ASWB Practice Exam

Question 1

A social worker employed by a retirement home is approached by a client for help in establishing a recycling program in the facility. The social worker decides to cohost a meeting with the client to discuss the idea with other residents. What is the MOST likely reason for this approach?

Answer 1

Sharing leadership is very effective with groups.

By sharing leadership with the resident, the social worker is supporting the resident’s skill development as well as promoting positive group dynamics.

Question 2

At what age is separation anxiety MOST likely to occur?

Answer 2

12 months

Question 3

A client who is trying to become pregnant uses cocaine consistently and has questions about the effects on the fetus. The social worker tells the client that cocaine use could harm the fetus. What should the social worker do NEXT?

1. Offer substance abuse treatment options to the client
2. Refer the case for possible criminal prosecution
3. Inform the client that the drug use will be reported to child protective services
4. Ask the client’s health care provider to drug test the client

Answer 3

1. Offer substance abuse treatment options to the client

Offering treatment options to the client supports client self-determination and choice. The other options are all restrictive and vreach client confidentiality

Question 4

A social worker is asked to analyze new social welfare policies that will affect the community. What should the social worker do FIRST?

1. Examine the likely impact of the policies on the community
2. Research the historical problems that led to the policies
3. Organize a grassroots coalition to discuss reaction to the policies
4. Look into legal precedents that could potentially nullify the policies

Answer 4

2. Research the historical problems that led to the policies

This item requires understanding of the basic steps in policy analysis. The social worker must FIRST understand the historical background of the policy before moving to the analysis stage. The other options are steps to take later in the process.

Question 5

A client meets with a social worker at a crisis center. The client is living with a sibling and shares that the sibling’s boyfriend is threatening to force the client out of the home. The client does not feel safe. What should the social worker do FIRST?

1. Call the police for the client
2. Develop a safety plan
3. Try to locate housing for the client
4. Determine the nature of the danger

Answer 5

4. Determine the nature of the danger

Before taking any action, the social worker should assess the situation FIRST. The other options are all action steps that may be done later. Taking action without assessing the situation involves reaching conclusions without knowing the facts.

Question 6

An adolescent who has diabetes is admitted to the hospital for the second time in three weeks after significant changes to the client’s insulin lkevels. The physician believes that the adolescent is intentionally noncompliant with diabetes care and wants to be admitted. The physician refers the patient to a social worker. What should the social worker do FIRST?

1. Contract with the adolescent to precent readmission
2. Review the medical management plan with the adolescent
3. Notify local child protective services
4. Obtain a social and family history

Answer 6

4. Obtain a social and family history

The FIRST step for the social worker is to complete an assessment. Obtaining a social and family history is the only action that involves understanding the situation. The other options may be necessary later, depending on what is learned during the assessment.

Question 7

Which client factor MOST likely determines the scope and focus of an assessment?

1. Needs of the client
2. Motivation of the client
3. Family systems
4. Social network

Answer 7

1. Needs of the client.

The needs of the client must determine the focus of the assessment. Family systems and social network may be included in the assessment, but they should not be the primary factor for the assessment. Motivation is more directly related to how the social worker would proceed in an intervention.

Question 8

A client who is depressed mentions plans for suicide to a social worker. Privacy and confidentiality had been discussed early in the treatment process. The social worker believes that the threat is serious. What should the social worker do NEXT?

1. Respect the client’s right to confidentiality
2. Consult with an agency supervisor
3. Develop a safety contract with the client
4. Discuss the need for hospitalization with the client

Answer 8

4. Discuss the need for hospitalization with the client

Discussing the need for hospitalization is the NEXT step after the social worker has determined the existence of a serious threat. Consulting with a supervisor would be appropriate but only after first discussing the plan for hospitalization with the client. Rights to confidentiality are superseded by the seriousness of the threat. A safety contract is not known to be an effective intervention for suicide prevention when a client has developed a plan.

Question 9

Parents of a 24-month-old child report their only concern is that their child plays alongside of, but not with, other children. What should the social worker do?

1. Assess for symptoms of developmental delays
2. Observe the child’s play in a group setting
3. Reassure the parents that parallel play is typical at this age

Answer 9

3. Reassure the parents that parallel play is typical at this age

Question 10

What is the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable?

