Social Work MSW Licensing exam
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
D. Determine the nature of the danger - ✔✔A woman who is 5 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 sister's boyfriend is threatening to force her
out of the home. She says she does not feel safe. What should the social worker do
FIRST?
A. Focus on directly engaging the client - ✔✔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?
B. Teach clients how to disclose their background proactively when offered a job - ✔✔A
social worker provides treatment to clients on the sex offender registry. Some clients are
discouraged when they are fired from their job after their sex offender status becomes
known. What should the social worker do to BEST support clients?
D. Self Disclosure in group treatment contradicts behavioral expectations of prison
culture - ✔✔A social worker at a correctional facility is providing a treatment group for
substance abusers who are inmates at the prison. A prison classification committee has
selected 12 group participants of various racial and ethnic backgrounds. During the first
3 weeks of group, the social worker notices that very few participants seem willing to
speak. What statement MOST LIKELY explains the participants reluctance to talk in the
group?
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,C. Initiate a mental status examination - ✔✔A CPS social worker meets with a parent
who has allegedly been neglectful. The parent talks about being overwhelmed by the
needs of her child. She describes having trouble sleeping because she needs to stay alert
for messages from a favorite talk show host. The parent also shares beliefs that the
child's teacher is against her. What should the social worker do NEXT?
B. Plan to discuss the issue with the group at the next session - ✔✔After the death of
their child, a couple attend a bereavement group led by a social worker. The group
meeting deals almost exclusively with this couple's loss. After the session, other group
members report that this caused them to feel frustrated and uncomfortable. What
should the social worker do NEXT?
B. Talk with the client about the situation - ✔✔A social worker meets with a new client
who was recently reunited with the spouse who is an injured soldier. The client is
struggling with assisting the spouse to cope with the injury, but the spouse responds
with irritation. What should the social worker do FIRST?
D. Ask to have the client transferred to another therapist - ✔✔A new social worker is
working at a community mental health center with adult sex offenders. The social
worker is assigned to a client who disgusts and repels him. When meeting with the
client, the social worker finds himself unable to be sympathetic or empathic. The social
worker realizes that his intense feelings are not changing. After a month of discussion
on this issue in supervision, there is still no improvement. What action should the social
worker take NEXT?
B. Explain why the gift basket cannot be accepted - ✔✔A social worker meets with a
client for a termination session. The client has frequently expressed gratitude for the
social worker's assistance during past sessions. During the session, the client presents
the social worker with an expensive gift basket. After expressing gratitude, what should
the social worker do NEXT?
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,C. Help the client clarify her goals - ✔✔Your new client is a self-referred woman who is
recovering from a schizophrenic breakdown and mildly depressed. The client tells you
that she is finally ready to begin her life and hopes that you can help her. She says she
wants to find a good job, save money to buy a house, and begin dating regularly so that
she can get married and start a family. What would be your INITIAL step in providing
treatment for this client?
C. Gather information to identify her needs and concerns - ✔✔You are referred a client
who is physically disabled and you will serve as her case manager. What would you do
FIRST with this client?
C. Verify that the client can perform the essential functions of the job he interviewed
for. - ✔✔You help a severely hearing-impaired client secure a job interview for a
position as a computer technician at a local company. The client has experience as a
computer technician but has been unemployed for about a year. During the job
interview, the company's manager tells the client that he is concerned about hiring him
because no one at the company knows American Sign Language. The client reports this
to you. How would you proceed?
B. Judgement - ✔✔During the mental status exam of a new client, you ask the client
what factors led him to decide to quit his job two weeks ago. Apparently, you are
interested in evaluating the client's:
A. There has been a progressive decline in his cognitive functioning - ✔✔The family of
an elderly man reports that the man has been experiencing some troubling symptoms,
including cognotive problems. Which of the following, if present, would suggest that
the man has dementia rather than depression?
D. Lower-than-average intelligence, facial malformations, growth deficiencies -
✔✔What are the common symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)?
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, A. A pattern of deceit - ✔✔You are attempting to determine whether a teenage boy has
conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder. Which of the following is associated
with conduct disorder but not oppositional defiant disorder?
A. Memory loss - ✔✔Which of the following characteristics is shared by both delirium
and dementia?
C. Erotomanic - ✔✔A client reports that she and a famous actor who lives in her city
have fallen in love with each other. She says she sends him many letters and often
watches his films to express her love, but he doesn't respond because he wants to avoid
the publicity that would result since he is married and many years younger than she is.
You determine that the client has delusional disorder. What subtype does the client
have?
D. A major depressive episode - ✔✔Unlike bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder must
include which of the following?
B. Research the historical problems that led to the policies - ✔✔A social worker is asked
to analyze new social welfare policies that will affect the community. What should the
social worker do FIRST?
D. Reassure the parents that parallel play is typical - ✔✔Parents of a 24-month-old child
report their only concern is that their child plays alongside but not with other children.
What should the social worker do?
C. Triangulation - ✔✔A social worker is providing therapy to a family. The husband
and wife have been arguing constantly for several months and are considering a
separation. Recently, the oldest child began acting out in school. With attention focused
on the child's problems, arguments between the parents have subsided. What concept
BEST describes this family's situation from a systems perspective?
