LICSW Practice Questions, Top Exam Questions and answers, 100% Accurate, graded A+

LICSW Practice Questions, Top Exam Questions and answers, 100% Accurate, graded A+ In an initial session with a social worker, a client mentions having been hospitalized several times for depression. When the social worker attempts to explore the hospitalizations, the client becomes tense and guarded, saying "it's old history". The client refuses to give permission for the records to be released. The social worker should FIRST: a. Explore why this topic appears to be upsetting the client b. Acknowledge the client's right to decide about release of records c. Reassure the client that the focus will be on present issues d. Assess the client's current level of depression - -B - Acknowledge the client's right to decide about release of records When faced by a hostile client in an agency setting, it is BEST for the social worker to: a. Suggest that the client's attitude is making the situation worse b. Accept the client's hostility and talk about nonthreatening topics c. Set limits and structure on the interview session d. Acknowledge the client's feelings and encourage discussion of them - -D - Acknowledge the client's feelings and encourage discussion of them A client who has received services for several years in a dialysis unit appears for a routine visit. The nurse notices a markedly changed affect and refers the client to the social worker. When seeing the social worker, the client seems detached, self-absorbed, and tearful. The social worker should FIRST assess the client's: a. Life situation and recent changes b. Compliance with medical care c. Concerns about dying d. Feelings about dialysis - -A - Life situation and recent changes During Mrs. S's first appointment in a family agency, the social worker encourages her to express her feelings about the recent placement of her child in a residential facility for the developmentally disabled. Mrs. S talks at length instead about her physical problems. The social worker should: a. Use Mrs. S's remarks about her health to identify unresolved parenting issues b. Refocus the interview on the child's behavior and the reason for the residential placement c. Explore with Mrs. S how her health problems are related to the recent placement of her child d. Listen to Mrs. S's description of her health as a beginning of a relationship and means of assessing her self-perception - -D - Listen to Mrs. S's description of her health as a beginning of a relationship and means of assessing her self-perception A couple expressing extreme anger at each other go to a social worker for marital counseling. The social worker should FIRST: a. Explore the goals the anger is masking b. Clarify whether each partner is willing to hear the other c. Acknowledge the anger each partner has toward the other d. Use the interview to probe for positive feelings each has for the other - -C - Acknowledge the anger each partner has toward the other A social worker has been asked to assist an elderly client in making alternative living arrangements. In the initial interview, the client repeatedly attempts to discuss past experiences. What is the social worker's MOST appropriate response to the client? a. Ignore the references to the past b. Facilitate discussion of the recollections c. Refer the client for psychiatric evaluation d. Administer a geriatric evaluation scale - -B - Facilitate discussion of the recollections A hospital social worker interviews a couple whose six month old infant has recently been hospitalized for cystic fibrosis. The social worker notices that the parents are reluctant to touch the child. Based on this information, the social worker's FIRST intervention should be to: a. Explore the parent's reaction to the child's illness b. Refer the couple to a support group c. Evaluate the situation for out-of-home placement d. Provide the couple with information - -A - Explore the parent's reaction to the child's illness In the first session with a school social worker, a high school student reveals that he has been cutting school and forging his mother's name on absence excuses. The social worker should: a. Inform the student that the social worker has a responsibility to inform his mother b. Avoid negatively reinforcing the attention-seeking behavior c. Suggest that it would be best for him to inform school authorities and accept responsibility for his behavior d. Explore the reasons for the absences and factors contributing to the behavior - -D - Explore the reasons for the absences and factors contributing to the behavior A family comes to an agency complaining of their child's behavior problems. As a result of the assessment phase, the social worker believes that the marital relationship is the primary problem. The social worker should focus on: a. The parents, confronting them with their relationship issues b. The child and the ways the parents should react to the behavior c. A discussion of the social worker's perception of the marital relationship d. Developing the child's insight into behavior as a reaction to marital stress - -C - A discussion of the social worker's perception of the marital relationship A 28-year-old with a long standing history of drug use is referred to a social worker by a concerned relative. In the assessment interview, the client tells the social worker about frequent cocaine use. The social worker should FIRST: a. Conduct a family interview to evaluate the family's concern b. Begin treatment, focusing on the reason for drug abuse c. Refer the client to a substance abuse program d. Evaluate the client's motivation for change - -C - Refer the client to a substance abuse problem The developmental tasks of self-evaluation and skill learning are associated with what life stage? a. Toddlerhood (2-4 years) b. Early Childhood (4-6 years) c. Middle School (6-12 years) d. Early Adolescence (12-18 years) - -C - Middle School (6-12 years) Parents of a four-year-old are referred to a social worker after a physical exam reveals no physical problem preventing the child from being toilet trained. The parents reveal that the child has not been able to separate from them to attend nursery school and he sleeps with them most nights. The most important area to focus on in the assessment phase is the: a. Parents use of rewards and punishments with the child b. Early developmental and family history of each parent c. Parent's understanding of the child's developmental process d. Ways in which the child interferes with the parent's own relationship - -C - Parent's understanding of the child's developmental process The two most common defenses used by couples with marital problems are a. Repression and Denial b. Repression and Suppression c. Projection and Displacement d. Projection and Splitting - -C - Projection and Displacement A client who expresses no overt anger accuses her social worker of being angry, hostile, suspicious and cold. The process being used is MOST likely a. Projective identification b. Paranoia c. Reaction formation d. Isolation of affect - -A - Projective identification Which of the following characteristics is usually NOT found in families in which incestuous relationships have occurred? a. Enmeshment of family members b. Distorted patterns of communication c. Symbiotic mother-child relationships d. Moralistic attitudes and extramarital affairs - -C - Symbiotic mother-child relationships Which of the following assumptions is NOT accepted by a social worker engaged in family treatment? a. Each person strives for a sense of relatedness and closeness with others b. Treating the scapegoated family member will help the rest of the family c. Family members explain their own sense of worth on the basis of the behavior of others d. Family boundaries are the means for individuals to protect differences and maintain identity - -B - Treating the scapegoated family member will help the rest of the family After six weeks of marital therapy, a couple continues their destructive pattern of fighting. In the next session when the couple begins yelling at each other, the social worker stops them and states "your situation is hopeless, fight as often as you wish". She is using the technique of? a. Encouragement b. Reframing c. Prescribing a ritual d. Paradoxical directive - -D - Paradoxical directive The major goal of behavioral treatment of depression reflects the view that depression is a result of a. Role confusion b. Negative cognition c. Poor interpersonal skills d. Absence of positive reinforcement - -D - Absence of positive reinforcement The view that learning takes place through observation and that new responses are acquired through the process of imitating models is associated with a. Cognitive behaviorism b. Operant conditioning c. Social learning d. Classical conditioning - -C - Social learning Mrs. W asks for help with her six-year-old daughter's frequent temper tantrums. The tantrums often occur when shopping. When the child sees something she wants, she screams and kicks until her mother gives her the item. When asked how she responds, Mrs. W says she usually gives in to avoid being embarrassed. Which behavior principle is demonstrated? a. The child is negatively reinforcing the mother's compliance with the child's demands b. The child is positively reinforcing mother's giving in c. Mother is negatively reinforcing the child's behavior d. Mother is positively reinforcing the child's behavior - -D - Mother is positively reinforcing the child's behavior Which of the following medications is primarily used in the treatment of psychosis? a. Haldol b. Xanax c. Wellbutrin d. Prozac - -A - Haldol A client whose mother dies following a long term illness states to the social worker that he believes that his angry thoughts about his mother caused the death. This is an example of a. Delusions b. Grandiosity c. Ideas of reference d. Magical thinking - -D - Magical thinking A 24-year-old woman complains of depressed mood. She tells the social worker that she has felt this way the past two-three years. She has little energy for social or work activities, has difficulty making decisions and concentrating, and has poor appetite. There are no delusions or hallucinations. Her MOST LIKELY DMS IV diagnosis is a. Dysthymic disorder b. Bipolar disorder, depressed c. Cyclothymic disorder d. Major depression, recurrent - -A - Dysthymic disorder A man is seen in the ER with complaints of visual hallucinations, confusion, and restlessness. He also has chills, dilated pupils and nausea. He says "nothing is wrong, I just need sleep". Which of the following substances is MOST LIKELY the cause of the condition? a. Alcohol b. Marijuana c. Cocaine d. Barbiturates - -C - Cocaine Borderline Personality Disorder is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT a. Intense long-term relationships b. Primitive delusional fantasies c. Lack of control of aggressive drives d. Self-destructive behavior - -A - Intense long-term relationships A patient complains of sleeplessness, loss of appetite, feeling hopeless, and general apathy. To help diagnose, a social worker would most need to know a. Medications the client is taking b. Family history of depression c. How long the symptoms have persisted d. If the patient lives alone - -C - How long the symptoms have persisted A 45-year-old recently divorced mail carrier complains his memory and logic skills have diminished. He is on a new delivery route and is embarrassed that he can't visualize the exact boundaries of the route or calculate his workload and schedules. These are important factors in his job and he is worried. He has developed a slight limp and tires easily. What would the social worker FIRST consider? a. A referral for a medical and neurological evaluation b. A diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's c. The possibility of a substance abuse problem d. An adjustment reaction to his divorce - -A - A referral for a medical and neurological evaluation A 21-year-old female client who appears noticeably underweight reports frequently forcing herself to vomit after meals in order to "stay thin and pretty". The MOST likely DSM IV diagnosis for this client is a type of a. Bulimia nervosa b. Body dysmorphic disorder c. Rumination disorder d. Anorexia nervosa - -D - Anorexia nervosa A social worker is employed at a doctor's office. The program director, who is a doctor at the office, reports that the office will begin providing services via video conferencing to established clients who live in rural areas. The purpose is to increase access to services for clients who lack reliable transportation. What should the social worker do? a. Discuss with each client the potential risks, benefits, and consequences of receiving services via electronic media b. Inform the program manager that social workers are not allowed to provide telemedicine c. Explain to the program manager that social workers cannot establish therapeutic relationships with clients when clients are not physically present d. Begin services with clients who have already begun receiving service via video conferencing with a doctor - -A - Discuss with each client the potential risks, benefits, and consequences of receiving services via electronic media A 55-year-old male has been meeting with a social worker to address his alcohol dependence. Over the past few weeks, he has cut down on his drinking. He arrives at his scheduled appointment sweating. He states he has been vomiting and he has a noticeable tremor in his hands. How should the social worker respond? a. Encourage the client to decrease his alcohol intake more slowly as he is less likely to suffer such serious withdrawal symptoms b. Talk to the client about the possible dangers of alcohol withdrawal and allow the client to make his own decision about whether or not to seek medical help c. Encourage the client to withstand the uncomfortable symptoms for a few days as they will likely pass after the painful process of detox d. Call 911, even if the client refuses to consent, as the client is likely detoxing and may experience seizures or possibly death - -B - Talk to the client about the possible dangers of alcohol withdrawal and allow the client to make his own decision about whether or not to seek medical help A social worker is working on values clarification with a client who has a dependence on alcohol. The social worker is also assisting the client in recognizing the consequences and the impact his behaviors have on others. The social worker uses a readiness ruler to help assess the client's readiness to change. These methods are MOST LIKELY to be effective when the client is in which stage of the Transtheoretical Model? a. Preparation b. Action c. Precontemplation d. Maintenance - -C - Precontemplation A social worker is meeting with a 50-year-old African American male who acknowledges he has some suicidal ideation. He was previously diagnosed with major depression and was recently discharged from an inpatient hospitalization program. He reports that following his hospitalization, he has more energy and feels better. He lives at home with his wife and his adult children have moved out of the home. He works in construction and states that he works about 60 hours per week. What suicide risk factors should the social worker pay close attention to? a. The client is African American and therefore, statistically, a higher risk of suicide b. The long hours that he works put him at a higher risk of suicide c. Having adult children who have moved out of the home puts him at a higher risk d. His improvement during his hospitalization may actually give him the energy to complete suicide - -D - His improvement during his hospitalization may actually give him the energy to complete suicide A family has adopted a seven-year-old boy who had previously experienced severe neglect. The adoptive parents are meeting with a social worker because they are frustrated that he continues to hoard food. They report that they often find food under his bed and he "steals" extra food to put in his backpack for school. What recommendations should the social worker make? a. They should install locks on the cupboards and the refrigerator so they can better monitor his food intake b. The parents should take away privileges each time they discover that he is hoarding food c. The parents should ignore the behavior as it will likely go away on its own once the child realizes that the family has plenty of food d. They can provide the child with a food basket where he can keep his healthy snacks and they can refill the basket when it is nearing empty - -D - They can provide the child with a food basket where he can keep his healthy snacks and they can refill the basket with it is nearing empty A 32-year-old man is referred to a social worker after his children were removed by child protective services due to allegations of neglect. He tells the social worker that he is not sure that he wants to fight to get them back. He states he doesn't think he wants to go through all the things child protective services wants him to do only to not regain custody in the end. What response is the best thing the social worker should say to the client? a. "Your children will benefit from knowing that you at least tried to regain custody, even if you aren't successful" b. "It's important to look at how not attempting to get custody of the children will be viewed by child protective services" c. "It may be helpful to work toward regaining custody initially, and if at anytime, you decide you want to give up, you can do so" d. "You are free to choose whether or not you want to try to regain the custody of the children" - -D - "You are free to choose whether or not you want to try to regain custody of the children" A social worker is conducting an initial assessment with a client. What is the best way for the social worker to inquire about the client's sexual orientation? a. "Are you attracted to men or women?" b. "Do you consider yourself to be gay or straight?" c. "What is your sexual orientation?" d. "Tell me about your sexuality" - -C - "What is your sexual orientation?" A 16-year-old client is seeking services from an outpatient social worker after becoming the victim of a sexual assault. The client's mother has signed a general release of information that allows the social worker to talk to the school. The social worker receives a call from the client's math teacher who states the client's grades have declined and she wants to know if there is something "going on" with the client lately. How should the social worker respond? a. Talk to the client about whether or not she would want any information disclosed and the possible implications of disclosing information b. Contact the client's mother to determine how much information she is comfortable with the teacher knowing c. Contact a supervisor before disclosing any information d. Tell the math teacher that the client was sexually assaulted - -A - Talk to the client about whether or not she would want any information disclosed and the possible implications of disclosing information A couple requests help in improving their seven year marriage. When you ask them about their goals, they begin to argue almost immediately. The husband states his wife nags him too much about chores. The wife states her husband is lazy. How should you proceed with establishing treatment goals? a. Assist them in setting a goal to help them resolve their arguments around household responsibilities b. Recommend they receive individual treatment to help them work on individual issues c. Recommend that they each attend sessions with you individually to set separate goals to work on until they are ready to work together in a session d. Assist them in establishing treatment goals to help them learn to improve their communication and resolve conflict - -D - Assist them in establishing treatment goals to help them learn to improve their communication and resolve conflict A social worker has started to treat a woman who has been diagnosed with dependent personality disorder. The woman reports a variety of failed relationships. She acknowledges that she often makes unhealthy choices in the kinds of partners that she picks. When establishing a therapeutic relationship with the client, what sort of information should the social worker keep in mind? a. The client is likely to have difficulty expressing her emotions and most likely lacks basic social skills b. The client's dramatic presentation and desire to be the center of attention may interfere with developing the therapeutic relationship c. The client may be superficially compliant to try and gain approval but may struggle to make lasting change d. Establishing rapport will be difficult and the client is likely to drop out of treatment early - -C - The client may be superficially compliant with treatment to try to gain approval but may struggle to make lasting change A therapist is meeting with the client for an initial evaluation. The client reports feeling moody and has been having many headaches. The client states that she lost a lot of weight recently and has noticed a decrease in appetite. The clinician should FIRST a. Assess the client for suicidality b. Refer the client to a psychiatrist c. Complete a mental status exam d. Refer the client to a MD - -D - Refer the client to a MD A therapist has been conducting a closed 10-week group for men living with AIDS. After the third session, a group member reports to the leader that they are feeling frustrated and disconnected with other members of the group. They question whether or not they want to continue. The social worker should FIRST a. Initiate an individual session with this group member to address their feelings of frustration and disconnect b. Tell the group member that it isn't possible to leave the group at this time due to the closed nature of the group c. Encourage the group member to bring this up in the next group session d. Use the next group session to explore how other group members are feeling and whether anyone relates to how this group member is feeling in order to encourage cohesiveness - -C - Encourage the group member to bring this up in the next group session Studies that collect and analyze data from the whole study population at one point in time is called a. Single-subject design b. Cross-sectional studies c. Retrospective study d. Case study - -B - Cross-sectional studies A father recently noticed an upswing in the amount of gun violence in his neighborhood. As a result, he reaches out to other members of the neighborhood to hold a meeting and discuss the impact this is having on each individual, while also looking at the ways that each member can contribute to creating change. This is an example of a. Advocacy b. Program development c. Community organizing d. Social planning - -C - Community organizing A social worker is developing a program that assists youth who are coming out of the juvenile justice system in finding a job. The social worker has already conducted a needs assessment and identified goals for the program. Which of the following should be the NEXT step? a. Create an action plan along with a timeline for implementation b. Create a planning team which includes identifying key staff c. Put the identified goals in action to ensure they are productive and accurate based on the identified population d. Using the identified goals, implement an action plan and evaluate progress as needed - -B - Create a planning team which includes identifying key staff A 15-year-old client was recently referred to a therapist at a community counseling center for an initial assessment after throwing a chair at another student at school. The mother reports this is the first incident of this type, but that the client's parents recently divorced a month ago. In order to develop a therapeutic relationship, the therapist must FIRST a. Go over the limitations of confidentiality with the client b. Complete a biopsychosocial assessment c. Play a game to lessen the stress of the first session d. Get a release of confidentiality from the mother to talk to the client's teacher - -A - Go over the limitations of confidentiality with the client A therapist receives a court order to release the records of a client who is going through a custody disagreement with his partner. The therapist is worried about releasing certain aspects of the record believing that it would be harmful to the client, so the therapist advocates to release only limited aspects of the record. The judge denies this request. The therapist should a. Release the records to the court immediately b. Release only aspects of the record that the therapist believes aren't harmful c. Speak with a lawyer d. Speak with the client about the subpoena - -A - Release the records to the court immediately During an assessment, a client reports a low mood, lack of sleep, and trouble concentrating. The client reports this has been going on for the past three years. The client shares they were sexually assaulted seven years ago, but reports that they, "don't really think about it anymore". The client's MOST LIKELY diagnosis is a. Major Depressive Disorder b. Persistent Depressive Disorder c. Cyclothymic Disorder d. Acute Stress Disorder - -B - Persistent Depressive Disorder A therapist is developing a website to promote her private practice. It would be unethical to do which of the following a. Highlight the therapist's expertise b. Share extensive information about the therapist's training and background c. Include information about the therapist's fees and sliding scale d. Collect clients' testimonials highlighting the effectiveness of treatment - -D - Collect clients' testimonials highlighting the effectiveness of treatment A social worker is doing a home visit for a family with three kids who recently lost their mother in a car