Free Practice Questions for Esame di Stato TNPEE

Exam-style questions and explanations by OpenExamPrep.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card

82+ Questions

100% Free

Loading practice questions...

Exam Review

Key Facts: Esame di Stato TNPEE Exam

Practical + Thesis

Official qualifying format under D.I. 19 febbraio 2009

MUR D.I. 19 febbraio 2009, Art. 7

L/SNT2

Degree class for developmental neuropsychomotor therapists

MUR D.I. 19 febbraio 2009

D.M. 56/1997

Statutory professional profile definition and competence scope

Ministero della Sanità D.M. 17 gennaio 1997, n. 56

TSRM-PSTRP

Mandatory professional register and regulatory order

Legge 11 gennaio 2018, n. 3 (Legge Lorenzin)

Varies by Uni

Exam fees, scheduling dates, and scoring details

University Academic Regulations

100 MCQs

OpenExamPrep practice adaptation question count

OpenExamPrep Study Platform

The qualifying final examination for the Laurea in Terapia della Neuro e Psicomotricità dell'Età Evolutiva (L/SNT2) has Esame di Stato value under Article 7 of D.I. 19 febbraio 2009. It combines a profession-specific practical assessment with preparation and discussion of a thesis; local logistics are university-specific. This OpenExamPrep bank is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation and does not simulate either mandatory component.

Sample Esame di Stato TNPEE Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Esame di Stato TNPEE exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 82+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A 2-month-old infant is observed in supine position during a neuropsychomotor evaluation. When the infant's head is rotated to the right side, the right arm and leg extend while the left arm and leg flex. What primitive reflex is demonstrated, and what is its physiological developmental course?

A.Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR); it emerges at 6 months and integrates by 12 months

B.Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR); it emerges in utero or around birth, peaks at 2 months, and integrates by 4 to 6 months

C.Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR); it is present at birth and persists as a lifelong equilibrium reaction

D.Moro reflex; it is elicited by head rotation and integrates completely by 2 years of age

Explanation: The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR, or the 'fencer's posture') is elicited by passive or active rotation of the infant's head to one side, resulting in extension of the extremities on the face side and flexion of the extremities on the occiput side. It peaks around 2 months of age and typically integrates by 4 to 6 months; obligatory or persistent ATNR beyond 6 months indicates neurodevelopmental pathology or upper motor neuron impairment.

2A TNPEE is evaluating a newborn infant for neuromotor integrity. The therapist gently supports the infant's head and shoulders in a semi-upright posture and allows the head to drop back suddenly by approximately 20 to 30 degrees. The infant abruptly abducts and extends both upper extremities with fingers spreading, followed by adduction and flexion with a cry. What reflex is being tested, and by what age does it normally integrate?

A.Moro reflex; it integrates by 4 to 6 months of age

B.Startle reflex; it integrates by 12 months of age

C.Landau reaction; it integrates by 2 to 3 months of age

D.Galant reflex; it integrates by 9 to 10 months of age

Explanation: The Moro reflex is a vestibular and proprioceptive primitive reflex elicited by sudden neck extension or simulated loss of support. It manifests as a biphasic motor pattern: sudden bilateral abduction and extension of the upper limbs with finger extension, followed by reciprocal adduction, flexion ('embrace'), and often crying. Normal integration occurs between 4 and 6 months.

3In the physiological progression of prone motor milestones during the first year of life, which postural milestone is typically attained by an infant around 3 to 4 months of age?

A.Prone pivot on the abdomen rotating 360 degrees

B.Reciprocal four-point quadrupedal crawling

C.Forearm support (prone prop) with head elevated 45 to 90 degrees and elbows aligned under or slightly anterior to shoulders

D.Extended arm support on palms with pelvis fully flat and weight shifting to reach with one hand

Explanation: Around 3 to 4 months of age, an infant develops stable forearm support in the prone position (prone prop). This requires emerging co-contraction of cervical extensor and flexor muscles, active shoulder girdle stabilization with elbows aligned under or slightly in front of the shoulders, allowing the head to be lifted 45 to 90 degrees with sustained visual fixation.

