ASWB Licensure Questions

What is the time frame for achieving steady state on a benzodiazepine?

* A. One day to 21 days. B. Approximately two weeks. C. Three to six weeks. D. At least one month.

A common way of assessing human service needs in a community is through needs assessment. Which of the following assessment techniques is considered MOST useful for needs assessment?

*A Survey research. B. Observational studies. C. Focus groups. D. Collecting service statistics.

A client is very quiet in the first interview, and the social worker notices that the client is slouching, often looks down at the floor, and is holding her arms close to her body. According to neurolinguistic programming, what should the social worker do to build trust with this client?

*A. Adjust the posture to that of the client. B. use "feeling" words. C. use "thinking" words. D. Attempt to make direct eye contact.

The client are a family from Mexico who immigrated to the United States 18 months ago. In the first interview, the parents disclose that they recently discovered that their 16 year old daughter has been sexually active with her 17 year old boyfriend, who is a classmate of hers. The father than asks the social worker whether she has a daughter of her own. What is the BEST way for the social worker to respond.

*A. Answer the question to build rapport. B. Decline to answer the question until after rapport has developed. C. Decline to answer the question to preserve therapeutic boundaries. D. Answer the question only if she is comfortable doing so.

A mother and father report that they come in because they are concerned about their 8year old son has a learning problem and may fall behind behind their concerns, but they are unable to give her any information to support them. To address their parents' concerns, what should the social workers do NEXT?

*A. Arrange a consultation with the boy's teacher. B. Help the parents arrange for screening and evaluation of their son through the school system. C. Arrange for the boy to undergo intelligence testing by a psychologist. D. Discuss the boy's symptoms in more depth with the parents and recommend educational therapies tailored to his needs.

During the first therapy session, an Asian American client tell his white social worker that he would prefer to see an Asian American therapist. What is the social worker's BEST course of action?

*A. Discuss this with the client and make a referral if, after the discussion, the client still wants to an Asian American therapist B. Reassure the client that she has experience working with members of minority groups and suggest that they see each other on a trial basis. C. Realize that the client's preference may be a sign of resistance and tell him that she thinks it would be best if they saw each other for a few sessions before a referral is made. D. Tell the client that it would be discriminatory and, therefore, unethical for her to make a referral to another therapist on the basis of race or culture alone.

A social worker is conducting the first interview with a couple who have been referred by the court for therapy. The social worker begins the interview by briefly describing what he knows about why the clients have been referred and then asking the clients to describe their understanding of the referral. The man responds by saying, "We don't want therapy, and that's all I know," and the woman says "That' right." What should the social worker do NEXT?

*A. Encourage the clients to talk about their feelings for the referral. B. Explain the benefits they stand to gain from therapy. C. Remind the clients that they are required to cooperate with him D. Offer to do something that will make the clients more comfortable in exchange for their cooperation.

A social worker has been working in individual therapy with a 19 year old client who has two younger sisters, age 15 and 10. The client reports in a session that her father sexually abused her for over 10 years. The social worker knows that the client's sisters live at home with their father. When he asks the client if she believes that her father is molesting her sisters, the client becomes very uncomfortable and quickly changes the subject. She says she doesn't want to talk about her sisters. Regarding the filing of a child abuse report in this situation, what should the social worker do?

*A. File a report based on his suspicion that the client's sisters are being abused. B. Report abuse of the client, since abuse of the client began when she was a minor. C. Get more information from the client to determine whether a child abuse report is necessary. D. Maintain the client's confidentiality because she is an adult.

A man brings his wife to a busy community medical clinic because she is not feeling well. The woman dies while waiting to be seen by a physician. The social worker employed by the clinic is called in by medical staff to meet with the man. What should the social worker do FIRST.

*A. Find a private location at the clinic where the man can express his feelings and collect himself. B. Offer the man a list of qualified grief counselors. C. Advocate on behalf of the man by finding out why his wife was not seen sooner. D. Talk to the man about grief and loss and explain the stages of grief.

A hospital social worker is meeting with an 82 year old widow who has been diagnosed with cancer. Her prognosis is poor. The client says that she wants to stop receiving medical treatment so that she can die peacefully and with dignity, but her children disagree with her decision and want her to continue receiving medical treatment. What should the social worker do?

*A. Meet with the woman and her children to help them understand the other's preference and feelings. B. Verify that the woman has fully considered the consequences of her decision. C. Contact the woman's physician for an opinion. D. Convey respect for the woman's right to make this choice and advise her children to do the same.

A 10-year-old boy reports that, lately, he's been smelling unusual odor, like burnt flesh and rotten food, but that none of these things are around him when this happens. He is also having difficulty keeping up in his classes. In assessing this boy, what should the social worker do FIRST?

