Praxis Practice Test Deck 3

Question 1

When should a school psychologist suggest exploring more information regarding medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to parents?
A. After assessments have been completed and there are indications of ADHD
B. School staff should not typically recommend medication because it falls outside their scope of
practice
C. Only after securing a confidential release of information to speak with the student’s
pediatrician about the child’s difficulties at school
D. When the student’s difficulties impact his or her development

Answer 1

A. Although some practitioners may debate the answer to this question, it is appropriate to let parents know about the research regarding medication if your assessment data support your comments. As long as the psychologist is recommending that the parent only speak with a doctor and is not giving a directive to take medications, then this action is permissible. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Professional Practices, Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery

Question 2

A student is asked to dial a phone number while hearing the number for the first time. This is an example of what type of cognitive function?
A. Short-term memory
B. Working memory
C. Encoding
D. Transient memory

Answer 2

B. Working memory is the ability to hold information “online” while performing another task. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 3

A student is diagnosed with mild autism. At school, it is common to observe which one of the following characteristics?
A. Social skills difficulties
B. Receptive language problems
C. Inability to effectively use spatial and verbal information
D. Emotional regulation difficulties

Answer 3

A. Students with mild autism may also have some of the traits listed in the other choices, but the best response for this question is “A.” A hallmark trait of autism is social skills deficits and social language problems. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 4

In regard to suspected child abuse cases, all school employees must do which of the following?
A. Always notify the school administration of the suspected abuse
B. Report cases of suspected abuse to police or social services
C. Gather basic information about an abuse case and immediately contact the police or social
services
D. Report abuse cases to the school social worker and collaboratively report abuse cases

Answer 4

B. Mandated reporters must notify police or social services. Even if mandated reports “tell” the school social worker or principal, they are ultimately responsible to report suspected abuse to the proper authorities. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 5

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children:
A. Can cause learning disabilities and attention problems
B. Is serious, but typically not as serious as TBI in adults because a child’s brain has more
neuroplasticity than an adult’s brain
C. In most cases will impact the cognitive development of children
D. Typically produces a cognitive profile reflected by significantly higher nonverbal than verbal
performance

Answer 5

A. Although a child’s brain can make a complete recovery after a brain injury, it is more vulnerable to permanent damage than an adult’s in most cases. Brain injuries can produce learning, behavioral, emotional, and attention problems. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) assessment is a growing responsibility for school psychologists. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Professional Practices, Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery

Question 6

During a formal assessment, you ask a child to say a word and then manipulate the word’s sounds. What are you assessing when you ask a student to perform this task?
A. You are testing for sound discrimination
B. You are assessing word–sound associations
C. You are evaluating phonemic awareness
D. You are evaluating the student’s verbal working memory

Answer 6

C. This question has several distracter answers. Phonemic awareness is the ability to manipulate sounds. For example, say cat, then say it again without the /c/ sound. Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 7

A teacher asks for your direct assistance regarding a disruptive student. You agree to observe the child. You discreetly sit in the class and observe what happens before, during, and after the targeted behavior. After your observation, you determine that the student was acting out when the student was working with a specific peer. What type of evaluation were you conducting to assist
the teacher?
A. You were performing a functional behavioral assessment (FBA)
B. You were conducting a time sample observation
C. You were assessing antecedents and consequences
D. You were conducting qualitative observation

Answer 7

A. A Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is the standard formal evaluation that specifically evaluates the antecedents, behavior, and consequences. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 8

A student has significant difficulty perceiving visual symbols accurately. An inability to perceive visual stimuli accurately is typically associated with which part of the brain?
A. Temporal lobe
B. Parietal lobe
C. Prefrontal cortex
D. Occipital lobe

Answer 8

D. The occipital lobe is considered the primary anatomical region of the visual cortex. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 9

Cognitive psychologists hypothesize that the construct of “attention” can be categorized into different types. What are the primary types of attention?
A. Selective and continuous
B. Focused and continuous
C. Selective and sustained
D. Sustained and focused

Answer 9

C. There are several types of attention described in mainstream research. Attention can be divided into selective, sustained, and divided subtypes. The previous terms are technical in nature and are used with precision. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 10

When a preschool child imitates the aggressive behavior of an adult that he has recently observed in a movie, this behavior is based on which psychological construct?
A. Modeling
B. Latent aggression
C. Observational learning
D. Behavioral learning

Answer 10

A. Modeling is the proper psychological term to describe learning through observation. Reference Albert Bandura’s work related to modeling. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 11

Who is the theorist largely responsible for studying aggression in children and conducting experiments using a “Bobo” doll?
A. B. F. Skinner
B. Martin Seligman
C. Albert Bandura
D. Carl Jung

Answer 11

C. This question is factual and straightforward. See question 90. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 12

A colleague asks you to review a journal article that describes several studies and experiments. You are specifically asked to discern the strongest correlation coefficient from the following.
Which one depicts the strongest correlation?
A. 0.97
B. –0.98
C. 0.100
D. –0.250

Answer 12

B. Remember that a negative correlation can be stronger than a positive correlation. Note that a – 0.98 is almost a perfect (i.e., highest possible) correlation. Professional Practices, Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery

Question 13

Case example for questions 93 to 95: In an experiment, you want to examine the effect background music has on learning. You form two groups. One group studies with soft classical background music, whereas the other group studies in a quiet area.