4A TNPEE is trained in Heinz Prechtl's Assessment of General Movements (GMA) to evaluate a preterm infant at 12 weeks post-term age. What specific quality of spontaneous general movements should be observed at this age, and what is the clinical significance of its absence?

A.Writhing movements; their absence indicates a transient developmental delay that resolves spontaneously

B.Cramped-synchronized movements; their presence at 12 weeks is a normal sign of motor control consolidation

C.Chaotic movements; their absence guarantees normal executive functioning in school age

D.Fidgety movements; their persistent absence is a highly sensitive and specific clinical predictor of cerebral palsy

Explanation: According to Prechtl's GMA, between 9 and 20 weeks post-term age (peaking at 12 to 14 weeks), the normal movement pattern is 'fidgety movements'—small, elegant movements of moderate speed and variable acceleration of the neck, trunk, and limbs in all directions. The persistent absence of fidgety movements during this critical developmental window is one of the strongest predictive biomarkers for bilateral cerebral palsy.

5During a neuropsychomotor examination, a 6-month-old infant is held in horizontal suspension in prone position supported under the thorax. The infant actively extends the head, arches the spine, and extends both lower extremities. When the examiner gently flexes the infant's head forward, the infant's hips and knees reflexively flex. What postural reaction is described?

A.Moro reflex

B.Landau reaction

C.Parachute reaction

D.Galant response

Explanation: The Landau reaction is a complex postural reaction that emerges around 4 to 5 months of age, fully matures by 6 to 8 months, and integrates around 18 to 24 months. In horizontal ventral suspension, the infant exhibits active extension of the neck, thoracic spine, and lower extremities ('airplane posture'); passive flexion of the cervical spine breaks the extensor tone, resulting in reflexive flexion of the trunk and lower limbs.

6A 7-month-old infant is placed on hands and knees (all-fours). When the child flexes the head downwards towards the chest, the upper limbs flex while the lower limbs extend. When the child extends the head upwards, the upper limbs extend while the lower limbs flex into sitting. Which tonic reflex governs this pattern, and what is its functional role in infant locomotion?

A.Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR); it helps break the total extensor pattern of prone to enable creeping on hands and knees

B.Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR); it prevents the child from developing lateral weight shifts

C.Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR); it facilitates independent upright bipedal ambulation

D.Positive supporting reaction; it prepares the child for heel-strike in gait

Explanation: The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR) emerges around 6 months and integrates by 9 to 11 months. Cervical flexion causes bilateral upper extremity flexion and lower extremity extension; cervical extension causes bilateral upper extremity extension and lower extremity flexion. It assists the infant in rising up onto hands and knees by breaking up predominant prone extension patterns, but must integrate to allow reciprocal crawling.

7A TNPEE is evaluating prehension development in a 10-month-old infant using small pellets and cubes. The infant grasps a 5-mm pellet between the distal pads of the index finger and the fully opposed thumb without resting the ulnar side of the hand on the table. How is this prehension milestone classified?

A.Crude palmar grasp

B.Radial-palmar grasp

C.Scissors grasp (inferior pincer grasp)

D.Superior (fine) pincer grasp

Explanation: The superior (fine/neat) pincer grasp matures between 10 and 12 months. It involves precise tip-to-tip or pad-to-pad opposition of the thumb and index finger, requiring isolated finger movement and active stabilization of the forearm in slight supination and wrist extension without table support.

8According to the classical laws of neuromotor development established by Coghill and Gesell, what principle explains why an infant achieves stable control of the neck and shoulder girdle prior to developing isolated voluntary finger grasping?

A.The law of lateral specialization

B.The law of distal-to-proximal acceleration

C.The cephalocaudal and proximodistal developmental gradient

D.The mass-to-specific inhibition reflex law

Explanation: Motor ontogenesis adheres to two fundamental spatial axes: the cephalocaudal gradient (head and neck control develops before trunk and lower extremity control) and the proximodistal gradient (proximal central structures, such as the shoulder girdle and hip girdle, develop postural stability before distal effectors, such as wrists and fingers, can achieve fine motor control).

9In the historical evolution of motor control science, Esther Thelen investigated the mysterious 'disappearance' of the neonatal stepping reflex at around 2 months of age. Using Dynamic Systems Theory, what did Thelen demonstrate regarding this phenomenon?

A.The reflex disappears strictly because cortical maturation exerts descending GABAergic inhibition on spinal central pattern generators

B.The stepping pattern does not vanish neurologically; rather, rapid adipose tissue accumulation in infant thighs increases limb mass faster than muscular force can lift the leg against gravity

C.The infant loses the reflex due to lack of visual feedback because binocular stereopsis is not yet established at 2 months

D.The reflex transforms irreversibly into the voluntary Babinski sign due to myelination of the pyramidal tract

Explanation: Esther Thelen's landmark experiments showed that placing 2-month-old infants in water (reducing effective gravitational load) or on a motorized treadmill elicited stepping movements identical to the neonatal stepping reflex. This disproved the purely neuromaturational theory that cortical inhibition causes reflex disappearance, proving that the temporary cessation of stepping is a biomechanical phenomenon where rapid limb weight gain outpaces extensor/flexor muscle strength.

10A TNPEE assesses protective extension reactions (paracadute) in an 8-month-old infant. In what chronological sequence do the anterior, lateral, and posterior protective reactions typically emerge in the sitting posture?

A.Anterior protective reaction (6-7 months), followed by lateral protective reaction (7-8 months), followed by posterior protective reaction (9-10 months)

B.Posterior protective reaction (5 months), followed by anterior (7 months), followed by lateral (9 months)

C.Lateral protective reaction (4 months), followed by posterior (6 months), followed by anterior (8 months)

D.All three protective reactions emerge simultaneously when the child begins independent bipedal walking at 12 months

Explanation: In sitting, protective reactions emerge in an orderly directional sequence: anterior protection (prop forward with arms when tilted forward) appears at 6-7 months; lateral protection (lateral arm abduction and hand placement when tilted sideways) appears at 7-8 months; and posterior protection (backward extension of both arms onto the palms when tilted backward) matures at 9-10 months.

About the Esame di Stato TNPEE Exam

The Esame di Stato abilitante all'esercizio della professione di Terapista della Neuro e Psicomotricità dell'Età Evolutiva (TNPEE) is the official Italian state licensing examination that entitles graduates of the three-year Laurea in Terapia della Neuro e Psicomotricità dell'Età Evolutiva (Class L/SNT2) to legally practice as developmental neuropsychomotor therapists within the Italian National Health Service (SSN), territorial child neuropsychiatry services (UONPIA/NPI), accredited rehabilitation centers, and private clinical practice. Defined by Ministerial Decree D.M. 17 gennaio 1997, n. 56, the TNPEE is a unique health rehabilitation professional whose core mandate encompasses developmental age (from birth to 18 years), intervening in the delicate interplay among neuromotor, cognitive, affective, symbolic, communicative, and relational domains. Under Article 7 of the Interministerial Decree of 19 February 2009 (D.I. 19 febbraio 2009), the final degree examination of Class L/SNT2 has direct state licensing validity. Following Legge 3/2018 (Legge Lorenzin), enrollment in the provincial Albo dei Terapisti della Neuro e Psicomotricità dell'Età Evolutiva of the Ordine TSRM-PSTRP is compulsory for professional practice. Independent TNPEE State Exam practice by OpenExamPrep provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation, not a simulation of the mandatory practical test or thesis defense.