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
D. Determine the nature of the danger - ✔✔A woman who is 5 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 sister's boyfriend is threatening to force her
out of the home. She says she does not feel safe. What should the social worker do
FIRST?
A. Focus on directly engaging the client - ✔✔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?
B. Teach clients how to disclose their background proactively when offered a job - ✔✔A
social worker provides treatment to clients on the sex offender registry. Some clients are
discouraged when they are fired from their job after their sex offender status becomes
known. What should the social worker do to BEST support clients?
D. Self Disclosure in group treatment contradicts behavioral expectations of prison
culture - ✔✔A social worker at a correctional facility is providing a treatment group for
substance abusers who are inmates at the prison. A prison classification committee has
selected 12 group participants of various racial and ethnic backgrounds. During the first
3 weeks of group, the social worker notices that very few participants seem willing to
speak. What statement MOST LIKELY explains the participants reluctance to talk in the
group?
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,C. Initiate a mental status examination - ✔✔A CPS social worker meets with a parent
who has allegedly been neglectful. The parent talks about being overwhelmed by the
needs of her child. She describes having trouble sleeping because she needs to stay alert
for messages from a favorite talk show host. The parent also shares beliefs that the
child's teacher is against her. What should the social worker do NEXT?
B. Plan to discuss the issue with the group at the next session - ✔✔After the death of
their child, a couple attend a bereavement group led by a social worker. The group
meeting deals almost exclusively with this couple's loss. After the session, other group
members report that this caused them to feel frustrated and uncomfortable. What
should the social worker do NEXT?
B. Talk with the client about the situation - ✔✔A social worker meets with a new client
who was recently reunited with the spouse who is an injured soldier. The client is
struggling with assisting the spouse to cope with the injury, but the spouse responds
with irritation. What should the social worker do FIRST?
D. Ask to have the client transferred to another therapist - ✔✔A new social worker is
working at a community mental health center with adult sex offenders. The social
worker is assigned to a client who disgusts and repels him. When meeting with the
client, the social worker finds himself unable to be sympathetic or empathic. The social
worker realizes that his intense feelings are not changing. After a month of discussion
on this issue in supervision, there is still no improvement. What action should the social
worker take NEXT?
B. Explain why the gift basket cannot be accepted - ✔✔A social worker meets with a
client for a termination session. The client has frequently expressed gratitude for the
social worker's assistance during past sessions. During the session, the client presents
the social worker with an expensive gift basket. After expressing gratitude, what should
the social worker do NEXT?
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,C. Help the client clarify her goals - ✔✔Your new client is a self-referred woman who is
recovering from a schizophrenic breakdown and mildly depressed. The client tells you
that she is finally ready to begin her life and hopes that you can help her. She says she
wants to find a good job, save money to buy a house, and begin dating regularly so that
she can get married and start a family. What would be your INITIAL step in providing
treatment for this client?
C. Gather information to identify her needs and concerns - ✔✔You are referred a client
who is physically disabled and you will serve as her case manager. What would you do
FIRST with this client?
C. Verify that the client can perform the essential functions of the job he interviewed
for. - ✔✔You help a severely hearing-impaired client secure a job interview for a
position as a computer technician at a local company. The client has experience as a
computer technician but has been unemployed for about a year. During the job
interview, the company's manager tells the client that he is concerned about hiring him
because no one at the company knows American Sign Language. The client reports this
to you. How would you proceed?
B. Judgement - ✔✔During the mental status exam of a new client, you ask the client
what factors led him to decide to quit his job two weeks ago. Apparently, you are
interested in evaluating the client's:
A. There has been a progressive decline in his cognitive functioning - ✔✔The family of
an elderly man reports that the man has been experiencing some troubling symptoms,
including cognotive problems. Which of the following, if present, would suggest that
the man has dementia rather than depression?
D. Lower-than-average intelligence, facial malformations, growth deficiencies -
✔✔What are the common symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)?
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, A. A pattern of deceit - ✔✔You are attempting to determine whether a teenage boy has
conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder. Which of the following is associated
with conduct disorder but not oppositional defiant disorder?
A. Memory loss - ✔✔Which of the following characteristics is shared by both delirium
and dementia?
C. Erotomanic - ✔✔A client reports that she and a famous actor who lives in her city
have fallen in love with each other. She says she sends him many letters and often
watches his films to express her love, but he doesn't respond because he wants to avoid
the publicity that would result since he is married and many years younger than she is.
You determine that the client has delusional disorder. What subtype does the client
have?
D. A major depressive episode - ✔✔Unlike bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder must
include which of the following?
B. Research the historical problems that led to the policies - ✔✔A social worker is asked
to analyze new social welfare policies that will affect the community. What should the
social worker do FIRST?
D. Reassure the parents that parallel play is typical - ✔✔Parents of a 24-month-old child
report their only concern is that their child plays alongside but not with other children.
What should the social worker do?
C. Triangulation - ✔✔A social worker is providing therapy to a family. The husband
and wife have been arguing constantly for several months and are considering a
separation. Recently, the oldest child began acting out in school. With attention focused
on the child's problems, arguments between the parents have subsided. What concept
BEST describes this family's situation from a systems perspective?
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
