.
C) dysrythmia.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 71

Insuring that handicapped children are provided with educational opportunities in the least restrictive environment possible, generally in a regular classroom, is termed

A) regularizing.
B) residential schooling.
C) public schooling.
D) mainstreaming.

Question 72

A researcher is describing a theory of the interaction of genes and the environment on intelligence and uses the term reaction range. Which of the following is an example of this concept?

A) The effects of environment occur only at the lower ends of the distribution of intelligence scores.
B) An individual who may have genes for lower IQ can reach a higher level of intelligence in an enriched environment.
C) Psychologists are developing new tests of intellectual functioning that are thought to be more culture-free than previous tests.
D) There is a very specific level of intelligence that can be affected by genetic factors; the rest is the result of the environment.

Question 73

Which of the following is a common language problem among autistic children?

A) using "you" instead of "I"
B) rambling and meaningless stories
C) poor articulation due to deafness
D) preference for gestures rather than verbal language

Question 74

Temple Grandin was diagnosed as autistic when she was young. What aspect of her life has been of special interest to psychologists?

A) She has given birth to children who show no signs of autism.
B) She has managed to live longer than most individuals with autism.
C) She earned a Ph.D. in animal science and developed widely used techniques for animal management.
D) Her experience with autism has allowed her to become a clinician who has expertise in treating autistic children.

Question 75

Which of the following is one of the classic symptoms of autism?

A) "mongoloid" facial features
B) delayed physical development
C) impaired communication ability
D) inability to metabolize phenylalanine

Question 76

Which of the following is an example of the primary prevention of a biological cause of mental retardation?

A) vaccinations for rubella
B) medical screening for PKU
C) programs such as Sesame Street
D) enrolment in Head Start programs

Question 77

Gaze-aversion in children with pervasive developmental disorder is thought to be an indication of

A) visual hallucinations.
B) perceptual difficulties.
C) motor coordination problems.
D) discomfort with social interactions.

Question 78

Between 1927 and 1979 more than ______ citizens of Virginia were forcibly sexually sterilized.

A) 1000
B) 4000
C) 8000
D) 80,000

Question 79

What would be the goal of a tertiary prevention program for people with mental retardation?

A) to prevent pregnant women from abusing alcohol
B) to deal with the various socioemotional difficulties faced by people with mental retardation
C) to encourage the use of amniocentesis
D) to reduce the incidence of infectious diseases that can cause retardation

Question 80

What is amniocentesis?

A) an untreatable brain infection
B) a failure of amino acids to bind
C) an inability to metabolize phenylalanine
D) a procedure for detecting genetic abnormalities of a fetus