Answer 10

Fatalism

Question 11

What practice has the MOST positive effect on service delivery?

1. Using employment practices that support diverse staff skills
2. Making the needs of clients the focus for all agency policy
3. Providing paraprofessionals to ensure client attendance at all activities
4. Providing professional development time for in-service training

Answer 11

2. Making the needs of clients the focus for all agency policy

Question 12

What is a graphical representation that shows all of the systems at play in an individual’s life?

Answer 12

eco-map

Question 13

What is the personality disroder that is characterized by a persistent pattern of social anxiety, heightened sensitivity to rejection, and pervasive feelings of inadequacy, coupled with a deep-rooted longing for meaningful connections with others?

Answer 13

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Question 14

Which personality disorder is marked by a consistent pattern of detachment from and general disinterest in social relationships, and a limited range of emotions when interacting with other people?

Answer 14

Schizoid personality disorder

Question 15

Which personality disorder is a chronic, enduring psychiatric condition characterized by a consistent pattern of pervasive attention-seeking behaviors and exaggerated emotional displays?

Answer 15

Histrionic personality disorder

Question 16

Which personality disorder is characterized by disregard for other people, and a tendency to lie, break laws, act impulsively, and lack regard for their own safety or the safety of others?

Answer 16

Antisocial personality disorder

Question 17

In which personality disorder does a person have an inflated sense of self-importance? Symptoms include an excessive need for admiration, disregard for others’ feelings, an inability to handle any criticism, and a sense of entitlement.

Answer 17

Narcissistic personality disorder

Question 18

Due to the recent death of a parent, a hospital social worker is experiencing difficulty concentrating and completing work-related tasks. A colleague reports to the social worker that patients are complaining about the social worker’s irritability. The social worker should:

1. Schedule personal leave
2. Self-monitor reaction to patients
3. Appropriately disclose the loss to patients
4. Seek consultation with the supervisor

Answer 18

4. Seek consultation with the supervisor

If a social worker’s personal life is interfering with work it would be appropriate to seek consultation with the supervisor. Consultation should be sought first before a plan for personal leave is determined to be necessary.

Question 19

During an assessment, a social worker is trying to understand a client’s perspective. At the same times, the social worker is maintaining the perspective of an outside observer. What concept is BEST reflected?

1. Sympathy
2. Supportive treatment
3. Empathy
4. Differential validation

Answer 19

3. Empathy

Question 20

What drug binds to the endorphin receptors in the body, and blocks the effects and feelings of alcohol? It reduces alcohol cravings and the amount of alcohol consumed.

Answer 20

Naltrexone

Question 21

A social worker creates a job readiness program for young people transitioning to adulthood. The program is based on developmental theory. What is the PRIMARY goal of the program?

1. Learning the basics of how to find employment
2. Keeping track of the number of participants who secure employment
3. Determining a particular career path at program onset
4. Ensuring connections to community resources and systems

Answer 21

1. Learning the basics of how to find employment

Learning how to find employment is the only option focusing on the developmental task of young adulthood and is the PRIMARY goal of the program. Ensuring connections to community resources may be a goal, but one that is secondary to learning how to find employment.

Question 22

A social worker is providing therapy to a family. The couple have been arguing constantly for several months and are considering a separation. Recently, the oldest child began acting out in school. With attention focused on the child’s problems, arguments between the parents have subsided. What concept BEST describes this family’s situation from a systems perspective?

1. Reaction formation
2. Adaptation
3. Triangulation
4. Entropy

Answer 22

3. Triangulation

The oldest child is exhibiting behavior that is moving attention away from parental arguments. Triangulation is resulting in lessened parental conflict since the parents’ attention has become focused on the child’s behavior. Reaction formation is a defense mechanism in which opposing tendencies are exaggerated. Adaptation is a concept describing the ability of a system to adapt to changed, which is not occurring. Entropy is the opposite of adaptation.

Question 23

A social worker assesses a client with an eating disorder. The client expresses ambivalence about changing eating habits. What should the social workers do NEXT?

1. Advocate for change
2. Confront the resistance
3. Explore the client’s values
4. Validate the client’s concerns

Answer 23

4. Validate the client’s concerns

Question 24

A social worker received a call from an angry client who yells at the social worker about perceived mistakes in a case. What should the social worker do NEXT?

1. Suggest that the client discusse the concerns at the next session
2. Refer the client to the agency supervisor
3. Respond empathically to the client’s concerns

Answer 24

3. Respond empathically to the client’s concerns

To attend to the importance of the relationship between the social worker and the client, the social worker should demonstrate empathy NEXT before moving to action such as suggesting concerns be discussed at the next session and referring to the agency supervisor.

Question 25

A social worker working in a shelter for people experiencing homelessness is reviewing policies and procedures. The social worker wants to focus on what can be done to enhance client trust and mitigate power imbalances. What should the social worker do FIRST? 1. Implement a staff training program on principles of confidentiality and exceptions 2. Create a client-managed review board that investigates critical incidents 3. Interview clients to learn ways of implementing policy to be sensitive to client needs 4. Recruit former shelter clients to perform in policy advocacy roles

Answer 25

3. Interview clients to learn ways of implementing policy to be sensitive to client needs Since the focus in on developing client trust, the only option that accomplishes this is interviewing clients to learn ways of implementing policy sensitive to their needs. The other options are action steps that should be taken only after client input is obtained.

Question 26

In a small community hospital, the newly hired social worker learns that some nurses document that they perform a psychosocial family assessment as part of the patient's admission history. The social worker proposes making this a social work function. What is the BEST approach to advocate for this proposal? 1. Document how much time the change will save the staff 2. Compare length of stay data for each approach 3. Ask the nurses why they are doing the family assessments 4. Identify the unique skills and abilities of social workers

Answer 26

4. Identify the unique skills and abilities of social workers To BEST advocate for this proposal with the nursing staff, the social worker will need to educate them on social work skills and abilities. Compaying length of stay data and asking why nurses are completing family assessments both have the potential of putting the nursing staff on the defensive and are not the BEST approach to successfully advocate for this proposal. Documenting how much time the change will save staff is not an approach to advocacy.

Question 27

A social worker supervises volunteers in a day care facility. Parents are complaining about one volunteer's lack of sensitivity. What should the social worker do FIRST? 1. Assist the volunteer in working with the families 2. Assess the volunteer's abilities to connect with others 3. Reassign the volunteer's responsibilities 4. Recommend education workshops

Answer 27

2. Assess the volunteer's abilities to connect with others It is important to FIRST assess before recommending interventions.

Question 28

A client is discharged from inpatient treatment for substance use. A mental health social worker meets for a follow-up session with family members and observes that they avoid discussing the problem. What should the social worker do FIRST? 1. Confront family members about the long-term nature of the problem 2. Assist the family in understanding the harm of substance use 3. Determine the extent of denial within the family system 4. Advise the family members that relapse is a realistic possibility

Answer 28

3. Determine the extent of denial within the family system The social worker should FIRST follow up on the observation that the family is using denial as a coping strategy. This should occur before interventions such as those in the other options.

Question 29

What is used in assessment to compare and verify information from multiple sources?

Answer 29

Data triangulation

Question 30

A social worker meets with an adolescent client who wants to run away from home. The client gives several reasons for this desire. What is the BEST technique for the social worker to use? 1. Confrontation 2. Rationalization 3. Exception exploration 4. Partialization

Answer 30

4. Partialization The social worker need to help the client gain a better understanding of the individual elements that are leading to the desire to run away. By partializing, issues are broken into manageable components that would facilitate further discussion and problem solving.

Question 31

A client requests mental health services to manage chronic and escalating anger. During the initial session, the client tells the social worker of instances when she was verbally abusive to an individual in her care who uses a wheelchair. The client is remorseful and says that the incidents have occurred on only two or three occasions. What should the social worker do NEXT? 1. Collect collateral information from the care recipient 2. Explain the need to report the incidents to the proper authorities 3. Discuss the incidents further to determine the appropriate action 4. Develop a personalized anger management program for the client

Answer 31

3. Discuss the incidents further to determine the appropriate action During the initial session, the social worker should assess further before taking action.