ASWB Complete Practice Exam Questions with 100%
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1. Which of the following is NOT true about conditions. This approach ensures that the
motivation to change? treatments and services, when used as intended,
A. Motivation fluctuates from one time to another. will have the most effective outcomes as
B. Motivation can be increased by working to demonstrated by the research.
remove barriers to change.
C. Motivation is driven by hope or the belief that
life can be different.
D. Motivation that is imposed by external forces 3. What are the stages of change in sequential
is more salient than that which is intrinsic. - order?
ANSWER -D A. Precontemplation, preparation, contemplation,
Motivation is a state of readiness or eagerness to action, maintenance, and relapse
change, which fluctuates from one time to B. Preparation, action, precontemplation,
another. The role of the social worker is to create contemplation, maintenance, and relapse
an atmosphere that is conducive to change and C. Preparation, precontemplation, contemplation,
to increase a client's intrinsic motivation, so that action, maintenance, and relapse
change arises from within rather than being D. Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation,
imposed from without. If a client is driven to action, maintenance, and relapse -
change internally, it is much more likely that the ANSWER -D
change effort will be sustained. A technique to Precontemplation is denial or ignorance of the
increase motivation is to work to remove barriers problem. It is followed by contemplation in which
and instill hope or the belief that life can be there is ambivalence about making change. Then
different. comes preparation or experimenting with small
changes. Action moves toward achieving a goal,
whereas maintenance sustains a new behavior
and avoids relapse, which can lead to feelings of
2. Evidence-based social work practice can frustration and failure.
BEST be defined as:
A. Interventions that a social worker has gained
training and experience in delivering
B. Treatment that yields the most cost-effective 4. Which of the following is NOT an essential
outcomes according to a cost-benefit analysis step in ethical problem solving?
C. Decision making based on the conscientious, A. Identifying the ethical standards that may be
explicit, and judicious use of research compromised
knowledge, clinical expertise, social work values, B. Determining whether there is an ethical
and client wishes dilemma
D. Practice evaluations that adhere to scientific C. Weighing ethical issues in light of social work
principles - ANSWER -C values and principles
Evidence-based practice (EBP) combines well- D. Asking a supervisor to monitor practice to
researched interventions with clinical experience identify new ethical issues or dilemmas -
and ethics, as well as client preferences and ANSWER -D
culture, to guide and inform the delivery of A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should
treatments and services. Social workers, clients, monitor practice to identify whether new issues or
and others must work together in order to identify dilemmas arise.
what works, for whom, and under what
,ASWB Complete Practice Exam Questions with 100%
Verified Answers
extent to which current clients are satisfied with a
new relapse prevention program. The social
5. A young boy is stopped by a police officer and worker distributes a client satisfaction survey to
claims that he is a member of the armed forces, those in the program. The social worker then
though it is obvious that he is not. This assertion collects the surveys and analyzes the results that
by the boy is MOST likely a: are presented to a management team in the
A. Comorbid thought agency. The social worker is conducting which
B. Dissociation type of evaluation?
C. Folie à deux A. Summative
D. Delusion - ANSWER -D B. Experimental
A delusion is a false, fixed belief despite C. Quasi-experimental
evidence to the contrary (i.e., believing D. Formative - ANSWER -D
something that is not true). Comorbid means Formative evaluations examine the process of
existing at the same time. Dissociation is a delivering services, whereas summative
change in memory, perception, or evaluations examine the outcomes. Formative
consciousness. Folie à deux is a shared evaluations are ongoing processes that allow for
delusion. feedback to be implemented during service
delivery. These types of evaluations allow social
workers to make changes as needed to help
achieve program goals. Summative evaluations
6. A social work administrator is having trouble occur at the end of services and provide an
finding a group home manager for a new overall description of their effectiveness.
program scheduled to open in 2 weeks. Further Summative evaluation examines outcomes to
delays in locating staff will delay clients from determine whether objectives were met.
moving into the program. The administrator
temporarily hires her niece, who just graduated The design described is not experimental—which
with a social work degree, for this position. This requires a control group and randomization of
action is: assignment—or quasi-experimental, which does
A. Ethical because the niece is clearly qualified not require randomization, but has more support
for the position for causal inferences than does preexperimental
B. Unethical because this is a conflict of interest designs.
C. Ethical because the position is temporary and
ensures clients get the services needed
D. Unethical because clients will experience staff
turnover when a new manager is hired - 8. Which of the following is an example of social
ANSWER -B stratification?
Social workers should avoid situations interfering A. A child is not included in group activities in
with impartial judgment. Hiring a family member school because of his or her poor social skills.
creates a dual relationship and should be B. Children who are violent need to be
avoided. segregated from their peers.
C. A child with social deficits is assumed to be
delayed in cognition without additional
assessment.
7. A social worker is interested in seeing the D. Children from affluent households receive a
better public education than those from low-
,ASWB Complete Practice Exam Questions with 100%
Verified Answers
income households. - ANSWER -D treat depression. They have been found to be
Stratification refers to structured inequality of effective in the treatment of a wider range of
entire categories of people in society who have disorders. Zoloft (sertraline) is an SSRI.
unequal access to social rewards. Stratification
applies to individuals based on ethnic and racial Benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam),
background, social status, and/or other factors. reduce levels of anxiety. However, they are habit-
forming and sedating, so they are typically
prescribed for only short-term use.
9. During an intake interview, a client reports that Mellaril (thioridazine) and Thorazine
she is extremely depressed and has self- (chlorpromazine) are antipsychotic medications
destructive thoughts. She has had prior suicide for the treatment of psychosis.
attempts, but tells the social worker not to worry
as she won't "do it again." The social worker
should FIRST:
A. Tell the client that her decision not to harm 11. A social worker is appointed by the court to
herself is a good one conduct a child custody evaluation for a couple
B. Explore with the client what is causing her that is divorcing. The mother reports that her
depression husband is verbally abusive, controlling, and
C. Conduct a safety assessment neglects the children when they are in his care.
D. Refer the client to a psychiatrist for a She reports that the children have missed a lot of
medication evaluation - ANSWER -C school when staying with their father because he
does not assist with getting them ready for school
Despite the client's report that she will not act on
her thoughts, she is at risk because she has had or doing their homework. The father states that
these feelings and has acted on them in the past. his wife is lazy, irresponsible, and cannot meet
The case vignette does not describe the social the children's basic needs. He reports that the
worker taking any action yet. A safety school frequently has to provide lunch for the
assessment will determine the severity of the children because the mother does not supply it
depression and whether the client is at risk for awhen they are in her care. In order to BEST
suicide attempt. It must be done FIRST before evaluate the legitimacy of the information, the
any other action is taken. social worker should:
A. Ask the husband and wife to put their
allegations in writing and sign them, attesting to
their accuracy
10. A client with a Social Anxiety Disorder will B. Determine whether the husband or wife have
MOST likely be prescribed which of the following had any past instances with bein -
medications to take on an ongoing basis? ANSWER -D
A. Zoloft (sertraline) Collateral information is often used when the
B. Mellaril (thioridazine) credibility and validity of information obtained
C. Thorazine (chlorpromazine) from a client or others is questionable. For
D. Valium (diazepam) - ANSWER -A The example, child custody cases are inherently
primary medications used to treat social anxiety characterized by biased data within an
disorder are selective serotonin reuptake adversarial process. Social workers should use
inhibitors (SSRIs), which were first developed to data from neutral parties, such as the school,
because this information has higher integrity.
, ASWB Complete Practice Exam Questions with 100%
Verified Answers
ANSWER -A
Industry versus inferiority—From age 6 to
puberty, children begin to develop a sense of
12. A social worker is facilitating a psychotherapy pride in their accomplishments. If children are
group for individuals who are in recovery from encouraged and reinforced for their initiative, they
substance abuse. After group, a client mentions begin to feel industrious and feel confident in
that she has been having problems dealing with their ability to achieve goals. If this initiative is not
job stress without the use of substances. In order encouraged and is restricted, children begin to
to meet this client's needs, the social worker feel inferior, doubting their abilities.
should: A. Recommend that the client see the
social worker individually in addition to the group
therapy because she appears to need some
additional support 14. A social worker employed in a hospital is
B. Suggest that the client bring this topic up in asked to use a SOAP format in a client's record.
the group next week to see if others are having In this format, the "A" stands for:
similar problems A. Action plan
C. Evaluate whether group therapy is the best B. Assessment
treatment modality for the client due to the issue C. Active treatment
being mentioned to the social worker outside of D. Adjustments to services needed -
the group context ANSWER -B
D. Determine if there is an employee assistance
program in the client's work setting to assist - SOAP stands for Subjective, Objective,
ANSWER -B Assessment, and Plan. In the Assessment
In group therapy, the group is the major helping portion, a social worker pulls together objective
agent. Issues should be brought back to the and subjective findings and consolidates them
group to address. There is no need for the client into a short assessment.
to see the social worker for individual therapy.
Contacting an employee assistance program
would breach confidentiality.
15. Aphasia is BEST defined as difficulty with:
A. Walking or running
B. Common motor skills such as combing hair,
13. An 11-year-old child would like to start despite normal strength
helping around the house with chores. She C. Understanding language or using language to
approaches her mother many times, but is told speak or write
she cannot assist because "she won't do it right." D. Recognizing familiar objects -
During several attempts to do things on her own, ANSWER -C
she is scolded. According to psychosocial Aphasia is a change in cognition (mental ability)
development theory, she may experience doubts that is characterized by difficulty understanding
in her abilities due to a crisis in which of the language or using language to speak or write.
following stages? Difficulty with common motor skills is known as
A. Industry versus inferiority ataxia. Inability to recognize familiar objects is
B. Initiative versus guilt labeled agnosia.
C. Autonomy versus shame/doubt
D. Generativity versus stagnation -
Verified Answers
1. Which of the following is NOT true about conditions. This approach ensures that the
motivation to change? treatments and services, when used as intended,
A. Motivation fluctuates from one time to another. will have the most effective outcomes as
B. Motivation can be increased by working to demonstrated by the research.
remove barriers to change.
C. Motivation is driven by hope or the belief that
life can be different.
D. Motivation that is imposed by external forces 3. What are the stages of change in sequential
is more salient than that which is intrinsic. - order?
ANSWER -D A. Precontemplation, preparation, contemplation,
Motivation is a state of readiness or eagerness to action, maintenance, and relapse
change, which fluctuates from one time to B. Preparation, action, precontemplation,
another. The role of the social worker is to create contemplation, maintenance, and relapse
an atmosphere that is conducive to change and C. Preparation, precontemplation, contemplation,
to increase a client's intrinsic motivation, so that action, maintenance, and relapse
change arises from within rather than being D. Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation,
imposed from without. If a client is driven to action, maintenance, and relapse -
change internally, it is much more likely that the ANSWER -D
change effort will be sustained. A technique to Precontemplation is denial or ignorance of the
increase motivation is to work to remove barriers problem. It is followed by contemplation in which
and instill hope or the belief that life can be there is ambivalence about making change. Then
different. comes preparation or experimenting with small
changes. Action moves toward achieving a goal,
whereas maintenance sustains a new behavior
and avoids relapse, which can lead to feelings of
2. Evidence-based social work practice can frustration and failure.
BEST be defined as:
A. Interventions that a social worker has gained
training and experience in delivering
B. Treatment that yields the most cost-effective 4. Which of the following is NOT an essential
outcomes according to a cost-benefit analysis step in ethical problem solving?
C. Decision making based on the conscientious, A. Identifying the ethical standards that may be
explicit, and judicious use of research compromised
knowledge, clinical expertise, social work values, B. Determining whether there is an ethical
and client wishes dilemma
D. Practice evaluations that adhere to scientific C. Weighing ethical issues in light of social work
principles - ANSWER -C values and principles
Evidence-based practice (EBP) combines well- D. Asking a supervisor to monitor practice to
researched interventions with clinical experience identify new ethical issues or dilemmas -
and ethics, as well as client preferences and ANSWER -D
culture, to guide and inform the delivery of A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should
treatments and services. Social workers, clients, monitor practice to identify whether new issues or
and others must work together in order to identify dilemmas arise.
what works, for whom, and under what
,ASWB Complete Practice Exam Questions with 100%
Verified Answers
extent to which current clients are satisfied with a
new relapse prevention program. The social
5. A young boy is stopped by a police officer and worker distributes a client satisfaction survey to
claims that he is a member of the armed forces, those in the program. The social worker then
though it is obvious that he is not. This assertion collects the surveys and analyzes the results that
by the boy is MOST likely a: are presented to a management team in the
A. Comorbid thought agency. The social worker is conducting which
B. Dissociation type of evaluation?
C. Folie à deux A. Summative
D. Delusion - ANSWER -D B. Experimental
A delusion is a false, fixed belief despite C. Quasi-experimental
evidence to the contrary (i.e., believing D. Formative - ANSWER -D
something that is not true). Comorbid means Formative evaluations examine the process of
existing at the same time. Dissociation is a delivering services, whereas summative
change in memory, perception, or evaluations examine the outcomes. Formative
consciousness. Folie à deux is a shared evaluations are ongoing processes that allow for
delusion. feedback to be implemented during service
delivery. These types of evaluations allow social
workers to make changes as needed to help
achieve program goals. Summative evaluations
6. A social work administrator is having trouble occur at the end of services and provide an
finding a group home manager for a new overall description of their effectiveness.
program scheduled to open in 2 weeks. Further Summative evaluation examines outcomes to
delays in locating staff will delay clients from determine whether objectives were met.
moving into the program. The administrator
temporarily hires her niece, who just graduated The design described is not experimental—which
with a social work degree, for this position. This requires a control group and randomization of
action is: assignment—or quasi-experimental, which does
A. Ethical because the niece is clearly qualified not require randomization, but has more support
for the position for causal inferences than does preexperimental
B. Unethical because this is a conflict of interest designs.
C. Ethical because the position is temporary and
ensures clients get the services needed
D. Unethical because clients will experience staff
turnover when a new manager is hired - 8. Which of the following is an example of social
ANSWER -B stratification?
Social workers should avoid situations interfering A. A child is not included in group activities in
with impartial judgment. Hiring a family member school because of his or her poor social skills.
creates a dual relationship and should be B. Children who are violent need to be
avoided. segregated from their peers.
C. A child with social deficits is assumed to be
delayed in cognition without additional
assessment.
7. A social worker is interested in seeing the D. Children from affluent households receive a
better public education than those from low-
,ASWB Complete Practice Exam Questions with 100%
Verified Answers
income households. - ANSWER -D treat depression. They have been found to be
Stratification refers to structured inequality of effective in the treatment of a wider range of
entire categories of people in society who have disorders. Zoloft (sertraline) is an SSRI.
unequal access to social rewards. Stratification
applies to individuals based on ethnic and racial Benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam),
background, social status, and/or other factors. reduce levels of anxiety. However, they are habit-
forming and sedating, so they are typically
prescribed for only short-term use.
9. During an intake interview, a client reports that Mellaril (thioridazine) and Thorazine
she is extremely depressed and has self- (chlorpromazine) are antipsychotic medications
destructive thoughts. She has had prior suicide for the treatment of psychosis.
attempts, but tells the social worker not to worry
as she won't "do it again." The social worker
should FIRST:
A. Tell the client that her decision not to harm 11. A social worker is appointed by the court to
herself is a good one conduct a child custody evaluation for a couple
B. Explore with the client what is causing her that is divorcing. The mother reports that her
depression husband is verbally abusive, controlling, and
C. Conduct a safety assessment neglects the children when they are in his care.
D. Refer the client to a psychiatrist for a She reports that the children have missed a lot of
medication evaluation - ANSWER -C school when staying with their father because he
does not assist with getting them ready for school
Despite the client's report that she will not act on
her thoughts, she is at risk because she has had or doing their homework. The father states that
these feelings and has acted on them in the past. his wife is lazy, irresponsible, and cannot meet
The case vignette does not describe the social the children's basic needs. He reports that the
worker taking any action yet. A safety school frequently has to provide lunch for the
assessment will determine the severity of the children because the mother does not supply it
depression and whether the client is at risk for awhen they are in her care. In order to BEST
suicide attempt. It must be done FIRST before evaluate the legitimacy of the information, the
any other action is taken. social worker should:
A. Ask the husband and wife to put their
allegations in writing and sign them, attesting to
their accuracy
10. A client with a Social Anxiety Disorder will B. Determine whether the husband or wife have
MOST likely be prescribed which of the following had any past instances with bein -
medications to take on an ongoing basis? ANSWER -D
A. Zoloft (sertraline) Collateral information is often used when the
B. Mellaril (thioridazine) credibility and validity of information obtained
C. Thorazine (chlorpromazine) from a client or others is questionable. For
D. Valium (diazepam) - ANSWER -A The example, child custody cases are inherently
primary medications used to treat social anxiety characterized by biased data within an
disorder are selective serotonin reuptake adversarial process. Social workers should use
inhibitors (SSRIs), which were first developed to data from neutral parties, such as the school,
because this information has higher integrity.
, ASWB Complete Practice Exam Questions with 100%
Verified Answers
ANSWER -A
Industry versus inferiority—From age 6 to
puberty, children begin to develop a sense of
12. A social worker is facilitating a psychotherapy pride in their accomplishments. If children are
group for individuals who are in recovery from encouraged and reinforced for their initiative, they
substance abuse. After group, a client mentions begin to feel industrious and feel confident in
that she has been having problems dealing with their ability to achieve goals. If this initiative is not
job stress without the use of substances. In order encouraged and is restricted, children begin to
to meet this client's needs, the social worker feel inferior, doubting their abilities.
should: A. Recommend that the client see the
social worker individually in addition to the group
therapy because she appears to need some
additional support 14. A social worker employed in a hospital is
B. Suggest that the client bring this topic up in asked to use a SOAP format in a client's record.
the group next week to see if others are having In this format, the "A" stands for:
similar problems A. Action plan
C. Evaluate whether group therapy is the best B. Assessment
treatment modality for the client due to the issue C. Active treatment
being mentioned to the social worker outside of D. Adjustments to services needed -
the group context ANSWER -B
D. Determine if there is an employee assistance
program in the client's work setting to assist - SOAP stands for Subjective, Objective,
ANSWER -B Assessment, and Plan. In the Assessment
In group therapy, the group is the major helping portion, a social worker pulls together objective
agent. Issues should be brought back to the and subjective findings and consolidates them
group to address. There is no need for the client into a short assessment.
to see the social worker for individual therapy.
Contacting an employee assistance program
would breach confidentiality.
15. Aphasia is BEST defined as difficulty with:
A. Walking or running
B. Common motor skills such as combing hair,
13. An 11-year-old child would like to start despite normal strength
helping around the house with chores. She C. Understanding language or using language to
approaches her mother many times, but is told speak or write
she cannot assist because "she won't do it right." D. Recognizing familiar objects -
During several attempts to do things on her own, ANSWER -C
she is scolded. According to psychosocial Aphasia is a change in cognition (mental ability)
development theory, she may experience doubts that is characterized by difficulty understanding
in her abilities due to a crisis in which of the language or using language to speak or write.
following stages? Difficulty with common motor skills is known as
A. Industry versus inferiority ataxia. Inability to recognize familiar objects is
B. Initiative versus guilt labeled agnosia.
C. Autonomy versus shame/doubt
D. Generativity versus stagnation -
