ASWB LMSW (Licensed Master Social
Worker) Practice Exam Questions with
correct Answers (A+ GRADED 100%
VERIFIED)
A 12-year-old client who experienced severe neglect by biological parents during
infancy is brought to a social work agency for evaluation. According to records, the
client lived with several foster families before being adopted at the age of five.
Despite receiving consistent nurturance from the adoptive family, the client has failed
to bond with them. Upon initial assessment, a social worker notes that the client's
inhibitions and ambivalence toward others could indicate the presence of:
A. Rett syndrome
B. selective mutism
C. separation anxiety disorder
D. reactive attachment disorder - ANSWER: D. reactive attachment disorder
This item is a basic recall of the indicators of reactive attachment disorder (key D).
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 - ANSWER: B. 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 16-year-old adolescent meets with a social worker while being admitted to an
inpatient psychiatric facility. The adolescent reports alcohol use and sniffing paint on
a daily basis. The adolescent's family relationships are strained, and school
performance is poor. In the process of completing the assessment, what should the
social worker recommend NEXT?
A. Family sessions
,B. One-to-one observation
C. Further psychological testing - ANSWER: C. Further psychological testing
Further psychological testing (key C) is warranted, given that the adolescent is being
admitted to an inpatient treatment facility. Testing is immediately available and is
needed to further assess the adolescent's condition. Family sessions (A) may be
indicated after further testing. Observation (B) is important, but the seriousness and
types of abuse that are reported indicate the need for further testing.
A 17-month-old child is placed in temporary foster care. Initially, the child cries
vigorously, struggles in the arms of the foster parent, and will not be comforted. After
a day or two, the child becomes increasingly quiet, withdrawn, and sad looking. This
is followed by an increase in activity, a decrease in crying, but little show of affect.
The child's behavior can BEST be understood in terms of which of the following
theories?
A. Interpersonal
B. Attachment
C. Rational-emotive
D. Ego development - ANSWER: B. Attachment
This item requires knowledge of the components of attachment theory (key B).
Interpersonal (A), rational-emotive (C), and ego development (D) theories do not
address attachment issues such as those the child is experiencing.
A 21-year-old patient is approaching discharge from the hospital following a serious
suicide attempt. The social worker meets with him before discharge to assess his
emotional state. He will not answer any specific questions. The patient tells the
social worker that he just needs to get home. What should the social worker do
NEXT?
A. Provide the patient with suicide hotline and mental health resources
B. Contact the appropriate staff to explore involuntary commitment
C. Chart the conversation before approving the discharge plan
D. Explain to the patient the seriousness of the suicide attempt - ANSWER: B.
Contact the appropriate staff to explore involuntary commitment
Keeping in mind the protection and safety of the patient, exploring involuntary
commitment (key B) is the NEXT step. Given the described behaviors, this patient
remains at high risk for suicide. Providing community resources (A) is appropriate if
the patient is not at risk and is participating with the social worker. Documenting the
conversation (C) does not focus on the immediate safety concerns. Explaining the
seriousness of the attempt to the patient (D) should have occurred earlier in the
patient's hospitalization.
,A child protective services social worker meets with a parent who has allegedly been
neglectful. The parent talks about being overwhelmed by the needs of the child. The
parent describes having trouble sleeping because of the need to stay alert for
messages from a favorite talk show host. The parent also shares beliefs that the
child's teacher is working against the parent. What should the social worker do
NEXT?
A. Refer the parent to a physician
B. Encourage the parent to discuss the anxiety
C. Initiate a mental status examination
D. Plan a collaborative meeting with the school - ANSWER: C. Initiate a mental
status examination
Given the parent's descriptions of potential auditory hallucinations and possible
paranoid thinking, it is important for the social worker to assess what is occurring
with the parent's
mental health by initiating a mental status exam (key C). A referral to a physician (A)
or a meeting with the school (D) may be warranted but are not the NEXT steps.
Option (B) assumes anxiety without a complete assessment.
A client begins services with a social worker. The client has multiple problems,
including substance abuse and posttraumatic stress. The client recently became
unemployed, and a close friend died two weeks earlier. What should the social
worker do NEXT?
A. Ask the client what is most troubling now
B. Refer the client for substance abuse treatment
C. Encourage the client to find employment
D. Begin client-centered bereavement counseling - ANSWER: A. Ask the client what
is most troubling now
Consulting with the client (key A) is the only option that supports client
self-determination and engagement. This should be done NEXT before taking
additional steps. Making a
referral for substance abuse treatment (B), encouraging the client to find a job (C),
and beginning bereavement counseling (D) all draw conclusions before determining
the client's perspective.
A client informs a social worker that despite a court mandate the client does not
intend to attend future sessions. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Inform the client of the consequences of that decision
B. Advise the judge of the client's decision
, C. Assist the client in identifying and clarifying goals - ANSWER: A. Inform the client
of the consequences of that decision
Clients have a right to make choices. Ensuring the client understands the
consequences of the choice (key A) is what should happen FIRST. Advising the
judge of the client's decision
(B) and assisting in identifying and clarifying goals (C) may occur but would not be
done FIRST.
A client is discharged from inpatient treatment for substance use. A mental health
social worker meets for a follow-up session with family members and observes that
they avoid discussing the problem. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Confront family members about the long-term nature of the problem
B. Assist the family in understanding the harm of substance use
C. Determine the extent of denial within the family system
D. Advise the family members that relapse is a realistic possibility - ANSWER: C.
Determine the extent of denial within the family system
The social worker should FIRST follow up on the observation that the family is using
denial as a coping strategy (key C). This should occur before interventions such as
confrontation
(A), educating the family through helping their understanding of the harm involved
(B), or explaining that relapse is possible (D).
A client is in treatment with a social worker in a fee-for-service setting. After paying in
full and on time for the first ten sessions, the client begins to make either partial
payments or no payments at all. Assessment of risk indicates that the client poses
no danger to self or others. According to ethical standards of social work practice,
what is the social worker's BEST response?
A. Continue services after negotiating a nonmonetary compensation system
B. Suspend services until the client has caught up on all financial obligations
C. Terminate services after the third incident of insufficient or nonpayment
D. Terminate services if debt persists after a discussion of financial obligations -
ANSWER: D. Terminate services if debt persists after a discussion of financial
obligations
Since the client poses no danger to self or others and is in arrears, services can be
terminated after the discussion of financial obligations has occurred (key D).
Negotiating a
nonmonetary compensation system (A) suggests bartering, which is not the BEST
response. Suspending services until payment is made (B) is possible, but it is not the
BEST response.
Worker) Practice Exam Questions with
correct Answers (A+ GRADED 100%
VERIFIED)
A 12-year-old client who experienced severe neglect by biological parents during
infancy is brought to a social work agency for evaluation. According to records, the
client lived with several foster families before being adopted at the age of five.
Despite receiving consistent nurturance from the adoptive family, the client has failed
to bond with them. Upon initial assessment, a social worker notes that the client's
inhibitions and ambivalence toward others could indicate the presence of:
A. Rett syndrome
B. selective mutism
C. separation anxiety disorder
D. reactive attachment disorder - ANSWER: D. reactive attachment disorder
This item is a basic recall of the indicators of reactive attachment disorder (key D).
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 - ANSWER: B. 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 16-year-old adolescent meets with a social worker while being admitted to an
inpatient psychiatric facility. The adolescent reports alcohol use and sniffing paint on
a daily basis. The adolescent's family relationships are strained, and school
performance is poor. In the process of completing the assessment, what should the
social worker recommend NEXT?
A. Family sessions
,B. One-to-one observation
C. Further psychological testing - ANSWER: C. Further psychological testing
Further psychological testing (key C) is warranted, given that the adolescent is being
admitted to an inpatient treatment facility. Testing is immediately available and is
needed to further assess the adolescent's condition. Family sessions (A) may be
indicated after further testing. Observation (B) is important, but the seriousness and
types of abuse that are reported indicate the need for further testing.
A 17-month-old child is placed in temporary foster care. Initially, the child cries
vigorously, struggles in the arms of the foster parent, and will not be comforted. After
a day or two, the child becomes increasingly quiet, withdrawn, and sad looking. This
is followed by an increase in activity, a decrease in crying, but little show of affect.
The child's behavior can BEST be understood in terms of which of the following
theories?
A. Interpersonal
B. Attachment
C. Rational-emotive
D. Ego development - ANSWER: B. Attachment
This item requires knowledge of the components of attachment theory (key B).
Interpersonal (A), rational-emotive (C), and ego development (D) theories do not
address attachment issues such as those the child is experiencing.
A 21-year-old patient is approaching discharge from the hospital following a serious
suicide attempt. The social worker meets with him before discharge to assess his
emotional state. He will not answer any specific questions. The patient tells the
social worker that he just needs to get home. What should the social worker do
NEXT?
A. Provide the patient with suicide hotline and mental health resources
B. Contact the appropriate staff to explore involuntary commitment
C. Chart the conversation before approving the discharge plan
D. Explain to the patient the seriousness of the suicide attempt - ANSWER: B.
Contact the appropriate staff to explore involuntary commitment
Keeping in mind the protection and safety of the patient, exploring involuntary
commitment (key B) is the NEXT step. Given the described behaviors, this patient
remains at high risk for suicide. Providing community resources (A) is appropriate if
the patient is not at risk and is participating with the social worker. Documenting the
conversation (C) does not focus on the immediate safety concerns. Explaining the
seriousness of the attempt to the patient (D) should have occurred earlier in the
patient's hospitalization.
,A child protective services social worker meets with a parent who has allegedly been
neglectful. The parent talks about being overwhelmed by the needs of the child. The
parent describes having trouble sleeping because of the need to stay alert for
messages from a favorite talk show host. The parent also shares beliefs that the
child's teacher is working against the parent. What should the social worker do
NEXT?
A. Refer the parent to a physician
B. Encourage the parent to discuss the anxiety
C. Initiate a mental status examination
D. Plan a collaborative meeting with the school - ANSWER: C. Initiate a mental
status examination
Given the parent's descriptions of potential auditory hallucinations and possible
paranoid thinking, it is important for the social worker to assess what is occurring
with the parent's
mental health by initiating a mental status exam (key C). A referral to a physician (A)
or a meeting with the school (D) may be warranted but are not the NEXT steps.
Option (B) assumes anxiety without a complete assessment.
A client begins services with a social worker. The client has multiple problems,
including substance abuse and posttraumatic stress. The client recently became
unemployed, and a close friend died two weeks earlier. What should the social
worker do NEXT?
A. Ask the client what is most troubling now
B. Refer the client for substance abuse treatment
C. Encourage the client to find employment
D. Begin client-centered bereavement counseling - ANSWER: A. Ask the client what
is most troubling now
Consulting with the client (key A) is the only option that supports client
self-determination and engagement. This should be done NEXT before taking
additional steps. Making a
referral for substance abuse treatment (B), encouraging the client to find a job (C),
and beginning bereavement counseling (D) all draw conclusions before determining
the client's perspective.
A client informs a social worker that despite a court mandate the client does not
intend to attend future sessions. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Inform the client of the consequences of that decision
B. Advise the judge of the client's decision
, C. Assist the client in identifying and clarifying goals - ANSWER: A. Inform the client
of the consequences of that decision
Clients have a right to make choices. Ensuring the client understands the
consequences of the choice (key A) is what should happen FIRST. Advising the
judge of the client's decision
(B) and assisting in identifying and clarifying goals (C) may occur but would not be
done FIRST.
A client is discharged from inpatient treatment for substance use. A mental health
social worker meets for a follow-up session with family members and observes that
they avoid discussing the problem. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Confront family members about the long-term nature of the problem
B. Assist the family in understanding the harm of substance use
C. Determine the extent of denial within the family system
D. Advise the family members that relapse is a realistic possibility - ANSWER: C.
Determine the extent of denial within the family system
The social worker should FIRST follow up on the observation that the family is using
denial as a coping strategy (key C). This should occur before interventions such as
confrontation
(A), educating the family through helping their understanding of the harm involved
(B), or explaining that relapse is possible (D).
A client is in treatment with a social worker in a fee-for-service setting. After paying in
full and on time for the first ten sessions, the client begins to make either partial
payments or no payments at all. Assessment of risk indicates that the client poses
no danger to self or others. According to ethical standards of social work practice,
what is the social worker's BEST response?
A. Continue services after negotiating a nonmonetary compensation system
B. Suspend services until the client has caught up on all financial obligations
C. Terminate services after the third incident of insufficient or nonpayment
D. Terminate services if debt persists after a discussion of financial obligations -
ANSWER: D. Terminate services if debt persists after a discussion of financial
obligations
Since the client poses no danger to self or others and is in arrears, services can be
terminated after the discussion of financial obligations has occurred (key D).
Negotiating a
nonmonetary compensation system (A) suggests bartering, which is not the BEST
response. Suspending services until payment is made (B) is possible, but it is not the
BEST response.
