CAS CAS Sensory Processing & Integration Competency 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Dunn Sensory Profile is used by CAS professionals primarily to:
- Diagnose autism spectrum disorder
- Assess an individual's sensory processing patterns and thresholds (Correct answer)
- Measure intellectual ability
- Track academic progress
Correct answer: Assess an individual's sensory processing patterns and thresholds
The Dunn Sensory Profile assesses how individuals process sensory information across multiple domains to identify sensory patterns that affect daily functioning.
Question 2: A sensory diet is best described as:
- A nutritional plan for children with ASD
- A scheduled program of sensory activities designed to meet an individual's sensory needs (Correct answer)
- A list of foods with specific textures for picky eaters
- A behavioral reinforcement schedule
Correct answer: A scheduled program of sensory activities designed to meet an individual's sensory needs
A sensory diet is an individualized, scheduled set of sensory activities prescribed to help a person achieve and maintain an optimal level of arousal.
Question 3: Which environmental modification is most appropriate for a student with ASD who is hyper-responsive to visual stimuli?
- Adding bright fluorescent lighting
- Increasing visual displays on classroom walls
- Reducing visual clutter and using soft, indirect lighting (Correct answer)
- Playing background music to mask visual input
Correct answer: Reducing visual clutter and using soft, indirect lighting
Reducing visual clutter and using calm lighting decreases overwhelming visual input for students who are over-responsive to visual stimuli.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'sensory seeking' behavior?
- Avoiding sensory input due to over-sensitivity
- Actively seeking intense sensory experiences to meet a high sensory threshold (Correct answer)
- Becoming distressed by unexpected sensory input
- Failing to register any sensory stimuli
Correct answer: Actively seeking intense sensory experiences to meet a high sensory threshold
Sensory seeking occurs when an individual has a high neurological threshold and actively seeks intense or prolonged sensory input to reach an adequate level of stimulation.
Question 5: Proprioceptive input activities such as carrying heavy objects or wall push-ups are often recommended because they:
- Increase arousal and alertness
- Provide organizing and calming effects on the nervous system (Correct answer)
- Stimulate the vestibular system primarily
- Improve fine motor coordination exclusively
Correct answer: Provide organizing and calming effects on the nervous system
Heavy work and resistance activities that engage the proprioceptive system are known to have an organizing and calming effect on the nervous system.
Question 6: A CAS professional notices a student with ASD is unable to tolerate wearing certain clothing textures. This is an example of:
- Tactile hypo-responsiveness
- Tactile hyper-responsiveness (tactile defensiveness) (Correct answer)
- Interoceptive dysfunction
- Vestibular hyper-responsiveness
Correct answer: Tactile hyper-responsiveness (tactile defensiveness)
Avoidance of specific fabric textures due to discomfort is a hallmark of tactile defensiveness, a form of tactile hyper-responsiveness.
CAS CAS Sensory Processing & Integration Competency 2
The Dunn Sensory Profile is used by CAS professionals primarily to: