Chapter 4 Parents and Families
4.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) In the not too distant past, many professionals believed that parents were
A) unwilling to spend time working with their child.
B) to blame for their child’s problems.
C) unable to work effectively with their child.
D) unable to cope with a child with a disability.
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC1K1
2) Many parents are able to adjust their interactions with their children to
A) minimize negative development.
B) maximize human potential.
C) maximize positive development.
D) minimize negative consequences.
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC1K1
3) Which one of the following best describes current views on the direction of causation
between child and adult behavior?
A) one-way street: adult behavior causes child behavior
B) one-way street: child behavior causes adult behavior
C) two-way street: behavior is reciprocal
D) dead end
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC1K1
4) Unlike the past, many professionals now view early intervention as an opportunity to
A) train parents to be effective therapists.
B) teach parents how to teach their child.
C) support the natural parent-child relationship.
D) provide counseling for parents.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
5) An IFSP refers to an
A) informal family service plan.
B) individualized family service plan.
C) initial family service program.
D) intensive family service program.
Praxis: II.A.
CEC: CC1K7
6) According to one survey, what percentage of families reported that one or more family
members adjusted their employment situation because of having a child with a
disability in the family?
A) about 75%
B) less than 20%
C) about 10%
D) over 50%
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC3K1
7) Stage theories of reaction to having a child with a disability have been questioned for
all of the following reasons EXCEPT
A) it is largely a myth that most parents engage in denial.
B) parents do not go through stages in an identical and predictable way.
C) parents are often the first to suspect a problem.
D) the majority of parents do not experience changes in emotions.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
8) It is largely a myth that many parents of children with disabilities experience
A) anxiety.
B) denial.
C) guilt.
D) anger.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC3K1
9) The prevalence of feelings of guilt is probably due to
A) the fact that the cause of so many disabilities is unknown.
B) parents’ knowledge that they caused their child’s disability.
C) strangers’ stares and comments.
D) the lack of support for families of disabled children.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC3K1
10) When dealing with the public, one of the most difficult things that parents are likely
to face is
A) the inappropriate responses of their children to others.
B) the poor report cards they may get from school.
C) the problems that other children in the family will experience because they
have a sibling with a disability.
D) inappropriate responses of others to their children with disabilities.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC1K7
11) In dealing with the feelings of a child with a disability, parents should
A) respond honestly to specific questions asked by the child.
B) assure the child that he or she is no different from others and their disability
doesn’t matter.
C) speak about their disability in general, rather than specific ways.
D) wait until the child is an adolescent so he or she will be better able to
understand.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
12) The reactions of extended family members are important because they can often play
a critical role in
A) financial assistance.
B) providing comfort and support.
C) recommending professional help.
D) determining the cause of the disability.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
13) Each of the following statements about parental adjustment and stress is true
EXCEPT
A) There is abundant evidence that parents of children with disabilities undergo
more than the average amount of stress.
B) Mothers of children with disabilities are at an increased risk of experiencing
depression.
C) The degree of stress is strongly related to the severity of the child’s disability.
D) Parents who were happily married before the birth of a child with a disability
have a better chance of coping well with the situation.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
14) In families of a child with a disability, parental stress is usually the result of
A) daily burdens related to child care.
B) the child’s medical involvement.
C) demands placed on the family by the school system.
D) catastrophic events.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
15) Which one of the following is regarded by some parents as a positive effect of having
a child with a disability?
A) entitles the family to financial benefits
B) causes family members to be more tolerant of others
C) reduces parents’ concerns about social issues
D) puts an end to unstable marital relationships
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
16) Evidence suggests that Latino families are more likely than Anglo families to view
having a child with a disability as a positive experience because of
A) resignation to the fact that bad things happen in life.
B) their religious views.
C) the importance of the family and the social supports it provides.
D) the importance of following advice from authority figures.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
17) According to Gerlach, it makes sense for her clothes dryer to have a “normal” setting.
However, when it comes to describing people, she suggests that a more appropriate
word than “normal” might be
A) standard.
B) balanced.
C) average.
D) typical.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
18) Young siblings of a child with a disability are likely to
A) have the opposite reaction as their parents.
B) deny that the child with a disability is different.
C) seek out information from others about the disability.
D) have a more difficult time coping with their feelings than their parents.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
19) At older ages, when siblings are adults,
A) Men have more favorable attachments than women to their sibling with a
disability.
B) Women have more favorable attachments than men to their sibling with a
disability.
C) Adults of the same gender as their sibling with a disability have less favorable
emotional responses.
D) Adults of the opposite gender of their sibling with a disability have more
favorable emotional responses.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
20) Tina and Jim have three children, one of whom has a disability. Several professionals
work for them, encouraging the family to make its own decisions and get non-
professional and formal support. This approach to intervention is consistent with
which model?
A) professional-centered
B) family-centered
C) family-focused
D) family-systems
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
21) A system of using educational service in addition to available community services to
meet the needs of children and their families is called
A) wraparound service.
B) intensive service.
C) integrated service.
D) holistic service.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
22) The family systems approach emphasizes
A) interrelationships among the family and other social systems.
B) the effects of the environment on the family.
C) quality of interactions between parents and professionals.
D) need for ongoing and systematic family intervention.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
23) Each of the following comments about the U.S. military is true, EXCEPT
A) More low-income women are joining.
B) It is the largest employer of single parents.
C) More than 80% of service people are married with children.
D) It provides a flexible workplace for single parents.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
24) According to the Turnbulls’ family systems theory, healthy families have
A) moderate degrees of acceptance and compassion.
B) moderate degrees of cohesion and adaptability.
C) moderate degrees of cohesion and high degrees of adaptability.
D) moderate degrees of acceptance and high degrees of adaptability.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
25) In Sam’s family, everyone spends their free time independently. Family members
seldom eat meals together or plan joint activities. Sam’s family has low
A) acceptance.
B) adaptability.
C) cohesion.
D) compassion.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
26) The degree to which an individual family member is free to act independently of
other family members is
A) acceptance.
B) adaptability.
C) cohesion.
D) compassion.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
27) The degree to which families are able to change their modes of interaction when they
encounter unusual or stressful situations refers to
A) acceptance.
B) cohesion.
C) adaptability.
D) compassion.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
28) The numerous routines in which families engage to meet their many and diverse
needs is referred to as
A) family functions.
B) family characteristics.
C) family interactions.
D) family life cycle.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
29) The Turnbulls’ family systems theory suggests that families sometimes prefer passive
involvement in educational decision-making because they
A) do not value education for their children.
B) are neglectful.
C) need to attend to other functions.
D) have little to contribute.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC1K7
30) Which approach considers how the impact of a child with a disability on the family
changes over time?
A) family-centered perspective
B) life cycle perspective
C) community systems perspective
D) social support systems model
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
31) Families of a child with a disability tend to experience most stress during
A) infancy to age five.
B) adolescence.
C) transitions.
D) adulthood.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
32) One person having the authority, granted by the courts, to make decisions for another
person is
A) wardenship.
B) proxy.
C) paternalism.
D) guardianship.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
33) Transitions between stages are difficult because
A) the next stage brings on overwhelming challenges.
B) parents aren’t ready to give their child added independence.
C) increasingly fewer professionals become involved.
D) each new phase presents uncertainty to the family.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
34) Social support includes each of the following EXCEPT
A) emotional support.
B) formal, professional support.
C) informational support.
D) material aid.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
35) A distinctive feature of the social support approach is that it focuses on
A) developing informal sources of support.
B) creating a network of professionals to assist the family.
C) expanding access to social services in the community.
D) changing the community rather than the family.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
36) Which one of the following is the best example of a resource that is likely to be
tapped in the social support systems approach?
A) neighbors
B) teachers
C) social workers
D) local employers
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
37) Each of the following is an example of social support EXCEPT
A) a family’s church.
B) a parental support group.
C) a subscription to a disability journal.
D) an Internet news group.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
38) It is suggested that social support be integrated with functional behavioral assessment
and positive behavioral and intervention support specifically in the case of children
with
A) Down syndrome.
B) emotional or behavioral disorders.
C) learning disabilities.
D) physical disabilities.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC1K7
39) Functional behavioral assessment involves evaluation of each of the following
EXCEPT
A) antecedent events.
B) contextual factors maintaining behavior.
C) consequences of behavior.
D) disciplinary style.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC1K7
40) Positive behavior and intervention supports should be applied during routines that
families normally engage in. These routines are
A) family activity settings.
B) family intervention opportunities.
C) family routine supports.
D) family intervention settings.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC1K7
41) A frequent complaint made by parents about communication with teachers is that
A) they are not notified about meetings until the last minute.
B) teachers interrupt them at work to ask questions about their child’s routine.
C) they only hear from school personnel when their child has misbehaved.
