SOCIAL WORK 238 CONTENT EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
A school social worker is providing support to a 14-year old eighth grade student with
autism spectrum disorder (ASD). the student has difficulties with anxiety, transitions,
time management, and independent work. Which of the following strategies by the
social worker would be most appropriate for the student?
a. providing the student with a daily planner
b. asking the principal or teacher to mentor the student
c. developing a visual schedule for the student
d. giving the student frequent verbal reminders of expectations - ANSWER-C
(objective 0003) visual schedules provide a pictorial representation of the day's
activities. this approach is appropriate for student with autism because it reinforces
the routine of the day, provides student with a handy reminder of what happens next,
helps student remain calm, and support independent functioning.
A school social worker is planning an intervention for a student with post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) who exhibits verbal outbursts and aggression when triggered
. When working with the student to address these behaviors, the social worker
should emphasize which of the following approaches?
a.exploring the role of trauma in the student's behaviors and how it influences the
student individually and ecologically
b. asking staff members who interact with the student to collect data related to the
student's trauma and behaviors
c. discussing with the student's parents/ guardians the need for outside therapy to
address the student's trauma and behaviors
d. identifying a point person at the school that the students can speak to following
incidences of trauma- related behaviors - ANSWER-A (objective 0003) Trauma
informed practice is an evidence based approach for addressing the needs of
students who have experienced various types of trauma. Trauma informed practice
is most effective when providers and individuals explore the relationship between the
trauma and specific behaviors how the trauma affects the student, and the effects of
the trauma- related behaviors on the systems in which the student functions.
A school social worker is forming a counseling group at the high school fr tenth
grade students who are recovering from addiction. During the first meeting with the
group, the social worker should focus on which of the following tasks?
a. obtaining information from group members related to demographics, mental
health, and medical history
b. asking group members to share their personal goals in the areas of academics
and social/ emotional development
c. requisition that group members disclose what they hope to achieve through
participation in the group
,d. setting guidelines with group members regarding ground rules, confidentiality, and
expectations for participation - ANSWER-D (objective 0003) During the initial group
counseling session, it is important for school social workers to accentuate the
importance of ground rules, the boundaries fi confidentiality and the expectations for
participation. In, addition it is important for group members to agree to these rules,
boundaries, and expectations. This task will facilitate the development of sense of
safety and trust for group members.
Seventh grade students in social skills group are familiarizing themselves with the
tasks and roles in the group and learning about other members of the group. These
behaviors are characteristic of which of the following stages of group developing?
a. storming
b. preforming
c. forming
d. adjourning - ANSWER-C (objective 0003) Groups go through a number of stages
to achieve maximum performance. the first stage of group development is "forming"
and it is during this stage that members are preoccupied with familiarizing
themselves with group task and one another. At this stage group members depend
most heavily on the facilitator (school social worker) to provide guidance and support
Several students notify the school social worker that another student has been
posting messages on social media that lead them to believe the student may be
sducidal. When meeting with the identified student, the social workers must
important step is to:
a. provide the student with information about suicide
b. refer the student to an outside therapist
c. inform the student of the classmate's concerns.
d.ask directly of the student is suicidal - ANSWER-D (objective 0003) When a school
social worker becomes aware of a student who is exhibiting a potential suicidal
thinking or behavior, the social worker should meet immediately with the student and
conduct a suicide risk assessment. Part of the standard practice in a suicide risk
assessment is directly asking the student if the student is suicidal.
A conflict resolution strategy in which students spontaneously enact situations of
conflict and analyze the enactment with help of other students and the school social
worker is best described as:
a.peer mediation
b.decision making
c. role-playing
d. problem solving - ANSWER-c (objective 0003) role playing is a conflict resolution
strategy that teachers students empathy and promotes them to look at actions from
another point of view. In addition, role playing asks students to adopt another's
identity and experience. Students act out a situation and are often asked to assume
the role of the person with whom they are in disagreement.
According to the principals of general systems theory, schools, as open systems,
tend to function in which of the following ways?
,a. undergoing fluid sequences that are dependent on objective data
b. maintaining steady states through feedback processes
c. adopting ever changing modes based on initial conditions
d. taking intermittent positions through transitional policies - ANSWER-B (objective
0003) General systems theory provides an organized means for studying schools as
dynamic environments. As open systems with permeable boundaries, schools
function in dynamic equilibrium within their environments. They have both internal
and external inputs and outputs and tend to maintain themselves in steady states
through positive and negative feedback loops.
According to Murray Bowen's family systems theory, parents/guardians pass on their
emotions to their children though which of the following processes?
a. nuclear family emotional process
b. family projection process
c. multigenerational transmission process
d. societal emotional process - ANSWER-B (objective 0004) Children inherit
strengths as well as many types of challenges through the relationships with their
parents/guardian. The problems they inherit that most affect their lives are
relationship sensitivities such as heightened needs for attention and approval, the
tendency to blame oneself or others, feeling responsible for the happiness of others,
and acting impulsively to relieve the anxiety of the moment. The projection process
follows three steps: (1) the parent/guardian focuses on a child out of fear that
something is wrong with the child (2) the parent/ guardian interprets the child's
behavior as confirming the fear and (3) the parent/guardian treats the child as if
something is really wrong with the child.
A school social worker is informed that a student at the school has died suddenly.
Which of the following steps by the social worker represents the most appropriate
initial action to take in this situation?
A. convening the school's crisis response team
B. coordinating school counseling for students and faculty
C. gathering donations for a memorial at the school
D. holding a school wide assembly to notify students and faculty - ANSWER-A
(objective 0004) schools are required to have a team that is trained and ready to
assume specific responsibilities and established protocols in the event of a crisis.
The unexpected death of a student would create such a crisis and the crisis
response team is prepared to address the needs of the family, students, and other
members of the school community
A school social worker has been learning a weekly social skills group for middle
school students. The students in the group have achieved the group's goals and
made significant progress over the course fo the school year. The social worker has
determined that it would be appropriate to terminate the group services in several
weeks. To increase the likelihood of a successful actions prior to termination?
a. discussing outside mental health resources with the group and submitting referrals
as needed
, b. acknowledging various reactions to termination and reasoning group members
that they are ready
c. reviewing the content discussed each session and reminding the group of
confidentiality expectations
d. reminding group members of the progress they have made and discussing
termination early in the process - ANSWER-D (objective 0004) termination is the
final stage of group counseling. The way in which the school social worker closes a
counseling relationship can have a significant effect on student's views of the
experience and the likelihood of practicing what has been learned. Participants may
be fearful of loosing the support of the group, so the social work should remind them
of the progress they have made and engage them in discussions of what termination
will look like well before services actually end.
In an initial meeting with a kindergarten student who was referred for emotional
concerns, the school social worker strongly suspects that the student is experiencing
neglect in the home setting. The social worker is obligated to take which of the
following actions?
a. including the student's home environment in planned interventions
b. submitting a report about the student to local child protective services
c. contacting the student's parents/guardians to gather more information
d. arranging a home visit to observe the student's home environment - ANSWER-B
(objective 0004) Neglect is the failure of a parent/guardian caregiver to meet minimal
standards for providing adequate supervisions, food, clothing, medical care, shelter
or other basic needs. When a school social worker suspects neglect or abuse, by
law a report must be filed with child protective services. This is the social worker's
obligation as a mandated reporter.
A third grade student is not making adequate progress in mathematics despite Tier 3
Interventions. Which of the following actions would be most appropriate for
addressing the students needs?
a. Implementing pre teaching and reteaching strategies with eh student
b. researching additional classroom interventions to try with the student
c. referring the student for a comprehensive evaluation
d. recommending outside touring service for the student - ANSWER-C (objective
004) Tier 3 interventions are most intensive level of intervention with the multi tired
systems of support. when tier 3 interventions are unsuccessful, it is time to ex-lore
the possibility that the student may require special education support. That is
determined through the comprehensive evaluation process.
A middle school principal asks the school social worker to design quarterly
profession development for school staff. The social worker can best ensure that the
professional development will be engaging and useful to staff by taking which of the
following actions?
a. providing staff with school wide data to discuss during the professional
development
b. defining measurable objectives for professional developmental activities
c. soliciting input from staff about their professional developmental needs.
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
A school social worker is providing support to a 14-year old eighth grade student with
autism spectrum disorder (ASD). the student has difficulties with anxiety, transitions,
time management, and independent work. Which of the following strategies by the
social worker would be most appropriate for the student?
a. providing the student with a daily planner
b. asking the principal or teacher to mentor the student
c. developing a visual schedule for the student
d. giving the student frequent verbal reminders of expectations - ANSWER-C
(objective 0003) visual schedules provide a pictorial representation of the day's
activities. this approach is appropriate for student with autism because it reinforces
the routine of the day, provides student with a handy reminder of what happens next,
helps student remain calm, and support independent functioning.
A school social worker is planning an intervention for a student with post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) who exhibits verbal outbursts and aggression when triggered
. When working with the student to address these behaviors, the social worker
should emphasize which of the following approaches?
a.exploring the role of trauma in the student's behaviors and how it influences the
student individually and ecologically
b. asking staff members who interact with the student to collect data related to the
student's trauma and behaviors
c. discussing with the student's parents/ guardians the need for outside therapy to
address the student's trauma and behaviors
d. identifying a point person at the school that the students can speak to following
incidences of trauma- related behaviors - ANSWER-A (objective 0003) Trauma
informed practice is an evidence based approach for addressing the needs of
students who have experienced various types of trauma. Trauma informed practice
is most effective when providers and individuals explore the relationship between the
trauma and specific behaviors how the trauma affects the student, and the effects of
the trauma- related behaviors on the systems in which the student functions.
A school social worker is forming a counseling group at the high school fr tenth
grade students who are recovering from addiction. During the first meeting with the
group, the social worker should focus on which of the following tasks?
a. obtaining information from group members related to demographics, mental
health, and medical history
b. asking group members to share their personal goals in the areas of academics
and social/ emotional development
c. requisition that group members disclose what they hope to achieve through
participation in the group
,d. setting guidelines with group members regarding ground rules, confidentiality, and
expectations for participation - ANSWER-D (objective 0003) During the initial group
counseling session, it is important for school social workers to accentuate the
importance of ground rules, the boundaries fi confidentiality and the expectations for
participation. In, addition it is important for group members to agree to these rules,
boundaries, and expectations. This task will facilitate the development of sense of
safety and trust for group members.
Seventh grade students in social skills group are familiarizing themselves with the
tasks and roles in the group and learning about other members of the group. These
behaviors are characteristic of which of the following stages of group developing?
a. storming
b. preforming
c. forming
d. adjourning - ANSWER-C (objective 0003) Groups go through a number of stages
to achieve maximum performance. the first stage of group development is "forming"
and it is during this stage that members are preoccupied with familiarizing
themselves with group task and one another. At this stage group members depend
most heavily on the facilitator (school social worker) to provide guidance and support
Several students notify the school social worker that another student has been
posting messages on social media that lead them to believe the student may be
sducidal. When meeting with the identified student, the social workers must
important step is to:
a. provide the student with information about suicide
b. refer the student to an outside therapist
c. inform the student of the classmate's concerns.
d.ask directly of the student is suicidal - ANSWER-D (objective 0003) When a school
social worker becomes aware of a student who is exhibiting a potential suicidal
thinking or behavior, the social worker should meet immediately with the student and
conduct a suicide risk assessment. Part of the standard practice in a suicide risk
assessment is directly asking the student if the student is suicidal.
A conflict resolution strategy in which students spontaneously enact situations of
conflict and analyze the enactment with help of other students and the school social
worker is best described as:
a.peer mediation
b.decision making
c. role-playing
d. problem solving - ANSWER-c (objective 0003) role playing is a conflict resolution
strategy that teachers students empathy and promotes them to look at actions from
another point of view. In addition, role playing asks students to adopt another's
identity and experience. Students act out a situation and are often asked to assume
the role of the person with whom they are in disagreement.
According to the principals of general systems theory, schools, as open systems,
tend to function in which of the following ways?
,a. undergoing fluid sequences that are dependent on objective data
b. maintaining steady states through feedback processes
c. adopting ever changing modes based on initial conditions
d. taking intermittent positions through transitional policies - ANSWER-B (objective
0003) General systems theory provides an organized means for studying schools as
dynamic environments. As open systems with permeable boundaries, schools
function in dynamic equilibrium within their environments. They have both internal
and external inputs and outputs and tend to maintain themselves in steady states
through positive and negative feedback loops.
According to Murray Bowen's family systems theory, parents/guardians pass on their
emotions to their children though which of the following processes?
a. nuclear family emotional process
b. family projection process
c. multigenerational transmission process
d. societal emotional process - ANSWER-B (objective 0004) Children inherit
strengths as well as many types of challenges through the relationships with their
parents/guardian. The problems they inherit that most affect their lives are
relationship sensitivities such as heightened needs for attention and approval, the
tendency to blame oneself or others, feeling responsible for the happiness of others,
and acting impulsively to relieve the anxiety of the moment. The projection process
follows three steps: (1) the parent/guardian focuses on a child out of fear that
something is wrong with the child (2) the parent/ guardian interprets the child's
behavior as confirming the fear and (3) the parent/guardian treats the child as if
something is really wrong with the child.
A school social worker is informed that a student at the school has died suddenly.
Which of the following steps by the social worker represents the most appropriate
initial action to take in this situation?
A. convening the school's crisis response team
B. coordinating school counseling for students and faculty
C. gathering donations for a memorial at the school
D. holding a school wide assembly to notify students and faculty - ANSWER-A
(objective 0004) schools are required to have a team that is trained and ready to
assume specific responsibilities and established protocols in the event of a crisis.
The unexpected death of a student would create such a crisis and the crisis
response team is prepared to address the needs of the family, students, and other
members of the school community
A school social worker has been learning a weekly social skills group for middle
school students. The students in the group have achieved the group's goals and
made significant progress over the course fo the school year. The social worker has
determined that it would be appropriate to terminate the group services in several
weeks. To increase the likelihood of a successful actions prior to termination?
a. discussing outside mental health resources with the group and submitting referrals
as needed
, b. acknowledging various reactions to termination and reasoning group members
that they are ready
c. reviewing the content discussed each session and reminding the group of
confidentiality expectations
d. reminding group members of the progress they have made and discussing
termination early in the process - ANSWER-D (objective 0004) termination is the
final stage of group counseling. The way in which the school social worker closes a
counseling relationship can have a significant effect on student's views of the
experience and the likelihood of practicing what has been learned. Participants may
be fearful of loosing the support of the group, so the social work should remind them
of the progress they have made and engage them in discussions of what termination
will look like well before services actually end.
In an initial meeting with a kindergarten student who was referred for emotional
concerns, the school social worker strongly suspects that the student is experiencing
neglect in the home setting. The social worker is obligated to take which of the
following actions?
a. including the student's home environment in planned interventions
b. submitting a report about the student to local child protective services
c. contacting the student's parents/guardians to gather more information
d. arranging a home visit to observe the student's home environment - ANSWER-B
(objective 0004) Neglect is the failure of a parent/guardian caregiver to meet minimal
standards for providing adequate supervisions, food, clothing, medical care, shelter
or other basic needs. When a school social worker suspects neglect or abuse, by
law a report must be filed with child protective services. This is the social worker's
obligation as a mandated reporter.
A third grade student is not making adequate progress in mathematics despite Tier 3
Interventions. Which of the following actions would be most appropriate for
addressing the students needs?
a. Implementing pre teaching and reteaching strategies with eh student
b. researching additional classroom interventions to try with the student
c. referring the student for a comprehensive evaluation
d. recommending outside touring service for the student - ANSWER-C (objective
004) Tier 3 interventions are most intensive level of intervention with the multi tired
systems of support. when tier 3 interventions are unsuccessful, it is time to ex-lore
the possibility that the student may require special education support. That is
determined through the comprehensive evaluation process.
A middle school principal asks the school social worker to design quarterly
profession development for school staff. The social worker can best ensure that the
professional development will be engaging and useful to staff by taking which of the
following actions?
a. providing staff with school wide data to discuss during the professional
development
b. defining measurable objectives for professional developmental activities
c. soliciting input from staff about their professional developmental needs.