Exam sponsor: Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (MUR), Ministero della Salute, and designated Universities in agreement with Ordine TSRM-PSTRP. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Article 7 of D.I. 19 febbraio 2009 gives the final examination for the Laurea in Terapia della Neuro e Psicomotricità dell'Età Evolutiva (L/SNT2) the legal value of an Esame di Stato. The national rule requires two components: a practical examination demonstrating profession-specific theoretical, practical, and technical-operational competence, and preparation and discussion of a thesis. It does not prescribe one national item count, duration, numerical cut score, fee, detailed local task type, or delivery language; candidates must use their university's current notice for those logistics. Independent Terapista della Neuro e Psicomotricità dell'Età Evolutiva practice by OpenExamPrep is an English-language four-option MCQ study adaptation, not an official translation, a format simulation, or a substitute for practical or oral performance practice.

Time Limit

Varies by university; no single national duration is published

Passing Score

Set by the university; no single national numerical cut score is published

Exam / Certification Fees

Varies by university; no single national fee is published

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

25 local questions (not an official percentage)

Neuropsychomotor Development, Motor Control, Postural Milestones & Primitive Reflexes

Early motor patterns, postural control ontogenesis, cephalocaudal/proximodistal progression, primitive reflexes (Moro, ATNR, STNR, TLR, palmar grasp) and integration, motor control theories, Prechtl general movements, and infant sensory-motor acquisition.

29 local questions (not an official percentage)

Neurodevelopmental Disorders: DCD, ASD, ADHD & Cerebral Palsy

Developmental Coordination Disorder (dyspraxia), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Cerebral Palsy (GMFCS, spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic forms), sensory processing differences, regulation disorders, and neuromotor comorbidities.

16 local questions (not an official percentage)

Neuropsychomotor Assessment Tools, Observation of Play & Psychomotor Balance

Standardized motor and developmental batteries (Movement ABC-2, BOT-2, Bayley-III/IV, GMDS-ER, APCM-2), psychomotor balance (bilancio psicomotorio), observation of spontaneous and symbolic play, body scheme, spatial-temporal orientation, and laterality.

9 local questions (not an official percentage)

Therapeutic Interventions, Sensory-Motor Integration, Relational Psychomotricity & Parent Counseling

Neuropsychomotor rehabilitation models, sensory integration therapy (Ayres), relational psychomotor practice (Aucouturier practice/PPA), psychomotor setting and materials, emotional regulation, caregiver coaching, and parent counseling.

3 local questions (not an official percentage)

Professional Deontology, Individualized Planning (PEI/PRI) & Ordine TSRM-PSTRP

D.M. 56/1997 (professional profile of the TNPEE), Legge 3/2018 (Lorenzin Reform), Ordine TSRM-PSTRP (Commissione di Albo TNPEE), drafting of the Individualized Rehabilitative Plan (PRI) and school inclusion plans (PEI under D.Lgs. 66/2017), professional secrecy, informed consent, and multidisciplinary territorial child neuropsychiatry teamwork.

Preparing for the Esame di Stato TNPEE Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Set by the university; no single national numerical cut score is published
Assessment: Article 7 of D.I. 19 febbraio 2009 gives the final examination for the Laurea in Terapia della Neuro e Psicomotricità dell'Età Evolutiva (L/SNT2) the legal value of an Esame di Stato. The national rule requires two components: a practical examination demonstrating profession-specific theoretical, practical, and technical-operational competence, and preparation and discussion of a thesis. It does not prescribe one national item count, duration, numerical cut score, fee, detailed local task type, or delivery language; candidates must use their university's current notice for those logistics. Independent Terapista della Neuro e Psicomotricità dell'Età Evolutiva practice by OpenExamPrep is an English-language four-option MCQ study adaptation, not an official translation, a format simulation, or a substitute for practical or oral performance practice.
Time limit: Varies by university; no single national duration is published
Exam / certification fees: Varies by university; no single national fee is published Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

Work through all 82 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Esame di Stato TNPEE: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the chronological progression of postural control and primitive reflex integration (e.g., ATNR, STNR, Moro, TLR, palmar grasp) and the clinical signs of persistence in neurodevelopmental conditions.

