Navigating the ASWB LMSW Exam: A
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide.
Latest Updated Study Guide
2025/2026
Erik Erikson - ansknown for his 8-stage theory of psychosocial development focusing on
resolving successive identity crises
Basic Trust Vs Mistrust (Erikson) - ansinfants learn trust and develop a sense of safety
through the consistency of the caregiver meeting their needs (birth to one year)
Autonomy Vs Shame & Doubt (Erikson) - anstoddlers learn to do things for themselves
through encouragement and support (1-3 years)
Initiative Vs Guilt (Erikson) - anspreschoolers learn to initiate tasks and carry out plans or
they feel guilty about their efforts at independence (3-6 years)
Industry Vs Inferiority (Erikson) - ansschool-age children learn the pleasure of applying
oneself to a task, or they feel inferior (6-12 years)
Identity Vs Role Confusion (Erikson) - ansteenagers develop a sense of self by testing roles
and then integrating them to form a single identity, or they become confused about who they
are (12-20 years)
Intimacy Vs Isolation (Erikson) - ansyoung adults work on forming and maintaining intimate
relationships or they feel socially isolated (20-25 years)
Generativity Vs Stagnation (Erikson) - ansmiddle-aged adults discover a sense of
contributing through family or work, or they may feel a lack of purpose (25-65 years)
Ego Integrity Vs Despair (Erikson) - ansolder adults reflect on satisfaction with their lives or
feel a sense of failure (65 years to death)
Social Development - Micro - anslearning how to behave and interact well with others;
learning how to manage feelings in a way that is productive rather than counterproductive
Social Development - Macro - anslearning how people interact in groups and society (family,
community), especially in regards to social norms, institutional change, and inclusion
Emotional Development - anslearning self-awareness, self-regulation, social skills,
cooperation, attention, transitioning from one activity to another, self-confidence, forming
and maintaining relationships
Six Levels of Cognition - ansknowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis,
evaluation (KCAASE)
Knowledge - ansrote memorization, recognition, recall of facts (1st level of cognition)
Comprehension - ansunderstanding what facts mean (2nd level of cognition)
Application - anscorrect use of facts, rules, or ideas (3rd level of cognition)
Analysis - ansbreaking information down into its component parts (4th level of cognition)
Synthesis - anscombination of facts, ideas, or information to make a new whole (5th level of
cognition)
Evaluation - ansjudging or forming an opinion about the information or situation (6th level of
cognition)
Jean Piaget - ansknown for his 4-stage theory of cognitive development in children
Sensorimotor Stage (Piaget) - ansinfants and young toddlers explore using the senses and
learn object permanence (birth to 2 years)
Preoperational Stage (Piaget) - ansyoung children engage in symbolic thinking (pretend play
and imaginary friends) and concrete, egocentric thinking (2-7 years)
Concrete Operations Stage (Piaget) - ansschool-age children engage in logical thinking,
understanding rules and cause-effect relationships (7-11 years)
Formal Operations Stage (Piaget) - ansby puberty, people are able to engage in abstract
hypothetical thinking, plan for the future, and test hypotheses (11 years through adulthood)
,Navigating the ASWB LMSW Exam: A
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide.
Latest Updated Study Guide
2025/2026
Lawrence Kohlberg - ansknown for his theory of stages of moral development
Preconventional Morality (Kohlberg) - ansobeys authority out of fear of punishment; acts in
own best interests; conforms to receive rewards (childhood)
Conventional Morality (Kohlberg) - ansacts to gain approval from others; obeys laws and
fulfills obligations to maintain social system; avoids censure and guilt (adolescents & most
adults)
Postconventional Morality (Kohlberg) - ansgenuine interest in others' welfare; concerned
with individual rights and being morally right; guided by principles and concerns based on
broad, universal ethics and morality (some adults)
Learning Theory - Behaviorism - anslearning is viewed through change in behavior and the
stimuli in the external environment are the locus of learning; change the external environment
and change behavior
Learning Theory - Cognitive Theory - anslearning is viewed through internal mental
processes (insight, information processing, memory, perception) and the locus of learning is
internal cognitive structures; develop opportunities to foster capacity and skills to improve
learning
Learning Theory - Humanism - anslearning is viewed as a person's activities aimed at
reaching his or her full potential, and the locus of learning is in meeting cognitive and other
needs; develop the whole person
Learning Theory - Social Theory - anslearning is obtained between people and their
environment--their interactions and observations in social contexts; establish opportunities
for conversation and participation
Respondent Behavior (Behaviorism) - ansinvoluntary behavior (anxiety, sexual response) that
is automatically elicited by certain behavior. A stimulus elicits a response.
Operant Behavior (Behaviorism) - ansvoluntary behavior (walking, talking) that is controlled
by its consequences in the environment
Classical Conditioning - anslearning to associate an involuntary response and a stimulus
(Pavlov's dogs develop the expectation that they will be fed when a bell rings)
Operant Conditioning - anslearning to associate a voluntary response with a consequence
(Skinner's rats develop the expectation that they will get food by pressing a lever)
Best known applications of behavior modification - anssexual dysfunction, phobic disorders,
compulsive behaviors (overeating, smoking), and training for people with intellectual
disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of... - ansinteraction between the
individual and the environment
Behavioral theories focus on... - ansobservable and measurable behaviors rather than internal
thoughts and feelings
advantages of client self-monitoring (Behaviorism) - ansinexpensive, practical, therapeutic
disadvantages of client self-monitoring (Behaviorism) - ansclients collecting
inadequate/inaccurate information or resisting to collect any at all
Positive Reinforcement (Operant Technique) - ansincreases probability that behavior will
occur: praise, giving tokens, or otherwise rewarding positive behavior
Negative Reinforcement (Operant Technique) - ansbehavior increases because a
negative/aversive stimulus is removed (i.e., remove shock)
, Navigating the ASWB LMSW Exam: A
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide.
Latest Updated Study Guide
2025/2026
Positive Punishment (Operant Technique) - anspresentation of undesirable stimulus following
a behavior for the purpose of decreasing or eliminating that behavior (i.e., spanking)
Negative Punishment (Operant Technique) - ansremoval of a desirable stimulus following a
behavior for the purpose of decreasing or eliminating that behavior (i.e., time out)
Aversion Therapy - ansbehavioral treatment aimed at reducing the attractiveness of a
stimulus or behavior by pairing it with an aversive stimulus (i.e., treating alcoholism with
Antabuse)
Biofeedback - ansbehavior training program that teaches a person how to control certain
functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and muscle tension; often used for
ADHD and Anxiety Disorders
Extinction - answithholding a reinforcer that normally follows a behavior; behavior that fails
to produce reinforcement will eventually cease
Flooding - ansa treatment procedure in which a client's anxiety is extinguished by prolonged
real or imagined exposure to high-intensity feared stimuli
In Vivo Desensitization - anspairing and movement through a hierarchy of anxiety, from least
to most anxiety provoking situations; takes place in "real" settings
Modeling (Behaviorism) - ansmethod of instruction that involves an individual (the model)
demonstrating a behavior to be acquired by a client
Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) - ansa cognitively-oriented therapy which seeks to change a
client's irrational beliefs by argument, persuasion, and rational reevaluation and by teaching
them to counter self-defeating thinking with new, nondistressing self-statements
Shaping (Behaviorism) - ansmethod used to train a new behavior by prompting and
reinforcing successive approximations of the desired behavior
Systematic Desensitization - anspairs anxiety-producing stimulus with a relaxation-producing
response (compliment, gift), since an anxiety-inhibiting response cannot occur at the same
time as the anxiety response
Token Economy - ansa client receives tokens as reinforcement for performing specified
behaviors; these function as currency and can be exchanged for goods, services, or privileges
Sexuality in infants and toddlers - ansbabies are sexual in utero (males can have erections in
the uterus) and will rub their genitals before they can walk because it is pleasurable; children
can experience orgasm; by age 2, most children understand anatomical sex differences
Sexuality in children (age 3-7) - anspreschool children are very curious about bodies and
enjoy physical contact; imitating adult behavior (holding hands, kissing, playing house); sex
play is normal at this age (looking at genitals, playing doctor)
Sexuality in preadolescence (age 8-12) - anspuberty begins and children become more
modest and self-conscious about their bodies; masturbation increases but the idea of sexual
intercourse remains unpleasant for most; same-gender sexual experiences are normal and not
necessarily indicative of sexual orientation; group dating is common; may have experiences
of "making out", heavy petting, and oral sex
Sexuality in adolescence (age 13-19) - ansincreased interest in romantic and sexual
relationships, including intercourse; most adolescents explore relationships, fall in and out of
love, and have sex before the age of 20
Adult sexuality - answomen experience menopause around age 50; sex may become
uncomfortable due to physical changes in the vagina (these can be mitigated with lubricant
and estrogen therapy); men are less able to achieve erections and have less ejaculate; men
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide.
Latest Updated Study Guide
2025/2026
Erik Erikson - ansknown for his 8-stage theory of psychosocial development focusing on
resolving successive identity crises
Basic Trust Vs Mistrust (Erikson) - ansinfants learn trust and develop a sense of safety
through the consistency of the caregiver meeting their needs (birth to one year)
Autonomy Vs Shame & Doubt (Erikson) - anstoddlers learn to do things for themselves
through encouragement and support (1-3 years)
Initiative Vs Guilt (Erikson) - anspreschoolers learn to initiate tasks and carry out plans or
they feel guilty about their efforts at independence (3-6 years)
Industry Vs Inferiority (Erikson) - ansschool-age children learn the pleasure of applying
oneself to a task, or they feel inferior (6-12 years)
Identity Vs Role Confusion (Erikson) - ansteenagers develop a sense of self by testing roles
and then integrating them to form a single identity, or they become confused about who they
are (12-20 years)
Intimacy Vs Isolation (Erikson) - ansyoung adults work on forming and maintaining intimate
relationships or they feel socially isolated (20-25 years)
Generativity Vs Stagnation (Erikson) - ansmiddle-aged adults discover a sense of
contributing through family or work, or they may feel a lack of purpose (25-65 years)
Ego Integrity Vs Despair (Erikson) - ansolder adults reflect on satisfaction with their lives or
feel a sense of failure (65 years to death)
Social Development - Micro - anslearning how to behave and interact well with others;
learning how to manage feelings in a way that is productive rather than counterproductive
Social Development - Macro - anslearning how people interact in groups and society (family,
community), especially in regards to social norms, institutional change, and inclusion
Emotional Development - anslearning self-awareness, self-regulation, social skills,
cooperation, attention, transitioning from one activity to another, self-confidence, forming
and maintaining relationships
Six Levels of Cognition - ansknowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis,
evaluation (KCAASE)
Knowledge - ansrote memorization, recognition, recall of facts (1st level of cognition)
Comprehension - ansunderstanding what facts mean (2nd level of cognition)
Application - anscorrect use of facts, rules, or ideas (3rd level of cognition)
Analysis - ansbreaking information down into its component parts (4th level of cognition)
Synthesis - anscombination of facts, ideas, or information to make a new whole (5th level of
cognition)
Evaluation - ansjudging or forming an opinion about the information or situation (6th level of
cognition)
Jean Piaget - ansknown for his 4-stage theory of cognitive development in children
Sensorimotor Stage (Piaget) - ansinfants and young toddlers explore using the senses and
learn object permanence (birth to 2 years)
Preoperational Stage (Piaget) - ansyoung children engage in symbolic thinking (pretend play
and imaginary friends) and concrete, egocentric thinking (2-7 years)
Concrete Operations Stage (Piaget) - ansschool-age children engage in logical thinking,
understanding rules and cause-effect relationships (7-11 years)
Formal Operations Stage (Piaget) - ansby puberty, people are able to engage in abstract
hypothetical thinking, plan for the future, and test hypotheses (11 years through adulthood)
,Navigating the ASWB LMSW Exam: A
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide.
Latest Updated Study Guide
2025/2026
Lawrence Kohlberg - ansknown for his theory of stages of moral development
Preconventional Morality (Kohlberg) - ansobeys authority out of fear of punishment; acts in
own best interests; conforms to receive rewards (childhood)
Conventional Morality (Kohlberg) - ansacts to gain approval from others; obeys laws and
fulfills obligations to maintain social system; avoids censure and guilt (adolescents & most
adults)
Postconventional Morality (Kohlberg) - ansgenuine interest in others' welfare; concerned
with individual rights and being morally right; guided by principles and concerns based on
broad, universal ethics and morality (some adults)
Learning Theory - Behaviorism - anslearning is viewed through change in behavior and the
stimuli in the external environment are the locus of learning; change the external environment
and change behavior
Learning Theory - Cognitive Theory - anslearning is viewed through internal mental
processes (insight, information processing, memory, perception) and the locus of learning is
internal cognitive structures; develop opportunities to foster capacity and skills to improve
learning
Learning Theory - Humanism - anslearning is viewed as a person's activities aimed at
reaching his or her full potential, and the locus of learning is in meeting cognitive and other
needs; develop the whole person
Learning Theory - Social Theory - anslearning is obtained between people and their
environment--their interactions and observations in social contexts; establish opportunities
for conversation and participation
Respondent Behavior (Behaviorism) - ansinvoluntary behavior (anxiety, sexual response) that
is automatically elicited by certain behavior. A stimulus elicits a response.
Operant Behavior (Behaviorism) - ansvoluntary behavior (walking, talking) that is controlled
by its consequences in the environment
Classical Conditioning - anslearning to associate an involuntary response and a stimulus
(Pavlov's dogs develop the expectation that they will be fed when a bell rings)
Operant Conditioning - anslearning to associate a voluntary response with a consequence
(Skinner's rats develop the expectation that they will get food by pressing a lever)
Best known applications of behavior modification - anssexual dysfunction, phobic disorders,
compulsive behaviors (overeating, smoking), and training for people with intellectual
disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of... - ansinteraction between the
individual and the environment
Behavioral theories focus on... - ansobservable and measurable behaviors rather than internal
thoughts and feelings
advantages of client self-monitoring (Behaviorism) - ansinexpensive, practical, therapeutic
disadvantages of client self-monitoring (Behaviorism) - ansclients collecting
inadequate/inaccurate information or resisting to collect any at all
Positive Reinforcement (Operant Technique) - ansincreases probability that behavior will
occur: praise, giving tokens, or otherwise rewarding positive behavior
Negative Reinforcement (Operant Technique) - ansbehavior increases because a
negative/aversive stimulus is removed (i.e., remove shock)
, Navigating the ASWB LMSW Exam: A
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide.
Latest Updated Study Guide
2025/2026
Positive Punishment (Operant Technique) - anspresentation of undesirable stimulus following
a behavior for the purpose of decreasing or eliminating that behavior (i.e., spanking)
Negative Punishment (Operant Technique) - ansremoval of a desirable stimulus following a
behavior for the purpose of decreasing or eliminating that behavior (i.e., time out)
Aversion Therapy - ansbehavioral treatment aimed at reducing the attractiveness of a
stimulus or behavior by pairing it with an aversive stimulus (i.e., treating alcoholism with
Antabuse)
Biofeedback - ansbehavior training program that teaches a person how to control certain
functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and muscle tension; often used for
ADHD and Anxiety Disorders
Extinction - answithholding a reinforcer that normally follows a behavior; behavior that fails
to produce reinforcement will eventually cease
Flooding - ansa treatment procedure in which a client's anxiety is extinguished by prolonged
real or imagined exposure to high-intensity feared stimuli
In Vivo Desensitization - anspairing and movement through a hierarchy of anxiety, from least
to most anxiety provoking situations; takes place in "real" settings
Modeling (Behaviorism) - ansmethod of instruction that involves an individual (the model)
demonstrating a behavior to be acquired by a client
Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) - ansa cognitively-oriented therapy which seeks to change a
client's irrational beliefs by argument, persuasion, and rational reevaluation and by teaching
them to counter self-defeating thinking with new, nondistressing self-statements
Shaping (Behaviorism) - ansmethod used to train a new behavior by prompting and
reinforcing successive approximations of the desired behavior
Systematic Desensitization - anspairs anxiety-producing stimulus with a relaxation-producing
response (compliment, gift), since an anxiety-inhibiting response cannot occur at the same
time as the anxiety response
Token Economy - ansa client receives tokens as reinforcement for performing specified
behaviors; these function as currency and can be exchanged for goods, services, or privileges
Sexuality in infants and toddlers - ansbabies are sexual in utero (males can have erections in
the uterus) and will rub their genitals before they can walk because it is pleasurable; children
can experience orgasm; by age 2, most children understand anatomical sex differences
Sexuality in children (age 3-7) - anspreschool children are very curious about bodies and
enjoy physical contact; imitating adult behavior (holding hands, kissing, playing house); sex
play is normal at this age (looking at genitals, playing doctor)
Sexuality in preadolescence (age 8-12) - anspuberty begins and children become more
modest and self-conscious about their bodies; masturbation increases but the idea of sexual
intercourse remains unpleasant for most; same-gender sexual experiences are normal and not
necessarily indicative of sexual orientation; group dating is common; may have experiences
of "making out", heavy petting, and oral sex
Sexuality in adolescence (age 13-19) - ansincreased interest in romantic and sexual
relationships, including intercourse; most adolescents explore relationships, fall in and out of
love, and have sex before the age of 20
Adult sexuality - answomen experience menopause around age 50; sex may become
uncomfortable due to physical changes in the vagina (these can be mitigated with lubricant
and estrogen therapy); men are less able to achieve erections and have less ejaculate; men