*A. Refer him to a neurologist. B. Refer him to a psychiatrist. C, Arrange to speak to a teacher. D. Refer him to an educational psychologist.

A social worker has been working in individual therapy with a client for several months. The client sought therapy after suffering from depression for many years. The social worker begins to notice that the client seems even more depressed than she was at the beginning of therapy. What is the social worker BEST course of action?

*A. Refer the client to a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation. B. Refer the client to a medical doctor for physical evaluations. C. Refer the client to a psychologist for testing. D. Point out and discuss the client's resistance.

A social worker is working in individual therapy with a 19 year old man whose father is paying for his treatment. During a session, the client tells the social worker that he's angry at his father and plans to confront him soon. A few days later, the father calls the social worker demanding to know why she encouraged his son to confront him. What should the social worker do?

*A. Refuse to talk with the father about this matter. B. Explain to the father how answering his question would reduce the therapeutic value of her work with his son. C. Apologize to the father and tell him that she will discuss this matter with his son. D. Encourage the father to come in for a family session.

Loosening of associations can be symptomatic of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders and involves:

*A. abrupt shifts from one topic to an unrelated or obliquely related topic. B. delays in answering a question due to embellishment with unnecessary details and parenthetical remarks. C. a continuous flow of rapid speech with abrupt changes from one topic to another based on understandable associations. D. thinking the contains numerous contradictions and inconsistencies.

A 79 year old client spends a lot of time in therapy sessions reminiscing about events from her past. What is the social worker's BEST course of action?

*A. be patient and recognize that reminiscing is a healthy activity. B. encourage the client to find ways of feeling satisfied with her life now rather than dwelling in the past. C. refocus on the client's attention on her present-day problems. D. explore why the client is so focused on the past.

In DSM-5, the essential feature of hoarding disorder is persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their value. In addition to this, the person's difficulty discarding or parting with possessions must be due to either a perceived need save the items or:

*A. distress associated with parting with them. B. a loss of energy associated with a depressed mood. C. a decline in cognitive functioning. D. obsessions that lead to the compulsive hoarding behavior.

A social worker is beginning individual therapy with a client who has been a heavy cocaine user for a year and continues to use despite losing his job two weeks ago. He was referred to the social worker by his physician. Which of the following would be the MOST effective way of addressing the client denial, minimization, or other defenses.

*A. exploring the specific consequences of drug use for the client. B. exploring why the client uses drugs. C. describing the typical effects of chronic drug use. D. providing graphic literature on the negative effects of drug use.

Rapport has developed between a client and his social worker. This means that the client:

*A. feels understood B. expects that the social worker will self-disclose of he does. C. will begin discussing his problem D. has been reassured that his feelings are a normal response to his problem.

Nonverbal barriers to effective communication with a client include all of the following EXCEPT:

*A. leaning forward in your chair. B. sitting at your desk during a session. C. starting at the client to encourage eye contact. D. keeping an even tone as you speak so that you voice does not reveal your reactions to the client.

Which defense mechanism rarely appears before adolescence?

*A. rationalization B. Introjection . C. Projection D. Denial

After a single mother is charged with child neglect, her two young children are placed in temporary foster care. The woman eventually meets the goals of her treatment plan, and the court determines that her children can be returned to her care. A few days before the children are scheduled to come home, the woman reveals to her caseworker that she is two months pregnant. What is the caseworker's BEST course of action.

*A. return the children to their mother's care but monitor the case closely. B. return the children as planned because the woman has met the goals of her treatment plan. C. make sure that the children remain in foster care. D. make arrangements to recontact the family after the baby is born.

The client is a 19 year old who graduated from high school and had not gone to college. He works as a house painter as a favor to his dad who is a contractor but knows that he'll never be happy in that job. He feels like he should accomplish more in his life and hopes to save enough money to attend the local university one day. The social worker should expect that this client, given his age, may be dealing with all of the following issues EXCEPT:

*A. the development of object constancy. B. a conflict between intimacy and isolation. C. the establishment of a coherent personal identity. D. gaining more independence from his family of origin.

The primary feature that distinguishes acute stress disorder from post traumatic stress disorder (ptsd) is:

*A. the shorter duration in acute stress disorder. B. a less severe precipitant. C. reliving of the trauma in dreams in PTSD. D. symptoms of increased arousal in PTSD.

Social agency administrators are responsible for monitoring the implementation of an agency's policies and for making sure that all agency staff are notified of policy changes. Which of the following word sets BEST capture the key principles associated with effective communication of policy changes to staff?

