ASWB COMPLETE PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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. - CORRECT
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.
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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT
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 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅D
A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should monitor practice to identify whether new issues or
dilemmas arise.
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 - CORRECT 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 same time. Dissociation is a change in memory, perception, or
consciousness. Folie à deux is a shared delusion.
6. A social work administrator is having trouble finding a group home manager for a new program
scheduled to open in 2 weeks. Further delays in locating staff will delay clients from moving into the
program. The administrator temporarily hires her niece, who just graduated with a social work degree,
for this position. This action is:
A. Ethical because the niece is clearly qualified for the position
B. Unethical because this is a conflict of interest
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 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅B
,Social workers should avoid situations interfering with impartial judgment. Hiring a family member
creates a dual relationship and should be avoided.
7. A social worker is interested in seeing the extent to which current clients are satisfied with a new
relapse prevention program. The social worker distributes a client satisfaction survey to those in the
program. The social worker then collects the surveys and analyzes the results that are presented to a
management team in the agency. The social worker is conducting which type of evaluation?
A. Summative
B. Experimental
C. Quasi-experimental
D. Formative - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅D
Formative evaluations examine the process of delivering services, whereas summative evaluations
examine the outcomes. Formative evaluations are ongoing processes that allow for 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 occur at the end of services and
provide an overall description of their effectiveness. Summative evaluation examines outcomes to
determine whether objectives were met.
The design described is not experimental—which requires a control group and randomization of
assignment—or quasi-experimental, which does not require randomization, but has more support for
causal inferences than does preexperimental designs.
8. Which of the following is an example of social stratification?
A. A child is not included in group activities in school because of his or her poor social skills.
B. Children who are violent need to be segregated from their peers.
C. A child with social deficits is assumed to be delayed in cognition without additional assessment.
D. Children from affluent households receive a better public education than those from low-income
households. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅D
Stratification refers to structured inequality of entire categories of people in society who have unequal
access to social rewards. Stratification applies to individuals based on ethnic and racial background,
social status, and/or other factors.
, 9. During an intake interview, a client reports that she is extremely depressed and has self-destructive
thoughts. She has had prior suicide 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 herself is a good one
B. Explore with the client what is causing her depression
C. Conduct a safety assessment
D. Refer the client to a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C
Despite the client's report that she will not act on her thoughts, she is at risk because she has had these
feelings and has acted on them in the past. The case vignette does not describe the social worker taking
any action yet. A safety assessment will determine the severity of the depression and whether the client
is at risk for a suicide attempt. It must be done FIRST before any other action is taken.
10. A client with a Social Anxiety Disorder will MOST likely be prescribed which of the following
medications to take on an ongoing basis?
A. Zoloft (sertraline)
B. Mellaril (thioridazine)
C. Thorazine (chlorpromazine)
D. Valium (diazepam) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A The primary medications used to treat social anxiety
disorder are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which were first developed to treat
depression. They have been found to be effective in the treatment of a wider range of disorders. Zoloft
(sertraline) is an SSRI.
Benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam), reduce levels of anxiety. However, they are habit-forming
and sedating, so they are typically prescribed for only short-term use.
Mellaril (thioridazine) and Thorazine (chlorpromazine) are antipsychotic medications for the treatment
of psychosis.
11. A social worker is appointed by the court to conduct a child custody evaluation for a couple that is
divorcing. The mother reports that her husband is verbally abusive, controlling, and neglects the
children when they are in his care. She reports that the children have missed a lot of school when
staying with their father because he does not assist with getting them ready for school or doing their
homework. The father states that his wife is lazy, irresponsible, and cannot meet the children's basic
needs. He reports that the school frequently has to provide lunch for the children because the mother
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. - CORRECT
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.
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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT
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 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅D
A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should monitor practice to identify whether new issues or
dilemmas arise.
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 - CORRECT 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 same time. Dissociation is a change in memory, perception, or
consciousness. Folie à deux is a shared delusion.
6. A social work administrator is having trouble finding a group home manager for a new program
scheduled to open in 2 weeks. Further delays in locating staff will delay clients from moving into the
program. The administrator temporarily hires her niece, who just graduated with a social work degree,
for this position. This action is:
A. Ethical because the niece is clearly qualified for the position
B. Unethical because this is a conflict of interest
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 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅B
,Social workers should avoid situations interfering with impartial judgment. Hiring a family member
creates a dual relationship and should be avoided.
7. A social worker is interested in seeing the extent to which current clients are satisfied with a new
relapse prevention program. The social worker distributes a client satisfaction survey to those in the
program. The social worker then collects the surveys and analyzes the results that are presented to a
management team in the agency. The social worker is conducting which type of evaluation?
A. Summative
B. Experimental
C. Quasi-experimental
D. Formative - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅D
Formative evaluations examine the process of delivering services, whereas summative evaluations
examine the outcomes. Formative evaluations are ongoing processes that allow for 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 occur at the end of services and
provide an overall description of their effectiveness. Summative evaluation examines outcomes to
determine whether objectives were met.
The design described is not experimental—which requires a control group and randomization of
assignment—or quasi-experimental, which does not require randomization, but has more support for
causal inferences than does preexperimental designs.
8. Which of the following is an example of social stratification?
A. A child is not included in group activities in school because of his or her poor social skills.
B. Children who are violent need to be segregated from their peers.
C. A child with social deficits is assumed to be delayed in cognition without additional assessment.
D. Children from affluent households receive a better public education than those from low-income
households. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅D
Stratification refers to structured inequality of entire categories of people in society who have unequal
access to social rewards. Stratification applies to individuals based on ethnic and racial background,
social status, and/or other factors.
, 9. During an intake interview, a client reports that she is extremely depressed and has self-destructive
thoughts. She has had prior suicide 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 herself is a good one
B. Explore with the client what is causing her depression
C. Conduct a safety assessment
D. Refer the client to a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C
Despite the client's report that she will not act on her thoughts, she is at risk because she has had these
feelings and has acted on them in the past. The case vignette does not describe the social worker taking
any action yet. A safety assessment will determine the severity of the depression and whether the client
is at risk for a suicide attempt. It must be done FIRST before any other action is taken.
10. A client with a Social Anxiety Disorder will MOST likely be prescribed which of the following
medications to take on an ongoing basis?
A. Zoloft (sertraline)
B. Mellaril (thioridazine)
C. Thorazine (chlorpromazine)
D. Valium (diazepam) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A The primary medications used to treat social anxiety
disorder are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which were first developed to treat
depression. They have been found to be effective in the treatment of a wider range of disorders. Zoloft
(sertraline) is an SSRI.
Benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam), reduce levels of anxiety. However, they are habit-forming
and sedating, so they are typically prescribed for only short-term use.
Mellaril (thioridazine) and Thorazine (chlorpromazine) are antipsychotic medications for the treatment
of psychosis.
11. A social worker is appointed by the court to conduct a child custody evaluation for a couple that is
divorcing. The mother reports that her husband is verbally abusive, controlling, and neglects the
children when they are in his care. She reports that the children have missed a lot of school when
staying with their father because he does not assist with getting them ready for school or doing their
homework. The father states that his wife is lazy, irresponsible, and cannot meet the children's basic
needs. He reports that the school frequently has to provide lunch for the children because the mother
