ASWB LMSW Practice Exam Questions
& Answers 2024/2025
A social worker employed by a retirement home is approached by a client for help in
establishing a recycling program in the facility. The social worker decides to cohost a meeting
with the client to discuss the idea with other residents. What is the MOST likely reason for this
approach?
A. Antagonizing administration could be dangerous.
B. Legitimizing the residents' concerns may be helpful.
C. Helping residents start new relationships is important.
D. Sharing leadership is very effective with groups. - ANSWERSD. Legitimizing the residents'
concerns may be helpful.
By sharing leadership with the resident (key D), the social worker is supporting the resident's
skill development as well as promoting positive group dynamics. Options (A) and (B)
draw conclusions without substantiated information. While the potential for beginning new
relationships (C) exists, it is not the MOST likely reason for the co-facilitation.
At what age is separation anxiety MOST likely to occur?
A. 24 months
B. 12 months
C. 3 months - ANSWERSB. 12 months
This item requires basic recall that separation anxiety is most typical around the age of 12
months (key B).
,A nine-month-old child is neglected and lacks a secure attachment to a caretaker. What long-
term effect should the social worker be MOST concerned about as the child gets older?
A. Posttraumatic stress disorder
B. Social anxiety in middle age
C. High bleed pressure
D. Negative social interactions with peers - ANSWERSD. Negative social interactions with peers
The MOST strongly linked long-term effect of insecure attachment is future negative social
interactions with peers (key D). Posttraumatic stress disorder (B)
is a short-term effect, while high blood pressure (C) and later social anxiety (D) are not directly
linked to attachment difficulties.
A 13-year-old adolescent meets with a social worker because of poor hygiene, sleeping in class,
and stealing food from the cafeteria. What should the social worker assess for FIRST?
A. A conduct disorder
B. Child neglect
C. Substance abuse
D. Adolescent rebellion - ANSWERSB. Child Neglect
The social worker should understand that the behaviors are indicators of neglect. The social
worker should assess if the adolescent's basic needs are being met FIRST.
A school social worker meets with parents of a child who has recently completed treatment for
cancer. The child's physician is recommending that the child return to school as soon as
possible, but the parents believe that more time at home would be beneficial. What should the
social worker do NEXT?
,A. Advocate for the parents to keep the child at home
B. Explore the reasons for the parents' beliefs
C. Obtain the child's perspective on the situation
D. Refer the parents and child for family therapy - ANSWERSB. Explore the reasons for the
parents' beliefs
Before taking action, the social worker should acknowledge and validate the parents' concerns
and explore the events and emotions that have led to these
concerns (key B). Advocating that the child stay at home (A) is not supported by the physician's
recommendation. Although the social worker may eventually want to obtain the child's
perspective (C), this would not be the NEXT step. There are no indications of family dysfunction
that would warrant family therapy (D).
A social worker begins a job at a psychiatric hospital and is assigned a caseload. One of the
clients is a former intimate partner. The social worker and client have not had any contact for
several years. What should the social worker do?
A. Process the issue with the client
B. Deny the relationship occurred
C. Transfer the client to a colleague
D. Request a transfer to a different department - ANSWERSC. Transfer the client to a colleague
To avoid the ethical dilemma of dual relationships, the social worker should transfer the client
to another social worker (key C). Processing the issue with the client (A) is not going to
resolve the ethical dilemma. Denying the existence of the past relationship (B) is unethical.
Asking for a transfer to another department (D) avoids the issue entirely.
, A client who is trying to become pregnant uses cocaine consistently and has questions about
the effects on the fetus. The social worker tells the client that cocaine use could harm the fetus.
What should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Offer substance abuse treatment options to the client
B. Refer the case for possible criminal prosecution
C. Inform the client that the drug use will be reported to child protective services
D. Ask the client's health care provider to drug test the client - ANSWERSA. Offer substance
abuse treatment options to the client
Offering treatment options (key A) to the client supports client self-determination and choice.
Options (B), (C), and (D) are all restrictive and breach client confidentiality.
A social worker is asked to analyze new social welfare policies that will affect the community.
What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Examine the likely impact of the policies on the community
B. Research the historical problems that led to the policies
C. Organize a grassreets coalition to diseuss reaction to the policies
D. Look into legal precedents that could potentially nullify the policies - ANSWERSB. Research
the historical problems that led to the policies
This item requires understanding of the basic steps in policy analysis. The social worker must
FIRST understand the historical background of the policy (key B) before moving to the
analysis stage. Options (A), (C), and (D) are steps to take later in the process.
A client meets with a social worker at a crisis center. The client is living with a sibling and shares
that the sibling's boyfriend is threatening to force the client out of the home. The client does
not feel safe. What should the social worker do FIRST?
& Answers 2024/2025
A social worker employed by a retirement home is approached by a client for help in
establishing a recycling program in the facility. The social worker decides to cohost a meeting
with the client to discuss the idea with other residents. What is the MOST likely reason for this
approach?
A. Antagonizing administration could be dangerous.
B. Legitimizing the residents' concerns may be helpful.
C. Helping residents start new relationships is important.
D. Sharing leadership is very effective with groups. - ANSWERSD. Legitimizing the residents'
concerns may be helpful.
By sharing leadership with the resident (key D), the social worker is supporting the resident's
skill development as well as promoting positive group dynamics. Options (A) and (B)
draw conclusions without substantiated information. While the potential for beginning new
relationships (C) exists, it is not the MOST likely reason for the co-facilitation.
At what age is separation anxiety MOST likely to occur?
A. 24 months
B. 12 months
C. 3 months - ANSWERSB. 12 months
This item requires basic recall that separation anxiety is most typical around the age of 12
months (key B).
,A nine-month-old child is neglected and lacks a secure attachment to a caretaker. What long-
term effect should the social worker be MOST concerned about as the child gets older?
A. Posttraumatic stress disorder
B. Social anxiety in middle age
C. High bleed pressure
D. Negative social interactions with peers - ANSWERSD. Negative social interactions with peers
The MOST strongly linked long-term effect of insecure attachment is future negative social
interactions with peers (key D). Posttraumatic stress disorder (B)
is a short-term effect, while high blood pressure (C) and later social anxiety (D) are not directly
linked to attachment difficulties.
A 13-year-old adolescent meets with a social worker because of poor hygiene, sleeping in class,
and stealing food from the cafeteria. What should the social worker assess for FIRST?
A. A conduct disorder
B. Child neglect
C. Substance abuse
D. Adolescent rebellion - ANSWERSB. Child Neglect
The social worker should understand that the behaviors are indicators of neglect. The social
worker should assess if the adolescent's basic needs are being met FIRST.
A school social worker meets with parents of a child who has recently completed treatment for
cancer. The child's physician is recommending that the child return to school as soon as
possible, but the parents believe that more time at home would be beneficial. What should the
social worker do NEXT?
,A. Advocate for the parents to keep the child at home
B. Explore the reasons for the parents' beliefs
C. Obtain the child's perspective on the situation
D. Refer the parents and child for family therapy - ANSWERSB. Explore the reasons for the
parents' beliefs
Before taking action, the social worker should acknowledge and validate the parents' concerns
and explore the events and emotions that have led to these
concerns (key B). Advocating that the child stay at home (A) is not supported by the physician's
recommendation. Although the social worker may eventually want to obtain the child's
perspective (C), this would not be the NEXT step. There are no indications of family dysfunction
that would warrant family therapy (D).
A social worker begins a job at a psychiatric hospital and is assigned a caseload. One of the
clients is a former intimate partner. The social worker and client have not had any contact for
several years. What should the social worker do?
A. Process the issue with the client
B. Deny the relationship occurred
C. Transfer the client to a colleague
D. Request a transfer to a different department - ANSWERSC. Transfer the client to a colleague
To avoid the ethical dilemma of dual relationships, the social worker should transfer the client
to another social worker (key C). Processing the issue with the client (A) is not going to
resolve the ethical dilemma. Denying the existence of the past relationship (B) is unethical.
Asking for a transfer to another department (D) avoids the issue entirely.
, A client who is trying to become pregnant uses cocaine consistently and has questions about
the effects on the fetus. The social worker tells the client that cocaine use could harm the fetus.
What should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Offer substance abuse treatment options to the client
B. Refer the case for possible criminal prosecution
C. Inform the client that the drug use will be reported to child protective services
D. Ask the client's health care provider to drug test the client - ANSWERSA. Offer substance
abuse treatment options to the client
Offering treatment options (key A) to the client supports client self-determination and choice.
Options (B), (C), and (D) are all restrictive and breach client confidentiality.
A social worker is asked to analyze new social welfare policies that will affect the community.
What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Examine the likely impact of the policies on the community
B. Research the historical problems that led to the policies
C. Organize a grassreets coalition to diseuss reaction to the policies
D. Look into legal precedents that could potentially nullify the policies - ANSWERSB. Research
the historical problems that led to the policies
This item requires understanding of the basic steps in policy analysis. The social worker must
FIRST understand the historical background of the policy (key B) before moving to the
analysis stage. Options (A), (C), and (D) are steps to take later in the process.
A client meets with a social worker at a crisis center. The client is living with a sibling and shares
that the sibling's boyfriend is threatening to force the client out of the home. The client does
not feel safe. What should the social worker do FIRST?