The group exposed to background music is called the:
A. Experimental group
B. Independent group
C. Control group
D. Dependent variable

Answer 13

A. Test takers are typically confused by this question. The experimental group is the one that is exposed to the conditions of the experiment. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 14

Case example for questions 93 to 95: In an experiment, you want to examine the effect background music has on learning. You form two groups. One group studies with soft classical background music, whereas the other group studies in a quiet area.

The group not exposed to background music is called the:
A. Experimental group
B. Independent group
C. Control group
D. Dependent variable

Answer 14

C. The control group is not exposed to experimental factors. See question 93 as a comparison. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 15

Case example for questions 93 to 95: In an experiment, you want to examine the effect background music has on learning. You form two groups. One group studies with soft classical background music, whereas the other group studies in a quiet area.

In the experiment, the music is considered the:
A. Experimental variable
B. Manipulation variable
C. Independent variable
D. Dependent variable

Answer 15

C. The correct term is independent variable, not experimental variable. Make sure you know the subtle differences between terms with these types of questions. Most students misunderstand the terms independent and dependent variables. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 16

When you assess a student for special services, best practice suggests that you do which of the following?
A. Use at least two valid standardized measures before identifying a disorder or disability
B. Present evaluation data to your special education team before formally identifying a disorder
C. Use both valid formal and informal assessments to base your decisions
D. Conduct at least one in-class observation of the student

Answer 16

C. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) endorses and encourages the use of both formal and informal measures when evaluating a student for special education services. Note that option “D” is valid, but subsumed by answer “C” because an observation is considered an informal measure. Professional Practices, Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery

Question 17

Aphasia is normally associated with what type of problem?
A. A speech–language disturbance
B. A visual–motor disturbance
C. An inability to write
D. A difficulty with quantitative problem solving

Answer 17

A. The term aphasia is associated with a range of language problems, such as word-retrieval difficulties and verbal comprehension trouble. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 18

A student employs a problem-solving method that reduces the number of options or alternatives to be considered. This student is using what type of problem-solving technique?
A. Deduction
B. Successive processing
C. Logical reasoning
D. A heuristic

Answer 18

D. Although “A” and “C” are reasonable answers, the best answer is a “D” heuristic. A heuristic is a tool used in problem solving and is based on reducing the number of factors to consider. Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 19

A teacher asks you to assist with a student who has reading difficulties. You suggest that the student explicitly describe her reasoning and predict outcomes of selected paragraphs. Most likely, these suggestions are to improve the student’s:
A. Overall reading proficiency
B. Decoding skills
C. Comprehension skills
D. Encoding skills

Answer 19

C. When students are asked to describe their reasoning, they are forced to interrogate their thoughts and to think deeply. Such techniques increase understanding and comprehension. Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 20

During a structured interview for a Canadian-born student, you notice that the interviewee is well groomed and has a quick but polite sense of humor. Care must be taken that your assessment results are not tainted by what psychological phenomenon?
A. Halo effect
B. Observer bias
C. Cultural bias
D. The Germain effect

Answer 20

A. The halo effect is a well-known psychological effect. Note that this question, or concepts related to it, was asked in a previous question on this test. Sometimes, you can answer questions by remembering previous items. Reference question 27. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 21

You work as a school psychologist for a rural school district with a low socioeconomic status (SES) population. Budget problems and personnel shortages are persistent in your district. The principal of your school informs you not to make recommendations for parents to seek community counseling services for their children. Additionally, the principal informs you that you must only conduct group counseling sessions, not individual sessions. Based on ethics and best practices, how do you respond to this situation?
A. Given the practical and budgetary concerns of the situation, you should comply with the
principal’s directives
B. Explain your ethical obligations to the principal, but still comply with the directives
C. Notify the principal that you cannot completely comply with the directives because some
situations warrant certain actions that are ethical
D. Consult privately with the district’s attorney and follow the guidance of the district’s lawyer

Answer 21

C. School psychologists cannot be asked to violate their ethical code of conduct. Handling this case at the lowest level first, before higher level actions are pursued, is best practice. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 22

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) enables a teacher to do which of the following?
A. Continuously monitor progress and adjust goals as necessary
B. Compare a student’s performance to the norm group to determine what is typical
C. Provide evidence of teacher effectiveness in a given curriculum
D. Determine whether a curriculum is reliable and valid

