AOTA Postural Control & Praxis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) are best described as:
- Reflexive reactions occurring after a balance disturbance is detected
- Pre-programmed muscle activations that occur before a voluntary movement begins (Correct answer)
- Passive postural corrections mediated by the vestibular system alone
- Conscious corrections made during the execution of walking
Correct answer: Pre-programmed muscle activations that occur before a voluntary movement begins
APAs are feedforward mechanisms where the CNS activates stabilizing muscles before a voluntary movement to preemptively maintain equilibrium.
Question 2: In Ayres Sensory Integration, which processing system is foundational to BOTH postural control AND praxis development?
- Visual system alone
- Auditory system alone
- Vestibular-proprioceptive processing (Correct answer)
- Tactile-auditory processing
Correct answer: Vestibular-proprioceptive processing
Ayres identified vestibular and proprioceptive processing as the foundational building blocks for both postural muscle tone/stability and the development of praxis.
Question 3: The term 'somatodyspraxia' refers to:
- Dyspraxia caused primarily by poor vestibular processing
- Dyspraxia associated with poor tactile and proprioceptive (somatosensory) processing (Correct answer)
- Difficulty with oral motor coordination specifically
- Dyspraxia resulting from visual-perceptual processing deficits
Correct answer: Dyspraxia associated with poor tactile and proprioceptive (somatosensory) processing
Somatodyspraxia describes motor planning difficulties rooted in poor somatosensory (tactile and proprioceptive) processing rather than other sensory systems.
Question 4: Motor planning, as the middle stage of praxis, is best described as:
- The automatic execution of well-practiced, habitual movements
- Organizing and sequencing novel movements prior to their execution (Correct answer)
- Reflexive motor reactions to unexpected sensory stimuli
- The conscious self-monitoring of movement quality during performance
Correct answer: Organizing and sequencing novel movements prior to their execution
Motor planning involves organizing and sequencing the steps of a new motor action before it is carried out, bridging ideation and execution.
Question 5: Gravitational insecurity is primarily related to dysfunction of which sensory system?
- Proprioceptive system
- Tactile system
- Vestibular system (Correct answer)
- Visual system
Correct answer: Vestibular system
Gravitational insecurity involves excessive fear of movement or position changes related to vestibular system overresponsivity to gravitational cues.
Question 6: Sequencing difficulties in praxis are best described as:
- Inability to initiate movement despite having a clear plan
- Trouble organizing motor acts in the correct temporal order (Correct answer)
- Difficulty modulating the force applied during motor execution
- Poor ideation about the purpose of novel tasks
Correct answer: Trouble organizing motor acts in the correct temporal order
Motor sequencing involves organizing a series of movements in the correct order; deficits in this area represent a key aspect of dyspraxia.
Question 7: In Ayres Sensory Integration, an 'adaptive response' is defined as:
- A child's behavioral coping strategy for managing sensory overload
- A successful, goal-directed motor response to a sensory-motor challenge (Correct answer)
- The therapist's environmental modification to support participation
- A pharmacological approach to adjusting sensory thresholds
Correct answer: A successful, goal-directed motor response to a sensory-motor challenge
An adaptive response is a successful, purposeful response to an environmental sensory-motor demand and is considered the indicator of improved sensory integration.
AOTA Postural Control & Praxis 2
Anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) are best described as: