1|Page
Social Work License (MSW Exam) Questions and
Answers with Solutions UPDATED!!!
Piaget
(Adaptations, Assimilation and Accommodation) - ANSWER 0-1
Sensory-Motor
2-4 Preoperational Period
5-7 "
8-12 Concrete Operations period
13-18 formal Operations period
19-21
21 +
50 +
Freud (Libido) - ANSWER 0-1 Oral
2-4 Anal
Oedipal/Phallic
8-12 Latency
13-18 Genital
19-21 "
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21+ "
50 + "
Erickson
(Stage conflict) - ANSWER 0-1 Trust vs. Mistrust (stage #1)
2-4 Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (stage #2)
5-7 Initiative vs. Guilt (stage #3)
8-12 Industry vs. Inferiority (stage #4)
13-18 Identity vs. Role Diffusion, confusion (stage #5)
19-21 Intimacy Vs. Isolation (stage #6)
21 + Generativity vs. Stagnation (stage #7)
50 + Integrity vs. Despair (stage #8)
Trust vs. Mistrust (stage 1) 0-1 - ANSWER During infancy (0-1)
the child is dependent on mother for food and care. As the child
incorporates or takes in through sucking and swallowing; there
is a receptivity to what is being offered. The mother is
responsible for coordinating the child's experience of getting
and hers of giving. At the latter part of this stage the child's eyes
begin to focus and incorporation becomes more active as the
child bites to "hold onto" things. If the mother provides a
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predictable environment in which the child's needs are met, a
sense of basic trust will develop. This sense of trust implies not
only sameness and continuity from the caretaker, but also self-
trust in one's capacity to cope with urges. According to
Erickson, it is the quality rather than the quantity of maternal
care that is critical at this stage. Successful resolution will lead
to a lasting ego quality of hope, an enduring belief that wishes
can be fulfilled. Unsuccessful resolution will lead to a sense of
mistrust in other people and the environment.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (stage 2) 2-3 - ANSWER During
early childhood (2-3) the child learns a sense of autonomy
through retention and elimination of urine and feces. As the
child's muscles mature to the point that bodily wastes can be
retained or expelled at will, the child experiments with two
simultaneous social modalities "holding on" and "letting go."
Parents must be firm and tolerant so that the child can
gradually learn bowel and bladder control and a "sense of self-
control without loss of self esteem." From this emerges a sense
of autonomy and pride, and the lasting ego quality of WILL
POWER, the determination to use free choice and self-restraint.
Unsuccessful resolution of this stage will lead to lifelong feelings
of shame and doubt.
, 4|Page
Initiative vs. Guilt (stage 3) 3-5 - ANSWER During the play age
(3-5), increased locomotor mastery (walking and running) gives
the child a wider radius of goals. In addition, language skills add
to the ability to imagine "so many things he cannot avoid
frightening himself with what he himself has created and
thought up." The Oedipal wishes and the ambivalent feelings
that accompany them must be repressed in order to
temporarily mask the initiative toward the opposite sex parent.
While this initiative is a prerequisite for masculine and feminine
behaviors later in life, it is now repressed of necessity-in order
to avoid the guilt that would accompany knowledge of
incestuous thoughts. Parents assist the child in learning
appropriate roles, including gender roles, as the child diverts
the sexual drive into acceptable activities. At this point
conscience, or superego, becomes established to govern the
initiative. Proper resolution of this stage leads to a lasting ego
quality of purpose, the courage to pursue goals. Unsuccessful
resolution leads to feeling of shame.
Industry vs. Inferiority (stage 4) 6-12 - ANSWER The child now
enters the school age (6-12) and is enmeshed in the "world" of
school and opportunities for new types of mastery. As children
develop their abilities in new skills and tasks, they desire
recognition gained from producing things. Through this, they
Social Work License (MSW Exam) Questions and
Answers with Solutions UPDATED!!!
Piaget
(Adaptations, Assimilation and Accommodation) - ANSWER 0-1
Sensory-Motor
2-4 Preoperational Period
5-7 "
8-12 Concrete Operations period
13-18 formal Operations period
19-21
21 +
50 +
Freud (Libido) - ANSWER 0-1 Oral
2-4 Anal
Oedipal/Phallic
8-12 Latency
13-18 Genital
19-21 "
,2|Page
21+ "
50 + "
Erickson
(Stage conflict) - ANSWER 0-1 Trust vs. Mistrust (stage #1)
2-4 Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (stage #2)
5-7 Initiative vs. Guilt (stage #3)
8-12 Industry vs. Inferiority (stage #4)
13-18 Identity vs. Role Diffusion, confusion (stage #5)
19-21 Intimacy Vs. Isolation (stage #6)
21 + Generativity vs. Stagnation (stage #7)
50 + Integrity vs. Despair (stage #8)
Trust vs. Mistrust (stage 1) 0-1 - ANSWER During infancy (0-1)
the child is dependent on mother for food and care. As the child
incorporates or takes in through sucking and swallowing; there
is a receptivity to what is being offered. The mother is
responsible for coordinating the child's experience of getting
and hers of giving. At the latter part of this stage the child's eyes
begin to focus and incorporation becomes more active as the
child bites to "hold onto" things. If the mother provides a
,3|Page
predictable environment in which the child's needs are met, a
sense of basic trust will develop. This sense of trust implies not
only sameness and continuity from the caretaker, but also self-
trust in one's capacity to cope with urges. According to
Erickson, it is the quality rather than the quantity of maternal
care that is critical at this stage. Successful resolution will lead
to a lasting ego quality of hope, an enduring belief that wishes
can be fulfilled. Unsuccessful resolution will lead to a sense of
mistrust in other people and the environment.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (stage 2) 2-3 - ANSWER During
early childhood (2-3) the child learns a sense of autonomy
through retention and elimination of urine and feces. As the
child's muscles mature to the point that bodily wastes can be
retained or expelled at will, the child experiments with two
simultaneous social modalities "holding on" and "letting go."
Parents must be firm and tolerant so that the child can
gradually learn bowel and bladder control and a "sense of self-
control without loss of self esteem." From this emerges a sense
of autonomy and pride, and the lasting ego quality of WILL
POWER, the determination to use free choice and self-restraint.
Unsuccessful resolution of this stage will lead to lifelong feelings
of shame and doubt.
, 4|Page
Initiative vs. Guilt (stage 3) 3-5 - ANSWER During the play age
(3-5), increased locomotor mastery (walking and running) gives
the child a wider radius of goals. In addition, language skills add
to the ability to imagine "so many things he cannot avoid
frightening himself with what he himself has created and
thought up." The Oedipal wishes and the ambivalent feelings
that accompany them must be repressed in order to
temporarily mask the initiative toward the opposite sex parent.
While this initiative is a prerequisite for masculine and feminine
behaviors later in life, it is now repressed of necessity-in order
to avoid the guilt that would accompany knowledge of
incestuous thoughts. Parents assist the child in learning
appropriate roles, including gender roles, as the child diverts
the sexual drive into acceptable activities. At this point
conscience, or superego, becomes established to govern the
initiative. Proper resolution of this stage leads to a lasting ego
quality of purpose, the courage to pursue goals. Unsuccessful
resolution leads to feeling of shame.
Industry vs. Inferiority (stage 4) 6-12 - ANSWER The child now
enters the school age (6-12) and is enmeshed in the "world" of
school and opportunities for new types of mastery. As children
develop their abilities in new skills and tasks, they desire
recognition gained from producing things. Through this, they
