CTC Child Development & Psychological Impact 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which brain region is primarily responsible for processing fear responses and is most affected by early childhood trauma?
- Prefrontal cortex
- Amygdala (Correct answer)
- Cerebellum
- Broca's area
Correct answer: Amygdala
The amygdala, which processes emotional memories and fear responses, is highly sensitive to early trauma and can become hyperactivated.
Question 2: A 7-year-old who experienced neglect shows delayed language development compared to peers. This best illustrates which developmental concept?
- Sensitive period disruption (Correct answer)
- Regression
- Telegraphic speech
- Zone of proximal development
Correct answer: Sensitive period disruption
Sensitive periods are windows when the brain is especially primed for specific development; neglect during language-sensitive periods can cause lasting delays.
Question 3: According to Erikson's psychosocial stages, a child who experienced chronic abuse during ages 3-6 is most likely to struggle with which conflict?
- Trust vs. Mistrust
- Autonomy vs. Shame
- Initiative vs. Guilt (Correct answer)
- Industry vs. Inferiority
Correct answer: Initiative vs. Guilt
Ages 3-6 correspond to Erikson's Initiative vs. Guilt stage, where abuse can suppress a child's sense of agency and purpose.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'toxic stress' in childhood trauma literature?
- Normal stress that builds resilience over time
- Prolonged activation of stress response systems without adequate adult support (Correct answer)
- Stress caused specifically by academic pressure
- Short-term stress with full biological recovery
Correct answer: Prolonged activation of stress response systems without adequate adult support
Toxic stress refers to strong, frequent, or prolonged adversity without sufficient buffering from supportive caregivers, disrupting brain architecture.
Question 5: A child exposed to domestic violence demonstrates hypervigilance and startle responses in safe environments. Which neurobiological mechanism best explains this?
- Hippocampal volume increase
- Prefrontal cortex overdevelopment
- Chronic HPA axis dysregulation (Correct answer)
- Reduced amygdala sensitivity
Correct answer: Chronic HPA axis dysregulation
Chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis leads to dysregulated cortisol responses and persistent hyperarousal.
Question 6: Which attachment classification is most commonly observed in children who have experienced chronic maltreatment by their primary caregiver?
- Secure
- Anxious-ambivalent
- Avoidant
- Disorganized (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Disorganized
Disorganized attachment develops when the caregiver is simultaneously the source of fear and the expected source of comfort, creating an irresolvable paradox.
Question 7: The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study found a dose-response relationship between ACE scores and health outcomes. This means:
- Only a score of 4+ causes harm
- Higher ACE scores correlate with progressively worse health outcomes (Correct answer)
- Single traumatic events are more harmful than multiple smaller ones
- ACE score predicts trauma type but not severity
Correct answer: Higher ACE scores correlate with progressively worse health outcomes
The dose-response relationship shows that as ACE scores increase, the risk for negative physical and mental health outcomes increases proportionally.
CTC Child Development & Psychological Impact 2
Which brain region is primarily responsible for processing fear responses and is most affected by early childhood trauma?