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Study Guide

Field 116: Emotional Impairment
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Subarea 1—Understanding Students with Emotional Impairments

Objective 001—Understand human growth, development, and learning.

1. According to Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, which of the following factors is most likely to influence an adolescent's development of identity?

  1. assuming various responsibilities independently
  2. attaining goals that are highly valued
  3. evaluating academic abilities accurately
  4. developing peer and parent/guardian relationships
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Objective 002—Understand major theories of educational psychology as they relate to emotional impairments.

2. Which of the following students most likely has an emotional impairment characterized by social anxiety?

  1. a ninth-grade student who has stopped attending several after-school activities, has become withdrawn from peers, and appears persistently sad
  2. a sixth-grade student who often stays home from school with complaints of stomachaches to avoid embarrassing situations, such as being called on in class
  3. a kindergarten student who steals school supplies and snacks from classmates, and is frequently noncompliant with teacher requests
  4. a third-grade student who methodically arranges items on the desk before being able to initiate an assignment
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Subarea 2—Assessing Students with Emotional Impairments and Developing Individualized Programs

Objective 003—Understand types and characteristics of various assessment instruments and methods for students with emotional impairments.

3. Which of the following evaluation methods would best inform a teacher of students with emotional impairments of a second-grade student's progress toward state academic standards?

  1. annual state-mandated test results
  2. functional behavior assessments (FBA)
  3. standardized intelligence test results
  4. curriculum-based assessments
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Objective 004—Understand procedures for conducting assessments and for interpreting and communicating the results of assessments to address the individual strengths and needs of students with emotional impairments.

4. Which of the following factors contributes most toward the overrepresentation of historically underserved students placed in programs for students with emotional impairments?

  1. misinterpreting students' behavioral and cognitive perspectives
  2. limited information about students' academic and developmental histories
  3. insufficient access to early intervention services and health care
  4. high rates of student absenteeism and family mobility
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Objective 005—Understand procedures for developing, implementing, monitoring, and amending Individualized Education Programs ( I E Pees ), behavioral intervention plans (BIPs), and transition plans for students with emotional impairments.

5. An Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) team conducted a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR) following an incident in which a tenth-grade student with an emotional impairment physically assaulted a peer. The  I E P  team determined that the student's actions were directly related to the disability. Which of the following actions should the  I E P  team take next?

  1. considering a placement in a more restrictive setting
  2. reevaluating the student to develop an updated  I E P 
  3. suspending the student as a consequence of the conduct violation
  4. conducting a functional behavior assessment (FBA)
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

6. Which of the following questions is most important for the multidisciplinary evaluation team (MET) to consider when determining a student's eligibility for special education services?

  1. Is the student making effective progress in school?
  2. Does the student have a medical diagnosis?
  3. What is the most appropriate placement for the student?
  4. What accommodations are most appropriate for the student?
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Objective 006—Understand uses of ongoing assessment in the education of students with emotional impairments.

7. Use the information below to answer the question that follows.

A second-grade teacher has a student with an emotional impairment who becomes discouraged and shuts down when given feedback, specifically when editing writing. After collaborating with the teacher of students with emotional impairments, the second-grade teacher implements an editing checklist outlining writing expectations. The editing checklist is shown.

Pre-Editing Checklist
My dog Harry is the best his name is Harry and he is harry. I feed him at nit. i dont give him a bath. Harry gets into trobl when he sleeps on the cowch he thinks he the boss the cat is the real boss thou. his name is Moris don't touch his tail he will bit you reel hard
Pre-Editing Checklist
My dog Harry is the best. His name is Harry and he is harry. I feed him at nit. I dont give him a bath. Harry gets into trobl when he sleeps on the cowch. He thinks he the boss. The cat is the real boss thou. His name is Moris. Don't touch his tail. He will bit you reel hard.
My Editing Checklist
checkmark I used capital letters to start my sentences.
checkmark I used punctuation to end my sentences.
checkmark My sentences make sense.
checkmark I used finger spaces between my words.

After reviewing the student's writing sample, the teachers conclude that the editing checklist has improved the student's writing. Which of the following reasons best explains the effectiveness of the instructional approach?

  1. It identifies steps to complete the activity while promoting metacognitive awareness.
  2. It focuses subject-matter content using a visual organization strategy.
  3. It facilitates problem-solving abilities through cause and effect thinking.
  4. It relates information to main themes, ideas, and vocabulary knowledge.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Subarea 3—Teaching Students with Emotional Impairments

Objective 007—Understand evidence- and research-based strategies and practices for planning and managing the learning environment for students with emotional impairments.