D) teachers respond promptly to parents’ requests for information.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10K4
42) Parent-teacher conferences benefit the teacher primarily because
A) the teacher can learn more about the student from the parents’ viewpoint.
B) conferences are easier to arrange than other forms of communication.
C) conferences provide an opportunity for the teacher to visit the home.
D) the teacher does not have to be as diplomatic as in written communication.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10S5
43) Which area is often a source of misunderstanding and conflict for the home-school
relationship, especially for students with disabilities?
A) tests
B) homework
C) extracurricular activities
D) recess
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10K3
44) Homework for students with disabilities should be used
A) to introduce new skills.
B) to develop age-appropriate attention span.
C) to review skills already taught.
D) as a consequence for failing to complete work in class.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10K3
45) The key to a successful parent-teacher conference is
A) two-way communication.
B) accepting parents as equals.
C) maintaining professional distance.
D) being prepared/planning.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10S5
46) Ms. Chico, a sixth-grade teacher, arranges a parent-teacher conference with Mr. and
Mrs. Yuba to discuss a problem she is having with their son Bobby, who has learning
disabilities. Most authorities would recommend that Ms. Chico
A) emphasize positive things about Bobby, along with the negative.
B) end the conference by summarizing Bobby’s deficit areas.
C) start with business first rather than informal social conversation.
D) use professional language so that the Yubas will view her as a professional.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10S5
47) When preparing for a parent-teacher conference, the teacher should do all of the
following EXCEPT
A) consult with other professionals about the student’s behavior.
B) establish the role of authority.
C) review the student’s cumulative records.
D) provide written notice.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10S5
48) The purpose of home-note programs is to
A) let the teacher know what is going on at home.
B) enable parents to provide reinforcement for behavior at school.
C) allow parents to communicate with all the professionals who deal with their
child.
D) document communication that has occurred between home and school.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10K4
49) A traveling notebook
A) allows different professionals to communicate with parents.
B) requires a good deal of preparation.
C) is a formal method of communication.
D) should remain in school at all times so that the professionals who work with a
child will have access to it when they need it.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10K4
50) Under IDEA, one form of advocacy to which parents are entitled is/are
A) weekly meetings.
B) reciprocity.
C) due process.
D) parent training.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10S5
4.2 True/False Questions
1) A primary goal of early intervention is to train parents to work in a therapeutic role
with their child.
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC1K7
2) Parents generally go through a series of emotional reactions in a predictable and
sequential fashion.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
3) Due to denial, many parents of infants with disabilities go from physician to physician
“shopping” for an optimistic diagnosis.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC3K1
4) Family stress is typically most influenced by the severity of the child’s disability.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC3K1
5) There are numerous anecdotal accounts of parents who report that having a child with
a disability has some positive results.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC3K3
6) The feelings that siblings experience about a child with a disability are quite different
from their parents’ feelings.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
7) Families with a high level of cohesion may limit their child’s independence.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
8) Parents of a child with a disability who are uninvolved with decision making at school
probably are neglectful at home.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
9) Transitions between life stages tend to be times of low stress for families.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
10) It is essential for success that parents be advocates for their children with disabilities
throughout the school years.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
4.3 Short Answer Questions
1) Discuss the theory that the direction of causation between child and adult behavior is a
two-way street.
Praxis: I.A.
CEC: CC1K1
2) Describe the symbiotic relationship between teachers and parents, providing two
examples of the importance of families to teachers and two of the importance of
teachers to families.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC1K7
3) What issues are related to parental reactions to having a child with a disability, and
what factors appear to be most predictive of how couples will cope with the stress
associated with having a child with a disability?
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
4) Explain why siblings of a child with a disability might have a more difficult time
adjusting than their parents and list four concerns that children and adolescents might
have about their sibling with a disability.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
5) What does research suggest about the adjustment of siblings of people with
disabilities? What factors help siblings adjust?
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
6) Describe the family systems approach to intervention, including its four interrelated
concepts.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
7) Discuss why teachers should be attentive to the expanding ethnic diversity in the U.S.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K4
8) Discuss the advantages and (possible) disadvantages of three home-school
communication strategies: Parent-teacher conferences, home-note program, and
traveling notebooks.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10K4
9) Describe three strategies that teachers can use to make homework assignments more
effective.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10K3
Chapter 4 Parent and Families
4.1 Multiple Choice Questions
4.2 True/False Questions
4.3 Short Answer Questions
