Certificate In Psychology (CPSY) Practice Exam

Compared to control children, children whose mothers did not want them are more likely to be what?

1. Underweight at birth.

2. Less likely to have school-related problems.

3. Less likely to be breast-fed.

4. Less likely to be referred for psychiatric help.

The correct answer is: Underweight at birth.

Choosing the option that children whose mothers did not want them are more likely to be underweight at birth is grounded in research that connects maternal attitudes and prenatal care to infant outcomes. Studies have shown that when mothers have negative feelings toward their pregnancies, it can result in inadequate prenatal care, increased stress levels, and poor nutritional choices during pregnancy. This can lead to complications such as low birth weight, which has long-term implications for the child's health and development. The connection between maternal feelings and the child’s birth weight stems from the mother's health behaviors and emotional well-being during the pregnancy. Care for the pregnancy may be neglected if the mother is ambivalent or resistant to carrying the pregnancy to term, leading to undernutrition or health issues that affect the fetus's growth. In contrast, the other options either misinterpret the influence of maternal feelings or do not reflect significant research findings. Thus, the relationship between unwanted pregnancies and the likelihood of being underweight at birth provides a clear and documented understanding of how a mother's emotional state can impact her child's physical health outcomes.