ASWB LMSW PRACTICE EXAM BANK AND
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES EACH| CURRENTLY
TESTING AND FREQUENTLY TESTED
QUESTIONS |EXPERT VERIFIED FOR PASS
GUARANTEED
1. A social worker receives a subpoena for a client's records. What should the
social worker do FIRST?
A. Send the complete record to the court immediately
B. Consult the agency's legal counsel before responding
C. Ask the client to sign a release of information
D. Notify the client that records have been requested
Answer: B
Rationale: A subpoena is not automatically a court order. The FIRST step is to
consult legal counsel to determine validity and the legally appropriate response.
Sending records (A) may violate confidentiality. A release (C) is relevant but
follows legal consultation. Notifying the client (D) is important but not the first
action.
2. A client states, "Sometimes I think everyone would be better off without
me." What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Refer the client for a psychiatric evaluation
B. Conduct a suicide risk assessment
,C. Document the statement and continue the session
D. Reassure the client that these feelings are temporary
Answer: B
Rationale: Any hint of suicidal ideation requires immediate risk assessment.
Referral (A) follows assessment. Documentation alone (C) is insufficient.
Reassurance (D) minimizes risk and skips assessment.
3. A 15-year-old client discloses being physically harmed at home. The social
worker should:
A. Maintain confidentiality because the client is a minor
B. Report to the appropriate child protective authority
C. Confront the parents during the next session
D. Wait for more evidence before acting
Answer: B
Rationale: Suspected child abuse triggers mandatory reporting, which overrides
confidentiality. Confronting parents (C) may endanger the child. Waiting (D)
violates legal duty.
4. A social worker's colleague appears impaired by alcohol at work. According
to the NASW Code of Ethics, the social worker should FIRST:
A. Ignore it to protect the colleague's privacy
B. Confront the colleague directly in front of others
C. Report to a supervisor or appropriate authority
D. Document and wait for a pattern to emerge
Answer: C
Rationale: When impairment may affect client care, the ethical duty is to report to
a supervisor or authority. Ignoring (A) violates duty to clients. Public confrontation
(B) is inappropriate. Waiting (D) risks client harm.
,5. A client wants to stop therapy because "it isn't helping." The social worker
should:
A. Persuade the client to continue for at least three more months
B. Explore the client's concerns and reassess treatment goals
C. Terminate immediately and provide referrals
D. Warn the client that symptoms will worsen without treatment
Answer: B
Rationale: Respecting self-determination means exploring concerns and
reassessing goals collaboratively. Persuasion (A) and warnings (D) undermine
autonomy. Abrupt termination (C) is not facilitative.
6. A social worker is asked to share a client's treatment plan with the client's
adult sibling. The client has not consented. The social worker should:
A. Share general information since the sibling is family
B. Refuse to share any information without written consent
C. Consult a supervisor before deciding
D. Ask the sibling to obtain consent from the client
Answer: B
Rationale: Confidentiality requires written consent before disclosing protected
health information. Family status (A) does not override this. Supervisor
consultation (C) doesn't change the ethical obligation. Delegating consent-
gathering to the sibling (D) is inappropriate.
7. A client reveals plans to seriously harm an identifiable person. The social
worker should:
A. Maintain confidentiality to preserve the therapeutic alliance
B. Warn the intended victim and notify law enforcement
C. Encourage the client to turn themselves in
D. Document the threat and monitor the situation
, Answer: B
Rationale: Duty to warn/protect applies when there is a serious threat to an
identifiable victim. Confidentiality yields to safety. Encouraging self-report (C) is
insufficient. Monitoring only (D) fails the legal duty.
8. A social worker begins an assessment and notices the client's speech is rapid
and tangential. The social worker should FIRST:
A. Ask the client to slow down
B. Continue gathering information while noting the presentation
C. Refer the client for a medication evaluation
D. End the session early
Answer: B
Rationale: The FIRST task is to continue the assessment while observing clinical
signs. Asking the client to slow down (A) disrupts rapport. Immediate referral (C)
precedes full assessment. Ending early (D) abandons the assessment.
9. A client reports experiencing intimate partner violence but does not want to
leave the relationship. The social worker should:
A. Develop a safety plan while respecting the client's autonomy
B. Contact law enforcement immediately
C. Advise the client to leave for their own safety
D. Refer the couple to couples counseling
Answer: A
Rationale: Safety planning respects autonomy while addressing risk. Leaving is
the most dangerous period in abusive relationships; forcing it can increase lethality.
Couples counseling (D) is contraindicated in active IPV.
10. A social worker uses a strengths perspective with a client who has a
substance use history. Which focus BEST reflects this approach?
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES EACH| CURRENTLY
TESTING AND FREQUENTLY TESTED
QUESTIONS |EXPERT VERIFIED FOR PASS
GUARANTEED
1. A social worker receives a subpoena for a client's records. What should the
social worker do FIRST?
A. Send the complete record to the court immediately
B. Consult the agency's legal counsel before responding
C. Ask the client to sign a release of information
D. Notify the client that records have been requested
Answer: B
Rationale: A subpoena is not automatically a court order. The FIRST step is to
consult legal counsel to determine validity and the legally appropriate response.
Sending records (A) may violate confidentiality. A release (C) is relevant but
follows legal consultation. Notifying the client (D) is important but not the first
action.
2. A client states, "Sometimes I think everyone would be better off without
me." What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Refer the client for a psychiatric evaluation
B. Conduct a suicide risk assessment
,C. Document the statement and continue the session
D. Reassure the client that these feelings are temporary
Answer: B
Rationale: Any hint of suicidal ideation requires immediate risk assessment.
Referral (A) follows assessment. Documentation alone (C) is insufficient.
Reassurance (D) minimizes risk and skips assessment.
3. A 15-year-old client discloses being physically harmed at home. The social
worker should:
A. Maintain confidentiality because the client is a minor
B. Report to the appropriate child protective authority
C. Confront the parents during the next session
D. Wait for more evidence before acting
Answer: B
Rationale: Suspected child abuse triggers mandatory reporting, which overrides
confidentiality. Confronting parents (C) may endanger the child. Waiting (D)
violates legal duty.
4. A social worker's colleague appears impaired by alcohol at work. According
to the NASW Code of Ethics, the social worker should FIRST:
A. Ignore it to protect the colleague's privacy
B. Confront the colleague directly in front of others
C. Report to a supervisor or appropriate authority
D. Document and wait for a pattern to emerge
Answer: C
Rationale: When impairment may affect client care, the ethical duty is to report to
a supervisor or authority. Ignoring (A) violates duty to clients. Public confrontation
(B) is inappropriate. Waiting (D) risks client harm.
,5. A client wants to stop therapy because "it isn't helping." The social worker
should:
A. Persuade the client to continue for at least three more months
B. Explore the client's concerns and reassess treatment goals
C. Terminate immediately and provide referrals
D. Warn the client that symptoms will worsen without treatment
Answer: B
Rationale: Respecting self-determination means exploring concerns and
reassessing goals collaboratively. Persuasion (A) and warnings (D) undermine
autonomy. Abrupt termination (C) is not facilitative.
6. A social worker is asked to share a client's treatment plan with the client's
adult sibling. The client has not consented. The social worker should:
A. Share general information since the sibling is family
B. Refuse to share any information without written consent
C. Consult a supervisor before deciding
D. Ask the sibling to obtain consent from the client
Answer: B
Rationale: Confidentiality requires written consent before disclosing protected
health information. Family status (A) does not override this. Supervisor
consultation (C) doesn't change the ethical obligation. Delegating consent-
gathering to the sibling (D) is inappropriate.
7. A client reveals plans to seriously harm an identifiable person. The social
worker should:
A. Maintain confidentiality to preserve the therapeutic alliance
B. Warn the intended victim and notify law enforcement
C. Encourage the client to turn themselves in
D. Document the threat and monitor the situation
, Answer: B
Rationale: Duty to warn/protect applies when there is a serious threat to an
identifiable victim. Confidentiality yields to safety. Encouraging self-report (C) is
insufficient. Monitoring only (D) fails the legal duty.
8. A social worker begins an assessment and notices the client's speech is rapid
and tangential. The social worker should FIRST:
A. Ask the client to slow down
B. Continue gathering information while noting the presentation
C. Refer the client for a medication evaluation
D. End the session early
Answer: B
Rationale: The FIRST task is to continue the assessment while observing clinical
signs. Asking the client to slow down (A) disrupts rapport. Immediate referral (C)
precedes full assessment. Ending early (D) abandons the assessment.
9. A client reports experiencing intimate partner violence but does not want to
leave the relationship. The social worker should:
A. Develop a safety plan while respecting the client's autonomy
B. Contact law enforcement immediately
C. Advise the client to leave for their own safety
D. Refer the couple to couples counseling
Answer: A
Rationale: Safety planning respects autonomy while addressing risk. Leaving is
the most dangerous period in abusive relationships; forcing it can increase lethality.
Couples counseling (D) is contraindicated in active IPV.
10. A social worker uses a strengths perspective with a client who has a
substance use history. Which focus BEST reflects this approach?
