LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER
(LCSW) EXAMINATION QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A
| INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. A client reports chronic feelings of emptiness and rapidly shifting moods.
Which diagnosis is MOST consistent with these symptoms?
A. Major depressive disorder
B. Bipolar II disorder
C. Borderline personality disorder
D. Histrionic personality disorder
Rationale: Borderline personality disorder includes instability in mood, identity,
relationships, and chronic emptiness.
2. The primary purpose of a biopsychosocial assessment is to:
A. Provide a medical diagnosis
B. Determine eligibility for insurance
C. Obtain a comprehensive understanding of the client’s functioning
D. Identify risk factors for medication interactions
Rationale: Biopsychosocial assessments gather holistic information across
multiple domains to inform treatment.
3. A social worker suspects elder abuse. The FIRST action should be to:
,A. Confront the caregiver
B. Report to Adult Protective Services
C. Document and wait for more evidence
D. Ask the elder for permission
Rationale: Social workers are mandated reporters and must report suspected
abuse immediately.
4. A client expresses suicidal ideation but denies a plan. The MOST appropriate
next step is to:
A. Hospitalize the client
B. Conduct a full suicide risk assessment
C. Inform family members
D. Begin cognitive restructuring
Rationale: Full suicide risk assessment must occur before making intervention
decisions.
5. Which therapy is MOST supported for treating PTSD?
A. Solution-focused brief therapy
B. Gestalt therapy
C. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
D. Adlerian therapy
Rationale: Trauma-focused CBT has strong evidence for PTSD.
6. In the DSM-5, substance use disorders are categorized based on:
A. Social consequences
B. Frequency only
C. Impaired control, social impairment, risky use, and pharmacological criteria
D. Type of substance
Rationale: DSM-5 uses a multi-criteria framework for severity and diagnosis.
, 7. A client refuses treatment recommendations. The social worker’s PRIMARY
ethical responsibility is to:
A. Persuade the client
B. Discharge the client
C. Respect the client’s self-determination
D. Seek a court order
Rationale: Client autonomy is a core NASW ethical principle.
8. A social worker feels attracted to a client. The MOST appropriate action is to:
A. Ignore the feelings
B. Seek supervision or consultation
C. Terminate the client
D. Disclose feelings to the client
Rationale: Consultation helps maintain boundaries and ethical practice.
9. A client presents with pressured speech, decreased need for sleep, and
increased goal-directed activity. This is MOST consistent with:
A. Schizoaffective disorder
B. Mania
C. Delirium
D. Depression
Rationale: These are hallmark signs of a manic episode.
10. The primary goal of motivational interviewing is to:
A. Confront resistance
B. Enhance intrinsic motivation for change
C. Identify defense mechanisms
(LCSW) EXAMINATION QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A
| INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. A client reports chronic feelings of emptiness and rapidly shifting moods.
Which diagnosis is MOST consistent with these symptoms?
A. Major depressive disorder
B. Bipolar II disorder
C. Borderline personality disorder
D. Histrionic personality disorder
Rationale: Borderline personality disorder includes instability in mood, identity,
relationships, and chronic emptiness.
2. The primary purpose of a biopsychosocial assessment is to:
A. Provide a medical diagnosis
B. Determine eligibility for insurance
C. Obtain a comprehensive understanding of the client’s functioning
D. Identify risk factors for medication interactions
Rationale: Biopsychosocial assessments gather holistic information across
multiple domains to inform treatment.
3. A social worker suspects elder abuse. The FIRST action should be to:
,A. Confront the caregiver
B. Report to Adult Protective Services
C. Document and wait for more evidence
D. Ask the elder for permission
Rationale: Social workers are mandated reporters and must report suspected
abuse immediately.
4. A client expresses suicidal ideation but denies a plan. The MOST appropriate
next step is to:
A. Hospitalize the client
B. Conduct a full suicide risk assessment
C. Inform family members
D. Begin cognitive restructuring
Rationale: Full suicide risk assessment must occur before making intervention
decisions.
5. Which therapy is MOST supported for treating PTSD?
A. Solution-focused brief therapy
B. Gestalt therapy
C. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
D. Adlerian therapy
Rationale: Trauma-focused CBT has strong evidence for PTSD.
6. In the DSM-5, substance use disorders are categorized based on:
A. Social consequences
B. Frequency only
C. Impaired control, social impairment, risky use, and pharmacological criteria
D. Type of substance
Rationale: DSM-5 uses a multi-criteria framework for severity and diagnosis.
, 7. A client refuses treatment recommendations. The social worker’s PRIMARY
ethical responsibility is to:
A. Persuade the client
B. Discharge the client
C. Respect the client’s self-determination
D. Seek a court order
Rationale: Client autonomy is a core NASW ethical principle.
8. A social worker feels attracted to a client. The MOST appropriate action is to:
A. Ignore the feelings
B. Seek supervision or consultation
C. Terminate the client
D. Disclose feelings to the client
Rationale: Consultation helps maintain boundaries and ethical practice.
9. A client presents with pressured speech, decreased need for sleep, and
increased goal-directed activity. This is MOST consistent with:
A. Schizoaffective disorder
B. Mania
C. Delirium
D. Depression
Rationale: These are hallmark signs of a manic episode.
10. The primary goal of motivational interviewing is to:
A. Confront resistance
B. Enhance intrinsic motivation for change
C. Identify defense mechanisms
