ASWB LCSW Exam (Master’s Level, Massachusetts) – comprehensive study guide
and practice questions
Erik Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Known for 8-stage Psychosocial Stages of Development
[Personality develops throughout the life course; Identity crises for each stage of human
development]
Trust vs. Mistrust - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Birth to 1 year
- Learn ability to trust others based on consistency of caregivers
- Confident/secure vs. fear/insecure
Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Between ages 1-3
- Begin to assert independence
- Confident/secure in own ability to survive vs. lack of self-esteem/inadequate
Initiative vs. Guilt - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Between ages 3-6
- Develop sense of initiative/feel secure in ability to lead/make decisions vs. sense of
guilt/nuisance/follower
Industry vs. Inferiority - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Age 6 - puberty
- Begin to develop sense of pride in accomplishments
- Feel industrious/confident in ability to achieve goals vs. feel inferior/doubt ability/fail to reach
potential
Identity vs. Role Confusion - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Adolescence
- Become more independent
- Explore possibilities/form own identity vs. sense of confusion about self/role in world
,Intimacy vs. Isolation - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Young Adulthood
- Begin to share self more intimately
- Lead to comfortable relationships/sense of commitment, safety, care vs. avoid intimacy/fear
commitment/led to isolation/loneliness
Generativity vs. Stagnation - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Middle Adulthood
- Individuals establish careers, settle relationships, develop sense of being part of a bigger
picture
- Give back to society/raise children/productive work vs. fail to achieve
objectives/stagnant/unproductive
Ego Integrity vs. Despair - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Older Adulthood
- Contemplate accomplishments, develop sense of integrity during slowing life
- Sense of integrity if satisfied w/ life progression vs. despair/dissatisfaction/ hopeless if sees life
as unproductive or failed to accomplish life goals
6 Levels of Cognition - correct answer ✔✔- Knowledge
- Comprehension
- Application
- Analysis
- Synthesis
- Evaluation
3 Domains of Development - correct answer ✔✔- Cognitive: mental skills (knowledge)
- Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (attitude or self)
- Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (skills)
,Jean Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Known for Theory of Cognitive Development
[Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operations, Formal Operations]
Sensorimotor Stage - Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Between 0-2 years
- Retains image of objects
- Begins intentional actions
- Develops primitive logic in manipulating objects
- Play is imitative
- Signals Meaning (infant invests meaning in event - e.g. babysitter comes, means mom is
leaving)
- Symbol Meaning (language)
Preoperational Stage - Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Between 2-7 years
- Progress from concrete to abstract thinking
- Can comprehend past, present, future
- Night terrors
- Acquires words and symbols
- Magical Thinking
- Thinking is not generalized, it is concrete, irreversible, egocentric
- Cannot see another point of view
- Imaginary Friends (normal development)
Concrete Operations - Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Between 7-11 years
- Beginnings of abstract thought
- Plays games w/ rules
, - Cause and Effect relationship understood
- Logical implications are understood
- Thinking is independent of experience, and is reversible
- Rules of logic are developed
Formal Operations - Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Age 11 through Maturity
- Higher level of abstraction
- Planning for future
- Thinks hypothetically
- Assumes adult roles and responsibilities
Lawrence Kohlberg - correct answer ✔✔- Known for Theory of Moral Development
(parallels cognitive development; higher stages of moral development provides greater
capacity/ability for decision making, handing complex dilemmas; moral reasoning is basis for
ethical behavior; must past through 6 developmental constructive stages without skipping)
Preconventional Level - Kohlberg - correct answer ✔✔- Before age 9, elementary school level
*Stage 1, Obedience/Punishment:* people obey authority figure out of fear of punishment;
learned on larger levels as an infant/child, but can be learned at the adult level
EX: kid has learned to not talk back to parents because he'll get yelled at, but if he acts correctly,
there are rewards
*Stage 2, Individualism/Exchange:* people act acceptably as it's in their best interests, start
looking out for self
EX: child has homework and must go in for recess to finish it, but child chooses to go out to
recess because they want the instant benefit of going to recess
Conventional Level - Kohlberg - correct answer ✔✔- Early Adolescence
- Follow stereotypic norms of morality
and practice questions
Erik Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Known for 8-stage Psychosocial Stages of Development
[Personality develops throughout the life course; Identity crises for each stage of human
development]
Trust vs. Mistrust - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Birth to 1 year
- Learn ability to trust others based on consistency of caregivers
- Confident/secure vs. fear/insecure
Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Between ages 1-3
- Begin to assert independence
- Confident/secure in own ability to survive vs. lack of self-esteem/inadequate
Initiative vs. Guilt - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Between ages 3-6
- Develop sense of initiative/feel secure in ability to lead/make decisions vs. sense of
guilt/nuisance/follower
Industry vs. Inferiority - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Age 6 - puberty
- Begin to develop sense of pride in accomplishments
- Feel industrious/confident in ability to achieve goals vs. feel inferior/doubt ability/fail to reach
potential
Identity vs. Role Confusion - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Adolescence
- Become more independent
- Explore possibilities/form own identity vs. sense of confusion about self/role in world
,Intimacy vs. Isolation - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Young Adulthood
- Begin to share self more intimately
- Lead to comfortable relationships/sense of commitment, safety, care vs. avoid intimacy/fear
commitment/led to isolation/loneliness
Generativity vs. Stagnation - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Middle Adulthood
- Individuals establish careers, settle relationships, develop sense of being part of a bigger
picture
- Give back to society/raise children/productive work vs. fail to achieve
objectives/stagnant/unproductive
Ego Integrity vs. Despair - Erikson - correct answer ✔✔- Older Adulthood
- Contemplate accomplishments, develop sense of integrity during slowing life
- Sense of integrity if satisfied w/ life progression vs. despair/dissatisfaction/ hopeless if sees life
as unproductive or failed to accomplish life goals
6 Levels of Cognition - correct answer ✔✔- Knowledge
- Comprehension
- Application
- Analysis
- Synthesis
- Evaluation
3 Domains of Development - correct answer ✔✔- Cognitive: mental skills (knowledge)
- Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (attitude or self)
- Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (skills)
,Jean Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Known for Theory of Cognitive Development
[Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operations, Formal Operations]
Sensorimotor Stage - Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Between 0-2 years
- Retains image of objects
- Begins intentional actions
- Develops primitive logic in manipulating objects
- Play is imitative
- Signals Meaning (infant invests meaning in event - e.g. babysitter comes, means mom is
leaving)
- Symbol Meaning (language)
Preoperational Stage - Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Between 2-7 years
- Progress from concrete to abstract thinking
- Can comprehend past, present, future
- Night terrors
- Acquires words and symbols
- Magical Thinking
- Thinking is not generalized, it is concrete, irreversible, egocentric
- Cannot see another point of view
- Imaginary Friends (normal development)
Concrete Operations - Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Between 7-11 years
- Beginnings of abstract thought
- Plays games w/ rules
, - Cause and Effect relationship understood
- Logical implications are understood
- Thinking is independent of experience, and is reversible
- Rules of logic are developed
Formal Operations - Piaget - correct answer ✔✔- Age 11 through Maturity
- Higher level of abstraction
- Planning for future
- Thinks hypothetically
- Assumes adult roles and responsibilities
Lawrence Kohlberg - correct answer ✔✔- Known for Theory of Moral Development
(parallels cognitive development; higher stages of moral development provides greater
capacity/ability for decision making, handing complex dilemmas; moral reasoning is basis for
ethical behavior; must past through 6 developmental constructive stages without skipping)
Preconventional Level - Kohlberg - correct answer ✔✔- Before age 9, elementary school level
*Stage 1, Obedience/Punishment:* people obey authority figure out of fear of punishment;
learned on larger levels as an infant/child, but can be learned at the adult level
EX: kid has learned to not talk back to parents because he'll get yelled at, but if he acts correctly,
there are rewards
*Stage 2, Individualism/Exchange:* people act acceptably as it's in their best interests, start
looking out for self
EX: child has homework and must go in for recess to finish it, but child chooses to go out to
recess because they want the instant benefit of going to recess
Conventional Level - Kohlberg - correct answer ✔✔- Early Adolescence
- Follow stereotypic norms of morality