*A.Timely, clear, repetition B. Timely,verbal communication, memo C. Immediate, clear, democratic D. Immediate, descriptive, specific

The client is a middle-aged man who sought therapy two days after learning that he has cancer and his prognosis is poor. His doctors have told him that his life expectancy is about six months. The client is in the first stage of Kubler-Ross's model of death and dying, which describes the stages that people go through when facing their own death. Given this information, the social worker would MOST expect the client to say which of the following when discussing his diagnosis and prognosis with her?

A. "I don't care; I hate my life anyway." B. "Why is this happening to me? I don't deserve this." C. "This must be a punishment for something I did." *D. "The doctor must be wrong."

Which of the following best describes an "ecosystem"?

A. A community and those who live in the community. B. An individual and his social support system. *C. An individual, other living systems, and their physical environment. D. An individual and his home and his workplace.

A social worker would be MOST likely to find which of the following effects in a client who is a long term. heavy user of methamphetamine?

A. Aggressiveness, extreme weight gain, and memory deficits. B. Olfactory hallucinations, hypersomnia, and reduced motor speed. *C. Extreme anorexia, paranoia, and dental problems. D. Delusions, vision loss, and cardiovascular problems.

A 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy are found playing sexual games with each other in a school restroom. The girl's parents are worried and seek advice from a social worker. The social worker acknowledges the parent's expressions of worry. What should the social worker do NEXT?

A. Allay the parents' concerns because this sounds like normal sexual experimentation. B. File a suspected child abuse report. C. Refer the child to a medical doctor and recommend that she begin individual therapy. *D. Assess the situation further.

A social worker begins working in individual therapy with an adult male who is on probation. The client was ordered into therapy by the court and has been cooperating. His probation officer contacts the social worker, requesting information about how the client is progressing in therapy. What should the social worker do?

A. Automatically release information to the probation officer because the treatment is court ordered. B. Automatically release information to the probation officer because people on probation have limited confidentiality rights. *C. Release information to the probation officer is she has permission from her client to do so. D. Decline to release information to the probation officer unless presented with a court order.

In asthma, the muscles of the walls of the bronchi contract, making it difficult to breathe. This response is triggered by which branch of the nervous system?

A. Autonomic nervous system. B. Sympathetic nervous system. *C. Parasympathetic nervous system. D. Central nervous system.

A social worker determines that a client, age 36, is in the midst of a major depressive episode, and the client's history suggests that he has had other such episodes in the past. The social worker refers the client to a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation, and the psychiatrist prescribes an SSRI for the client. In terms of side-effects from this class of medication, the client is MOST likely to experience which of the following?

A. Blurred vision, tremor, weight loss. *B. Gastrointestinal problems, insomnia, sexual dysfunction. C. Dry mouth, tachycardia, weight gain. D. Muscle spasms, confusion, irritability.

A client arrives for her first interview while in the midst of a manic episode. The client says that she has decided to get a divorce and asks the social worker to assist her. What should the social worker do FIRST?

A. Confront the client with the fact that she is not stable now and may change her mind about the divorce when the manic episode is over ans arrange for her to see her psychiatrist. B. Refer the client to an attorney because a social worker is not qualified to assist a client with divorce proceedings. *C. Summarize the client's wishes and arrange for her to undergo a psychiatric medication evaluation. D. Narrow the focus of the interview by asking questions that assist the client to describe her concerns about her marriage.

A number of relapse prevention models have been proposed for alcoholism, cigarette smoking, and other addictive disorders. According to the model developed by Marlatt and his colleagues , what is the MOST effective way to increase the likelihood of recovery after relapse?

A. Continue to promote complete abstinence. B. Emphasize the negative consequences of further "acting out." *C. Shift attention from internal to external antecedents. D. Clarify underlying issues.

A social worker has been working in individual therapy with an adult client for five months, and the presenting problem is in remission. The client tells the social worker that he wants to terminate therapy; the social worker believes that the client would benefit from additional therapy to consolidate the gains he has made. What should the social worker do?

A. Discuss with the client why he wants to terminate and why she thinks he shouldn't. B. Seek case consultation. C. Agree to terminate because the client feels ready to leave therapy. *D. Explain to the client why she feels he shouldn't terminate but allow him to do so if he still wants to after that.

If left untreated, diabetes mellitus can result in which of the following symptoms?

A. Emotional liability, obesity, memory loss, depression. B. Accelerated heart rate, nervousness, agitation, fatigue, insomnia. *C. Increased appetite with weight loss, apathy, confusion, mental dullness. D. Lethargy, slowed heart rate, depression, impaired concentration and memory.

A young boy expresses a metaphor during a play therapy session. How would a play therapist respond to this?

A. Encourage the child to express himself more directly. B. Restate the metaphor and assess the child's reaction to this. C.Ask the child to describe the meaning of his metaphor. *D. Stay with the metaphor.

A social worker meets with a mother, father, and a 6 year old son. For the past three weeks, the son has been wetting the bed nearly every night. The parents say that they are surprised and concerned by this problem because the boy has been fully toilet trained for several years. They add that they haven't observed other emotional or behavioral changes in their son. What should the social worker of FIRST?

A. Facilitate the parents' understanding of the problem and treatments for the problem through psychoeducation. B. Clarify the problem by identifying its underlying causes through assessing family dynamics and/or referring the boy to a psychological testing. *C. Clarify the problem by arranging for the boy to be seen by a physician for a medical evaluation to determine if the problem has a physical cause. D. Gather information to complete a family history to determine whether other family members have had this disorder and how it was handled.

In the DSM-5, the intentional production of symptoms for the purpose of obtaining an external reward is characteristic of which of the following?

A. Factitious disorder imposed on self. *B. Malingering C. Somatic symptom disorder D. Illness anxiety disorder.

When a child is developing language abilities, you would expect which of the following to appear first?

A. First words. B. Telegraphic speech. C. Productive (vs. receptive) language. *D. Expressive jargon.

A social worker is providing case management services to a client. She ans the client have completed a careful assessment, established the goals that will be pursued, developed a service plan, and determined what resources are most likely to be helpful for the client. The social worker is now ready to connect the client to these resources. In using connecting activities with this client, what is the social worker's ultimate goal?

A. For the client to obtain all of the resources he needs. B. For the client to report a satisfactory experience with the other providers. C. For the client to make these appointments on his own and maintain appropriate contact with these providers. *D. For the client to take charge of getting and using the resources he needs.

A child requires the ability to think in logical, cause-and-effect terms, learns to solve the problems of conservation, and can adopt other people's perspectives. According to Piaget's approach to intellectual functioning, the child is in which phase of cognitive development.

A. Formal operations B. Preoperational C. Senserimotor *D. Concrete operations.

Which of the following is MOST associated with demonstrating a new behavior?

A. Free association. B. Functional analysis. *C. Behavioral rehearsal. D. Psychodrama.

A social worker receives a phone call from a psychologist who has just started providing therapy to a woman who is a former client of the social worker's. The psychologist asks the social worker to give her a brief synopsis of his work with the client. The psychologist and social worker are good friends. What should the social worker do?

A. Give the psychologist only objective information about the client's therapy. B. Acknowledge that he worked with the client but withhold confidential information until he has a release of information form signed by the client. C. Give the psychologist the whatever information she asks for because doing so is the best interests of the client. *D. Not even admit that he worked with the client until he has a release of information signed by the client.

A 68-year-old client who retired six months ago reports that he has been feeling isolated, useless, and a little depressed. he has seen his doctor, who ruled out a medical condition. What intervention should the social worker use?

A. Help him perform a "life review." B. Modify his mistaken beliefs about aging and retirement. *C. Help him identify activities that will restore meaning to his life. D. Help him resolve "unfinished business."

A social worker who has a private practice discovers that a former client has applied of the open secretarial position in her office. From an ethical standpoint, what should the social worker do?

A. Hire the client only if he is the best candidate for the job. B. Meet with the client to determine whether he feels comfortable working for her. C. Hire the client whether or not he is the best candidate for the job. *D. Not hire the client.

During the first interview, a client reports feeling extremely guilty about taking supplies from his office to use at home. After she has acknowledged the client's feelings about the, what should the social worker do FIRST?

A. Identify whether the client's poor judgement is pervasive or related to only this area of functioning by assessing impulse control in other areas. B. Recognize that pervasive feelings of guilt may indicate a depressed mood and ask the client about other symptoms he has been experiencing. *C. Invite the client to continue expressing himself and respond to him without judgement. D. Let the client know that people usually feel guilty about stealing in order to normalize his guilt and reduce his distress.

A social worker's new client is a 33-year-old man who uses cocaine every day, several times a day, and is in the midst of an episode of major depression. The BEST course of treatment for the client would include which of the following?

A. Inpatient program, 12-step group. *B. Medical evaluation, inpatient program, 12-step group, ongoing therapy. C. Medical evaluation, 12-step group, ongoing therapy.

A social worker is meeting with a mother who gave birth several months ago. The mother drank alcohol regularly while she was pregnant and her baby has been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome. This diagnosis suggests that the baby is MOST likely to exhibit which of the following either now or as he grows older?

A. Intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, growth deficiencies. *B. Lower than average intelligence, abnormal facial features, growth deficiencies. C. Microencephaly, lower than average intelligence, chronic depression. D. Abnormal facial features, delayed motor development, cerebral palsy.

A psychologist sends a social worker a check for $100 after the social worker referred two clients to her private practice in a one week period. In this situation, the social worker should be aware of which of the following?

A. It would be better if the psychologist sent a gift worth $100. *B. It is unethical to accept payment for referrals. C. It is okay to receive remuneration for referrals as long as the social worker doesn't accept more than 10 percent of the therapist's fee. D. Kick-backs are a common practice.

To ensure that a client's consent to treatment is truly "informed", a social worker must do which of the following?

A. Make sure that the client reads the entire consent form before signing it. B. Make sure that the client is aware of the potential risks related to the services before he signs the consent form. *C. Make sure that the client understands information contained in the consent form before he signs it. D. Ask the client if he has any questions before he signs the consent form.

The client is a 30 year old man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia five years ago. The client has experienced several acute psychotic episodes, including full-blown delusions. He is currently in a stable phase of his illness. When developing an outpatient treatment plan for this client, the social worker is MOST likely to emphasize which of the following?

A. Management of medication side-effects. B. Interpreting the delusions to minimize their effects on his functioning. *C. Social problem-solving. D. Referral for vocational training.

The client is a recently divorced woman who has sole custody of her 14 year old daughter. The client is distraught over her daughter's behavior and is still depressed about her divorce. She tells the social worker that her daughter has been going out too much lately and becoming secretive about her behavior outside the home. The client is afraid that her daughter is sexually active. From the facts given so far, what is the MOST likely explanation for this situation?

A. Multi generational transmission process. B. Disengaged family structure C. Enmeshed family structure. *D. Developmental crisis in the family life cycle.

A patient in hospice care tells the social worker that he has decided to end his life so that he can prevent his loved ones from suffering anymore. He describes a fairly detailed suicide plan. What should the social worker do?

A. Note this in the patient's record and monitor him closely. *B. Inform the hospice medical staff. C. Respect the client's decision because he is terminally ill. D. Offer the client incentives to keep living.

A social worker is meeting with a 30 year old woman who reports having difficulty sustaining meaningful relationships. In the first interview, the client expresses a strong desire to change ans says she hopes that therapy will enable her to connect better with others. During the next two sessions, the client talks at length about her former relationships and theorizes about why they ended. She tells many detailed stories about old friends and boyfriends. When the social worker tries to redirect the client to an exploration of how she might improve her interpersonal skills, the client resists this and continues telling stories about her past. What strategy should the social worker use to redirect the client's energy toward efforts at therapeutic change?

A. Point out her successes and strengths as she describes her relationships. B. Empathize as she talks about her relationship difficulties. *C. Work with her to establish clear short-term objectives with time-frames for completion. D. Confront her resistance to change.

Two social workers are having lunch at a busy restaurant when one of the social worker's clients approaches him to say hello. What should the social worker do?

A. Pretend he doesn't know the client. B. Introduce the client as his friend to the other social worker. C. Pull the client aside and explain confidentiality *D. Tell the client hell call her later.

A gay man who has just lost a close friend to AIDS seeks therapy from a social worker. He asks for help dealing with his sadness, anger, and frustration over his loss. The social worker is well known as a specialist in grief therapy, but she's aware that she has strong personal biases against gay people. What is the social worker's BEST course of action?

A. Provide therapy to his client because her personal feelings should not affect her professional decisions in any way. *B. Refer the client to a therapist who can help him deal with his grief. C. Provide therapy to this client, but seek consultation if she loses her objectivity. D. Let the client decide if he is willing to work with her despite her biases.

A social worker is leading a therapy group made up of female patients who have been ordered into treatment by the court. The patients all have alcohol use disorder. During a group meeting, one of the patients asks the social worker is she's currently dating anyone. How should the social worker respond to this?

A. Redirect the focus by inviting the patients to talk about their relationships. B. Recognize this and an opportunity to build trust and answer the questions. *C. Decline to answer the question and reinforce the purpose of the group. D. Answer the question to reinforce the norm of self-disclosure.

The term "reasonable accommodation" is MOST closely associated with which of the following?

A. Special education *B. Disability laws C. Affirmative action D. Patients' rights

A male social worker has been working in individual therapy with a female client for several months. The client is in therapy because she suffers from anxiety at work. Therapy has been progressing well. The social worker now finds himself feeling somewhat attracted to this client. What should the social worker do?

A. Terminate therapy so that he can date her *B. Accept the attraction as normal and proceed with therapy. C. Refer the client to a female therapist. D. Establish a personal relationship only if he feels certain that it will not affect the therapeutic process.

The clients are a family of three, including the mother, father, and 1 year old son. The family has been referred by their pediatrician because the child id underweight and malnourished. The pediatrician has ruled out a medical condition that could account for this. Assuming that this boy has non organic failure to thrive, which of the following is LEAST likely to be true about him or his parents?

A. The boy's temperament makes him difficult to feed. B. The parents don't understand the boy's nutritional needs. *C. The boy's Apgar scores were low right after he was born. D. The boy had a low birth weight.

A social worker providing case management services is attempting to determine the needs of a client who has been unemployed for more than a year. The client is married and has two children. To gather information about the client's financial needs and need for other social provisions, the social worker should rely the MOST on which of the following sources?

A. The client's family members. B. Records and other documents concerning the client. C.The client's past employers. *D. The client's report.

A 40 year old client has been unemployed since he started having about a year ago. His wife works and the family has been getting on by her income. When asked by the social worker why he has come in, the client says he wants help figuring out to get a job. With which of the following should the social worker consult FIRST?

A. The client's past and potential employers. B. The client's family members *C. A medical specialist. D. A career counselor.

A hospital social worker is meeting with a Chinese-American man, age 50, and the man's mother,age 80; the mother was hospitalized one week ago. She has become disoriented and frail and her memory is very impaired. The social worker discusses the doctor's recommendation with the man while his mother is also in the room. The man listens politely for a few moments and then says that his mother is fine and can continue living at home. Which of the following is the BEST way to interpret this situation?

A. The man is unwilling to accept the severity of his mother's condition. *B. The man is not comfortable discussing the issue with the social worker. C. The man doesn't understand the nature of nursing home care. D. The physicians's recommendation was premature.

A social worker begins working in individual therapy with a woman who has been physically abused by her husband on multiple occasions. The woman acknowledges the abuse but doesn't want to leave her husband. The husband has been ordered into a batterer intervention program by the court, and the woman believes that things will change now that he's finally getting help. Research on batterer intervention programs and similar court-ordered treatments for men who batter their intimate partners has found which of the following to be true?

A. They are effective for terminating physical violence. B. They are effective for reducing both physical violence and more subtle forms of abuse. *C. They can be effective for reducing physical violence but do no usually reduce more subtle forms of abuse. D. They have no effects at all because offenders rarely complete the program.

A social worker is providing case management services to a single mother with three young children who has been unable to find a steady job. She's having trouble supporting her family. The client suffers from frequent migrane headaches but can't afford adequate medical treatment because she has no health insurance. The only doctor she's seen recently didn't take her seriously, she reports: He said her headaches would stop if she learned to relax. The client knows where her ex-husband is, but he's not interested in the children and won't pay child support. What is the social worker's primary purpose in providing case management services to this client?

A. To improve the client's functioning so that she can use services more effectively. *B. To link and coordinate the services that the client needs. C. To provide the client with support so that she can meet her own needs. D. To improve the client's access to services she is entitled to but has been denied.

A social worker is working in individual therapy with an Asian American man who is gay. The client has been feeling increasingly anxious because his parents have been pressuring him to get married. He hasn't told his parents that he's gay and he isn't sure what to do. The social worker spends some time with the client helping him express and sort out his feelings about the situation. What should the social worker do NEXT?

A. Use role-playing exercises with the client so that he can practice coming out to his parents and anticipate their possible reactions and how too handle them. *B. Help the client consider whether to come out to his parents by exploring relevant cultural variables and the potential consequences and benefits of coming out. C. Encourage the client to come out to his parents because secrecy is not working for him, and offer to work with him and his parents on their reactions, including potential grief or guilt. D. Focus on how the client's culture feels about homosexuality vs. how the client feels about it.

One important guideline for the appropriate use of self-disclosure by a social worker is which of the following?

A. Use self-disclosure freely in the first interview to encourage the client to speak openly about the problem. B. Never self-disclose until a client asks you to. *C. Avoid self-disclosure until after rapport has developed. D. Use self-disclosure only when the client is reluctant to talk.

A 40 year old man is referred for case management services. Sx months ago, the client, was fired from a construction job he had held for many years due to poor performance and frequent absences that started shortly after he was injured at work. He has been unable to find new work and is in danger of losing his apartment. The client appears distracted during the interview and answers many of the social worker's questions by saying "I'm not sure," or "I don't remember." Given all of this information, what should the social worker explore FIRST?

A. Whether the client's rights were violated when he was fired. *B. Whether the client has had access to medical care. C. Whether the client needs financial benefits immediately. D. How the client has gone about looking for work and what assistance he needs in this areas.

In the context of managed health care, the "gatekeeper" may be which of the following?

A. a peer review board B. An HMO C. A preferred provider organization (PPO) *D. A primary care physician

To receive Title IV-B funding for foster care, states are required to provide certain protections to all children in foster care. These protections include all of the following EXCPET:

A. a placement consistent with the child's special needs. B. a plan for attaining permanence for the child. C. regular visitation between the child and his biological parents. D. placement in close proximity to the child's biological parents.

According to Margaret Mahler (an object-relations theorist), a key developmental task of infancy is operation/individuation. The successful outcome of this task is:

A. a strong bond with the primary caretaker. B. resolution of childhood psychosexual conflict. C, ability to use language to express complex, emotional feelings. *D. permanent and distinct internal representations of self and other persons.

A social worker is conducting an interview with a client who expresses a tremendous amount of anger about something that happened during the week at his job. The social worker realizes that she needs to help the client regain control so that his anger doesn't escalate to a point where he becomes dangerous. To achieve that goal, the social worker may do all of the following EXCEPT:

A. admit her error and apologize if she says something that causes the client to become more angry. B. let the client know exactly what she needs from him right now. *C. give the client specific advice on how to manage his angry feelings. D. give the client supportive feedback to mitigate his angry feelings

When using the DSM-5, an individual's functioning in conceptual, social, and practical domains is evaluated to determine the appropriate severity level for which of the following diagnoses?

A. autism spectrum disorder. B. specific learning disorder. *C. Intellectual disability; D. PTSD.

A social worker should never:

A. breach confidentiality. *B. advise a client about her medication dosage. C. diagnose a specific disorder. D. consult another professional without informing the client.

The negative impact of prolonged stress on a person's health is attributable, in part, to chronically elevated levels of cortisol and some other stress hormones, which over time can compromise the functioning of a person's:

A. cardiovascular system. B. respiratory system. *C. immune system. D. nervous system

According the Freud's structural theory, cultural values are part of the:

A. ego. *B. superego. C. id. D. self-preservation instincts.

A social worker trying to build support for a new program would use co-optation to:

A. expose opposition B. exclude opposition *C. reeduce opposition D. voice opposition.

A social worker discovers that his client can't afford safe housing or adequate food. In the wintertime, the client has no heat. In other words, the client is having difficulty meeting her:

A. expressed needs. B. safety ands security needs. C. gender role obligations. *D. basic needs

Research by Werner and Smith (1982) found that a high-risk baby is LESS likely to suffer long-term consequences if:

A. he has a higher-than average IQ. *B. he is socially responsive. C. his mother doesn't work outside the home. D. he has a large family.

For many years, a 26-year-old has had intense ans unstable relationships and exhibited reckless driving, drug use, repeated suicide attempts, and uncertainty about her career goals. The MOST likely diagnosis is:

A. histrionic personality disorder *B. borderline personality disorder C. schizotypal personality disorder D. narcissistic personality disorder

A social worker leaves the agency where she has been employed for several years in order to set up an independent private practice. According to the NASW Code of Ethics, the social worker may refer her clients from the agency to herself:

A. if she has made an agreement about this with her former agency. B. if the clients have been making progress by working with her. *C. if she has made an agreement about this with her former agency and informed the clients of other options available to them. D. under no circumstances; doing so would be unethical.

An adolescent client has been experiencing frequent tics for many years and was recently diagnosed with Tourette's disorder. In providing this client with psychoeducation about his condition, a social worker would be correct if she told him all of the following EXCEPT:

A. many adults with tic disordered experience diminished symptoms. B. treatment may involve administration of an antipsychotic medication. *C. the symptoms cannot be voluntarily suppressed. D. the symptoms may wax and wane in frequency.

In a social service agency, a supervisor should:

A. mostly side with and advocate on behalf of direct service workers. B. emphasize promoting the goals and interests of agency administrator. *C. serve as a bridge between the interests of administrators and the interests of direct service workers. D. avoid becoming involved in disputes arising between administrators and direct service workers.

A client age 31, tested positive for HIV two months ago, and, during a therapy session, he reveals to the social worker that he has not told his girlfriend about his condition and sometimes has unprotected sex with her. In this situation, the social worker:

A. must contact the client's girlfriend to inform her that the client is exposing her to HIV. B. must contact the girlfriend to inform her that she may have been exposed to HIV but must not reveal the client's identity. C. must contact the client's girlfriend to inform her that she may have been exposed to HIV but only if the client refuses to do so himself. *D. should discuss her legal obligations with a knowledgeable colleague or an attorney.

A supervisor of social workers who are involved in community organizing would be MOST likely to focus his efforts on:

A. providing direct supervision *B. dealing with issues of organizational loyalty C. identifying the needs of the social workers' clients. D. assigning and reviewing the work done by social workers.

The client is a 9 year old girl who is brought in by her mother. the girl's grades have dropped and she has been spending a lot of time by herself in her bedroom. When the mother tries to engage the girl in a conversation about the changes in her behavior, the girl becomes upset and refuses to talk. The social worker suspects that girl may be depressed and assesses her for the core symptoms of a major depressive episode. When doing so, the social worker keeps in mind that certain symptoms are common in children with major depressive disorder. These symptoms include:

A. psycho motor retardation, social withdrawal, distractability. *B. somatic complaints, irritability, social withdrawal. C. somatic complaints, sleep disturbances, irritability. D. irritability, social withdrawal, cognitive symptoms.

All of the following are generally appropriate when setting goals with a client except:

A. redirecting the client when his goals are unrealistic. B. discussing the potential risks associated with each goal. *C. rank ordering to the social worker's problem-solving priorities. D. allowing the client to have the final say in selecting the goals

In behavioral therapy, extinction involves:

A. removal of an aversive stimulus contingent on performance of a desired behavior. B. application of a desirable stimulus contingent on performance of a desirable behavior. *C. withdrawal of reinforcement form a previously reinforced behavior. D. consistent application of a negative reinforcer for a previously positively reinforced behavior.

The client is a woman with severe migraine headaches who was hospitalized and given medication by her doctor. Each time she took the medication, she felt nauseated and several times she threw up. Although she stopped taking the medication when she left the hospital, she finds that, whenever she visits her doctor at the hospital, she begins to feel nauseated again. What does this situation illustrate.

A. response shaping. *B. Classical conditioning. C. Operant conditioning. D. Negative reinforcement.

A client is a middle aged man who complains of anxiety. he is feeling overwhelmed by his responsibilities at home and as coach of his daughter's softball team. He says things got worse when his mom broke her hip and asked him to help out at her house a few days a week. The client feels like he's spread too thin and letting people down. From the perspective of role theory, this client appears to be experiencing:

A. self-role incongruence B. role conflict. *C. role overload D. role incapacity.

When using the DSM-5, a diagnosis of a major neurocognitive disorder requires the presence of a significant decline in:

A. social and occupational functioning from premorbid functioning. *B. cognitive functioning that interferes with independence in everyday activities. C. at least three areas of cognitive functioning. D. the ability to perform activities of daily living

The concept of the "privileged storyteller" is associated with which of the following?

A. solution-focused therapy *B. narrative therapy. C. neurolinguistic programming. D. brief psychotherapy.

SOAP charting arranges client records according to four components, including:

A. subjective information, objective information, assessments, and prognosis. B. systems evaluation, objectives of treatment, actions, and prognosis. C. subjective information, objective information, actions, and progress. *D. subjective information, objective information, assessments, and plan.

A male client reports being a generally anxious person and in particular, having a significant amount of anxiety for about seven weeks. His social worker learns that, two months ago, the client moved to a new city. Apparently:

A. the client has an anxiety disorder. B. the move will be the focus of therapy. C. the move was a negative life event for the client. *D. the move was a precipitating cause.

Group therapy might be appropriate for the client in all of the following circumstances EXCEPT:

A. the client's primary problem involves difficulties with intimacy. *B. the client is unmotivated to change. C. the client is psychologically sophisticated. D. the client wants to overcome her shyness.

Using a standardized rating scale for summative evaluation in direct practice involves comparing the client's score on the scale before intervention begins to:

A. the same client's scores during intervention. B. a list of outcome goals. *C. the same client's score at the end of service. D. scored obtained by other clients on the same scale.

The parent's of a 10 year old child whom a school teacher has tested ask to look at their child's school record which contains, among other things, the test protocol and the social worker's report. The social worker's policy should be:

A. they cannot see the record, but the social worker can provide them with a summary of its contents. B. they cannot see the record, but they ask the social worker questions about the test results. C. let them look at the record. *D. let them look at some of the material in the record and interpret the material for them so that it doesn't cause them to worry.

In structural family therapy, what is the purpose of "unbalancing"?

A. to provoke resistance from family members. B. to reframe the problem. *C. to disrupt the family's homeostasis. D. to engender insight.

A 24 year old client is referred by his family physician for help in dealing with persistent feelings of sadness and apathy that emerged when he moved from his small hometown to the city. The client says that he's had depression before but it;s worse than ever now that he's away from his family and friends for the first time. If the social worker were to use the cognitive theory described by Aaron Beck, she would consider the client's depression to be attributable to:

A. uncontrollable events. B. object loss C. inadequate reinforcements *D. automatic thoughts

When establishing mutuality, the social worker communicates that she:

A. won't allow the client to make decisions that harm him. B. understands that the client's experience from his point of view. *C. views the client as an equal partner in the helping relationship. D. takes responsibility for her own feelings and can admit when she makes a mistake.