Pearson ASWB EXAM WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
A social worker in private temporarily moving to another city. Following
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consideration of the risks and benefits that may be experienced by each
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client, the social worker offers to continue the therapeutic relationship
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with several clients through e-mail. This suggestion is MOST appropriate to
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wclients who: w
A. Have completed their treatment
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B. would be harmed by early termination
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C. are able to cope with day-to-day issues
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D. are dealing with ongoing crises - Rationale: The less immediate contact
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associated with email is more appropriate for higher functioning clients--in
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this item, those who are able to cope with "day-to-day" (key C). Crisis
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clients (D) require more direct contact, and clients who would be harmed
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by early termination are not necessarily the MOST appropriate group for
w w w w w w w w w w w
this approach. There would be no reason to offer a therapeutic email
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relationship with clients who have completed treatment (A).
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A social worker sees a new client referred because of heavy alcohol use.
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During the initial assessment, the client questions the social worker's
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credentials and competence. What should the social worker do NEXT?
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A. Confront the client about evasive responses
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B. Discuss the physical consequences of alcohol abuse
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C. Ask how the client feels about seeking help
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,D. Obtain more detailed information by indirect questions - Rationale:
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During the initial assessment it is too soon to confront (A) the client. The
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social worker is avoiding the question (B) and (D) by addressing another
w w w w w w w w w w w w
issue. By asking a direct question about the client's feelings, the social
w w w w w w w w w w w w
worker refocuses the discussion and redirect the client back to why help is
w w w w w w w w w w w w
wbeing sought (key C).
w w w
A 19-year old is brought to a family service agency by the parents, who
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report a history of school truancy, deliberate destruction of their property,
w w w w w w w w w w w
lying, and stealing since age 14. According the the DSM-5, which of the
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following diagnoses BEST describes the client?
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A. Antisocial personality disorder
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B. Oppositional defiant disorder
w w w
C. Conduct disorder
w w
D. Intermittent explosive disorder - Rational: According to the DSM,
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deliberate destruction of another's property, lying, stealing, and symptoms
w w w w w w w w w
of conduct disorder before the age of 16 years meet the criteria for
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
conduct disorder, adolescent onset type, as an adult (key C). The
w w w w w w w w w w w
irresponsibility and aggressiveness toward others necessary for diagnosis of
w w w w w w w w w
oppositional defiant disorder (B)-normally a childhood diagnosis-are not
w w w w w w w w
mentioned in the stem, nor are the impulsive aggressive behaviors
w w w w w w w w w w
necessary for a diagnosis of intermittent explosive disorder (D).
w w w w w w w w
A married mother of two children is referred to a social worker by her
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
employer for depression and inability to maintain expected standards at
w w w w w w w w w w
work. The initial assessment reveals that the client has recently
w w w w w w w w w w
experienced the sudden death of her younger sister who was a single
w w w w w w w w w w w w
mother of two young children. The children are now in the client's care.
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
The client's mother and one brother are in prison. The client's husband is
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
employed, but they need her paycheck to make ends meet. The social
w w w w w w w w w w w w
worker's MOST appropriate practice approach is.
w w w w w
,A. Solution-focused
w
B. ego psychology
w w
C. problem-solving
w
D. behavioral therapy - The social worker must address the issues being
w w w w w w w w w w w w
presented, which demand resolution within a fairly limited time span. A
w w w w w w w w w w w
problem-solving practice approach would be the most appropriate one
w w w w w w w w w
given these factors (key C). Solution-focused (A) examines how progress is
w w w w w w w w w w w
made and would not provide assistance with immediate problems. Both
w w w w w w w w w w
ego psychology (B) and behavioral therapy (D) are therapeutic approaches
w w w w w w w w w w
that do not match client's problems and needs.
w w w w w w w
During an initial interview a social worker asks a question. The client
w w w w w w w w w w w w
blushes and becomes silent. What should the social worker do NEXT?
w w w w w w w w w w
A. Ask the question again in a slightly different form
w w w w w w w w w
B. Remain silent for a few seconds
w w w w w w
C. Delay discussion of the topic at hand
w w w w w w w
D. Identify the emotions the client may be experiencing - Rationale. Silence
w w w w w w w w w w w
wallows clients to formulate their thoughts and deal with emotions (key B).
w w w w w w w w w w w
A social worker sees a 75-year old man whose wife died six months ago.
