ASWB COMPLETE EXAM |ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS 2026-2027 UPDATED
EDITION|GRADED A+
Question 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.
CORRECT ANSWER
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 effort will be sustained. A technique to increase
motivation is to work to remove barriers and instill hope or the belief that life can be
different.
Question 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 judicious use of research
knowledge, clinical expertise, social work values, and client wishes
D. Practice evaluations that adhere to scientific principles
CORRECT ANSWER
1
@https://www.stuvia.com/user/thestudyvault
, 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 effective outcomes as demonstrated by the research.
Question 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
CORRECT ANSWER
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.
Question 4
4. Which of the following is NOT an essential step in ethical problem 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
2
@https://www.stuvia.com/user/thestudyvault
,CORRECT ANSWER
D
A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should monitor practice to identify whether
new issues or dilemmas arise.
Question 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
CORRECT ANSWER
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.
Question 6
6. A social work administrator is having trouble finding a group home manager for a new
program scheduled to open in 2 weeks. Further delays in locating staff will delay clients
from moving into the program. The administrator temporarily hires her niece, who 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 manager is hired
CORRECT ANSWER
3
@https://www.stuvia.com/user/thestudyvault
, B
Social workers should avoid situations interfering with impartial judgment. Hiring a
family member creates a dual relationship and should be avoided.
Question 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 distributes 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
CORRECT ANSWER
D
Formative evaluations examine the process of delivering services, whereas summative
evaluations examine the outcomes. Formative evaluations are ongoing processes that
allow for feedback to be implemented during service delivery. These types of evaluations
allow social workers to make changes as needed to help achieve program goals.
Summative evaluations occur at the end of services and provide an overall description of
their effectiveness. Summative evaluation examines outcomes to determine whether
objectives were met.
The design described is not experimental—which requires a control group and
randomization of assignment—or quasi-experimental, which does not require
randomization, but has more support for causal inferences than does preexperimental
designs.
Question 8
4
@https://www.stuvia.com/user/thestudyvault
VERIFIED ANSWERS 2026-2027 UPDATED
EDITION|GRADED A+
Question 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.
CORRECT ANSWER
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 effort will be sustained. A technique to increase
motivation is to work to remove barriers and instill hope or the belief that life can be
different.
Question 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 judicious use of research
knowledge, clinical expertise, social work values, and client wishes
D. Practice evaluations that adhere to scientific principles
CORRECT ANSWER
1
@https://www.stuvia.com/user/thestudyvault
, 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 effective outcomes as demonstrated by the research.
Question 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
CORRECT ANSWER
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.
Question 4
4. Which of the following is NOT an essential step in ethical problem 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
2
@https://www.stuvia.com/user/thestudyvault
,CORRECT ANSWER
D
A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should monitor practice to identify whether
new issues or dilemmas arise.
Question 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
CORRECT ANSWER
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.
Question 6
6. A social work administrator is having trouble finding a group home manager for a new
program scheduled to open in 2 weeks. Further delays in locating staff will delay clients
from moving into the program. The administrator temporarily hires her niece, who 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 manager is hired
CORRECT ANSWER
3
@https://www.stuvia.com/user/thestudyvault
, B
Social workers should avoid situations interfering with impartial judgment. Hiring a
family member creates a dual relationship and should be avoided.
Question 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 distributes 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
CORRECT ANSWER
D
Formative evaluations examine the process of delivering services, whereas summative
evaluations examine the outcomes. Formative evaluations are ongoing processes that
allow for feedback to be implemented during service delivery. These types of evaluations
allow social workers to make changes as needed to help achieve program goals.
Summative evaluations occur at the end of services and provide an overall description of
their effectiveness. Summative evaluation examines outcomes to determine whether
objectives were met.
The design described is not experimental—which requires a control group and
randomization of assignment—or quasi-experimental, which does not require
randomization, but has more support for causal inferences than does preexperimental
designs.
Question 8
4
@https://www.stuvia.com/user/thestudyvault
