ASWB SOCIAL WORK MASTERS EXAM QUESTIONS &
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 - Answer -D.
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
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
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
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 a deux
D. Delusion - Answer -D
6.) A social work administrator is having trouble finding a group home manager for a
new program scheduled to open in two 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
- Answer -B
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 - Answer -D
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 - Answer -D
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 - Answer -C
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) - Answer -A
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
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 - Answer -D.
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
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
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
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 a deux
D. Delusion - Answer -D
6.) A social work administrator is having trouble finding a group home manager for a
new program scheduled to open in two 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
- Answer -B
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 - Answer -D
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 - Answer -D
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 - Answer -C
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) - Answer -A
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
