ASWB LCSW Exam Prep Questions &
Answers 2025/2026
Theories - ANSWERSAre general explanations supported by evidence obtained through the
scientific method.
Psychoanalytic Theory - ANSWERSSigmund Freud
Client is a product of his past
Treatment involves dealing with repressed material in the unconscious
Personalities arise because of attempts to resolve conflicts between the unconscious sexual and
aggressive impulses and social demands to restrain these impulses
3 Levels of Awareness - ANSWERSPreconscious, Conscious, Unconscious
Preconscious (3 Levels of Awareness) - ANSWERSInfo outside of the client's attention but
available and easy to bring to consciousness.
Conscious (3 Levels of Awareness) - ANSWERSInfo the client is paying attention to at any given
time.
Unconscious (3 Levels of Awareness) - ANSWERSThoughts, feelings, desires and memories of
which a client has no awareness but that influences every aspect of their day-to-day lives.
3 Components of Personalities - ANSWERSId, Ego, Superego
Id (3 Components of Personalities) - ANSWERSInstinctual energy, biological urges, impulses
toward survival, sex and aggression.
,Unconscious.
Pleasure principle - the drive to achieve pleasure and avoid pain.
Ego (3 Components of Personalities) - ANSWERSManages conflict between Id and the real
world.
Has unconscious, preconscious or conscious parts.
Reality principle - the awareness that gratification of impulses has to be delayed in order to
accommodate the demands of the real world.
Role is to prevent the Id from gratifying its impulses in socially inappropriate ways.
Ego-Syntonic/Ego-Dystonic:
Syntonic - behaviors "insync" with ego (no guilt)
Dystonic - behaviors "dis n sync" with ego (guilty)
Determine best course of action based on info from id, reality, and the superego.
Inability to reconcile the demands of the Id, reality and superego produces conflict that leads to
a state of psychic distress known as anxiety.
Ego strength - ability to deal with demands of id, reality and superego.
Superego (3 Components of Personalities) - ANSWERSThe moral component of personality,
learned from parents and society, causes clients to feel guilty.
Psychosexual Stages of Development - ANSWERSFreud believed there to be five stages of
psychosexual development: Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latent and Genital. At each of these stages,
pleasure is focused on a particular part of the body. Too much or too little pleasure in any one of
these stages caused a fixation which would lead to personality or psychological disorders. For
example, too much pleasure in the phallic stage could lead to obsessive masturbation and
sexual dysfunction as an adult.
Oral (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSBirth-12 months
Pleasure centers on mouth; sucking, biting, chewing.
, If not satisfied result is excessive smoking, overeating, or dependence on others.
Anal (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSAge 2 (during toilet training)
Pleasure centers on Bowel movements.
If not satisfied result is an overly controlling (anal-retentive) personality or an easily angered
(anal-expulsive) personality.
Phallic (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSAge 3 to 5
Pleasure centers on Genitals.
If not satisfied result is Guilt or anxiety about sex.
Latency (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSAge 5 to Puberty
Pleasure centers on Sexuality is latent, or dormant, during this period.
No fixations at this stage.
Genital (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSBegins at puberty
Pleasure centers on The genitals; sexual urges return.
No fixations at this stage.
Fixation - ANSWERSIs an inability to progress normally from one stage into another.
Oedipus complex - ANSWERSA male child's sexual desire for his mother and hostility toward his
father.
Castration anxiety - ANSWERSFear of penis being cut off, child accepts father and authority
results in superego.
Answers 2025/2026
Theories - ANSWERSAre general explanations supported by evidence obtained through the
scientific method.
Psychoanalytic Theory - ANSWERSSigmund Freud
Client is a product of his past
Treatment involves dealing with repressed material in the unconscious
Personalities arise because of attempts to resolve conflicts between the unconscious sexual and
aggressive impulses and social demands to restrain these impulses
3 Levels of Awareness - ANSWERSPreconscious, Conscious, Unconscious
Preconscious (3 Levels of Awareness) - ANSWERSInfo outside of the client's attention but
available and easy to bring to consciousness.
Conscious (3 Levels of Awareness) - ANSWERSInfo the client is paying attention to at any given
time.
Unconscious (3 Levels of Awareness) - ANSWERSThoughts, feelings, desires and memories of
which a client has no awareness but that influences every aspect of their day-to-day lives.
3 Components of Personalities - ANSWERSId, Ego, Superego
Id (3 Components of Personalities) - ANSWERSInstinctual energy, biological urges, impulses
toward survival, sex and aggression.
,Unconscious.
Pleasure principle - the drive to achieve pleasure and avoid pain.
Ego (3 Components of Personalities) - ANSWERSManages conflict between Id and the real
world.
Has unconscious, preconscious or conscious parts.
Reality principle - the awareness that gratification of impulses has to be delayed in order to
accommodate the demands of the real world.
Role is to prevent the Id from gratifying its impulses in socially inappropriate ways.
Ego-Syntonic/Ego-Dystonic:
Syntonic - behaviors "insync" with ego (no guilt)
Dystonic - behaviors "dis n sync" with ego (guilty)
Determine best course of action based on info from id, reality, and the superego.
Inability to reconcile the demands of the Id, reality and superego produces conflict that leads to
a state of psychic distress known as anxiety.
Ego strength - ability to deal with demands of id, reality and superego.
Superego (3 Components of Personalities) - ANSWERSThe moral component of personality,
learned from parents and society, causes clients to feel guilty.
Psychosexual Stages of Development - ANSWERSFreud believed there to be five stages of
psychosexual development: Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latent and Genital. At each of these stages,
pleasure is focused on a particular part of the body. Too much or too little pleasure in any one of
these stages caused a fixation which would lead to personality or psychological disorders. For
example, too much pleasure in the phallic stage could lead to obsessive masturbation and
sexual dysfunction as an adult.
Oral (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSBirth-12 months
Pleasure centers on mouth; sucking, biting, chewing.
, If not satisfied result is excessive smoking, overeating, or dependence on others.
Anal (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSAge 2 (during toilet training)
Pleasure centers on Bowel movements.
If not satisfied result is an overly controlling (anal-retentive) personality or an easily angered
(anal-expulsive) personality.
Phallic (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSAge 3 to 5
Pleasure centers on Genitals.
If not satisfied result is Guilt or anxiety about sex.
Latency (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSAge 5 to Puberty
Pleasure centers on Sexuality is latent, or dormant, during this period.
No fixations at this stage.
Genital (Stage of Development) - ANSWERSBegins at puberty
Pleasure centers on The genitals; sexual urges return.
No fixations at this stage.
Fixation - ANSWERSIs an inability to progress normally from one stage into another.
Oedipus complex - ANSWERSA male child's sexual desire for his mother and hostility toward his
father.
Castration anxiety - ANSWERSFear of penis being cut off, child accepts father and authority
results in superego.