2Thoroughly review diagnostic criteria and neuropsychomotor profiles for Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, and Cerebral Palsy classifications (GMFCS, MACS, BFMF).

3Understand standardized assessment instruments utilized in Italian child neurodevelopmental services: Movement ABC-2, BOT-2, Bayley Scales, GMDS-ER, and APCM-2, including standard scores, percentile ranks, and clinical interpretations.

4Study psychomotor semiology and observation methodologies: body schema, tonic-emotional dialogue, spatial-temporal organization, lateralization stages, and the evolution of play from sensorimotor to symbolic and rule-based play.

5Review core therapeutic frameworks: Sensory Integration (Ayres SI), Relational Psychomotricity (Aucouturier method / PPA), psychomotor room arrangement (sensorimotor vs. symbolic zones), and family-centered coaching.

6Learn the Italian legislative and deontological framework: D.M. 56/1997, Legge 104/1992, Legge 170/2010 (specific learning disorders), D.Lgs. 66/2017 (school inclusion and PEI on ICF base), and the TSRM-PSTRP code of ethics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Esame di Stato for TNPEE in Italy and how is it structured?

Article 7 of D.I. 19 febbraio 2009 requires two components: a practical examination demonstrating profession-specific theoretical, practical, and technical-operational competence, and preparation and discussion of a thesis. Detailed tasks, order, scoring, duration, and delivery arrangements are set by the university rather than standardized nationally.

What is the unique professional scope of the TNPEE compared to other rehabilitation professions?

Established by D.M. 17 gennaio 1997, n. 56, the TNPEE is the only Italian healthcare rehabilitation profession dedicated exclusively to the developmental age (0 to 18 years). Rather than treating motor or mental functions in isolation, the TNPEE views bodily action, movement, emotional experience, symbolic play, and relational exchange as an integrated unit. The therapist evaluates and treats neuromotor, neurodevelopmental, psychomotor, emotional-behavioral, and relational difficulties from early infancy through adolescence.

What professional order and registry must a TNPEE join to practice in Italy?

Pursuant to Legge 11 gennaio 2018, n. 3 (Legge Lorenzin) and D.M. 13 marzo 2018, all practicing TNPEEs in Italy must be enrolled in the specific Albo dei Terapisti della Neuro e Psicomotricità dell'Età Evolutiva within the provincial Ordine dei Tecnici Sanitari di Radiologia Medica e delle Professioni Sanitarie Tecniche, della Riabilitazione e della Prevenzione (TSRM-PSTRP). Practice without registration is illegal under Italian criminal law (Art. 348 c.p.).

What are the passing scores, fees, and examination dates?

Fees, dates, duration, grading details, and any repeat procedure are set by the individual university. D.I. 19 febbraio 2009 does not publish a single national fee, timetable, duration, or numerical cut score for this final qualifying examination.

Why does OpenExamPrep offer multiple-choice practice questions for this exam?

D.I. 19 febbraio 2009 does not publish one national delivery language for this university-run final examination. This OpenExamPrep resource uses English four-option MCQs as an independent study adaptation. It is not an official translation, does not simulate the practical examination or thesis defense, and is not a substitute for performance practice or the candidate's university notice.

What clinical autonomy does a TNPEE have in designing the rehabilitative intervention?

In accordance with D.M. 56/1997 and Legge 251/2000, the TNPEE acts upon medical diagnosis (typically by a child neuropsychiatrist, Neuropsichiatra Infantile - NPI). The TNPEE autonomously conducts the neuropsychomotor assessment (bilancio neuropsicomotorio), formulates the functional profile, establishes the Individualized Rehabilitative Project (Progetto Riabilitativo Individualizzato - PRI), selects therapeutic techniques and setting adaptations, conducts treatment, verifies developmental outcomes, and provides counseling to families and schools.