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
In the intake interview, the client reports that he has lost weight, has very
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
wlittle energy, and has difficulty getting himself to do things. What should
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the social worker do FIRST?
w w w w
A. Complete a suicide risk assessment of the client
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B. Explore available family and community resources
w w w w w w
C. Suggest the client schedule an appointment with his
w w w w w w w w
w doctor
, D. Refer the client to a local bereavement group - Rationale: After six
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months the client should be further along in grief process, and his reports
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
describe depression and risk that warrant a risk assessment (Key A).
w w w w w w w w w w w
Options (B), (C), and (D) are all plausible but not the FIRST action the
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
social worker should take.
w w w
In the evaluation process for a client's sexual dysfunction, the FIRST
w w w w w w w w w w w
consideration is to: w w
A. gain an understanding of the client's past sexual
w w w w w w w w w
w functioning
B. rule out any medical basis for the dysfunction
w w w w w w w w
C. meet conjointly with the sexual partner to evaluate
w w w w w w w w
w sexual communication w
D. evaluate the client's history for sexual trauma - Rationale. All of these
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
options should be done at some point during the evaluation process;
w w w w w w w w w w w
however, anytime there is a physical symptom, a medical cause must be
w w w w w w w w w w w w
ruled out first. (b)w w w
The term "tardive dyskinesia" refers to:
w w w w w
A. truant behavior
w w
B. impaired memory
w w
C. a speech disorder
w w w
D. a movement disorder - This is a basic recall item that requires
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
knowledge of tardive dykskinesia. w w w
A social worker sends a client to a colleague for a second opinion. The
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
client has been in treatment for past three months and has a diagnosis of
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
major depressive disorder, recurrent episode. The client believes the
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ANSWERS
A social worker in private temporarily moving to another city. Following
w w w w w w w w w w w
consideration of the risks and benefits that may be experienced by each
w w w w w w w w w w w w
client, the social worker offers to continue the therapeutic relationship
w w w w w w w w w w
with several clients through e-mail. This suggestion is MOST appropriate to
w w w w w w w w w w
wclients who: w
A. Have completed their treatment
w w w w
B. would be harmed by early termination
w w w w w w
C. are able to cope with day-to-day issues
w w w w w w w
D. are dealing with ongoing crises - Rationale: The less immediate contact
w w w w w w w w w w w w
associated with email is more appropriate for higher functioning clients--in
w w w w w w w w w w
this item, those who are able to cope with "day-to-day" (key C). Crisis
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
clients (D) require more direct contact, and clients who would be harmed
w w w w w w w w w w w w
by early termination are not necessarily the MOST appropriate group for
w w w w w w w w w w w
this approach. There would be no reason to offer a therapeutic email
w w w w w w w w w w w w
relationship with clients who have completed treatment (A).
w w w w w w w
A social worker sees a new client referred because of heavy alcohol use.
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
During the initial assessment, the client questions the social worker's
w w w w w w w w w w
credentials and competence. What should the social worker do NEXT?
w w w w w w w w w
A. Confront the client about evasive responses
w w w w w w
B. Discuss the physical consequences of alcohol abuse
w w w w w w w
C. Ask how the client feels about seeking help
w w w w w w w w
,D. Obtain more detailed information by indirect questions - Rationale:
w w w w w w w w w w
During the initial assessment it is too soon to confront (A) the client. The
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
social worker is avoiding the question (B) and (D) by addressing another
w w w w w w w w w w w w
issue. By asking a direct question about the client's feelings, the social
w w w w w w w w w w w w
worker refocuses the discussion and redirect the client back to why help is
w w w w w w w w w w w w
wbeing sought (key C).
w w w
A 19-year old is brought to a family service agency by the parents, who
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
report a history of school truancy, deliberate destruction of their property,
w w w w w w w w w w w
lying, and stealing since age 14. According the the DSM-5, which of the
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
following diagnoses BEST describes the client?
w w w w w
A. Antisocial personality disorder
w w w
B. Oppositional defiant disorder
w w w
C. Conduct disorder
w w
D. Intermittent explosive disorder - Rational: According to the DSM,
w w w w w w w w w w
deliberate destruction of another's property, lying, stealing, and symptoms
w w w w w w w w w
of conduct disorder before the age of 16 years meet the criteria for
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
conduct disorder, adolescent onset type, as an adult (key C). The
w w w w w w w w w w w
irresponsibility and aggressiveness toward others necessary for diagnosis of
w w w w w w w w w
oppositional defiant disorder (B)-normally a childhood diagnosis-are not
w w w w w w w w
mentioned in the stem, nor are the impulsive aggressive behaviors
w w w w w w w w w w
necessary for a diagnosis of intermittent explosive disorder (D).
w w w w w w w w
A married mother of two children is referred to a social worker by her
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
employer for depression and inability to maintain expected standards at
w w w w w w w w w w
work. The initial assessment reveals that the client has recently
w w w w w w w w w w
experienced the sudden death of her younger sister who was a single
w w w w w w w w w w w w
mother of two young children. The children are now in the client's care.
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
The client's mother and one brother are in prison. The client's husband is
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
employed, but they need her paycheck to make ends meet. The social
w w w w w w w w w w w w
worker's MOST appropriate practice approach is.
w w w w w
,A. Solution-focused
w
B. ego psychology
w w
C. problem-solving
w
D. behavioral therapy - The social worker must address the issues being
w w w w w w w w w w w w
presented, which demand resolution within a fairly limited time span. A
w w w w w w w w w w w
problem-solving practice approach would be the most appropriate one
w w w w w w w w w
given these factors (key C). Solution-focused (A) examines how progress is
w w w w w w w w w w w
made and would not provide assistance with immediate problems. Both
w w w w w w w w w w
ego psychology (B) and behavioral therapy (D) are therapeutic approaches
w w w w w w w w w w
that do not match client's problems and needs.
w w w w w w w
During an initial interview a social worker asks a question. The client
w w w w w w w w w w w w
blushes and becomes silent. What should the social worker do NEXT?
w w w w w w w w w w
A. Ask the question again in a slightly different form
w w w w w w w w w
B. Remain silent for a few seconds
w w w w w w
C. Delay discussion of the topic at hand
w w w w w w w
D. Identify the emotions the client may be experiencing - Rationale. Silence
w w w w w w w w w w w
wallows clients to formulate their thoughts and deal with emotions (key B).
w w w w w w w w w w w
A social worker sees a 75-year old man whose wife died six months ago.
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
In the intake interview, the client reports that he has lost weight, has very
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
wlittle energy, and has difficulty getting himself to do things. What should
w w w w w w w w w w w w
the social worker do FIRST?
w w w w
A. Complete a suicide risk assessment of the client
w w w w w w w w
B. Explore available family and community resources
w w w w w w
C. Suggest the client schedule an appointment with his
w w w w w w w w
w doctor
, D. Refer the client to a local bereavement group - Rationale: After six
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
months the client should be further along in grief process, and his reports
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
describe depression and risk that warrant a risk assessment (Key A).
w w w w w w w w w w w
Options (B), (C), and (D) are all plausible but not the FIRST action the
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
social worker should take.
w w w
In the evaluation process for a client's sexual dysfunction, the FIRST
w w w w w w w w w w w
consideration is to: w w
A. gain an understanding of the client's past sexual
w w w w w w w w w
w functioning
B. rule out any medical basis for the dysfunction
w w w w w w w w
C. meet conjointly with the sexual partner to evaluate
w w w w w w w w
w sexual communication w
D. evaluate the client's history for sexual trauma - Rationale. All of these
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
options should be done at some point during the evaluation process;
w w w w w w w w w w w
however, anytime there is a physical symptom, a medical cause must be
w w w w w w w w w w w w
ruled out first. (b)w w w
The term "tardive dyskinesia" refers to:
w w w w w
A. truant behavior
w w
B. impaired memory
w w
C. a speech disorder
w w w
D. a movement disorder - This is a basic recall item that requires
w w w w w w w w w w w w w
knowledge of tardive dykskinesia. w w w
A social worker sends a client to a colleague for a second opinion. The
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
client has been in treatment for past three months and has a diagnosis of
w w w w w w w w w w w w w w
major depressive disorder, recurrent episode. The client believes the
w w w w w w w w w