8. A sixth-grade student with an emotional impairment frequently exhibits an increase in noncompliant and disruptive behavior during transitions, especially when returning to class after lunch. Which of the following strategies would most likely promote the student's success with transitions?

  1. creating a picture schedule that the student can refer to throughout the day
  2. reviewing the schedule at the end of the day in preparation for the next school day
  3. providing a description and a timeframe of the upcoming activity before the transition
  4. allowing the student to select activities to determine the schedule for each day
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Objective 008—Understand evidence- and research-based strategies and procedures for developing, implementing, and monitoring behavioral intervention plans (BIPs) for students with emotional impairments.

9. A teacher of students with emotional impairments uses a token economy to promote a third-grade student's on-task behavior during classroom assignments and activities. Since implementing the token economy system, the student's ability to independently remain on task has increased from three minutes to seven minutes. Which of the following strategies would most likely increase the student's ability to remain on task?

  1. decreasing the number of tokens the student must earn to obtain a reward
  2. encouraging the student to self-monitor on-task behavior and track tokens earned
  3. expanding the number of minutes required for the student to earn a token
  4. changing the value of the reward for the same number of tokens the student earns
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Objective 011—Understand evidence- and research-based strategies for developing and promoting communication and social skills for students with emotional impairments.

10. Throughout the school day, a fourth-grade teacher of students with emotional impairments asks students to identify and record their emotional states. When students identify negative emotions, such as frustration and sadness, the teacher asks, "Did you try one of your strategies?" Which of the following skills is the teacher promoting when using this instructional approach?

  1. self-determination
  2. advocacy
  3. pragmatic language
  4. self-regulation
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

11. A sixth-grade student with an emotional impairment and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) enjoys participating in classroom discussions, but frequently speaks out of turn, interrupts peers, and attempts to respond to every question or comment. The student's behavior disrupts classroom discussions and inhibits participation from peers. As a first step to addressing the student's behavior, the teacher of students with emotional impairments develops an anchor chart during a whole-group discussion and posts the chart in a visible location within the classroom. The chart is shown below.

Anchor Chart
Problem: Students are interrupting each other too much.
Why is this a problem? What can we do to fix the problem?
It hurts people's feelings. You can raise your hand.
You don't get a chance to talk. You can wait for somebody to stop talking.
You can't finish what you said. You can share the talking time.
You stop wanting to talk. You can listen.

Which of the following skills does this instructional strategy most likely promote?

  1. executive functioning and self-management
  2. inhibition and problem solving
  3. self-monitoring and reinforcing expectations
  4. conflict resolution and appropriate social responses
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Objective 012—Understand strategies and procedures for supporting life transitions of students with emotional impairments.

12. An eleventh-grade student with a specific learning disability and an emotional impairment has a postsecondary goal of attending a technical school to pursue a career as a dental hygienist. Which of the following Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) goals would best support the student's decision-making skills when selecting a technical program?

  1. The student will select an occupation based on personal strengths, needs, and academic performance.
  2. The student will list a number of benchmarks that need to be reached to achieve the postsecondary goal.
  3. The student will identify how academic skills learned in school relate to occupational interests.
  4. The student will contact technical schools to inquire about supports and services provided to students with disabilities.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Subarea 4—Working in the Professional Environment

Objective 013—Understand strategies for communicating and collaborating with students with emotional impairments and their parents/guardians to promote desired learning outcomes.

13. An Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) team meets to discuss a seventh-grade student's placement. Although the student has made significant emotional and behavioral progress in a self-contained classroom, the student's parents/guardians express doubt that their child will be successful in a general education classroom. Which of the following strategies should the teacher of students with emotional impairments use to best address the concerns of the parents/guardians?

  1. suggesting that the student enroll in the general education classroom with paraprofessional support to record data regarding the student's behavior
  2. recommending that the student remain in the self-contained classroom with visits to the general education classroom
  3. developing an inclusion plan that includes training, support, and appropriate staffing with the  I E P  team
  4. reassuring the parents/guardians that the educators working with their child are highly qualified
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Objective 014—Understand how to collaborate and effectively establish partnerships with other school personnel and community organizations to facilitate learning opportunities for students with emotional impairments.

14. A teacher of students with emotional impairments is developing a series of in-service trainings for paraprofessionals to improve behavior management practices across the district. Which of the following training approaches is most likely to promote the paraprofessionals' active engagement during the trainings?

  1. developing a web-based training that paraprofessionals can complete at their own pace
  2. providing an opportunity for paraprofessionals to practice and refine skills with support
  3. presenting a slideshow to paraprofessionals outlining key presentation details
  4. distributing research studies regarding the efficacy of various behavioral management techniques
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Objective 015—Understand the professional, ethical, and legal roles and responsibilities involved in the education of students with emotional impairments.

15. A multidisciplinary evaluation team (MET) recommends that a fifth-grade student receive special education services for an emotional impairment. The student's assessment results most likely indicate:

  1. academic difficulties that are attributable to methods of instruction and progress monitoring.
  2. discrepancies between cognitive functioning and academic performance.
  3. academic difficulties that cannot be attributed to intellectual, sensory, or medical factors.
  4. differences regarding behavior in school, at home, and in the community.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.

16. Which of the following is a major concern related to the education of students with emotional impairments?

  1. A significant decrease in the prevalence of emotional impairments is threatening federal and state funding programs that address this disability.
  2. High school dropout rates for students with emotional impairments are among the highest across disability categories.
  3. Public funding is being used to support popular educational interventions for emotional impairments that lack adequate research.
  4. Increasing public pressure to identify students with emotional impairments has caused an upsurge in special education referrals.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Use the information below to answer the four questions that follow.

Following an initial evaluation review, a multidisciplinary evaluation team (MET) recommends special education services for a second-grade student with an emotional impairment and Tourette syndrome. After reviewing the evaluation results, the Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) team determines that the most appropriate placement for the student would be the general education classroom with support from a paraprofessional during unstructured activities and support from the teacher of students with emotional impairments during academic instruction.

Excerpts from the student's initial evaluation:

Medical History

The student's sensorimotor, cognitive, and language milestones were achieved on time. The student was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome in the first grade. The student is prescribed an antidepressant medication which helps to manage tics, compulsive behaviors, and rapid mood changes.

Adaptive Behavior

The student exhibits rigid and repetitive behaviors, facial tics, and involuntary verbal outbursts. In addition, the student has difficulty sustaining attention and frequently engages in ritualistic behaviors, such as entering and exiting the classroom several times before ultimately entering the classroom. When the student's ritualistic behaviors are disrupted, the student becomes visibly anxious, resulting in increased facial tics, verbal outbursts, and noncompliance.

Social Behavior

The student is verbally aggressive toward peers and struggles to play cooperatively, with a tendency to impulsively take desired objects away from others, refuse to share, and ignore turn taking rules. The student is generally avoided by peers due to these behaviors.

Academic Functioning

The student has a number of strengths, which include receptive language comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, and reading decoding and comprehension. Classroom performance and standardized test results indicate that the student demonstrates difficulties with mathematics fact fluency with numbers 1 through 10, skip-counting, and adding and subtracting numbers 10 through 20. The student's noncompliance, off-task behavior, and verbal outbursts increase in frequency during mathematics instruction.

17. Which of the following Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) goals would most effectively address the student's social skill needs?

  1. using pragmatic language conventions, such as saying "please" and "thank you"
  2. recognizing the nonverbal cues of peers to encourage more prosocial behavior
  3. practicing social scripts with peers during play routines, such as asking to join a play group
  4. replacing verbally aggressive behavior with communication strategies
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

18. Which of the following strategies would best support the student during periods of acute anxiety?

  1. establishing a safe, supervised area where the student can choose to go
  2. ensuring that a paraprofessional is on call to remove the student from the classroom
  3. arranging with the student's parents/guardians to come to school to pick up their child
  4. exempting the student from assignments and activities that cause anxiety
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

19. Which of the following actions is most likely to support the student's social development and ability to engage in play with peers?

  1. conducting a class meeting devoted to reviewing behavior and pragmatic language rules
  2. organizing the students' desks in clusters of four to encourage socialization between the student and peers
  3. positioning the student near the front of the room so that the teacher can intervene immediately when student conflicts arise
  4. coordinating small social groups with three to five students within the classroom to promote prosocial behavior during play
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

20. Which of the following strategies would most likely reduce this student's anxiety during mathematics instruction?

  1. pairing the student with another student with content knowledge strengths
  2. pre-teaching concepts in a small group before the lesson
  3. reducing the length of assignments or activities
  4. providing the student with an alternative or modified assignment
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.