Answer 22

A. Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is not a norm-referenced measurement tool. It is effective in the response to intervention (RTI) process and allows staff to monitor progress toward educational goals. Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 23

When seeing a regular education student for the first time in a counseling meeting, a school psychologist should first secure:
A. Consent from the principal or school administration
B. Informed consent from parents
C. Consent from both the administration and parents
D. If licensed by a state government to work in public schools, no consent is necessary, but is
considered best practice

Answer 23

B. When meeting with students, you only need permission from the parents and should secure such permission before counseling starts. Although it might be important to notify relevant staff and administration, it is not required. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 24

A school district is mandated to formally identify children of all ages with suspected disabilities. According to educational law, this previous statement is known as:
A. No reject principle
B. Child find
C. Inclusion
D. Exclusion

Answer 24

B. Child Find is a provision and terminology used in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that mandates schools to actively seek out children with disabilities. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 25

Which standardized cognitive assessment is largely based on Lurian theory and the planning, attention, and simultaneous and successive processing (PASS) model?
A. Differential Ability Scales-II (DAS-II)
B. Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V)
C. Stanford–Binet, Fifth Edition
D. Cognitive Assessment System-2 (CAS-2)

Answer 25

D. The Cognitive Assessment System-2 (CAS-2) is based on A. E. Luria’s theory and his landmark work. Luria’s work forms the basis for many neuropsychological theories. Professional Practices, Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery, and Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 26

A counseling approach that embraces the idea that behavior is guided by one’s self-image, subjective perceptions, and the need for growth toward personal goals is called?
A. Psychodynamic counseling
B. Behaviorism
C. Humanistic counseling
D. Cognitive behavioral counseling

Answer 26

C. Humanists, such as Rogers and Maslow, are central figures who believed people have an innate desire for growth. Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 27

The Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) theory of intelligence forms the basis for many current cognitive tests. According to this theory, which one of the following broad abilities is not part of the CHC model?
A. Fluid reasoning (Gf)
B. Quantitative knowledge (Gq)
C. Short-term memory (Gsm)
D. Simultaneous processing (Gsp)

Answer 27

D. The Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) theory is a well-established and accepted statistical theory used for the foundation of many mainstream cognitive tests. Simultaneous processing is not part of the CHC model, but rather the planning, attention-arousal, and simultaneous and successive processing (PASS) theory. Professional Practices, Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery and Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 28

To properly service all students and address the needs of a school, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) generally recommends how many school psychologists per student population?
A. 1 per 1,000 students
B. 2 per 1,000 students
C. 1 per school
D. 1 per 2,000 students

Answer 28

A. Although the lower ratio of students to school psychologist is better, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) generally recommends that psychologists should serve no more than 1,000 students. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 29

Case example for questions 109 to 111: An upper elementary school student is referred to the special team for unusual social and egocentric behavior. As a school psychologist, you first conduct an observation of the student and interview the teacher. Your inquiry reveals that the young boy has an uncanny ability to remember detailed facts about World War II military planes. You also find that the child is polite, but he has abnormalities in inflection when he speaks, few friends, and expressive language problems.

Based on the presenting symptoms, you decide to formally evaluate the student because you
suspect?
A. Autism spectrum disorder
B. Nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD)
C. Social language disorder (SLD)
D. Asperger’s syndrome

Answer 29

A. It is important to remember that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) has placed Asperger’s syndrome under the primary domain of autism spectrum disorder. Many features of Asperger’s syndrome are similar to autism, but not as severe as autism. Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 30

Case example for questions 109 to 111: An upper elementary school student is referred to the special team for unusual social and egocentric behavior. As a school psychologist, you first conduct an observation of the student and interview the teacher. Your inquiry reveals that the young boy has an uncanny ability to remember detailed facts about World War II military planes. You also find that the child is polite, but he has abnormalities in inflection when he speaks, few friends, and expressive language problems.

In the previous scenario, the parents have given you signed permission to directly support the student. You decide that social skills training is the best initial approach. Which of the following best reflects social skills training?
A. Self-awareness, positive reinforcement, and social praise
B. Direct instruction, modeling, and coaching
C. Metacognitive training, operant techniques, and language skills development
D. Perspective taking, response cost, and social praise

Answer 30

B. There are aspects of each choice that are valid, such as self-awareness and perspective training, but only choice “B” contains the correct combination of common social skills training elements. The best answer for this question is “B.” Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 31

Case example for questions 109 to 111: An upper elementary school student is referred to the special
team for unusual social and egocentric behavior. As a school psychologist, you first conduct an observation of the student and interview the teacher. Your inquiry reveals that the young boy has an uncanny ability to remember detailed facts about World War II military planes. You also find that the child is polite, but he has abnormalities in inflection when he speaks, few friends, and expressive language problems.

