C HAPTER 11: C HILDHOOD AND
N EURODEVELOPMENTAL D ISORDERS
Halter: Varcarolis’ Foundations of Psychiatric -Mental Health Nursing: A
Clinical Approach, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse assesses a 3 -year-old diagnosed with an autism spec trum disorder.
Which finding is most associated with the child’s disorder?
a. has occasional toileting accidents.
b. interrupts or intrudes on others.
c. cries when separated from a parent.
d. continuousl y rocks in place for 30 minutes.
ANS: D
Autism spectrum disord er involves distortions in development of social
skills and language that include perception, motor movement, attention,
and realit y testing. Body rocking for extended periods suggests autism
spectrum disorder. Occasional toileting accidents and crying whe n
separated from a parents are expected findings for a 3 -year-old.
Interrupting or intruding on others are assessment findings associated
with ADHD.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs:
Psychosocial Integrity
,2. A 4-year-old cries for 5 minutes when the parents leave the child at
preschool. The parents ask the nurse, “What should we do?” What is the
nurse’s best response?
a. “Ask the teacher to let the child call you at play time.”
b. “Withdraw the child from preschool until maturit y increases.”
c. “Remain with your child for the first hour of preschool time.”
d. “Give your child a kiss before you leave the preschool program.”
ANS: D
The child demonstrates age -appropriate behavior for a 4 -year-old. The
nurse should reassure the parents. The distracters are over -reactions.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: Client
Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance
3. Which assessment finding would cause the nurse to consider a child to be
most at risk for the development of mental illness?
a. The child has been raised by a parent with recurring major
depressive disorder.
b. The child’s best friend was absent from the child’s birthday part y.
c. The child was not promoted to the next grade one year.
d. The child moved to three new homes over a 2 -year period.
ANS: A
, Children raised by a depressed parent have an increased risk of
developing an emotional disorder. Familial risk factors correlate with
child psychiat ric disorders, including severe marital discord, low
socioeconomic status, large families and overcrowding, parental
criminalit y, maternal psychiatric disorders, and foster -care placement.
The chronicit y of the parent’s depression means it has been a
consistent stressor. The other factors are not as risk - enhancing.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs:
Psychosocial Integrity
4. The child prescribed an antipsychotic medication to manage viol ent
behavior is one most likel y diagnosed with what disorder?
a. attention deficit hyperactivit y disorder (ADHD).
b. posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
c. communication disorder.
d. an anxiet y disorder.
ANS: A
Antipsychotic medication is useful for managing aggre ssive or violent
behavior in some children diagnosed with ADHD. If medication were
prescribed for a child with an anxiet y disorder, it would be a
benzodiazepine. Medications are generally not needed for children with
communication disorder. Treatment of PT SD is more often associated
with SSR I medications.
N EURODEVELOPMENTAL D ISORDERS
Halter: Varcarolis’ Foundations of Psychiatric -Mental Health Nursing: A
Clinical Approach, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse assesses a 3 -year-old diagnosed with an autism spec trum disorder.
Which finding is most associated with the child’s disorder?
a. has occasional toileting accidents.
b. interrupts or intrudes on others.
c. cries when separated from a parent.
d. continuousl y rocks in place for 30 minutes.
ANS: D
Autism spectrum disord er involves distortions in development of social
skills and language that include perception, motor movement, attention,
and realit y testing. Body rocking for extended periods suggests autism
spectrum disorder. Occasional toileting accidents and crying whe n
separated from a parents are expected findings for a 3 -year-old.
Interrupting or intruding on others are assessment findings associated
with ADHD.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs:
Psychosocial Integrity
,2. A 4-year-old cries for 5 minutes when the parents leave the child at
preschool. The parents ask the nurse, “What should we do?” What is the
nurse’s best response?
a. “Ask the teacher to let the child call you at play time.”
b. “Withdraw the child from preschool until maturit y increases.”
c. “Remain with your child for the first hour of preschool time.”
d. “Give your child a kiss before you leave the preschool program.”
ANS: D
The child demonstrates age -appropriate behavior for a 4 -year-old. The
nurse should reassure the parents. The distracters are over -reactions.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: Client
Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance
3. Which assessment finding would cause the nurse to consider a child to be
most at risk for the development of mental illness?
a. The child has been raised by a parent with recurring major
depressive disorder.
b. The child’s best friend was absent from the child’s birthday part y.
c. The child was not promoted to the next grade one year.
d. The child moved to three new homes over a 2 -year period.
ANS: A
, Children raised by a depressed parent have an increased risk of
developing an emotional disorder. Familial risk factors correlate with
child psychiat ric disorders, including severe marital discord, low
socioeconomic status, large families and overcrowding, parental
criminalit y, maternal psychiatric disorders, and foster -care placement.
The chronicit y of the parent’s depression means it has been a
consistent stressor. The other factors are not as risk - enhancing.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl y (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs:
Psychosocial Integrity
4. The child prescribed an antipsychotic medication to manage viol ent
behavior is one most likel y diagnosed with what disorder?
a. attention deficit hyperactivit y disorder (ADHD).
b. posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
c. communication disorder.
d. an anxiet y disorder.
ANS: A
Antipsychotic medication is useful for managing aggre ssive or violent
behavior in some children diagnosed with ADHD. If medication were
prescribed for a child with an anxiet y disorder, it would be a
benzodiazepine. Medications are generally not needed for children with
communication disorder. Treatment of PT SD is more often associated
with SSR I medications.
