ASWB LMSW PRACTICE EXAM
Questions and Answers
1. A social worker employed by a retirement home is
approached by a client for help in establishing a recycling
program in the facility. The social worker decides to cohost a
meeting with the client to discuss the idea with other residents.
What is the MOST likely reason for this approach?
A. Antagonizing administration could be dangerous.
B. Legitimizing the residents' concerns may be helpful.
C. Helping residents start new relationships is important.
D. Sharing leadership is very effective with groups.: D. Legitimizing the
residents' concerns may be helpful.
By sharing leadership with the resident (key D), the social worker is supporting the resident's skill
development as well as promoting positive group dynamics. Options (A) and (B)
draw conclusions without substantiated information. While the potential for beginning new relationships
(C) exists, it is not the MOST likely reason for the co-facilitation.
2. At what age is separation anxiety MOST likely to occur?
A. 24 months
B. 12 months
,C. 3 months: B. 12 months
This item requires basic recall that separation anxiety is most typical around the age of 12 months (key
B).
3. A nine-month-old child is neglected and lacks a secure
attachment to a caretaker. What long-term effect should the social
worker be MOST concerned about as the child gets older?
A. Posttraumatic stress disorder
B. Social anxiety in middle age
C. High bleed pressure
D. Negative social interactions with peers: D. Negative social interactions with
peers
The MOST strongly linked long-term effect of insecure attachment is future negative social interactions
with peers (key D). Posttraumatic stress disorder (B)
is a short-term effect, while high blood pressure (C) and later social anxiety (D) are not directly linked to
attachment difficulties.
4. A 13-year-old adolescent meets with a social worker because of
poor hy-
giene, 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: 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.
5. A school social worker meets with parents of a child who has
recently
completed treatment for cancer. The child's physician is
recommending that the child return to school as soon as
possible, but the parents believe that more time at home would
be beneficial. What should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Advocate for the parents to keep the child at home
B. Explore the reasons for the parents' beliefs
C. Obtain the child's perspective on the situation
D. Refer the parents and child for family therapy: B. Explore the reasons for
the parents' beliefs
Before taking action, the social worker should acknowledge and validate the parents' concerns and
explore the events and emotions that have led to these
concerns (key B). Advocating that the child stay at home (A) is not supported by the physician's
recommendation. Although the social worker may eventually want to obtain the child's perspective (C), this
, would not be the NEXT step. There are no indications of family dysfunction that would warrant family
therapy (D).
6. A social worker begins a job at a psychiatric hospital and is
assigned a
caseload. One of the clients is a former intimate partner. The social
worker
and client have not had any contact for several years. What should
the social worker do?
A. Process the issue with the client
B. Deny the relationship occurred
C. Transfer the client to a colleague
D. Request a transfer to a different department: C. Transfer the client to a
colleague
To avoid the ethical dilemma of dual relationships, the social worker should transfer the client to another
social worker (key C). Processing the issue with the client (A) is not going to
resolve the ethical dilemma. Denying the existence of the past relationship (B) is unethical. Asking for
a transfer to another department (D) avoids the issue entirely.
7. A client who is trying to become pregnant uses cocaine
consistently and has
questions about the effects on the fetus. The social worker tells the
client that cocaine use could harm the fetus. What should the
Questions and Answers
1. A social worker employed by a retirement home is
approached by a client for help in establishing a recycling
program in the facility. The social worker decides to cohost a
meeting with the client to discuss the idea with other residents.
What is the MOST likely reason for this approach?
A. Antagonizing administration could be dangerous.
B. Legitimizing the residents' concerns may be helpful.
C. Helping residents start new relationships is important.
D. Sharing leadership is very effective with groups.: D. Legitimizing the
residents' concerns may be helpful.
By sharing leadership with the resident (key D), the social worker is supporting the resident's skill
development as well as promoting positive group dynamics. Options (A) and (B)
draw conclusions without substantiated information. While the potential for beginning new relationships
(C) exists, it is not the MOST likely reason for the co-facilitation.
2. At what age is separation anxiety MOST likely to occur?
A. 24 months
B. 12 months
,C. 3 months: B. 12 months
This item requires basic recall that separation anxiety is most typical around the age of 12 months (key
B).
3. A nine-month-old child is neglected and lacks a secure
attachment to a caretaker. What long-term effect should the social
worker be MOST concerned about as the child gets older?
A. Posttraumatic stress disorder
B. Social anxiety in middle age
C. High bleed pressure
D. Negative social interactions with peers: D. Negative social interactions with
peers
The MOST strongly linked long-term effect of insecure attachment is future negative social interactions
with peers (key D). Posttraumatic stress disorder (B)
is a short-term effect, while high blood pressure (C) and later social anxiety (D) are not directly linked to
attachment difficulties.
4. A 13-year-old adolescent meets with a social worker because of
poor hy-
giene, 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: 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.
5. A school social worker meets with parents of a child who has
recently
completed treatment for cancer. The child's physician is
recommending that the child return to school as soon as
possible, but the parents believe that more time at home would
be beneficial. What should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Advocate for the parents to keep the child at home
B. Explore the reasons for the parents' beliefs
C. Obtain the child's perspective on the situation
D. Refer the parents and child for family therapy: B. Explore the reasons for
the parents' beliefs
Before taking action, the social worker should acknowledge and validate the parents' concerns and
explore the events and emotions that have led to these
concerns (key B). Advocating that the child stay at home (A) is not supported by the physician's
recommendation. Although the social worker may eventually want to obtain the child's perspective (C), this
, would not be the NEXT step. There are no indications of family dysfunction that would warrant family
therapy (D).
6. A social worker begins a job at a psychiatric hospital and is
assigned a
caseload. One of the clients is a former intimate partner. The social
worker
and client have not had any contact for several years. What should
the social worker do?
A. Process the issue with the client
B. Deny the relationship occurred
C. Transfer the client to a colleague
D. Request a transfer to a different department: C. Transfer the client to a
colleague
To avoid the ethical dilemma of dual relationships, the social worker should transfer the client to another
social worker (key C). Processing the issue with the client (A) is not going to
resolve the ethical dilemma. Denying the existence of the past relationship (B) is unethical. Asking for
a transfer to another department (D) avoids the issue entirely.
7. A client who is trying to become pregnant uses cocaine
consistently and has
questions about the effects on the fetus. The social worker tells the
client that cocaine use could harm the fetus. What should the
