ASWB COMPLETE PRACTICE EXAM
Questions and Answers
1. 1. Which of the following is NOT true about motivation to change?
A. Motivation fluctuates from one time to another.
B. Motivation can be increased by working to remove barriers to
change.
C. Motivation is driven by hope or the belief that life can be different.
D. Motivation that is imposed by external forces is more salient
than that which is intrinsic.: D
Motivation is a state of readiness or eagerness to change, which fluctuates from one time to another.
The role of the social worker is to create an atmosphere that is conducive to change and to increase
a client's intrinsic motivation, so that change arises from within rather than being imposed from
without. If a client is driven to change internally, it is much more likely that the change ettort will be
sustained. A technique to increase motivation is to work to remove barriers and instill hope or the
belief that life can be ditterent.
2. 2. Evidence-based social work practice can BEST be defined as:
A. Interventions that a social worker has gained training and
experience in delivering
B. Treatment that yields the most cost-effective outcomes
according to a cost-benefit analysis
C. Decision making based on the conscientious, explicit, and
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,judicious use of research knowledge, clinical expertise, social work
values, and client wishes
D. Practice evaluations that adhere to scientific principles: C
Evidence-based practice (EBP) combines well-researched interventions with clinical experience and
ethics, as well as client preferences and culture, to guide and inform the delivery of treatments and
services. Social workers, clients, and others must work together in order to identify what works, for
whom, and under what conditions. This approach ensures that the treatments and services, when
used as intended, will have the most ettective outcomes as demonstrated by the research.
3. 3. What are the stages of change in sequential order?
A. Precontemplation, preparation, contemplation, action,
maintenance, and relapse
B. Preparation, action, precontemplation, contemplation,
maintenance, and relapse
C. Preparation, precontemplation, contemplation, action,
maintenance, and relapse
D. Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action,
maintenance, and
relapse: D
Precontemplation is denial or ignorance of the problem. It is followed by contemplation in which there
is ambivalence about making change. Then comes preparation or experimenting with small changes.
Action moves toward achieving a goal, whereas maintenance sustains a new behavior and avoids
relapse, which can lead to feelings of frustration and failure.
4. 4. Which of the following is NOT an essential step in ethical problem
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, solving?
A. Identifying the ethical standards that may be compromised
B. Determining whether there is an ethical dilemma
C. Weighing ethical issues in light of social work values and principles
D. Asking a supervisor to monitor practice to identify new ethical
issues or dilemmas: D
A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should monitor practice to identify whether new issues or
dilemmas arise.
5. 5. A young boy is stopped by a police officer and claims that he is a
member of the armed forces, though it is obvious that he is not. This
assertion by the boy is MOST likely a:
A. Comorbid thought
B. Dissociation
C. Folie à deux
D. Delusion: D
A delusion is a false, fixed belief despite evidence to the contrary (i.e., believing something that is not
true). Comorbid means existing at the same time. Dissociation is a change in memory, perception, or
consciousness. Folie à deux is a shared delusion.
6. 6. A social work administrator is having trouble finding a group
home man-ager for a new program scheduled to open in 2 weeks.
Further delays in locat-ing staff will delay clients from moving into
the program. The administrator temporarily hires her niece, who
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, just graduated with a social work degree, for this position. This
action is:
A. Ethical because the niece is clearly qualified for the position
B. Unethical because this is a conflict of interest
C. Ethical because the position is temporary and ensures clients
get the services needed
D. Unethical because clients will experience staff turnover when a
new man-
ager is hired: B
Social workers should avoid situations interfering with impartial judgment. Hiring a family member
creates a dual relationship and should be avoided.
7. 7. A social worker is interested in seeing the extent to which
current clients are satisfied with a new relapse prevention
program. The social worker dis-tributes a client satisfaction survey
to those in the program. The social worker then collects the
surveys and analyzes the results that are presented to a
management team in the agency. The social worker is conducting
which type of evaluation?
A. Summative
B. Experimental
C. Quasi-experimental
D. Formative: D
Formative evaluations examine the process of delivering services, whereas summative evaluations
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Questions and Answers
1. 1. Which of the following is NOT true about motivation to change?
A. Motivation fluctuates from one time to another.
B. Motivation can be increased by working to remove barriers to
change.
C. Motivation is driven by hope or the belief that life can be different.
D. Motivation that is imposed by external forces is more salient
than that which is intrinsic.: D
Motivation is a state of readiness or eagerness to change, which fluctuates from one time to another.
The role of the social worker is to create an atmosphere that is conducive to change and to increase
a client's intrinsic motivation, so that change arises from within rather than being imposed from
without. If a client is driven to change internally, it is much more likely that the change ettort will be
sustained. A technique to increase motivation is to work to remove barriers and instill hope or the
belief that life can be ditterent.
2. 2. Evidence-based social work practice can BEST be defined as:
A. Interventions that a social worker has gained training and
experience in delivering
B. Treatment that yields the most cost-effective outcomes
according to a cost-benefit analysis
C. Decision making based on the conscientious, explicit, and
1/
128
,judicious use of research knowledge, clinical expertise, social work
values, and client wishes
D. Practice evaluations that adhere to scientific principles: C
Evidence-based practice (EBP) combines well-researched interventions with clinical experience and
ethics, as well as client preferences and culture, to guide and inform the delivery of treatments and
services. Social workers, clients, and others must work together in order to identify what works, for
whom, and under what conditions. This approach ensures that the treatments and services, when
used as intended, will have the most ettective outcomes as demonstrated by the research.
3. 3. What are the stages of change in sequential order?
A. Precontemplation, preparation, contemplation, action,
maintenance, and relapse
B. Preparation, action, precontemplation, contemplation,
maintenance, and relapse
C. Preparation, precontemplation, contemplation, action,
maintenance, and relapse
D. Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action,
maintenance, and
relapse: D
Precontemplation is denial or ignorance of the problem. It is followed by contemplation in which there
is ambivalence about making change. Then comes preparation or experimenting with small changes.
Action moves toward achieving a goal, whereas maintenance sustains a new behavior and avoids
relapse, which can lead to feelings of frustration and failure.
4. 4. Which of the following is NOT an essential step in ethical problem
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128
, solving?
A. Identifying the ethical standards that may be compromised
B. Determining whether there is an ethical dilemma
C. Weighing ethical issues in light of social work values and principles
D. Asking a supervisor to monitor practice to identify new ethical
issues or dilemmas: D
A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should monitor practice to identify whether new issues or
dilemmas arise.
5. 5. A young boy is stopped by a police officer and claims that he is a
member of the armed forces, though it is obvious that he is not. This
assertion by the boy is MOST likely a:
A. Comorbid thought
B. Dissociation
C. Folie à deux
D. Delusion: D
A delusion is a false, fixed belief despite evidence to the contrary (i.e., believing something that is not
true). Comorbid means existing at the same time. Dissociation is a change in memory, perception, or
consciousness. Folie à deux is a shared delusion.
6. 6. A social work administrator is having trouble finding a group
home man-ager for a new program scheduled to open in 2 weeks.
Further delays in locat-ing staff will delay clients from moving into
the program. The administrator temporarily hires her niece, who
3/
128
, just graduated with a social work degree, for this position. This
action is:
A. Ethical because the niece is clearly qualified for the position
B. Unethical because this is a conflict of interest
C. Ethical because the position is temporary and ensures clients
get the services needed
D. Unethical because clients will experience staff turnover when a
new man-
ager is hired: B
Social workers should avoid situations interfering with impartial judgment. Hiring a family member
creates a dual relationship and should be avoided.
7. 7. A social worker is interested in seeing the extent to which
current clients are satisfied with a new relapse prevention
program. The social worker dis-tributes a client satisfaction survey
to those in the program. The social worker then collects the
surveys and analyzes the results that are presented to a
management team in the agency. The social worker is conducting
which type of evaluation?
A. Summative
B. Experimental
C. Quasi-experimental
D. Formative: D
Formative evaluations examine the process of delivering services, whereas summative evaluations
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128
