ASWB MSW EXAM
Abigail comes to her social worker with symptoms she can't explain. The symptoms are
unpleasant feelings during and after overeating, which have occurred at least two days a week
for the last 6 months, and eating until uncomfortably full. What disorder does abigail have?
A. Binge eating disorder
B. Anorexia nervosa
C. Bulimia nervosa
D. Eating disorder - answer-a. Binge eating disorder.
According to the DSM-5, sometimes peope with binge eating disorder have trouble recognizing
inidivudual binge episodes even though they occur. The key diagnostic features of BED are
recurrent and persistent episodes of binge eating; binge eating episodes are associated with at
least three of the following: eating much more rapidly than normal; eating until feeling
uncomfortably full; eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry; eating
alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating; feeling disgusted with oneself,
depressed, or very guilty after overeating; marked distress regarding binge eating ; and absence
of regular compensatory behaviors, such as purging.
Beatrice is working with her client Randal, who suffers from a high degree of anxiety. Beatrice
encourages randal to focus on the present moment, with special attention to his breathing and
awareness of his surroundings and sensory environment. What therapeutic technique is this?
A. Behavior modification
B. Cognitive restructuring
C. Gottman method
D. Mindfulness - answer-d. Mindfulness.
Meant to focus the client's awareness on the present moment, rather than distressing anxieties
or other conflicting pressures outside the immediate environment.
Brian has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). His social worker recommends that he join a
treatment group with others who have OCD. In the group, he learns more about the disorder,
completes assignments, and exchanges ideas with others in the group. What type of group is
this?
A. Support group
B. Educational group
C. Growth group
D. Therapy group - answer-Educational group
In this group, Brian gets to interact with others who share his disorder. At the same time, a
group leader (such as a social worker) provides assignments for group members, so the group
is educational in nature. It's an opportunity to learn more about OCD and strategies to cope with
it.
Denise is a school social worker. One of her clients, dawn, is a teenager who is doing
extremelely well academically, with perfect grades and participation in a wide variety of
activities. However, dawn reports to denise that she does not feel good about herself, often
thinks about death, and has trouble sleeping. Which of the classic parenting styles has most
likely been applied to dawn?
, A. Authoritarian
B. Authoritative
C. Permissive
D. Uninvoled. - answer-a. Authoritarian
Children raised under authoritarian parenting styles tend to have high scholastic achievement
but issues with depression and low-self esteem.
Erica is a high school social worker. One of the students, Lin, seems to be having behavioral
problems. She only seems to conform to expectations when closely monitored and does so
chiefly out of fear of being punished. Using Kohlberg's stages of moral development, should
erica be concerned?
A. Yes because Lin appears to be operating at the preconventional stage of moral development
B. No, because Lin appears to be operating at the conventional stafe of moral development
C. Yes, becuase lin appears to be operating at the postconventional stage of moral
development
D. No, because Lin appears to be operating at the postconventional stage of moral developent.
- answer-yes, because Lin appears to be operating at the preconventional stage of moral
development.
Preconventional= children younger than nine
Conventional= expected for her age
Postconventional= mature adults
Explain the difference between open system, subsystem, and equifinality in systems theory -
answer-an open system refers to one in which there are exchanges within and without the
system. A subsystem is a smaller component of a larger system. Equifinality refers to the
phenomenon of arriving at the same end through different beginnings.
In systems theory, which term refers to a system served by a number of component systems?
A. Open system
B. Suprasystem
C. Subsystem
D. Equifinality - answer-b. Suprasystem
This is an entity that is served by a number of smaller, component systems and produces output
based on that relationship
Linda is meeting her client joe for their regular session. Linda asks, "if you could fix the biggest
thing wrong in your life, what would your life look like?" this is an example of :
A. Miracle question
B. Deficit question
C. Staging question
D. Motivational interviewing - answer-a. Miracle question
This is a technique used to help a client visualize a potential positive future and help them
discover a vision of a desired life beyond their presenting problem.
Matthew is treating his client Gertrude in a treatment center. Gertrude's way of speaking is
somewhat tangential, and she draws in items from different times in her life to help her illustrate
Abigail comes to her social worker with symptoms she can't explain. The symptoms are
unpleasant feelings during and after overeating, which have occurred at least two days a week
for the last 6 months, and eating until uncomfortably full. What disorder does abigail have?
A. Binge eating disorder
B. Anorexia nervosa
C. Bulimia nervosa
D. Eating disorder - answer-a. Binge eating disorder.
According to the DSM-5, sometimes peope with binge eating disorder have trouble recognizing
inidivudual binge episodes even though they occur. The key diagnostic features of BED are
recurrent and persistent episodes of binge eating; binge eating episodes are associated with at
least three of the following: eating much more rapidly than normal; eating until feeling
uncomfortably full; eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry; eating
alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating; feeling disgusted with oneself,
depressed, or very guilty after overeating; marked distress regarding binge eating ; and absence
of regular compensatory behaviors, such as purging.
Beatrice is working with her client Randal, who suffers from a high degree of anxiety. Beatrice
encourages randal to focus on the present moment, with special attention to his breathing and
awareness of his surroundings and sensory environment. What therapeutic technique is this?
A. Behavior modification
B. Cognitive restructuring
C. Gottman method
D. Mindfulness - answer-d. Mindfulness.
Meant to focus the client's awareness on the present moment, rather than distressing anxieties
or other conflicting pressures outside the immediate environment.
Brian has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). His social worker recommends that he join a
treatment group with others who have OCD. In the group, he learns more about the disorder,
completes assignments, and exchanges ideas with others in the group. What type of group is
this?
A. Support group
B. Educational group
C. Growth group
D. Therapy group - answer-Educational group
In this group, Brian gets to interact with others who share his disorder. At the same time, a
group leader (such as a social worker) provides assignments for group members, so the group
is educational in nature. It's an opportunity to learn more about OCD and strategies to cope with
it.
Denise is a school social worker. One of her clients, dawn, is a teenager who is doing
extremelely well academically, with perfect grades and participation in a wide variety of
activities. However, dawn reports to denise that she does not feel good about herself, often
thinks about death, and has trouble sleeping. Which of the classic parenting styles has most
likely been applied to dawn?
, A. Authoritarian
B. Authoritative
C. Permissive
D. Uninvoled. - answer-a. Authoritarian
Children raised under authoritarian parenting styles tend to have high scholastic achievement
but issues with depression and low-self esteem.
Erica is a high school social worker. One of the students, Lin, seems to be having behavioral
problems. She only seems to conform to expectations when closely monitored and does so
chiefly out of fear of being punished. Using Kohlberg's stages of moral development, should
erica be concerned?
A. Yes because Lin appears to be operating at the preconventional stage of moral development
B. No, because Lin appears to be operating at the conventional stafe of moral development
C. Yes, becuase lin appears to be operating at the postconventional stage of moral
development
D. No, because Lin appears to be operating at the postconventional stage of moral developent.
- answer-yes, because Lin appears to be operating at the preconventional stage of moral
development.
Preconventional= children younger than nine
Conventional= expected for her age
Postconventional= mature adults
Explain the difference between open system, subsystem, and equifinality in systems theory -
answer-an open system refers to one in which there are exchanges within and without the
system. A subsystem is a smaller component of a larger system. Equifinality refers to the
phenomenon of arriving at the same end through different beginnings.
In systems theory, which term refers to a system served by a number of component systems?
A. Open system
B. Suprasystem
C. Subsystem
D. Equifinality - answer-b. Suprasystem
This is an entity that is served by a number of smaller, component systems and produces output
based on that relationship
Linda is meeting her client joe for their regular session. Linda asks, "if you could fix the biggest
thing wrong in your life, what would your life look like?" this is an example of :
A. Miracle question
B. Deficit question
C. Staging question
D. Motivational interviewing - answer-a. Miracle question
This is a technique used to help a client visualize a potential positive future and help them
discover a vision of a desired life beyond their presenting problem.
Matthew is treating his client Gertrude in a treatment center. Gertrude's way of speaking is
somewhat tangential, and she draws in items from different times in her life to help her illustrate
