CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK LICENSURE
EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE ANSWERS
A 30-year-old single female is in treatment with a social worker. She hates her job
working for her family but consistently demonstrates an inability to take any initiative
in her life because she's sure she'll fail. She doesn't want anyone to know she's in
therapy because she's afraid of what they'll think of her. According to Erik Erikson,
this is an example of which unresolved developmental stage?
A. Trust vs. mistrust
B. Identity vs. role confusion
C. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
D. Initiative vs. guilt - ANSWER-C. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
RATIONALE: C is the best answer because the stem describes a client who is
having a hard time separating from her family and has feelings of doubt and shame.
A, B and D would all be described differently.
A social worker in a small community is contacted by a prospective client regarding
therapy for conflicts she is experiencing at her job. The social worker knows that the
client works at the agency where the social worker was previously a supervisor,
although the social worker did not supervise the client. The prospective client insists
that the social worker's knowledge of the agency environment and culture will benefit
treatment because of increased understanding. What is the social worker's MOST
appropriate response?
A. Decline to provide therapy due to knowledge of the previous business
relationship.
B. Assure the client of confidentiality before beginning treatment.
C. Provide treatment while maintaining self-awareness regarding boundary issues.
D. Explore the meaning of dual relationships before beginning treatment. -
ANSWER-A. Decline to provide therapy due to knowledge of the previous business
relationship.
RATIONALE: Answer A and D are your best options for this questions. A is a little
stronger because in this case it would be better to refer her to someone not
connected to the previous working environment. Providing a safe space for clients is
an essential part of therapy. A client like this may assume that you will agree with her
view of the situation but your previous knowledge of the environment could actually
be a hindrance to your work together.
,A treatment team meets to review patient progress on an inpatient unit. One
particular patient with refractory Major Depressive Disorder is refusing to try electro-
convulsive therapy, but is continuing to take antidepressants. The patient cannot be
discharged due to the severity of symptoms. What is the BEST approach for the
social worker to recommend to the treatment team?
A. Obtain a court order to ensure that the patient will take the new medication.
B. Develop a behavior modification plan requiring more participation in social and
physical activities on the unit.
C. Have the treatment team and patient meet to review the treatment plan.
D. Obtain consultation from a psychiatrist outside of the hospital. - ANSWER-C.
Have the treatment team and patient meet to review the treatment plan.
RATIONALE: The patient should be included in the discussion of the treatment plan
because his actions are impacting the course of treatment. There is no reason to get
a court order to take new medication and B and D are unrelated to the issue.
A social worker on an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team is working with a
19-year-old male who is preparing for discharge from an inpatient unit. In order to
return to his independent living situation, the client agrees to work with the social
worker to create a behavioral contract to prevent rehospitalization. The MOST
important item in the contract is:
A. A list of adaptive coping skills to utilize during times of stress.
B. An agreement to maintain control.
C. A plan to seek help before loss of control.
D. Potential consequences of contract violation. - ANSWER-C. A plan to seek help
before loss of control.
RATIONALE: Since the point of the contract is to prevent future crises, the most
important pieces of the contract are the steps the client will take to prevent a loss of
control. A and D will be part of the contract, but are not more important that the
prevention plan; B is basically meaningless without a specific plan for how the client
will respond to stressors.
A social worker begins to notice a pattern of interaction between the client and the
social worker. The social worker offers specific suggestions to help the client achieve
personal goals and the client thanks the social worker and then identifies the
reasons why each suggestion will not work. To promote progress, the social work
should FIRST:
A. Help the client identify this self-defeating attitude.
,B. Remind the client of the treatment goals.
C. Focus conversations on the client's strengths and motivation.
D. Point out this pattern to the client. - ANSWER-D. Point out this pattern to the
client.
RATIONALE: D is the best option in this case because the client may not be aware
of the pattern; simply by sharing the observation of this pattern, the therapist may be
able to help the client change. A, B and C may be viable interventions, but not before
the observation of the pattern is shared.
A hospital-based social worker receives outcome data that indicates a large
percentage of geriatric patients with knee replacements are functioning at lower
levels one year after surgery. As part of the medical team's response, the social
worker is asked to develop a psychosocial program that will enhance functioning.
The social worker's BEST approach is to:
A. Provide pre-operation workshops to highlight challenges.
B. Coordinate the group with the medical director.
C. Recommend additional physical rehabilitation.
D. Create a drop-in support group. - ANSWER-D. Create a drop-in support group.
RATIONALE: Since the question ask about a psychosocial program, C does not
make sense since it refers to physical rehab; A does not address the patients'
functioning after surgery and B is an incomplete answer.
A social worker is meeting with the parents of a 7-year-old boy who was recently
diagnosed with ADHD. The parents met with a psychiatrist who recommended
medication and behavioral management therapy. The parents are resistant to
medication. What should the therapist do first?
