©BRIGHSTARS 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
LCSW Exam Section 2- Assessment,
Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning Exam
Study Guide.
Interview techniques - Answer✔-Universalization: the generalization or normalization of
behavior
-Clarification: reformulate problem in a client's words to make sure that you are on the same
page
-Confrontation: calling attention to something
-Interpretation: pulling together patterns of behavior to get a new understanding
-Reframing and relabeling: stating problem in a different way so a client can see possible
solutions
Component of a biopsychosocial history - Answer✔-Biological section: assesses a client's
medical history, developmental history, current medications, substance abuse history, and family
history of medical illnesses.
-Psychological section: assesses a client's present psychiatric illness or symptoms, history of the
current psychiatric illness or symptoms, past or current psychosocial stressors, and mental status;
exploration of past treatment(s)
-Social section: focuses on client systems, unique client context, and may identify strengths
and/or resources available for treatment planning; sexual identity issues/concerns, personal
history, family of origin history, support system availability, abuse history, education, legal
history, marital/relationship status and concerns, work history, and risks
*should also include assessing client's spiritual and cultural factors
Beck Depression Inventory - Answer✔A 21-item test, presented in multiple choice format, that
assesses the presence and degree of depression in adolescents and adults
1|Page
, ©BRIGHSTARS 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) - Answer✔An objective verbal
inventory designed as a personality test for the assessment of psychopathology; consists of 550
statements, 16 of which are repeated
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - Answer✔A forced-choice, self-report inventory that
attempts of classify individuals along four theoretically independent dimensions. The first
dimension is a general attitude toward the world, either extraverted (E) or introverted (I). The
second dimension, perception, is divided between sensation (S) and intuition (N). The third
dimension is that of processing. Once information is received, it is processed in either a thinking
(T) or feeling (F) style. The final dimension is judging (J) versus perceiving (P).
Rorschach Inkblot Test - Answer✔Client responses to inkblots are used to assess perceptual
reactions and other psychological functioning. It is one of the most widely used projective tests
(Side note from me: it is super invalid and unreliable because of its subjectivity)
Standford-Binet Intelligence Scale - Answer✔Designed for the testing of cognitive abilities. It
provides verbal, performance, and full scale scores for children and adults
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) - Answer✔Another widely used projective test. It consists of
a series of pictures of ambiguous scenes. Clients are asked to make up stories or fantasies
concerning what is happening, has happened, and is going to happen in the scenes, along with a
description of their thoughts and feelings. The TAT provides information on a client's
perceptions and imagination for use in the understanding of a client's current needs, motives,
emotions, and conflicts, both conscious and unconscious. Its use in clinical assessment is
generally part of a large battery of tests and interview data.
Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC) - Answer✔Designed as a measure of a child's intellectual
and cognitive ability. It has four index scales and a full scale score
(Side not from me: also one for babies-toddlers)
Characteristics of possible client strengths (use during assessment) - Answer✔1. Cognitive and
appraisal skills: intellectual/cognitive ability; creativity, curiousity; initiative, perseverance,
patience; common sense; ability to anticipate problems; realistic appraisal of demands and
capacities; ability to use feedback
2. Defenses and coping mechanisms: ability to regulate impulses and affect; self-soothing;
flexible, can handle stressors
2|Page
LCSW Exam Section 2- Assessment,
Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning Exam
Study Guide.
Interview techniques - Answer✔-Universalization: the generalization or normalization of
behavior
-Clarification: reformulate problem in a client's words to make sure that you are on the same
page
-Confrontation: calling attention to something
-Interpretation: pulling together patterns of behavior to get a new understanding
-Reframing and relabeling: stating problem in a different way so a client can see possible
solutions
Component of a biopsychosocial history - Answer✔-Biological section: assesses a client's
medical history, developmental history, current medications, substance abuse history, and family
history of medical illnesses.
-Psychological section: assesses a client's present psychiatric illness or symptoms, history of the
current psychiatric illness or symptoms, past or current psychosocial stressors, and mental status;
exploration of past treatment(s)
-Social section: focuses on client systems, unique client context, and may identify strengths
and/or resources available for treatment planning; sexual identity issues/concerns, personal
history, family of origin history, support system availability, abuse history, education, legal
history, marital/relationship status and concerns, work history, and risks
*should also include assessing client's spiritual and cultural factors
Beck Depression Inventory - Answer✔A 21-item test, presented in multiple choice format, that
assesses the presence and degree of depression in adolescents and adults
1|Page
, ©BRIGHSTARS 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) - Answer✔An objective verbal
inventory designed as a personality test for the assessment of psychopathology; consists of 550
statements, 16 of which are repeated
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - Answer✔A forced-choice, self-report inventory that
attempts of classify individuals along four theoretically independent dimensions. The first
dimension is a general attitude toward the world, either extraverted (E) or introverted (I). The
second dimension, perception, is divided between sensation (S) and intuition (N). The third
dimension is that of processing. Once information is received, it is processed in either a thinking
(T) or feeling (F) style. The final dimension is judging (J) versus perceiving (P).
Rorschach Inkblot Test - Answer✔Client responses to inkblots are used to assess perceptual
reactions and other psychological functioning. It is one of the most widely used projective tests
(Side note from me: it is super invalid and unreliable because of its subjectivity)
Standford-Binet Intelligence Scale - Answer✔Designed for the testing of cognitive abilities. It
provides verbal, performance, and full scale scores for children and adults
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) - Answer✔Another widely used projective test. It consists of
a series of pictures of ambiguous scenes. Clients are asked to make up stories or fantasies
concerning what is happening, has happened, and is going to happen in the scenes, along with a
description of their thoughts and feelings. The TAT provides information on a client's
perceptions and imagination for use in the understanding of a client's current needs, motives,
emotions, and conflicts, both conscious and unconscious. Its use in clinical assessment is
generally part of a large battery of tests and interview data.
Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC) - Answer✔Designed as a measure of a child's intellectual
and cognitive ability. It has four index scales and a full scale score
(Side not from me: also one for babies-toddlers)
Characteristics of possible client strengths (use during assessment) - Answer✔1. Cognitive and
appraisal skills: intellectual/cognitive ability; creativity, curiousity; initiative, perseverance,
patience; common sense; ability to anticipate problems; realistic appraisal of demands and
capacities; ability to use feedback
2. Defenses and coping mechanisms: ability to regulate impulses and affect; self-soothing;
flexible, can handle stressors
2|Page
