LCSW Practice Questions #2 – exam-style questions with answers and explanations
C. The negative cultural response associated with mental health treatment.
Rationale: C is the best answer because many cultures associate stigma with mental health
treatment. A is not the best answer because it makes an assumption that is not indicated by the
information in the stem. B may be true, but is not as likely as C. D is not the best answer since
the stem gives no indication that there is a language barrier between the client and social
worker. - correct answer ✔✔A hospital emergency room social worker meets with a 45-year-old
man who recently immigrated from Mexico and has been experiencing severe panic attacks and
anxiety. When the social worker approaches him, he says that he does not need any mental
health treatment and that she can leave. The MOST likely explanation for his behavior is:
A. His preference for seeking treatment from a curandero.
B. His denial that he has a mental health problem.
C. The negative cultural response associated with mental health treatment.
D. A miscommunication due to a language barrier.
D. Classical conditioning
Rationale: This is a recall question: the stem describes an example of classical conditioning in
which the client develops a conditioned response (crying and clinging to mom) when exposed to
stimuli (loud noises) that represent a previously experienced event (the earthquake). A, B, and C
would all be described differently. - correct answer ✔✔A mother meets with a social worker
due to concerns with her seven-year-old son. The mother reports that her family recently
survived an earthquake that destroyed their house and the surrounding area. She is worried
about her son because any time he hears a loud noise he starts to cry inconsolably and won't
leave her side. In behavioral therapy, what is this an example of?
,A. Extinction
B. Negative reinforcement
C. Operant conditioning
D. Classical conditioning
B. Assist the client in developing awareness around his feeling related to being bullied.
Rationale: B is the best answer because awareness is the first step in helping the client integrate
and process his feelings. A is inappropriate; C is inappropriate and may cause the client harm. D
is less therapeutic than B and may not be helpful for the client. - correct answer ✔✔A young
adult client has been meeting with a social worker due to a diagnosis of major depression.
When discussing his childhood, the client reports that he was often bullied and humiliated by
peers at school. The client reports this with a flat affect and a sense of detachment. The social
worker should respond by:
A. Sharing a personal experience of being teased as a child.
B. Assist the client in developing awareness around his feeling related to being bullied.
C. Confront the client's denial.
D. Provide the client with psychoeducation on the relationship between bullying and
depression.
, A. Explore the feelings behind the behavior.
Rationale: A is the best answer because understanding the psychological purpose of the
behavior will best help the client understand and change the behavior. B, C, and D might all be
part of the complete intervention strategy, but A is the best place to start in terms of addressing
the behavior. - correct answer ✔✔A client who is diagnosed with trichotillomania meets with a
social worker after being referred by her primary care physician. The client says she feels guilty
and ashamed, but is having difficulty stopping the behavior. She says that she doesn't even
know why she started the behavior in the first place. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Explore the feelings behind the behavior.
B. Have the client wear a wig until she can stop the behavior.
C. Reinforce that hair-pulling will likely lead to complete baldness.
D. Teach the client thought stopping strategies.
C. Other symptoms that might indicate depression.
Rationale: C is the best answer because the client has indicated several symptoms of depression
and the therapist should start by asking more about symptoms in this category. A, B, and D
would likely all be part of the assessment and intervention plan, but only after a provisional
diagnosis has been reached. - correct answer ✔✔A social worker is meeting with a recently
retired woman who is seeking counseling due to feelings of irritability and poor frustration
tolerance. The client reports that she was looking forward to retirement so that she could do
the things she enjoyed and see more of her spouse after a demanding career in the health care
industry. The client says that instead she's been having trouble sleeping and just wants to be
alone. She says that she doesn't enjoy the things that she used to and is confused. The social
worker should FIRST inquire about:
C. The negative cultural response associated with mental health treatment.
Rationale: C is the best answer because many cultures associate stigma with mental health
treatment. A is not the best answer because it makes an assumption that is not indicated by the
information in the stem. B may be true, but is not as likely as C. D is not the best answer since
the stem gives no indication that there is a language barrier between the client and social
worker. - correct answer ✔✔A hospital emergency room social worker meets with a 45-year-old
man who recently immigrated from Mexico and has been experiencing severe panic attacks and
anxiety. When the social worker approaches him, he says that he does not need any mental
health treatment and that she can leave. The MOST likely explanation for his behavior is:
A. His preference for seeking treatment from a curandero.
B. His denial that he has a mental health problem.
C. The negative cultural response associated with mental health treatment.
D. A miscommunication due to a language barrier.
D. Classical conditioning
Rationale: This is a recall question: the stem describes an example of classical conditioning in
which the client develops a conditioned response (crying and clinging to mom) when exposed to
stimuli (loud noises) that represent a previously experienced event (the earthquake). A, B, and C
would all be described differently. - correct answer ✔✔A mother meets with a social worker
due to concerns with her seven-year-old son. The mother reports that her family recently
survived an earthquake that destroyed their house and the surrounding area. She is worried
about her son because any time he hears a loud noise he starts to cry inconsolably and won't
leave her side. In behavioral therapy, what is this an example of?
,A. Extinction
B. Negative reinforcement
C. Operant conditioning
D. Classical conditioning
B. Assist the client in developing awareness around his feeling related to being bullied.
Rationale: B is the best answer because awareness is the first step in helping the client integrate
and process his feelings. A is inappropriate; C is inappropriate and may cause the client harm. D
is less therapeutic than B and may not be helpful for the client. - correct answer ✔✔A young
adult client has been meeting with a social worker due to a diagnosis of major depression.
When discussing his childhood, the client reports that he was often bullied and humiliated by
peers at school. The client reports this with a flat affect and a sense of detachment. The social
worker should respond by:
A. Sharing a personal experience of being teased as a child.
B. Assist the client in developing awareness around his feeling related to being bullied.
C. Confront the client's denial.
D. Provide the client with psychoeducation on the relationship between bullying and
depression.
, A. Explore the feelings behind the behavior.
Rationale: A is the best answer because understanding the psychological purpose of the
behavior will best help the client understand and change the behavior. B, C, and D might all be
part of the complete intervention strategy, but A is the best place to start in terms of addressing
the behavior. - correct answer ✔✔A client who is diagnosed with trichotillomania meets with a
social worker after being referred by her primary care physician. The client says she feels guilty
and ashamed, but is having difficulty stopping the behavior. She says that she doesn't even
know why she started the behavior in the first place. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Explore the feelings behind the behavior.
B. Have the client wear a wig until she can stop the behavior.
C. Reinforce that hair-pulling will likely lead to complete baldness.
D. Teach the client thought stopping strategies.
C. Other symptoms that might indicate depression.
Rationale: C is the best answer because the client has indicated several symptoms of depression
and the therapist should start by asking more about symptoms in this category. A, B, and D
would likely all be part of the assessment and intervention plan, but only after a provisional
diagnosis has been reached. - correct answer ✔✔A social worker is meeting with a recently
retired woman who is seeking counseling due to feelings of irritability and poor frustration
tolerance. The client reports that she was looking forward to retirement so that she could do
the things she enjoyed and see more of her spouse after a demanding career in the health care
industry. The client says that instead she's been having trouble sleeping and just wants to be
alone. She says that she doesn't enjoy the things that she used to and is confused. The social
worker should FIRST inquire about:
