CVE Medical Aspects of Disability in Vocational Evaluation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as low back pain affect vocational evaluation PRIMARILY through limitations in:
- Lifting, carrying, bending, prolonged sitting or standing, and positional tolerance (Correct answer)
- Cognitive processing and memory
- Visual acuity and color discrimination
- Fine motor coordination and hand dexterity only
Correct answer: Lifting, carrying, bending, prolonged sitting or standing, and positional tolerance
MSDs impose functional limitations on the postural and physical demands of work, directly affecting the DOT physical demand categories used in job matching.
Question 2: A client with epilepsy is referred for vocational evaluation. The evaluator's FIRST consideration regarding job safety should be:
- Whether jobs being considered involve driving, working at heights, or operating dangerous machinery where a seizure could cause injury (Correct answer)
- Whether the client is taking anti-epileptic medication
- The frequency of seizures in childhood
- Whether the condition is genetically inherited
Correct answer: Whether jobs being considered involve driving, working at heights, or operating dangerous machinery where a seizure could cause injury
Safety restrictions for epilepsy focus on identifying and avoiding jobs where an unexpected seizure could endanger the client or others.
Question 3: Intellectual disability (ID) is characterized in vocational evaluation by deficits in:
- Both intellectual functioning (IQ below approximately 70) and adaptive behavior beginning before age 18 (Correct answer)
- Motor function and coordination only
- Emotional regulation without cognitive impairment
- Sensory processing and communication only
Correct answer: Both intellectual functioning (IQ below approximately 70) and adaptive behavior beginning before age 18
ID involves concurrent limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior—both domains must be impaired, with onset during the developmental period.
Question 4: For a client with multiple sclerosis (MS), the evaluator should be ESPECIALLY aware of:
- Fatigue, heat sensitivity, and the relapsing-remitting nature of the condition that affects day-to-day work capacity (Correct answer)
- Progressive vision loss as the only work-related limitation
- The condition's exclusively physical nature with no cognitive components
- That the condition only affects ambulation and wheelchair use
Correct answer: Fatigue, heat sensitivity, and the relapsing-remitting nature of the condition that affects day-to-day work capacity
MS is characterized by fatigue, heat intolerance, and symptom variability, which means a client's capacity may fluctuate significantly and accommodations must address these patterns.
Question 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in vocational evaluation most commonly requires accommodation for:
- Sensory sensitivities, social communication differences, and preference for routine and structured tasks (Correct answer)
- Physical mobility limitations
- Visual processing deficits requiring low vision aids
- Medication-related fatigue only
Correct answer: Sensory sensitivities, social communication differences, and preference for routine and structured tasks
Individuals with ASD often excel in structured, predictable work environments and may need sensory and communication accommodations to perform at their best.
Question 6: A Functional Limitations Profile (FLP) in a vocational evaluation report should:
- Translate medical and assessment findings into specific work-related functional limitations and residual capacities (Correct answer)
- List all medical diagnoses using ICD-10 codes
- Include the client's full psychiatric history
- Reproduce the physician's chart notes verbatim
Correct answer: Translate medical and assessment findings into specific work-related functional limitations and residual capacities
The FLP bridges medical information and vocational planning by describing what the client can and cannot do in work-relevant terms.
CVE Medical Aspects of Disability in Vocational Evaluation 2
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as low back pain affect vocational evaluation PRIMARILY through limitations in: