ASWB Masters Practice Test Questions
& Answers 2025/2026
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 co-host 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 residentsʻ concerns may be helpful
C. Helping residents start new relationships is important
D. Sharing leadership is very effective with groups - ANSWERSD. Sharing leadership is very
effective with groups
At what age does normal separation anxiety typically begin?
A. 24 months
B. 18 months
C. 12 months
D. 3 months - ANSWERSC. 12 months
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. Risk for incarceration
D. Negative social interactions with peers - ANSWERSD. Negative social interactions with peers
A couple identify strongly with the deaf culture. A social worker is helping them to obtain
educational services for their child, who has experienced hearing loss. What communication
strategy should the social worker consider during planning?
A. Total immersion in the use of sign language
B. Cochlear implant surgery to improve hearing
C. Mainstreaming with children who do not have hearing loss
D. The use of lipreading as a primary technique - ANSWERSA. Total immersion in the use of sign
language
The deaf culture believes in total immersion in their primary language, which is sign language!
A school social worker meets with parents of a child who has recently completed treatment for
cancer. The childʻs 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 parentʻs beleifs
C. Obtain the childʻs perspective on the situation
D. Refer the parents and child for family therapy - ANSWERSB. Explore the reasons for the
parentʻs beliefs
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 occured
C. Transfer the client to a colleague
D. Request a transfer to a different department - ANSWERSC. Transfer the client to a colleague
A client who is trying to become pregnant uses marijuana consistently and has questions about
the effects on the fetus. The social worker tells the client that the marijuana use could possibly
harm the fetus. What should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Offer substance abuse treatment options to the client
B. Refer the case for possible criminal prosecution
C. Inform the client that the drug use will be reported to the child protection agency
D. Ask the clientʻs health care provider to drug test the client at her appointment. - ANSWERSA.
Offer substance abuse treatment options to the client
A social worker is asked to analyze new social welfare policies that will affect the community.
What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Examine the likely impact of the policies on the community
B. Research the historical problems that led to the policies
C. Organize the grassroots coalition
D. Look into legal precedents that could potentially nullify the policies - ANSWERSB. Research
the historical problems that led to the policies
A woman who is five months pregnant speaks with a social worker at an adoption agency to
request information. The woman explains that she lives with her sister and that her sisterʻs
boyfriend is threatening to force her out of the home. She says that she does not feel safe.
What should the social worker do FIRST?
, A. Call the police for the woman
B. Develop a safety plan
C. Try to locate housing for the woman
D. Determine the nature of the danger - ANSWERSD. Determine the nature of the danger
A social worker meets with a new client who is diagnosed with depression. The social worker
observes that the client is ambivalent, non-trusting, and passive. What should the social worker
do NEXT?
A. Focus on directly engaging the client
B. Suggest a task to improve the clientʻs mood
C. Encourage the client to recall better times
D. Provide information about depression - ANSWERSA. Focus on directly engaging the client
An adolescent is admitted to the hospital for the second time in three weeks for noncompliance
with diabetes management. The physician believes that the adolescent is intentionally
manipulating the diabetes care and wants to be admitted. The physician consults a social
worker. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Contract with the adolescent to prevent readmission
B. Review the medical management plan with the adolescent
C. Notify the local child welfare services
D. Obtain a social and family history - ANSWERSD. Obtain a social and family history
The FIRST step for the sw is to complete an assessment
What client factor MOST likely determines the scope and focus of an assessment?
& Answers 2025/2026
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 co-host 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 residentsʻ concerns may be helpful
C. Helping residents start new relationships is important
D. Sharing leadership is very effective with groups - ANSWERSD. Sharing leadership is very
effective with groups
At what age does normal separation anxiety typically begin?
A. 24 months
B. 18 months
C. 12 months
D. 3 months - ANSWERSC. 12 months
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. Risk for incarceration
D. Negative social interactions with peers - ANSWERSD. Negative social interactions with peers
A couple identify strongly with the deaf culture. A social worker is helping them to obtain
educational services for their child, who has experienced hearing loss. What communication
strategy should the social worker consider during planning?
A. Total immersion in the use of sign language
B. Cochlear implant surgery to improve hearing
C. Mainstreaming with children who do not have hearing loss
D. The use of lipreading as a primary technique - ANSWERSA. Total immersion in the use of sign
language
The deaf culture believes in total immersion in their primary language, which is sign language!
A school social worker meets with parents of a child who has recently completed treatment for
cancer. The childʻs 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 parentʻs beleifs
C. Obtain the childʻs perspective on the situation
D. Refer the parents and child for family therapy - ANSWERSB. Explore the reasons for the
parentʻs beliefs
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 occured
C. Transfer the client to a colleague
D. Request a transfer to a different department - ANSWERSC. Transfer the client to a colleague
A client who is trying to become pregnant uses marijuana consistently and has questions about
the effects on the fetus. The social worker tells the client that the marijuana use could possibly
harm the fetus. What should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Offer substance abuse treatment options to the client
B. Refer the case for possible criminal prosecution
C. Inform the client that the drug use will be reported to the child protection agency
D. Ask the clientʻs health care provider to drug test the client at her appointment. - ANSWERSA.
Offer substance abuse treatment options to the client
A social worker is asked to analyze new social welfare policies that will affect the community.
What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Examine the likely impact of the policies on the community
B. Research the historical problems that led to the policies
C. Organize the grassroots coalition
D. Look into legal precedents that could potentially nullify the policies - ANSWERSB. Research
the historical problems that led to the policies
A woman who is five months pregnant speaks with a social worker at an adoption agency to
request information. The woman explains that she lives with her sister and that her sisterʻs
boyfriend is threatening to force her out of the home. She says that she does not feel safe.
What should the social worker do FIRST?
, A. Call the police for the woman
B. Develop a safety plan
C. Try to locate housing for the woman
D. Determine the nature of the danger - ANSWERSD. Determine the nature of the danger
A social worker meets with a new client who is diagnosed with depression. The social worker
observes that the client is ambivalent, non-trusting, and passive. What should the social worker
do NEXT?
A. Focus on directly engaging the client
B. Suggest a task to improve the clientʻs mood
C. Encourage the client to recall better times
D. Provide information about depression - ANSWERSA. Focus on directly engaging the client
An adolescent is admitted to the hospital for the second time in three weeks for noncompliance
with diabetes management. The physician believes that the adolescent is intentionally
manipulating the diabetes care and wants to be admitted. The physician consults a social
worker. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Contract with the adolescent to prevent readmission
B. Review the medical management plan with the adolescent
C. Notify the local child welfare services
D. Obtain a social and family history - ANSWERSD. Obtain a social and family history
The FIRST step for the sw is to complete an assessment
What client factor MOST likely determines the scope and focus of an assessment?