A. Refer them back to the psychiatrist.
B. Explore their concerns about medication.
C. Begin behavioral modification training.
D. Encourage them to try out medication before they judge it. - ANSWER-B. Explore
their concerns about medication.
RATIONALE: B is the best answer because it's important for the social worker to
explore the parents' concerns about medication and what is behind that concern
before further steps are taken.
A 27-year-old male seeks treatment from a social worker after his parents demanded
that he move out of their house. The client is confused because his parents would
, still like him to come over for dinner several times a week and have encouraged him
to bring his laundry home for his mother to do. When the client suggests including
his parents in a session, they decline, stating that he is an adult and does not need
them. The social worker should FIRST:
A. Encourage the client to separate himself from his parents.
B. Explore the parent-child relationship and the events leading up to his parents
asking him to move out.
C. Address dependency issues.
D. Explore the client's difficulty in moving out of his parents home. - ANSWER-B.
Explore the parent-child relationship and the events leading up to his parents asking
him to move out.
RATIONALE: B is the best place to start. Exploring the issue further will give you
important information about what to focus on. There is not enough information to
address C or D and the client is not indicating an interest in A at this point.
A social worker receives a letter from a personal injury lawyer requesting information
about one of the social worker's clients' diagnosis and treatment. The letter indicates
that the client is the defendant in an upcoming court case. What should the social
worker do FIRST?
A. Contact the lawyer and explain that a subpoena will be needed to release
information.
B. Contact the lawyer and release selected information from the client's record.
C. Do not respond to the letter and contact the client to inform them of the request.
D. Send a letter to the lawyer refusing the request. - ANSWER-C. Do not respond to
the letter and contact the client to inform them of the request.
RATIONALE: A, B, and D all acknowledge that the client is you client, which is a
violation of confidentiality. C is the only option.
In an initial session, a client reports increasing feelings of depression and
hopelessness after becoming unemployed four months ago. The client exhibits
increasing frustration during the session, which culminates at the end when the client
yells, "What is the point of this?! I spent 2 hours with you and still don't have any
money for my landlord!" The social worker clarifies the agency's services and
policies, but the client is still angry. What should the social worker do FIRST:
A. Refer the client to an emergency assistance program.
B. Explore the client's feelings of anger.
C. Assist the client in looking for employment.
EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE ANSWERS
A 30-year-old single female is in treatment with a social worker. She hates her job
working for her family but consistently demonstrates an inability to take any initiative
in her life because she's sure she'll fail. She doesn't want anyone to know she's in
therapy because she's afraid of what they'll think of her. According to Erik Erikson,
this is an example of which unresolved developmental stage?
A. Trust vs. mistrust
B. Identity vs. role confusion
C. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
D. Initiative vs. guilt - ANSWER-C. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
RATIONALE: C is the best answer because the stem describes a client who is
having a hard time separating from her family and has feelings of doubt and shame.
A, B and D would all be described differently.
A social worker in a small community is contacted by a prospective client regarding
therapy for conflicts she is experiencing at her job. The social worker knows that the
client works at the agency where the social worker was previously a supervisor,
although the social worker did not supervise the client. The prospective client insists
that the social worker's knowledge of the agency environment and culture will benefit
treatment because of increased understanding. What is the social worker's MOST
appropriate response?
A. Decline to provide therapy due to knowledge of the previous business
relationship.
B. Assure the client of confidentiality before beginning treatment.
C. Provide treatment while maintaining self-awareness regarding boundary issues.
D. Explore the meaning of dual relationships before beginning treatment. -
ANSWER-A. Decline to provide therapy due to knowledge of the previous business
relationship.
RATIONALE: Answer A and D are your best options for this questions. A is a little
stronger because in this case it would be better to refer her to someone not
connected to the previous working environment. Providing a safe space for clients is
an essential part of therapy. A client like this may assume that you will agree with her
view of the situation but your previous knowledge of the environment could actually
be a hindrance to your work together.
,A treatment team meets to review patient progress on an inpatient unit. One
particular patient with refractory Major Depressive Disorder is refusing to try electro-
convulsive therapy, but is continuing to take antidepressants. The patient cannot be
discharged due to the severity of symptoms. What is the BEST approach for the
social worker to recommend to the treatment team?
A. Obtain a court order to ensure that the patient will take the new medication.
B. Develop a behavior modification plan requiring more participation in social and
physical activities on the unit.
C. Have the treatment team and patient meet to review the treatment plan.
D. Obtain consultation from a psychiatrist outside of the hospital. - ANSWER-C.
Have the treatment team and patient meet to review the treatment plan.
RATIONALE: The patient should be included in the discussion of the treatment plan
because his actions are impacting the course of treatment. There is no reason to get
a court order to take new medication and B and D are unrelated to the issue.
A social worker on an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team is working with a
19-year-old male who is preparing for discharge from an inpatient unit. In order to
return to his independent living situation, the client agrees to work with the social
worker to create a behavioral contract to prevent rehospitalization. The MOST
important item in the contract is:
A. A list of adaptive coping skills to utilize during times of stress.
B. An agreement to maintain control.
C. A plan to seek help before loss of control.
D. Potential consequences of contract violation. - ANSWER-C. A plan to seek help
before loss of control.
RATIONALE: Since the point of the contract is to prevent future crises, the most
important pieces of the contract are the steps the client will take to prevent a loss of
control. A and D will be part of the contract, but are not more important that the
prevention plan; B is basically meaningless without a specific plan for how the client
will respond to stressors.
A social worker begins to notice a pattern of interaction between the client and the
social worker. The social worker offers specific suggestions to help the client achieve
personal goals and the client thanks the social worker and then identifies the
reasons why each suggestion will not work. To promote progress, the social work
should FIRST:
A. Help the client identify this self-defeating attitude.
,B. Remind the client of the treatment goals.
C. Focus conversations on the client's strengths and motivation.
D. Point out this pattern to the client. - ANSWER-D. Point out this pattern to the
client.
RATIONALE: D is the best option in this case because the client may not be aware
of the pattern; simply by sharing the observation of this pattern, the therapist may be
able to help the client change. A, B and C may be viable interventions, but not before
the observation of the pattern is shared.
A hospital-based social worker receives outcome data that indicates a large
percentage of geriatric patients with knee replacements are functioning at lower
levels one year after surgery. As part of the medical team's response, the social
worker is asked to develop a psychosocial program that will enhance functioning.
The social worker's BEST approach is to:
A. Provide pre-operation workshops to highlight challenges.
B. Coordinate the group with the medical director.
C. Recommend additional physical rehabilitation.
D. Create a drop-in support group. - ANSWER-D. Create a drop-in support group.
RATIONALE: Since the question ask about a psychosocial program, C does not
make sense since it refers to physical rehab; A does not address the patients'
functioning after surgery and B is an incomplete answer.
A social worker is meeting with the parents of a 7-year-old boy who was recently
diagnosed with ADHD. The parents met with a psychiatrist who recommended
medication and behavioral management therapy. The parents are resistant to
medication. What should the therapist do first?
A. Refer them back to the psychiatrist.
B. Explore their concerns about medication.
C. Begin behavioral modification training.
D. Encourage them to try out medication before they judge it. - ANSWER-B. Explore
their concerns about medication.
RATIONALE: B is the best answer because it's important for the social worker to
explore the parents' concerns about medication and what is behind that concern
before further steps are taken.
A 27-year-old male seeks treatment from a social worker after his parents demanded
that he move out of their house. The client is confused because his parents would
, still like him to come over for dinner several times a week and have encouraged him
to bring his laundry home for his mother to do. When the client suggests including
his parents in a session, they decline, stating that he is an adult and does not need
them. The social worker should FIRST:
A. Encourage the client to separate himself from his parents.
B. Explore the parent-child relationship and the events leading up to his parents
asking him to move out.
C. Address dependency issues.
D. Explore the client's difficulty in moving out of his parents home. - ANSWER-B.
Explore the parent-child relationship and the events leading up to his parents asking
him to move out.
RATIONALE: B is the best place to start. Exploring the issue further will give you
important information about what to focus on. There is not enough information to
address C or D and the client is not indicating an interest in A at this point.
A social worker receives a letter from a personal injury lawyer requesting information
about one of the social worker's clients' diagnosis and treatment. The letter indicates
that the client is the defendant in an upcoming court case. What should the social
worker do FIRST?
A. Contact the lawyer and explain that a subpoena will be needed to release
information.
B. Contact the lawyer and release selected information from the client's record.
C. Do not respond to the letter and contact the client to inform them of the request.
D. Send a letter to the lawyer refusing the request. - ANSWER-C. Do not respond to
the letter and contact the client to inform them of the request.
RATIONALE: A, B, and D all acknowledge that the client is you client, which is a
violation of confidentiality. C is the only option.
In an initial session, a client reports increasing feelings of depression and
hopelessness after becoming unemployed four months ago. The client exhibits
increasing frustration during the session, which culminates at the end when the client
yells, "What is the point of this?! I spent 2 hours with you and still don't have any
money for my landlord!" The social worker clarifies the agency's services and
policies, but the client is still angry. What should the social worker do FIRST:
A. Refer the client to an emergency assistance program.
B. Explore the client's feelings of anger.
C. Assist the client in looking for employment.
