ASWB LCSW Exam Questions

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1.

Henry would like to become an astronaut and go into space, but he is scared of comets and black holes so, instead, he learns how to fly a plane. What type of defense mechanism is Henry MOST likely using?

  • Substitution

  • Rationalization

  • Sublimation

  • Denial

Correct answer: Substitution

Psychological Defense Mechanisms are unconscious, involuntary techniques that reduce anxiety. Substitution is the defense mechanism in which the individual replaces an unattainable goal with one that is attainable. In this example, Henry cannot go into space, so he learns how to fly a plane instead. 

Denial is simply refusing to acknowledge that an event has occurred. Sublimation occurs when a person has feelings or behaviors that are not socially acceptable and so diverts them into socially acceptable channels. Rationalization is when something happens that one finds difficult to accept, so one makes up a logical reason why it has happened.

2.

The following is a formative rather than a summative evaluation of social work practice:

  • Needs assessment

  • Cost-benefit analysis

  • Impact evaluation

  • Effectiveness survey

Correct answer: Needs assessment

A formative evaluation is a practice evaluation done while services are still underway. An example of this is a needs assessment.

A summative practice evaluation is completed after service delivery is complete, and the three other answer options are all examples of summative evaluations.

3.

If Yulia is diagnosed with obsessive compulsive behavior, she is MOST likely to start taking:

  • Citalopram (Celexa)

  • Lorazepam (Ativan)

  • Buspirone (BuSpar)

Correct answer: Citalopram (Celexa)

Social workers should be familiar with the medications that their potential clients might be taking. Citalopram (Celexa) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which is used to treat obsessive compulsive behavior, major depression, and anxiety.

The other options are both anti-anxiety agents. However, they are used in treating anxiety and panic disorders and not obsessive compulsive disorder.

4.

Kit is meeting with her client, Cal, who has been diagnosed with Paranoid Personality Disorder. During their session, Cal paces and seems unable to be at ease. He answers most of Kit's questions with a suspicious retort rather than an answer, saying, "I can't tell you. This is how you'll make fun of me later with your friends or whoever." Cal also self reports the fact that his recent ex-girlfriend passed away during a robbery the day before. However, he then states with some sincerity that she "deserved it for everything she did to me." Eventually, Cal becomes aggressive and attempts to attack Kit, resulting in his ejection from the facility.

Which of the stated facts about Cal is NOT necessarily characteristic of Paranoid Personality Disorder?

  • Psychomotor agitation

  • Unforgiving attitude

  • Aggressive outburst

  • Paranoid ideas

Correct answer: Psychomotor agitation

An unforgiving attitude, the idea that others are demeaning the individual, and even aggressive outbursts are common diagnostic elements for people with Paranoid Personality Disorder, but it does not involve psychomotor agitation as a diagnostic criterion.

5.

Ever since his serious car accident seven months ago, PJ has had a fear of being in any enclosed vehicle, including cars, buses, and trains. He fears he will be unable to escape when needed, and because he is now unable to commute to work, PJ had to quit his job, but has found part-time employment within walking distance. However, over the past month, PJ refuses to leave his apartment at all without a "safe" family member, and his friends have had to adjust their schedules due to PJ's anxiety.

PJ is MOST likely suffering from:

  • Agoraphobia

  • Posttraumatic stress disorder

  • Generalized anxiety disorder

  • Social phobia

Correct answer: Agoraphobia

PJ is most likely suffering from agoraphobia, which is an anxiety disorder marked by fear of using transportation, being in enclosed or open spaces, being in a crowd, or being outside of the home alone. In this question, he avoids these situations because he fears that escape might be difficult, and his fear is clearly out of proportion to the actual danger that exists.

Posttraumatic stress disorder requires exposure to threatened death or serious injury, which PJ did experience, but there is no indication in the question that PJ is experiencing intrusive thoughts, nightmares, flashbacks, or physiological reactions to cues. Generalized anxiety disorder is a persistent worry about a wide range of topics, but not necessarily going outside of the home or riding in vehicles. Social phobia is an anxiety disorder in which the individual avoids social situations due to the fear of being scrutinized by others.

6.

Josephina informs you that her employer combined two small offices into one office area, which also combined the billing staff with the administrative staff. She states that she now feels inadequate and depressed in her new office environment.

Which of the following disorders is Josephina MOST likely exhibiting?

  • Adjustment disorder

  • Panic disorder

  • Separation anxiety disorder

Correct answer: Adjustment disorder

According to the DSM-5, an individual who is unable to adapt successfully to stressors in the environment demonstrates an adjustment disorder. In this question, since Josephina has just recently moved into a new office with new coworkers, she is experiencing feelings of inadequacy and depression, which are symptoms of an adjustment disorder.

An individual who experiences recurring panic attacks in situations in which there is no life-threatening stressor demonstrates a panic disorder. An individual who shows excessive distress when faced with the loss of a major attachment figure demonstrates separation anxiety disorder. These options do not match what is being described in the question, so these options are not correct.

7.

You ask your client how she is handling her ex-husband’s new marriage. The client pretends that she didn’t know her ex-husband had remarried. What type of defense mechanism is your client MOST likely using?

  • Denial

  • Reaction formation

  • Conversion

Correct answer: Denial

Psychological Defense Mechanisms are unconscious, involuntary techniques that reduce anxiety. Denial is simply refusing to acknowledge that an event has occurred. The person affected simply acts as if nothing has happened, behaving in ways that others may see as bizarre.

The other options are incorrect because, while they are defense mechanisms, they are not ones that best describe the information offered in the question. Reaction formation occurs when a person feels an urge to do or say something and then actually does or says something that is effectively the opposite of what they really want. Conversion is a defense mechanism in which anxiety is transformed into overt physical manifestations.

8.

You are working with a client, Doug, in a crisis center, who is homeless, addicted to methamphetamine, and is notoriously resistant to change. Doug comes into the crisis center in a state of personal crisis due to being robbed somewhere out in the community. During the crisis intervention process, you allow Doug to vent about being assaulted and robbed, which he happily does, but then asks what the point of it was.

Your BEST answer is:

  • It allows Doug to deal with troubling emotions

  • It allows Doug to provide you with valuable data

  • It allows you to assess Doug's level of functioning

  • It helps build strategies for you to manage the crisis

Correct answer: It allows Doug to deal with troubling emotions

The damage that is done to a person during a crisis is subjective, and the nature of the crisis is to temporarily destroy a person's ability to cope and function with circumstances. In this question, the point of allowing Doug to vent in this way is to allow him to explore his feelings and process them in a supportive environment, so that these emotions do not impede further progress.

All of the other choices could be correct, but only in certain circumstances. Some data can be gained by attentively listening to Doug's process. Also, it might be possible to gain some information and/or data about functioning through this interaction, and it might even help Doug brainstore ideas. However, the main purpose of Doug's expression is to find a place for emotions so they do not get in the way of the progress of the work.

9.

Which of the following would be a purpose for empirical studies that is LEAST frequently a primary goal of social work research?

  • Contribution to theories of normal human behavior with studies performed under various sets of carefully controlled circumstances/conditions

  • Refinement of practice methods in order to determine means by which a technique or method of interest may be modified to achieve greater efficiency or efficacy

  • Comparison of a variety of programmatic approaches that address a defined set of problems/issues, to inform recommendations for optimal design of service delivery systems

Correct answer: Contribution to theories of normal human behavior with studies performed under various sets of carefully controlled circumstances/conditions

The research philosophy and approaches of social work have undergone a variety of transformations in the course of the developmental history of social work research. More recently, social work researchers have recognized the value of using research techniques to support core principles and activities that are central to social work as a profession. Because of this, the most frequent and highly valued purposes of social work research have evolved to concentrate in those areas, including developing/improving frameworks for practice/outcome optimization, assembling a body of knowledge that can be directly applied to practice, and studies of groups or social problems most at the center of the social work field. The latter category of research activity may be used to provide policy-related input to those in positions to influence legislative or other critical policy decisions.

At one time, there was an emphasis on rigorous application of scientific methods/measures and testing of behavioral theories, which derived from a number of other behavioral science areas, but this approach has largely been replaced by the objectives in the previous paragraph.

10.

Stevie, a child with autism spectrum disorder, is being treated at her local practice. Every time she begins a conversation or asks a question, she is given a piece of candy and a smile by Nick, the social worker. However, when Stevie says nothing, Nick does not smile and he does not give her a piece of candy. 

This is MOST likely an example of:

  • Shaping

  • Negative reinforcement

  • Differential conditioning

  • Psychotherapy

Correct answer: Shaping

Shaping is the process of changing behavior by rewarding steps toward the behavior. In this question, Nick is shaping Stevie's behavior by rewarding her with a smile or candy when she begins a social interaction by starting a conversation with him or asking him a question. Nick's hope is that as Stevie becomes familiar with the rewards, she will display this desired behavior more often over time.

Negative reinforcement is when the rate of behavior increases because a stimulus is removed, which is not in the case in this question. Differential conditioning is a process of using two+ stimuli when only one provides an outcome. This is mostly used in situations in which a desired behavior already occurs, but it needs to be singled out through/with reinforcement. Finally, psychotherapy refers to talk therapy that occurs between a clinician and a client. In this question, the therapy is behavioral intervention and not psychotherapy.

11.

A 47-year-old man tells his social worker that he is often worried about his health. Upon further discussion with the social worker, the man reveals that he worries about his son's safety for no particular reason, as well as his own financial situation and his job. The man feels as if he cannot control these worries and wonders if he will always feel this way.

According to the DSM-5, the MOST probable diagnosis for this middle-aged man is:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder

  • Major depressive disorder

  • Paranoid personality disorder

  • Social phobia

Correct answer: Generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder is a period of excessive anxiety and worry that the individual finds difficult to control. In this question, the man worries about a wide variety of topics for no particular reason and indicates that he finds those worries difficult to control. He also states that he wonders if he might always feel that way.

Major depressive disorder is characterized by depressed affect, feelings of worthlessness, and a loss of interest in most activities. Paranoid personality disorder is characterized by pervasive suspicion and a generalized mistrust of others. Social phobia is the intense fear or anxiety in everyday social situations.

12.

The parents of Bella, an eight-year-old girl, are concerned about her behavior and report that while she excels in areas such as martial arts and dance, they describe her as "clumsy" and "sloppy" in activities that require precise handling and/or placement of objects (for example: handwriting, sewing, setting the dinner table and pouring water). 

Which of the following would be the MOST likely explanation for these discrepancies in Bella's abilities?

  • A developmental course that is typical, in which there is a progression beginning with mastering control over whole body movement, with later development of fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination

  • Bella most likely is responding with anxiety about her parents' vigilance and concern over her task performance, which negatively impacts her ability to successfully complete tasks that require the skills in question

  • The presence of a learning disability that specifically affects Bella's capacity to do visuospatial tasks

Correct answer: A developmental course that is typical, in which there is a progression beginning with mastering control over whole body movement, with later development of fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination

School-age children usually have smooth and fairly excellent gross motor skills. However, their eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills, endurance, balance, and other physical abilities vary more widely and generally develop more slowly. These skills can affect a child's ability to write neatly, dress/fasten clothing effectively and do household tasks such as making beds, washing dishes, pouring liquids without spilling, etc. 

There is nothing in the information in the question about Bella's presentation to indicate that she is anxious about her parents' vigilance or that she has a learning disability, so these options are incorrect.

13.

A social worker who accepts and emphasizes the concept of client self-determination is using which of the following therapeutic theories?

  • