Social Work Law and Ethics Exam: Confidentiality and Ethical Practice,
Exams of Law
1. Two social workers are dating. They are at dinner and they are talking
about their clients. They discover that each of them is seeing a different
member of the same couple for individual therapy. What should these social
workers do?
Content Area: Law: Confidentiality, Privilege, and Consent
This question is about the legal responsibility of social workers outside of the
therapeutic setting discussing a client.
A. No action is necessary since licensed health professionals may consult for
purposes of diagnosis and treatment without a release.
B. Stop the discussion and obtain releases so that such discussions in the
future do not breach confidentiality.
C. Stop the discussion and do not talk about these clients again.
,D. There are no legal or ethical guidelines requiring social workers in such
situations to do anything. - ANSWERC. Stop the discussion and do not talk
about these clients again.
The rules of confidentiality would require the social workers to stop the
discussion and not talk about these clients.
2. Revocation of a LCSW's license after having been found to have engaged in
sexual misconduct with a client would occur after:
Content Area: Ethics: Professional Competence and Preventing Harm
This question tests your knowledge of the penalties for social workers having
sex with a client.
A. A social worker filed a complaint with the BBS on behalf of a client.
B. The BBS found that the therapist terminated therapy in order to pursue a
sexual relationship.
C. The social worker gives the client the pamphlet "Professional Therapy
Never Includes Sex" and discusses it with the client.
D. The BBS cites the offending social worker within 10 years of the statute of
limitations. - ANSWERB. The BBS found that the therapist terminated therapy
in order to pursue a sexual relationship.
Terminating therapy in order to pursue a sexual relationship with a client is
prohibited.
,3. Your client, George, tells you that his mother just got remarried. He tells
you that he is worried that the new husband's children are going to go after
his inheritance. He tells you that he has very little contact with the new family
and wants to keep it that way. What is your legal obligation?
Content Area: Law: Limits to Confidentiality/Mandated Reporting
This question tests your knowledge of how to proceed when you may need to
assess for or report elder abuse.
A. You must asses for elder abuse, considering "undue influence" regarding
the mother's estate.
B. You should refer the client to an attorney to determine if he has a case.
C. Maintain confidentiality because you do not know the age of the mother.
D. Report elder abuse, considering "abandonment" because he has "very
little contact" with his mother. - ANSWERC. Maintain confidentiality because
you do not know the age of the mother.
You would maintain confidentiality because you do not know his mother's
age and you do not have "reasonable suspicion" of elder abuse.
4. Ki is a 26-year-old Korean who immigrated to the U.S. with his father 10
years ago. Ki wants to be an artist but his father has saved his money and
demands that Ki goes to medical school like his grandfather. Ki says he's
depressed and he would rather die than become a doctor. He says he's too
, stupid to pass the classes in medical school anyway. He doesn't know how to
tell his father. The social worker determines that Ki is not suicidal. The most
appropriate ethical intervention is to:
Content Area: Ethics: Therapeutic Relationship/Services
This question tests your knowledge of the ethical obligations that pertain to
cultural competence.
A. Recognize the importance of cultural considerations and acknowledge that
Ki may have to follow his father's wishes.
B. Ask Ki to bring his father in for a family session because of cultural values
that encourage respect for elders.
C. Inform Ki that the risks and benefits o - ANSWERC. Inform Ki that the risks
and benefits of therapy may be that he "finds himself" but may change some
of his family values.
Informing a client about the risks and benefits of therapy which includes
altering their sense of self and their family, is an ethical obligation.
5. June discloses that she had been molested by a step-brother when she was
15. She is now 28 and was divorced from her husband three years ago. Before
seeing you, she saw another therapist and she has just told you that she had
sex with him. She wants therapy to focus on the stormy relationship issues
that led to her divorce, not on past sexual molestation or exploitation. You
would:
Exams of Law
1. Two social workers are dating. They are at dinner and they are talking
about their clients. They discover that each of them is seeing a different
member of the same couple for individual therapy. What should these social
workers do?
Content Area: Law: Confidentiality, Privilege, and Consent
This question is about the legal responsibility of social workers outside of the
therapeutic setting discussing a client.
A. No action is necessary since licensed health professionals may consult for
purposes of diagnosis and treatment without a release.
B. Stop the discussion and obtain releases so that such discussions in the
future do not breach confidentiality.
C. Stop the discussion and do not talk about these clients again.
,D. There are no legal or ethical guidelines requiring social workers in such
situations to do anything. - ANSWERC. Stop the discussion and do not talk
about these clients again.
The rules of confidentiality would require the social workers to stop the
discussion and not talk about these clients.
2. Revocation of a LCSW's license after having been found to have engaged in
sexual misconduct with a client would occur after:
Content Area: Ethics: Professional Competence and Preventing Harm
This question tests your knowledge of the penalties for social workers having
sex with a client.
A. A social worker filed a complaint with the BBS on behalf of a client.
B. The BBS found that the therapist terminated therapy in order to pursue a
sexual relationship.
C. The social worker gives the client the pamphlet "Professional Therapy
Never Includes Sex" and discusses it with the client.
D. The BBS cites the offending social worker within 10 years of the statute of
limitations. - ANSWERB. The BBS found that the therapist terminated therapy
in order to pursue a sexual relationship.
Terminating therapy in order to pursue a sexual relationship with a client is
prohibited.
,3. Your client, George, tells you that his mother just got remarried. He tells
you that he is worried that the new husband's children are going to go after
his inheritance. He tells you that he has very little contact with the new family
and wants to keep it that way. What is your legal obligation?
Content Area: Law: Limits to Confidentiality/Mandated Reporting
This question tests your knowledge of how to proceed when you may need to
assess for or report elder abuse.
A. You must asses for elder abuse, considering "undue influence" regarding
the mother's estate.
B. You should refer the client to an attorney to determine if he has a case.
C. Maintain confidentiality because you do not know the age of the mother.
D. Report elder abuse, considering "abandonment" because he has "very
little contact" with his mother. - ANSWERC. Maintain confidentiality because
you do not know the age of the mother.
You would maintain confidentiality because you do not know his mother's
age and you do not have "reasonable suspicion" of elder abuse.
4. Ki is a 26-year-old Korean who immigrated to the U.S. with his father 10
years ago. Ki wants to be an artist but his father has saved his money and
demands that Ki goes to medical school like his grandfather. Ki says he's
depressed and he would rather die than become a doctor. He says he's too
, stupid to pass the classes in medical school anyway. He doesn't know how to
tell his father. The social worker determines that Ki is not suicidal. The most
appropriate ethical intervention is to:
Content Area: Ethics: Therapeutic Relationship/Services
This question tests your knowledge of the ethical obligations that pertain to
cultural competence.
A. Recognize the importance of cultural considerations and acknowledge that
Ki may have to follow his father's wishes.
B. Ask Ki to bring his father in for a family session because of cultural values
that encourage respect for elders.
C. Inform Ki that the risks and benefits o - ANSWERC. Inform Ki that the risks
and benefits of therapy may be that he "finds himself" but may change some
of his family values.
Informing a client about the risks and benefits of therapy which includes
altering their sense of self and their family, is an ethical obligation.
5. June discloses that she had been molested by a step-brother when she was
15. She is now 28 and was divorced from her husband three years ago. Before
seeing you, she saw another therapist and she has just told you that she had
sex with him. She wants therapy to focus on the stormy relationship issues
that led to her divorce, not on past sexual molestation or exploitation. You
would:
