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Ethical Considerations in Social Work Practice, Exams of Social Work

Various ethical dilemmas and considerations that social workers may face in their practice. It covers topics such as conflicts of interest, client confidentiality, termination of services, and evidence-based practice. Guidance on how social workers should navigate these ethical challenges to uphold the profession's values and ensure the best outcomes for their clients. Key areas discussed include maintaining impartial judgment, informing clients of service options, protecting client privacy, and adhering to professional standards. The document aims to equip social workers with the knowledge and decision-making skills to address ethical issues that may arise in their work, ultimately helping them provide ethical and effective services to their clients.

Typology: Exams

2024/2025

Available from 10/18/2024

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ASWB 170 Complete Practice Exam|Test Skills

  1. 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 - ✔ ✔ D A social worker, not his or her supervisor, should monitor practice to identify whether new issues or dilemmas arise.
  2. 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 - ✔ ✔ 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.
  3. 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 - ✔ ✔ B Social workers should avoid situations interfering with impartial judgment. Hiring a family member creates a dual relationship and should be avoided.
  1. 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 - ✔ ✔ 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.

  1. 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. - ✔ ✔ 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.
  2. 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 - ✔ ✔ 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.

  1. 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) - ✔ ✔ 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.

  1. 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 does not supply it when they are in her care. In order to BEST evaluate the legitimacy of the information, the social worker should: A. Ask the husband and wife to put their allegations in writing and sign them, attesting to their accuracy B. Determine whether the husband or wife have had any past instances with bein - ✔ ✔ D

Collateral information is often used when the credibility and validity of information obtained from a client or others is questionable. For example, child custody cases are inherently characterized by biased data within an adversarial process. Social workers should use data from neutral parties, such as the school, because this information has higher integrity.

  1. A social worker is facilitating a psychotherapy group for individuals who are in recovery from substance abuse. After group, a client mentions that she has been having problems dealing with job stress without the use of substances. In order to meet this client's needs, the social worker should: A. Recommend that the client see the social worker individually in addition to the group therapy because she appears to need some additional support B. Suggest that the client bring this topic up in the group next week to see if others are having similar problems C. Evaluate whether group therapy is the best treatment modality for the client due to the issue being mentioned to the social worker outside of the group context D. Determine if there is an employee assistance program in the client's work setting to assist - ✔ ✔ B In group therapy, the group is the major helping agent. Issues should be brought back to the group to address. There is no need for the client to see the social worker for individual therapy. Contacting an employee assistance program would breach confidentiality.
  2. An 11-year-old child would like to start helping around the house with chores. She approaches her mother many times, but is told she cannot assist because "she won't do it right." During several attempts to do things on her own, she is scolded. According to psychosocial development theory, she may experience doubts in her abilities due to a crisis in which of the following stages? A. Industry versus inferiority B. Initiative versus guilt C. Autonomy versus shame/doubt D. Generativity versus stagnation - ✔ ✔ A Industry versus inferiority—From age 6 to puberty, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments. If children are encouraged and reinforced for their initiative, they begin to feel industrious and feel confident in their ability to achieve goals. If this initiative is not encouraged and is restricted, children begin to feel inferior, doubting their abilities.
  3. A social worker employed in a hospital is asked to use a SOAP format in a client's record. In this format, the "A" stands for: A. Action plan

B. Assessment C. Active treatment D. Adjustments to services needed - ✔ ✔ B

SOAP stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan. In the Assessment portion, a social worker pulls together objective and subjective findings and consolidates them into a short assessment.

  1. Aphasia is BEST defined as difficulty with: A. Walking or running B. Common motor skills such as combing hair, despite normal strength C. Understanding language or using language to speak or write D. Recognizing familiar objects - ✔ ✔ C Aphasia is a change in cognition (mental ability) that is characterized by difficulty understanding language or using language to speak or write. Difficulty with common motor skills is known as ataxia. Inability to recognize familiar objects is labeled agnosia.
  2. Culture-bound syndromes in the DSM-5 are replaced by all of the following concepts EXCEPT: A. Cultural syndromes B. Cultural stratification C. Cultural idioms of distress D. Cultural explanations - ✔ ✔ B In the DSM-5, there is recognition that every disorder is inherently culture-bound. These new guidelines help a social worker be more sensitive to cultural differences and understand that a client is manifesting symptoms in a way that his or her culture experiences them. Cultural syndromes are clusters of invariant symptoms in a specific cultural group. Cultural idioms of distress are a way of talking about suffering among people in a cultural group, and cultural explanations or perceived causes for symptoms, illness, or distress have been added to assist with diagnosing.
  3. A social worker receives a court order to provide records of a former client. In this instance, the social worker should submit the records: A. And try to contact the client to inform her about the disclosure B. With the contact information of the client so the court can contact her about the release

C. But not contact the client as court orders are not to be discussed by anyone other than judges and attorneys D. And write to the judge to see if he or she wants the client to know about the court order - ✔ ✔ A Social workers should inform clients, to the extent possible, about the disclosure of confidential information and the potential consequences, when feasible, before any disclosure is made. This applies whether social workers disclose confidential information on the basis of a legal requirement or client consent

  1. A family comes into treatment because of their young daughter's behavior. They report, upon intake, that she yells at her parents, doesn't listen, and complains about their behavior. There is little progress during the course of treatment and the girl reports that she has no intention of changing. After the sixth session, a social worker tells the girl that she cannot help with her behavior and she should continue to "do as she wishes." According to strategic family therapy, the social worker's directive is known as a: A. Paradoxical intent B. Pretend technique C. Relabeling paradigm D. Differentiation response - ✔ ✔ A A paradoxical intent or directive prescribes the symptomatic behavior so the client realizes control over it and uses the strength of resistance to change.
  2. A social worker is leaving one agency to work at another. In order to address this situation ethically, the social worker should: A. Not inform clients in order to avoid causing them undue stress and harm B. Advise clients that it would be best for them to transfer services to the social worker's new agency to avoid any interruptions in treatment C. Inform clients of appropriate options for the continuation of services and the benefits and risks of the options D. Discontinue services to clients immediately - ✔ ✔ C Social workers who are leaving an employment setting should inform clients of appropriate options for the continuation of services and of the benefits and risks of the options.
  3. Federal law requires health care facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to do all of the following with regard to advance directives EXCEPT:

A. Inform clients of their rights to have advance directives that will allow them to make decisions regarding their health care B. Use a portion of their revenues to assist clients with the costs associated with creating advance directives C. Ask clients if they have advance directives and document their responses D. Provide education about advance directives - ✔ ✔ B The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1991 specifies facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid inform clients of their rights to make decisions concerning their own health care, ask and document whether clients have advance directives, and provide education for staff and the community.

  1. In which of the following circumstances is task-centered treatment NOT recommended? A. When the client wants to see immediate results or changes in circumstances B. When the client is anxious to be an active part of the change process C. When there is a time limited period in which to work with the client D. When the client is addressing long-standing problems that are complex in nature - ✔ ✔ D A task-centered approach aims to quickly engage clients in the problem-solving process because it is usually delivered in a time-limited environment. The client is an active part of the change process and the approach is highly structured to attempt to achieve immediate results as goals are broken into defined tasks. Termination begins in the first session. This approach is too brief to address long-standing problems that are complex.
  2. A client is currently taking Clozaril for the treatment of Schizophrenia. The client is MOST likely going to be required to undergo what medical monitoring due to this medication use? A. Weight checks B. Blood work C. Dietary restrictions D. Exercise regimen - ✔ ✔ B Clozaril increases the risk of agranulocytosis (low white blood cell count). Monitoring of the white blood cell count through regular blood work is required.
  3. Which of the following inhibits the establishment of a therapeutic relationship? A. A universalism approach or the acceptance of a standard set of norms or standards

B. A pluralistic approach that values cultural pluralism C. Clients examined as being influenced by their environment with problems being seen as resulting from role ambiguity rather than individual deficits D. Flexible treatment approaches that take into account the subjective realities of clients - ✔ ✔ A Universalism is based on one acceptable norm or standard for everyone versus many valid standards that have been developed by clients that they have determined to be most useful to them.

  1. Which of the following is NOT an exception to a social worker's duty to protect confidentiality? A. When a client poses a serious risk to self and others B. When child abuse is suspected C. When a client has violated criminal laws and has not been properly prosecuted D. When there is an imminent threat by a client to an identifiable third party - ✔ ✔ C In all other instances, there is a serious threat to the health and safety of self or others. D is required under duty to warn (Tarasoff decision).
  2. Which of the following theories is used to explain why clients in battering relationships will not leave until the benefits exceed the risks? A. Psychoanalytic B. Problem solving C. Functional D. Social exchange - ✔ ✔ D Social exchange theory is based on the idea of totaling potential benefits and losses to determine behavior. A client will leave a battering relationship when the alternative is seen as better than the current situation (rewards outweigh costs).
  3. A social worker is working with a client who is anxious about public speaking. The social worker asks the client to close her eyes, visualize herself speaking to a large group, and describe her feelings related to the imaginary situation in detail. This technique by the social worker is known as: A. Covert modeling B. Self-modeling C. Live modeling

D. Symbolic modeling - ✔ ✔ A Covert modeling is when clients are asked to use their imagination, visualize the desired behavior, and describe it in detail.

Self-modeling is when clients are videotaped demonstrating the desired behavior and this tape is watched and discussed. Live modeling refers to watching a real person performing the desired behavior. Symbolic modeling includes watching others who have been videotaped perform the desired behavior.

  1. Which of the following is an example of role discomplementarity? A. A husband complains that his wife does not take responsibility for keeping the house clean and a wife is upset that her husband does not financially provide for the family. B. A woman states that she does not like working and wants to quit her job. C. A young child wants to play in the neighborhood unsupervised. D. A man struggles to fit in time at home with his family due to his hectic work schedule. - ✔ ✔ A Role discomplementarity results when roles conflict or when the role expectations of others differ from one's own. In this situation, the husband and wife do not have the same expectations with regard to the tasks for which each other should be responsible.
  2. Which of the following is NOT one of six levels of cognition? A. Synthesis B. Knowledge C. Affective D. Evaluation - ✔ ✔ C The six levels of cognition are, in sequential order—knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Teaching techniques should match the cognitive objective, such as knowing specific facts, theories, or information (knowledge) or creating something new/integrating it into a solution (synthesis). Learning aimed at judging the quality of something is known as evaluation.
  3. Which of the following is NOT a stated purpose of the professional code of ethics? A. To be used by malpractice insurance companies to mitigate liability B. To summarize the values on which the profession is based C. To be used by the profession to determine whether social workers have acted unethically

D. To serve as a guide to socialize new social workers in the field - ✔ ✔ A The Code of Ethics also provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the profession accountable and social workers can consult if professional obligations conflict. These functions of the Code are printed immediately after the preamble. The mitigation of liability by third-party payers is not based on the values of the profession and is not a stated purpose of the Code.

  1. Which of the following is an example of role reversal? A. A mother who shares her 11-year-old daughter's clothes and collects stuffed animals B. A mother expecting her 11-year-old daughter to stay at home unsupervised C. A mother with relationship problems who is repeatedly emotionally comforted by her 11-year-old daughter D. A mother who arranges a date for her 11-year-old daughter - ✔ ✔ C A role reversal is when two people switch or reverse roles. In this answer, the mother is emotionally dependent and the child is the comforter. These behaviors are usually reversed in a parent-child relationship. The other response choices may relate to roles, but are not reversals.
  2. A social worker receives a subpoena from the courts in the mail for a former client's records. In this situation, a social worker should: A. Immediately send in the original records to the courts B. Prepare a summary of the records to send in immediately C. Claim privilege to protect the confidentiality of the client D. Ignore the subpoena because it relates to a former client and is not relevant - ✔ ✔ C A subpoena is not a court order and no documents should be sent unless ordered by the court. However, a social worker does have to respond and should not send in the records when receiving a subpoena unless the client has provided a written release.
  3. In the DSM-5, when a social worker provides a reason why a condition does not qualify for a disorder, it should be noted as: A. Not otherwise specified B. Other specified C. Unspecified D. Not specified elsewhere - ✔ ✔ B

In the DSM-5, "Not Otherwise Specified" (NOS) categories for disorders that do not fit under specific disorder categories are replaced. "Other Specified" (i.e., "Other Specified Depressive Disorder") categories are used when a social worker provides the reason why the condition does not qualify for a specific diagnosis (i.e., short duration). "Unspecified" is used when no additional explanation is provided as to why the disorder does not meet the usual criteria.

  1. A client abruptly stops coming to therapy after the sixth session. She shows up at the office several weeks later demanding a copy of her records. The social worker does not believe that the information in the record could cause harm to the client, but denies access because the client did not provide any reason for the abrupt termination or reason for wanting the copies. The actions by the social worker are: A. Unethical because the client should have access to his or her record under these circumstances B. Ethical because the reason for the release must be disclosed to the social worker C. Ethical because the client terminated without notice D. Unethical because the client is always able to access his or her record under any circumstances - ✔ ✔ A A social worker who is concerned that client access to his or her records could cause serious harm to the client can limit access to the record or portion of the record when the rationale for the request is documented in the file. This case vignette clearly states that the social worker is not concerned that releasing the record to the client would be harmful, so it must be released and to not do so is unethical.
  2. A client was referred to a mental health agency for treatment. Upon admission, he reported feeling lethargic and hopeless and had difficulty getting out of bed. Several weeks later, he states that he is sleepless, agitated, and unable to focus. Which of the following medications is the client MOST likely going to be prescribed? A. Ativan (lorazepam) B. Nardil (phenelzine) C. Lithium (lithium carbonate) D. Buspar (buspirone) - ✔ ✔ C Ativan and Buspar are antianxiety medications and Nardil is an antidepressant. Lithium is a mood stabilizer, and this client appears to be experiencing depression upon admission, as well as mania later in treatment. A mood stabilizer is used for the treatment of Bipolar Disorder.
  3. When clients are at high risk for relapse after discharge, all of the following should occur after termination EXCEPT:

A. Regular assessments to determine whether services are needed B. Creation of client contracts that reinforce positive behaviors C. Utilization of natural supports and peer support services D. Follow-up to see whether discharge plans are being implemented - ✔ ✔ B Clients who are at high risk for developing problems after services have ended should receive regular assessments to see if additional services are needed and/or discharge plans are being implemented. Natural supports and peer supports, such as 12-step programs, are good resources to assist with sustaining progress made. The creation of a contract is not done after termination because it indicates the presence of an intervention in a therapeutic relationship. It is incorrect given the order of the problem-solving process.

  1. A social worker in private practice designs a standard intake form that includes questions about the client's demographic information including age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, education, and drug/alcohol use. This form is: A. Ethical since it contains important information for the social worker to know in order to work with the client effectively B. Ethical since all of this information will be kept confidential C. Unethical since this information may not be needed for treatment D. Unethical unless the social worker makes it clear that the client has the choice as to whether to complete it - ✔ ✔ C Social workers should respect clients' right to privacy. Social workers should not solicit private information from clients unless it is essential to providing services or conducting social work evaluation or research. Information about the client's sexual orientation and/or drug or alcohol use may not be relevant to the presenting problem or treatment.
  2. A social worker is charged with creating a behavioral objective to assist her client, John, in his educational setting. Which of the following statements is the BEST example of this type of objective? A. John will make eye contact during conversations in practical arts class at least 75% of the time. B. John will be motivated to complete his homework daily in order to achieve a grade of a B or better. C. The teacher will praise John during class at least 10 times per hour. D. John will sit in his chair at least 80% of the time. - ✔ ✔ A A behavioral objective should be client-oriented and emphasize what a client needs to do. C is excluded as it focuses on the teacher's actions. An important element of behavioral objectives is that they are

observable. Motivation is not easily observed. The conditions under which the behavior will be performed should also be included. D does not indicate if the expectation regarding sitting is to take place during class or all of the time. A has all of the elements—it specifies the target behavior, the conditions under which the behavior will be performed, and the criteria for determining when the acceptable performance of the behavior occurs.

  1. A new client enters the office walking slowly, using a cane, and has difficulty picking up objects, swallowing, and speaking as a result of a stroke. The BEST diagnosis for this client is: A. Agnosia B. Ataxia C. Prosopagnosia D. Acalculia - ✔ ✔ B Ataxia describes a lack of muscle control during voluntary movements, such as walking or picking up objects. A sign of an underlying condition, ataxia can affect movement, speech, eye movement, and swallowing.

Persistent ataxia usually results from damage to the cerebellum—the part of the brain that controls muscle coordination. Many conditions can cause ataxia, including alcohol abuse, stroke, tumor, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis.

An inability to recognize familiar objects is agnosia, and an inability to recognize familiar faces is prosopagnosia. Acalculia is the inability to do simple arithmetic.

  1. Echolalia is BEST defined as: A. Mimicking another's speech B. Spontaneous movement C. Repetitive movements D. Odd mannerisms or actions - ✔ ✔ A Echolalia is repeating noises and phrases. It is sometimes associated with Catatonia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Schizophrenia, and other disorders.
  2. A man who is having problems at work finds that he is yelling at his children more and has begun to have marital issues with his wife. The husband is MOST likely using the defense mechanism of:

A. Reaction formation B. Projection C. Conversion D. Displacement - ✔ ✔ D Displacement is directing an impulse, wish, or feeling toward another person or situation that is less threatening. The man unconsciously realizes that he cannot express his anger on the job or it may have negative consequences, so he goes home and yells at his wife and children.

  1. Upon admission, a client reports that he has always feared disapproval and rejection from others in his life. Several weeks later, the client appears anxious and worried. When asked about his behavior, he states that he feels judged by the social worker and that the social worker is being critical of him when he sees her. The client's feelings are an example of: A. Countertransference B. Psychosis C. Paranoia D. Transference - ✔ ✔ D Transference refers to redirection of a client's feelings for a significant person to a social worker. Transference is often manifested as an erotic attraction toward a social worker, but can be seen in many other forms such as rage, hatred, mistrust, parentification, extreme dependence, or even placing a social worker in an esteemed status.
  2. Which of the following is the MOST significant change in the DSM-5 concerning Substance Related Disorders? A. Substance Abuse and Substance Dependence have been combined into a single Substance Use Disorder. B. Recurrent legal problems were added to the criteria for Substance Use Disorders. C. Craving or a strong desire to use a substance was deleted from Substance Dependence. D. Recurrent legal problems were deleted from the criteria for Substance Abuse. - ✔ ✔ A DSM-IV created separate diagnoses for "abuse" and "dependence" although substance-related problems occur on a continuum. The DSM-5 uses "Substance Use Disorders" as the diagnosis for people with such problems.

"Recurrent legal problems" was deleted as a criterion for Substance Use Disorders and "craving or a strong desire or urge to use a substance" was added to the criteria.

  1. A social worker sees that a colleague is distracted when interacting with clients and is showing up for appointments late. The social worker learns that this behavior began several weeks earlier, after the death of her colleague's husband. In this instance, the social worker should: A. Give the colleague additional time to grieve and monitor the colleague's actions to see if the behavior subsides on its own B. Speak to a supervisor to see if the colleague's workload could be reduced for a period of time C. Contact the human resources department to see if there are employee assistance services available D. Speak to the colleague directly about the observations to see if additional assistance is needed - ✔ ✔ D A social worker with direct knowledge of a colleague's impairment due to personal problems, psychological stress, and so on, that interferes with practice effectiveness should consult with the colleague when feasible and assist the colleague in taking remedial action.
  2. Which of the following is NOT true of life crises? A. They must be precipitated by major life events. B. The ways in which they are addressed significantly impact subsequent functioning. C. They can produce healthier behavior if understood and overcome. D. They produce anxiety, tension, and disequilibrium. - ✔ ✔ A Life crises do not have to be a major event. They can be the "last straws" in a series of events that exceed the client's ability to cope. Addressing crises appropriately significantly impacts subsequent client functioning and can assist in the development of healthy coping skills.
  3. Which of the following is true of BOTH networking in business and networking in social work practice? A. It aims to educate about the problems experienced by others and thereby helps to effect system changes. B. It aims to attract more individuals to organizations so that these entities can prosper. C. It is beneficial for clients as it keeps the costs down through sharing of resources. D. It creates a community and builds alliances around a common interest or goal. - ✔ ✔ D

The first answer is true for social work, but not for business. B is true for business networking, but the aim in social work is not to attract clients for the betterment of the agency. C may not be true in business because lower operating costs are not always passed on to clients; they may mean more profits for a company. In both business and social work, networking provides opportunities to work with others toward the achievement of common goals and helps in establishing professional relationships or alliances.

  1. Which of the following is the MOST important benefit of community participation in social work practice? A. It puts the decision-making power partly or wholly with community members. B. It shows the media that individuals want to get involved when there is a good cause. C. It informs community members about the work that needs to be done to make change. D. It divides the workload so that it can be distributed across a larger group. - ✔ ✔ A The values and principles of social work practice should be used as the basis for selecting the most important benefit. A is based on the belief of self-determination or that individuals and groups should be in charge of taking actions that are best for them. The other response choices may be true, but they are not based on this fundamental concept in social work practice.
  2. If a client has a Substance Use Disorder in addition to Schizophrenia, these two disorders are considered to be: A. Premorbid B. Comorbid C. Contraindicated D. Dissociated - ✔ ✔ B Comorbid refers to two problems, conditions, or disorders that exist at the same time—such as the presence of a mental health and substance use issue, or a mental health and medical problem.
  3. A woman complains that her 7-year-old son "makes things up and exaggerates." He often adds information when recalling experiences and talks about knights and dragons being part of his everyday world. The woman is angry about this behavior and worried that it is an indication of some mental health problem. In order to best assist, the social worker should: A. Explain that the behaviors are associated with the preoperational thought stage of cognitive development B. Conduct a mental status examination on the child

C. Refer the child for a mental health evaluation based upon the mother's concerns D. Determine whether this behavior is a concern to others, including his teachers - ✔ ✔ A Magical thinking is a hallmark of Piaget's preoperational thought stage. Understanding that children learn through this process, and that it is typical, may assist the mother in better coping with this behavior. There is no indication that there are any mental health issues, so the social worker should not see the child or take other action based on this report alone.

  1. A social worker notices what appears to be burns on a child's arm and asks the child about these markings. The child responds that "grandma burned me, but mommy isn't going to let me go over there anymore so it's OK." The social worker should: A. Document the conversation in the file and make sure to check the child regularly in the future for burns or bruises B. Report the conversation immediately to child protective services C. Discuss the conversation with a supervisor at the next supervision session D. Contact the grandmother to validate this report by the child - ✔ ✔ B Social workers are mandatory reporters and must not delay in reporting or investigating such an incident themselves. All suspected abuse situations should be reported to the child protection agency immediately.
  2. A client has been in therapy for about 4 months and has made substantial progress toward achieving his goals. The social worker and client believe that continued treatment would be beneficial. However, the client recently lost his job and has been informed that his insurance coverage, which has been paying for the services, will end immediately. The client states that he cannot afford to pay the rate paid by the insurance company. In order to facilitate continued progress, the social worker should: A. Suggest that the client now only pay the amount of the copay and keep track of what would have been paid by an insurance company so a payment plan can be put in place once the client is employed again B. Brainstorm with the client about services that the client can provide in exchange for treatment C. Terminate therapy immediately, but with the understanding that it will begin immediately upon enrollment in a new - ✔ ✔ D A social worker can waive or reduce the fee, but cannot barter (B) or create a loan system with the client (A) because it is a conflict of interest. Both parties agree that continued treatment is needed, so C does not appear appropriate.
  1. Which of the following is NOT a key diagnostic criterion of Paraphilic Disorders according to the DSM-5? A. Atypical sexual interests B. Personal distress about sexual interests not strictly due to societal disapproval C. Sexual desire or behavior that involves another person's psychological harm or from persons who are unwilling or unable to consent D. Legal involvement due to sexual interests or behaviors - ✔ ✔ D Most clients with atypical sexual interests do not have mental disorders. To be diagnosed with paraphilic disorders, DSM-5 requires that clients with these interests feel personal distress about their interest, not merely distress resulting from society's disapproval, or have a sexual desire or behavior that involves another person's psychological distress, injury, or death, or a desire for sexual behaviors involving unwilling persons or persons unable to give legal consent. These desires and/or behaviors do not need to have resulted in legal involvement.
  2. Which of the following is a limitation when using existing case records as the data source for the evaluation of client progress? A. It saves time because the information is already available and does not have to be gathered. B. There are financial benefits because there are no additional costs associated with data collection. C. The scope of the evaluation is restricted to that which is explicitly stated in the file. D. It cannot be done unless the client consents in writing to allow such use. - ✔ ✔ C The first two answers are correct and are not limitations, but benefits. C is a limitation because there may be gaps in the record or the information that is explicitly stated may not reflect all the progress that has been made. D is not true and is therefore not a limitation; consent is only required for records that are being used in formal evaluation beyond determining individual client progress, which was the circumstance described in this question.
  3. A client needs to access services from another organization. In order to BEST assist this client, a social worker should: A. Let the client identify and contact agencies independently to avoid interfering with the client's right to self-determination B. Refer the client to an agency that the social worker has a relationship with to ensure an easy transition C. Work with the client to evaluate options and select an agency that the client thinks will best meet his or her needs

D. Contact the client's insurance company to see which agencies are participating providers - ✔ ✔ C Social workers want to respect a client's right to self-determination and should not select an agency for the client. In addition, the social worker should assist the client to gather all needed information so that the client can make an informed decision. Working with insurance companies to ensure coverage is a part of the process, but the decision should primarily be based on the ability of the agency to meet the client's needs.

  1. During an intake interview, a client uses derogatory language to refer to individuals of a particular ethnic group. This language causes the social worker to become angry. In order to appropriately deal with the anger, the social worker should: A. Explain to the client in a professional manner that this language is inappropriate and upsets the social worker B. Suggest that the client see another social worker in the agency without giving the client an explanation C. Recognize the anger and discuss it later with the supervisor D. Tell the client about the reaction so that a decision can be made by the client about whether the social worker is the best match for the client - ✔ ✔ C A client must feel he or she is understood and valued as a person, though his or her performance may be unsatisfactory. If a client feels judged, he or she will not speak freely during a social work interview. Hence, a social worker must be interested, genuinely concerned and encouraging, and at the same time, objective, but neither condemning nor praising. In this case vignette, the social worker should use the supervisor to process the feelings that arise as a result of the client's actions. The other response choices involve telling the client about the anger, which could interfere with the engagement process, or sending the client to another agency that does not assist him or her. Social workers must be skilled in the principles and techniques of interviewing, as well as appropriately dealing with their emotions in a manner that does not negatively impact the therapeutic process.
  2. A client who has Schizophrenia has not been taking his medication. He is in crisis, but does not pose a danger to himself or others. The client was recently discharged from an inpatient hospitalization after an involuntary commitment. In the social worker's opinion, the client would benefit from rehospitalization, but the client does not want to be readmitted. The social worker should: A. Identify community resources to meet his immediate needs B. Contact the hospital to see if he can be readmitted C. Recommend that the client be involuntarily committed again to get the medication needed D. Determine if he has a family member or someone who can persuade him to enter the hospital again - ✔ ✔ A

The case vignette states that the client is not a danger to himself or others, so he cannot be involuntarily committed. The social worker should not contact the hospital because the client is not agreeable to admission. Using a family member or others to convince him is not appropriate. The client is in crisis, so community resources aimed at meeting his immediate needs are the priority.

  1. A client's insurance company threatens to discontinue to pay for services immediately if it does not receive the current treatment goals of the client. The social worker sends these goals without written consent from the client. This action by the social worker is: A. Ethical since the client would not be able to continue services without the insurance payments B. Unethical because such a release requires written consent C. Ethical since treatment goals can be sent to an insurance company without written consent D. Unethical or ethical, depending upon whether the social worker spoke to the client about insurance requirements at the beginning of treatment - ✔ ✔ B Social workers should not disclose confidential information to third-party payers unless clients have authorized such disclosure. Speaking to the client at the onset of treatment about insurance requirements does not constitute informed consent for the release of information requested.
  2. A social worker is running a group with adolescents. One of the group members calls the social worker because she is very upset that something that she said in group was disclosed to others in her school by another group member. The BEST method for the social worker to address this situation is to: A. Individually contact the group member who disclosed the information to discuss the concern B. Terminate the group member who disclosed the information in order to create a "safe" environment for the other participants C. Suggest that the upset group member bring up her concern at the next group session D. Develop a confidentiality agreement to be signed by all members at the next group session - ✔ ✔ C There is no legal mandate for group members to safeguard information disclosed in groups. However, this disclosure may be a violation of the rules that the group established for itself. It is appropriate for the group to discuss and decide what actions, if any, should take place. Such disclosures may threaten the psychotherapeutic goals of the group, but any confrontation should be done in the group context.
  3. Which of the following is NOT one of Freud's stages of psychosexual development? A. Genital B. Latency

C. Castration D. Oral - ✔ ✔ C Freud's psychosexual stages were oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. They began in infancy and went through puberty into adulthood. Castration anxiety is a child's fear that his penis will be cut off for desiring his mother. It is not one of the five stages.

  1. Which is NOT true when an agency uses the services of a consultant? A. The agency retains formal authority over agency practices, whereas a consultant has informal authority based on skills and knowledge. B. The agency must get consent for releases of information when sharing client information with a consultant. C. The agency is mandated to follow a consultant's recommendations. D. The agency must use a consultant who has demonstrated knowledge, expertise, and competence. - ✔ ✔ C Although a consultant does not have any formal authority over agency decision making, he or she has informal authority as an "expert." Releases of information are needed when disclosing data to a consultant. A consultant should be competent, demonstrating knowledge and expertise. However, the agency is not required to follow the advice given by a consultant. The final decision rests with the agency administration and board of directors.
  2. A client expresses an attraction to the social worker during a therapy session. In order to address this issue ethically, the social worker should: A. Explore it as a therapeutic issue, seek supervision, and document the disclosure in the client file B. Ignore the overture and hope that the client does not express this attraction again C. Immediately refer the client to another social worker in the agency because the current social worker cannot be objective once such a disclosure has occurred D. Terminate services immediately in case a personal relationship develops - ✔ ✔ A A social worker must address this expression within an appropriate therapeutic context. Referring or terminating is not appropriate and ignoring it does not assist the client in understanding why these feelings are occurring. The social worker should never act on these feelings and engage in a relationship with a client.
  3. An agency that employs social workers has detailed job descriptions that delineate the best way to perform functions, closely supervises its employees, and ties employee pay increases to behaviors that

promote the goals of the organization. This agency is MOST likely using which of the following approaches to manage its workers? A. Scientific management B. Human relations C. Systems D. Contingency - ✔ ✔ A A scientific management approach finds the one "best way" to perform each task; carefully matches each worker to each task; closely supervises workers, using reward and punishment as motivators; and manages and controls behavior.

A systems approach considers the organization as a system composed of interrelated subsystems. A contingency approach recognizes that organizational systems are interrelated with the environment and different organizational relationships are needed depending upon the larger environmental context. A human relations approach emphasizes creativity, cohesive work groups, participatory leadership, and open communication.

  1. Projective tests are based on which of the following theoretical approaches? A. Behavior management B. Psychoanalytic C. Cognitive behavioral D. Self psychology - ✔ ✔ B In a projective test, a client offers responses to ambiguous scenes, words, or images. This type of test emerged from a psychoanalytic approach, which suggested that clients have unconscious thoughts or urges. Projective tests are intended to uncover unconscious desires that are hidden from conscious awareness.
  2. Most models of spiritual development move from an individual being egocentric to eventually becoming a(n): A. Conformist B. Integrated being C. Dichotomous thinker D. Follower of blind faith - ✔ ✔ B

Individuals usually begin unwilling to accept a will greater than their own and are extremely egotistical. They then move to conforming and having blind faith. In this second stage, things are seen dichotomously— as right or wrong. Individuals then come to develop a deeper understanding of good and evil and do not accept blind faith, but integrate their beliefs into their larger worldview and behaviors.

  1. All of the following are true about empathetic communication EXCEPT: A. Empathetic communication bridges the gap between the social worker and client by establishing rapport. B. Empathetic communication is nonjudgmental, accepting, and genuine. C. Empathetic communication is verbal communication in which the client is engaged in oral problem solving and processing of new information. D. Empathetic communication decreases defensiveness and encourages a more rational discussion of problems. - ✔ ✔ C Empathetic communication also includes the client's nonverbal messages. A social worker can observe body language and make explicit a client's feelings, as well as communicate, through eye contact and posture, interest, and understanding in what the client is saying.
  2. A new client comes to the first appointment and is extremely anxious. She paces while in the waiting room and states that she "just needs to get some sleep." During the intake interview, the client reports that she is a recreational drug user. Based on her behavior, the client is MOST likely using: A. Heroin B. Cocaine C. Marijuana D. Oxycontin - ✔ ✔ B Cocaine use is indicated by dilated pupils, hyperactivity, euphoria, anxiety, and excessive talking. Heroin use is indicated by contracted pupils, sleeping at unusual times, sweating, vomiting, twitching, and loss of appetite. Marijuana use is indicated by glassy, red eyes; inappropriate laughter; and loss of interest and motivation. Oxycontin (oxycodone) is an opioid pain medication used to treat moderate to severe pain and its use is indicated by sleepiness, inattention, and loss of appetite.
  3. A woman who is in a relationship that is physically abusive would like to begin couples counseling because she believes that helping her boyfriend to see her point of view may assist in decreasing the violence. In order to appropriately address this request, the social worker should: A. Suggest that she ask her boyfriend to come to the next session

B. Ask if the social worker can contact the boyfriend to assess his interest in receiving couples counseling C. Explain to the woman that couples counseling should not take place at this time, given the physical abuse D. Contact the boyfriend about coming in for individual counseling with the suggestion that there be joint sessions with the two of them at times - ✔ ✔ C Traditional marital and couples therapy are not appropriate in battering relationships. It puts victims in greater danger of further abuse.

  1. A client has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Using a systems approach, the social worker should: A. Develop a plan for long-term care aimed at meeting the client's medical needs B. Work with the client on addressing the impacts of this prognosis on his or her psychological and spiritual well-being C. Consider whether continuing to treat the client is in the client's best interest given this prognosis D. Reexamine the treatment goals to see if they are still relevant or need to be revised given this health information - ✔ ✔ B A systems approach states that all parts of well-being are interrelated or interconnected. Thus, a change in physical health will impact on psychological and spiritual functioning. The treatment should not focus on just the health issues, but ensure that these other areas are considered.
  2. According to Freud, an adolescent in puberty is in which stage of psychosexual development? A. Genital B. Phallic C. Latency D. Anal - ✔ ✔ A The genital stage begins in puberty and the source of pleasure is the genitals. Sexual urges return after being dormant during the latency stage, which begins at about age 5.
  3. Which of the following is the BEST definition of empowerment? A. Obtaining resources to assist in improving a client's financial and social status B. Building skills and obtaining resources that will assist a client in controlling and making changes, if desired, in his or her own well-being

C. Meeting basic needs in a client's life to facilitate growth toward self-actualization D. Creating alliances or power networks that can be used by a client to increase his or her social standing

  • ✔ ✔ B Empowerment aims to ensure a sense of control over well-being and that change is possible. It is not doing something for a client, but assisting him or her to have skills or resources needed to make desired changes himself or herself.
  1. A client is starting a new business and really needs a partner to assist with start-up activities. Without this help, the client will experience extreme financial hardship because she will not be able to bring in needed income to her household. The social worker has a lot of business expertise that would be valuable to the client. In this situation, the social worker should: A. Continue to serve the client, providing only emotional support during this crisis B. Terminate services to the client to assist with the start-up business so that the client does not experience financial loss C. Continue to serve the client, providing financial support in addition to emotional support during this crisis D. Stop billing the client for a short period while assisting the client with business start-up, with the understanding that this arrangement is time limited - ✔ ✔ A Social workers should not terminate services to pursue social, financial, or sexual relationships with clients. Social workers should also not engage in dual relationships with clients.
  2. Which of the following is NOT considered as part of culturally informed intervention planning? A. Involvement of family members in treatment B. Use of individual versus group treatment modalities C. Incorporation of alternative treatment approaches D. Need for informed consent procedures - ✔ ✔ D A social worker should consider the cultural appropriateness of family involvement, individual versus group treatment, alternative treatment approaches (yoga, aromatherapy, music, and writing), medication (western, traditional, alternative), and/or location/duration of intervention. Informed consent is required for all clients, regardless of cultural background. The procedures used may vary depending upon client culture, but the need for informed consent is universal.
  3. Which of the following statements about gender identity and/or sexual orientation is TRUE? A. Pansexual refers to being attracted to individuals outside or independent of gender.