ASWB practice exam 3 questions &
answers 2025/2026
Question ID #47754: A social worker begins working in therapy with a young married couple. In
the third session, the wife suddenly asks the social worker if she has any children. What is the
social worker's BEST response?
Select one:
A. No, do you?
B. What would it mean to you if I did?
C. I'm wondering why you ask.
D. I'm sorry, but my personal life really should not concern you. - ANSWERSC is correct: When
you are asked by a client to reveal personal information, you may share that information you're
comfortable doing so. It's also useful to facilitate exploration of the feelings that underlie the
client's inquiry. Choices "B" and "C" exemplify responses that invite this exploration. Because
"B" sounds defensive, "C" is the best answer. An even better response would include a reflection
of the feelings (as perceived by the social worker) underlying the question (e.g., "I gather that
you're concerned about my ability to understand you and help with your difficulties").
The correct answer is: I'm wondering why you ask.
Question ID #47205: During the first interview, a client mentions that she has been seeing a
psychologist for individual therapy for the past four months. The client says that she would like
to see both the social worker and the psychologist because she feels that she would benefit the
most if she did this. The psychologist has been helping the client feel less anxious around other
people and develop her social skills. What should the social worker do?
Select one:
A. Continue seeing the client and help her clarify her motives and goals for coming in.
B. Explain to the client that it would be unethical to see her while she is receiving services from
another therapist and discontinue seeing her.
,C. Contact the psychologist to see if their services would be redundant and, if they are, tell the
client that he cannot continue seeing her while she is seeing the psychologist.
D. Help the client clarify her reasons for seein - ANSWERSD is correct: It was important to read
each response before choosing one: "A" is a pretty good choice, but "D" is better because it
includes the added step of evaluating whether it would be in the client's best interests to see
both you and the psychologist at the same time. Although social workers are not prohibited
from seeing clients who are receiving services from another mental health professional, a social
worker would not want to duplicate the services of another provider for an extended period of
time. From both a clinical and ethical perspective, the best way to approach this situation would
be for you to help the woman clarify her goals and needs with regard to the services provided
by you and the other therapist, and then use that information to determine the most
appropriate course of action for meeting her needs and preserving her welfare. If you ended up
treating this woman, you would want to seek her permission to contact the psychologist so that
you could coordinate your efforts on her behalf, avoid duplication of services, and work toward
congruent goals.
The correct answer is: Help the client clarify her reasons for seeing both a social worker and the
psychologist and then evaluate whether it is appropriate for her to see both.
Question ID #48165: A social worker has started working in family therapy with a Mexican
American family. After meeting with the family three times at her office, she visits their home to
complete her assessment. The mother has prepared a meal and asks the social worker to eat
with the family. What is the BEST way for the social worker to respond?
Select one:
A. Remind the clients of the purpose of her visit and decline the invitation.
B. Decline the invitation and explain the ethical problem.
C. Decline the invitation with a polite excuse, such as telling the family that she has just eaten.
D. Accept the invitation to share the meal. - ANSWERSD is correct: Because personalismo
(personal connection and warmth) is a basic value of Hispanic cultures, Hispanic clients may
develop a personal bond with their therapist once trust has developed. The only behavior
described in the question is the mother's invitation (i.e., there's no other behavior that you
could perceive as a potential violation of therapeutic boundaries); therefore, it's appropriate for
you, as a test-taker, to interpret the mother's invitation as a reflection of personalismo and,
therefore, decide to accept it. As a social worker, your responsibility is to set therapeutic
, boundaries with your clients that are not only clear and appropriate, but also culturally
sensitive.
The correct answer is: Accept the invitation to share the meal.
Question ID #47222: A social worker who is also a teacher at the local community college is
providing counseling to a newly married couple who is having trouble adapting to married life.
After getting their permission to do so, the social worker videotapes the couple during one of
their sessions. What is true about this situation?
Select one:
A. The social worker can never use the tape for educational purposes.
B. The social worker can avoid being sued for using the tape in a college lecture as long as he
receives verbal consent from the clients.
C. The social worker can use the tape in a college lecture as long as he does not exploit the
clients.
D. The social worker can use the tape in a college lecture if he gets signed permission to do so
from the clients. - ANSWERSD is correct: This is the correct answer based on NASW's Code of
Ethics. Information gathered on videotape needs to be handled as carefully as case notes or any
other revealing information about clients. Because there is no adequate way to disguise the
identities of individuals shown in a videotape, the social worker must get written permission
(valid consent) from the clients before showing the videotape to others.Answer A: NASW's Code
of Ethics (1.03f) states that a social worker must get a client's informed consent before
audiotaping or videotaping the client and must get the client's informed consent before
allowing a third party to observe therapy sessions or other services provided to the client.
Therefore, after getting the clients' informed content, the social worker could use the tape for
educational purposes.Answer B: The social worker should get signed releases from the clients,
not just verbal consent, before using this clinical information for educational purposes.Answer
C: It's true that the social worker must avoid exploiting the clients, but more than that is
necessary for it to be ethical to use the videotape as a teaching tool in a college lecture: Before
using the tape at all, the social worker has to get signed releases from the clients.
The correct answer is: The social worker can use the tape in a college lecture if he gets signed
permission to do so from the clients.
Question ID #48219: The primary element in determining "vicarious liability" is:
answers 2025/2026
Question ID #47754: A social worker begins working in therapy with a young married couple. In
the third session, the wife suddenly asks the social worker if she has any children. What is the
social worker's BEST response?
Select one:
A. No, do you?
B. What would it mean to you if I did?
C. I'm wondering why you ask.
D. I'm sorry, but my personal life really should not concern you. - ANSWERSC is correct: When
you are asked by a client to reveal personal information, you may share that information you're
comfortable doing so. It's also useful to facilitate exploration of the feelings that underlie the
client's inquiry. Choices "B" and "C" exemplify responses that invite this exploration. Because
"B" sounds defensive, "C" is the best answer. An even better response would include a reflection
of the feelings (as perceived by the social worker) underlying the question (e.g., "I gather that
you're concerned about my ability to understand you and help with your difficulties").
The correct answer is: I'm wondering why you ask.
Question ID #47205: During the first interview, a client mentions that she has been seeing a
psychologist for individual therapy for the past four months. The client says that she would like
to see both the social worker and the psychologist because she feels that she would benefit the
most if she did this. The psychologist has been helping the client feel less anxious around other
people and develop her social skills. What should the social worker do?
Select one:
A. Continue seeing the client and help her clarify her motives and goals for coming in.
B. Explain to the client that it would be unethical to see her while she is receiving services from
another therapist and discontinue seeing her.
,C. Contact the psychologist to see if their services would be redundant and, if they are, tell the
client that he cannot continue seeing her while she is seeing the psychologist.
D. Help the client clarify her reasons for seein - ANSWERSD is correct: It was important to read
each response before choosing one: "A" is a pretty good choice, but "D" is better because it
includes the added step of evaluating whether it would be in the client's best interests to see
both you and the psychologist at the same time. Although social workers are not prohibited
from seeing clients who are receiving services from another mental health professional, a social
worker would not want to duplicate the services of another provider for an extended period of
time. From both a clinical and ethical perspective, the best way to approach this situation would
be for you to help the woman clarify her goals and needs with regard to the services provided
by you and the other therapist, and then use that information to determine the most
appropriate course of action for meeting her needs and preserving her welfare. If you ended up
treating this woman, you would want to seek her permission to contact the psychologist so that
you could coordinate your efforts on her behalf, avoid duplication of services, and work toward
congruent goals.
The correct answer is: Help the client clarify her reasons for seeing both a social worker and the
psychologist and then evaluate whether it is appropriate for her to see both.
Question ID #48165: A social worker has started working in family therapy with a Mexican
American family. After meeting with the family three times at her office, she visits their home to
complete her assessment. The mother has prepared a meal and asks the social worker to eat
with the family. What is the BEST way for the social worker to respond?
Select one:
A. Remind the clients of the purpose of her visit and decline the invitation.
B. Decline the invitation and explain the ethical problem.
C. Decline the invitation with a polite excuse, such as telling the family that she has just eaten.
D. Accept the invitation to share the meal. - ANSWERSD is correct: Because personalismo
(personal connection and warmth) is a basic value of Hispanic cultures, Hispanic clients may
develop a personal bond with their therapist once trust has developed. The only behavior
described in the question is the mother's invitation (i.e., there's no other behavior that you
could perceive as a potential violation of therapeutic boundaries); therefore, it's appropriate for
you, as a test-taker, to interpret the mother's invitation as a reflection of personalismo and,
therefore, decide to accept it. As a social worker, your responsibility is to set therapeutic
, boundaries with your clients that are not only clear and appropriate, but also culturally
sensitive.
The correct answer is: Accept the invitation to share the meal.
Question ID #47222: A social worker who is also a teacher at the local community college is
providing counseling to a newly married couple who is having trouble adapting to married life.
After getting their permission to do so, the social worker videotapes the couple during one of
their sessions. What is true about this situation?
Select one:
A. The social worker can never use the tape for educational purposes.
B. The social worker can avoid being sued for using the tape in a college lecture as long as he
receives verbal consent from the clients.
C. The social worker can use the tape in a college lecture as long as he does not exploit the
clients.
D. The social worker can use the tape in a college lecture if he gets signed permission to do so
from the clients. - ANSWERSD is correct: This is the correct answer based on NASW's Code of
Ethics. Information gathered on videotape needs to be handled as carefully as case notes or any
other revealing information about clients. Because there is no adequate way to disguise the
identities of individuals shown in a videotape, the social worker must get written permission
(valid consent) from the clients before showing the videotape to others.Answer A: NASW's Code
of Ethics (1.03f) states that a social worker must get a client's informed consent before
audiotaping or videotaping the client and must get the client's informed consent before
allowing a third party to observe therapy sessions or other services provided to the client.
Therefore, after getting the clients' informed content, the social worker could use the tape for
educational purposes.Answer B: The social worker should get signed releases from the clients,
not just verbal consent, before using this clinical information for educational purposes.Answer
C: It's true that the social worker must avoid exploiting the clients, but more than that is
necessary for it to be ethical to use the videotape as a teaching tool in a college lecture: Before
using the tape at all, the social worker has to get signed releases from the clients.
The correct answer is: The social worker can use the tape in a college lecture if he gets signed
permission to do so from the clients.
Question ID #48219: The primary element in determining "vicarious liability" is:
