MSW PRACTICE EXAMINATION 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Which of the following statements is true about unaddressed conflict in
group work?a. It decreases over timeb. Members are likely to feel unsafe
and to behave cautiously if conflict is left unaddressedc. It often leads to
violenced. Unaddressed conflict often backfires as it leads to malpractice
suits 57% of the timee. None of the above.
Answer: b. Members are likely to feel unsafe and to behave cautiously if
conflict is left unaddressed
◍ Peter, who is running a group for men who have lost their spouses, notices
that Jim talks in an upbeat way about moving on yet does not appear to be
taking good care of himself physically or spiritually he shares his
observation with Jim this is indicative of peersa. Attending skillsb. Audacity
to be brutally honest with vulnerable groupc. Inability o filter his thoughts
appropriatelyd. Passive aggressive tendenciese. Inexperience with group
work.
Answer: a. Attending skills
◍ 1. Which of the following is NOT true about motivation to change?
A. Motivation fluctuates from one time to another.
B. Motivation can be increased by working to 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 is more salient than that
which is intrinsic..
Answer: D Motivation is a state of readiness or eagerness to change, which
fluctuates from one time to another. The role of the social worker is to create
an atmosphere that is conducive to change and to increase a client's intrinsic
, motivation, so that change arises from within rather than being imposed
from without. If a client is driven to change internally, it is much more
likely that the change effort will be sustained. A technique to increase
motivation is to work to remove barriers and instill hope or the belief that
life can be different.
◍ Asking a group member to share what they are experiencing in their body at
any given moment isa. Inappropriate, an perhaps even obsceneb. Indicative
of poor boundariesc. A way to help clients give full expression to their
feelingsd. A and Be. A technique used only by Gestalt therapists.
Answer: c. A way to help clients give full expression to their feelings
◍ Decisions about self-disclosure area. Emotionally laden and riskyb. Black
and whitec. Culture bound and value ladend. Confidential and often
unethical.
Answer: c. Culture bound and value laden
◍ Part of a group leader's responsibility is to help group members develop
goals that are:a. Broad and self-orientedb. Lofty and inspirationalc. Specific
and attainabled. Global and other-oriented.
Answer: c. Specific and attainable
◍ Group norms are best when they area. Developed collaboratively in the
groupb. Handed down by the group leaderc. Dictated by the agency
sponsoring the groupd. Implicit.
Answer: a. Developed collaboratively in the group
◍ Of the following attitudes, which one is the most productive for group
leaders to have when dealing with client resistance?a. Non-defensivenessb.
Curiosityc. Skepticismd. A and Be. A and C.
Answer: D. A and B
◍ Which of the following may be indicative of a low level of trust in a
group?a. Members are reluctant to express themselvesb. Members show up
late, leave early, or miss sessionsc. Members engage in storytellingd. All of
the Abovee. A and B.
, Answer: d. All of the Above
◍ 2. Evidence-based social work practice can 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 outcomes according to a
cost-benefit analysis
C. Decision making based on the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use
of research knowledge, clinical expertise, social work values, and client
wishes
D. Practice evaluations that adhere to scientific principles.
Answer: C Evidence-based practice (EBP) combines well-researched
interventions with clinical experience and ethics, as well as client
preferences and culture, to guide and inform the delivery of treatments and
services. Social workers, clients, and others must work together in order to
identify what works, for whom, and under what conditions. This approach
ensures that the treatments and services, when used as intended, will have
the most effective outcomes as demonstrated by the research.
◍ 3. What are the stages of change in sequential order?
A. Precontemplation, preparation, contemplation, action, maintenance, and
relapse
B. Preparation, action, precontemplation, contemplation, maintenance, and
relapse
C. Preparation, precontemplation, contemplation, action, maintenance, and
relapse
D. Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and
relapse.
Answer: D Precontemplation is denial or ignorance of the problem. It is
followed by contemplation in which there is ambivalence about making
change. Then 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 frustration and
failure.
, ◍ 4. Which of the following is NOT an essential step in ethical problem
solving?
A. Identifying the ethical standards that may be compromised
B. Determining whether there is an ethical dilemma
C. Weighing ethical issues in light of social work values and principles
D. Asking a supervisor to monitor practice to identify new ethical issues or
dilemmas.
Answer: D A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should monitor
practice to identify whether new issues or dilemmas arise.
◍ By approaching what may appear to be resistant with respect, interest, and
understanding the chances _____ that members defensive behavior
___________.a. Are decreased, will decreaseb. Are increased, will
decreasec. Are doubled, will lead to violenced. Are tripled, will not result in
the member leaving the group.
Answer: b. Are increased, will decrease
◍ Members who fail to take interpersonal risk in a therapeutic groupa. Should
be asked to leave the group so others who are willing to be more active
participants can joinb. May have been shamed, attacked, blamed or ridiculed
for expressingc. Should take assertiveness training and then return to the
groupd. Are poor candidates for individual therapye. A and C.
Answer: b. May have been shamed, attacked, blamed or ridiculed for
expressing
◍ 5. A young boy is stopped by a police officer and claims that he is a member
of the armed forces, though it is obvious that he is not. This assertion by the
boy is MOST likely a:
A. Comorbid thought
B. Dissociation
C. Folie à deux
D. Delusion.
Answer: D A delusion is a false, fixed belief despite evidence to the contrary
(i.e., believing something that is not true). Comorbid means existing at the
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Which of the following statements is true about unaddressed conflict in
group work?a. It decreases over timeb. Members are likely to feel unsafe
and to behave cautiously if conflict is left unaddressedc. It often leads to
violenced. Unaddressed conflict often backfires as it leads to malpractice
suits 57% of the timee. None of the above.
Answer: b. Members are likely to feel unsafe and to behave cautiously if
conflict is left unaddressed
◍ Peter, who is running a group for men who have lost their spouses, notices
that Jim talks in an upbeat way about moving on yet does not appear to be
taking good care of himself physically or spiritually he shares his
observation with Jim this is indicative of peersa. Attending skillsb. Audacity
to be brutally honest with vulnerable groupc. Inability o filter his thoughts
appropriatelyd. Passive aggressive tendenciese. Inexperience with group
work.
Answer: a. Attending skills
◍ 1. Which of the following is NOT true about motivation to change?
A. Motivation fluctuates from one time to another.
B. Motivation can be increased by working to 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 is more salient than that
which is intrinsic..
Answer: D Motivation is a state of readiness or eagerness to change, which
fluctuates from one time to another. The role of the social worker is to create
an atmosphere that is conducive to change and to increase a client's intrinsic
, motivation, so that change arises from within rather than being imposed
from without. If a client is driven to change internally, it is much more
likely that the change effort will be sustained. A technique to increase
motivation is to work to remove barriers and instill hope or the belief that
life can be different.
◍ Asking a group member to share what they are experiencing in their body at
any given moment isa. Inappropriate, an perhaps even obsceneb. Indicative
of poor boundariesc. A way to help clients give full expression to their
feelingsd. A and Be. A technique used only by Gestalt therapists.
Answer: c. A way to help clients give full expression to their feelings
◍ Decisions about self-disclosure area. Emotionally laden and riskyb. Black
and whitec. Culture bound and value ladend. Confidential and often
unethical.
Answer: c. Culture bound and value laden
◍ Part of a group leader's responsibility is to help group members develop
goals that are:a. Broad and self-orientedb. Lofty and inspirationalc. Specific
and attainabled. Global and other-oriented.
Answer: c. Specific and attainable
◍ Group norms are best when they area. Developed collaboratively in the
groupb. Handed down by the group leaderc. Dictated by the agency
sponsoring the groupd. Implicit.
Answer: a. Developed collaboratively in the group
◍ Of the following attitudes, which one is the most productive for group
leaders to have when dealing with client resistance?a. Non-defensivenessb.
Curiosityc. Skepticismd. A and Be. A and C.
Answer: D. A and B
◍ Which of the following may be indicative of a low level of trust in a
group?a. Members are reluctant to express themselvesb. Members show up
late, leave early, or miss sessionsc. Members engage in storytellingd. All of
the Abovee. A and B.
, Answer: d. All of the Above
◍ 2. Evidence-based social work practice can 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 outcomes according to a
cost-benefit analysis
C. Decision making based on the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use
of research knowledge, clinical expertise, social work values, and client
wishes
D. Practice evaluations that adhere to scientific principles.
Answer: C Evidence-based practice (EBP) combines well-researched
interventions with clinical experience and ethics, as well as client
preferences and culture, to guide and inform the delivery of treatments and
services. Social workers, clients, and others must work together in order to
identify what works, for whom, and under what conditions. This approach
ensures that the treatments and services, when used as intended, will have
the most effective outcomes as demonstrated by the research.
◍ 3. What are the stages of change in sequential order?
A. Precontemplation, preparation, contemplation, action, maintenance, and
relapse
B. Preparation, action, precontemplation, contemplation, maintenance, and
relapse
C. Preparation, precontemplation, contemplation, action, maintenance, and
relapse
D. Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and
relapse.
Answer: D Precontemplation is denial or ignorance of the problem. It is
followed by contemplation in which there is ambivalence about making
change. Then 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 frustration and
failure.
, ◍ 4. Which of the following is NOT an essential step in ethical problem
solving?
A. Identifying the ethical standards that may be compromised
B. Determining whether there is an ethical dilemma
C. Weighing ethical issues in light of social work values and principles
D. Asking a supervisor to monitor practice to identify new ethical issues or
dilemmas.
Answer: D A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should monitor
practice to identify whether new issues or dilemmas arise.
◍ By approaching what may appear to be resistant with respect, interest, and
understanding the chances _____ that members defensive behavior
___________.a. Are decreased, will decreaseb. Are increased, will
decreasec. Are doubled, will lead to violenced. Are tripled, will not result in
the member leaving the group.
Answer: b. Are increased, will decrease
◍ Members who fail to take interpersonal risk in a therapeutic groupa. Should
be asked to leave the group so others who are willing to be more active
participants can joinb. May have been shamed, attacked, blamed or ridiculed
for expressingc. Should take assertiveness training and then return to the
groupd. Are poor candidates for individual therapye. A and C.
Answer: b. May have been shamed, attacked, blamed or ridiculed for
expressing
◍ 5. A young boy is stopped by a police officer and claims that he is a member
of the armed forces, though it is obvious that he is not. This assertion by the
boy is MOST likely a:
A. Comorbid thought
B. Dissociation
C. Folie à deux
D. Delusion.
Answer: D A delusion is a false, fixed belief despite evidence to the contrary
(i.e., believing something that is not true). Comorbid means existing at the