Your team feels that the student in this example needs special education services. In making the
decision to offer the student special services, your team must demonstrate what critical finding?
A. The child meets the criteria for a disability as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)
B. Your testing results must show a significant and verifiable deficit within the school
environment
C. The child’s difficulty has a significant impact on his social development and/or academic
progress
D. A developmental problem that is substantially below the student’s age group must be based
on formal and informal measures in a comprehensive evaluation

Answer 31

C. Children with autism often qualify for special education services because their social skills deficits impede their ability to make and maintain social relationships. Most special education services are predicated upon whether the student’s area of difficulty significantly impacts academic progress or social development. Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 32

When conducting a formal behavioral observation, which of the following is important to document and analyze?
A. The frequency, intensity, and duration of the target behavior
B. How many times the behavior presents itself after the antecedent
C. The factors and consequences that reinforce the targeted behavior
D. The triggers for the behavior

Answer 32

A. It is the best practice to evaluate the frequency, intensity, and duration of a behavior when asked to conduct formal observations or functional behavioral assessment (FBA). Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 33

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) and other organizations, approximately what percentage of the public school student population aged 3 to 17 years has some form of learning disability?
A. 2% to 3%
B. 4% to 6%
C. 8% to 11%
D. 11% to 13%

Answer 33

B. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD, 2014), the prevalence rate for learning disabilities is approximately 4% to 8% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] = 7.6%). Note that a range of statistics is provided in the choices because some research organizations vary slightly in their stated rates. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Schools, and Families

Question 34

On common cognitive test batteries, what is the generally accepted full-scale standard score that
might signal a student is gifted?
A. A standard score above 115
B. A standard score above 120
C. A standard score above 130
D. A standard score above 140

Answer 34

C. The standard convention related to the gifted range of standard scores is approximately 130
(125–135). Professional Practices, Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery

Question 35

A student who has a severe vision impairment is granted a formal waiver that excuses her from
taking the state’s annual assessment test. The parents of this student demand that the school
accommodate her so that she can take the test. According to the law, what is the school’s
responsibility?
A. The school must fulfill the needs of the student so she can complete the standardized state test
B. The school is under no legal obligation since a waiver has been granted, but ethically the
school should make the appropriate accommodations and allow the student to take the test
C. The school should keep to its original plan and fully excuse the child from the test
D. The school’s decision to spend resources to accommodate the student depends on whether the
student has the specific accommodations written in her individual evaluation plan (IEP)

Answer 35

A. Legally, the student in this example must be afforded the same opportunities and activities as a
general education student. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Question 36

Which of the following statements regarding threat assessment and school violence is not true?
A. There is a general profile of a “school shooter” that is associated with bullying
B. Most perpetrators of school violence have been bullied in the past
C. Incidents of targeted school violence at school are rarely impulsive
D. Most attackers engaged in behaviors that caused concern in others

Answer 36

A. Research in this area suggests there is no definitive profile of a school shooter, although there are traits and incidences to consider as risk factors. Reference the Safe School Initiative provided by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education. Systems-Level Services and Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 37

One of the most effective intervention(s) for children with learning disabilities is which one of the
following?
A. Cognitive and behavioral
B. Multifaceted or multimodal
C. Experiential (hands-on) learning methods
D. Neuropsychological interventions

Answer 37

B. In most cases, the best approach to teaching students is by using an array of different
approaches that hold their interest and may cover their learning preferences. Direct and Indirect
Services for Children, Families, and Schools

Question 38

The term “running record” is usually associated with which type of observational recording?
A. Interval recording
B. Narrative recording
C. Event recording
D. Continuous recording

Answer 38

B. This answer is factual and straightforward. Narrative recording contains a running record and
notes on a student. Professional Practices, Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service
Delivery

Question 39

What is the National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) position regarding
homeschooling?
A. The NASP does not endorse the concept of homeschooling due to the lack of quality
assurance and lack of licensed professionals providing instruction to students
B. The NASP believes in collaboration between parents of homeschooled children and the public
schools
C. Due to lack of formal social programs and extracurricular opportunities, homeschooled
children are most at risk of social developmental delays
D. Psychoeducational assessments should be used with caution with children who are
homeschooled because they typically have a different learning style and many tests are not
normed on this population

Answer 39

B. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) has a positive view of homeschooled
children, but also supports a healthy collaboration among all parties involved in a child’s learning.
Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery and Professional Practices, Practices That
Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery

Question 40

The ability to analyze and synthesize several pieces of information is related to which type of
cognitive processing?
A. Sequential
B. Nonverbal
C. Metacognitive
D. Simultaneous

Answer 40

D. Simultaneous processing is a neurocognitive process and term used by school
neuropsychologists. Professional Practices, Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service
Delivery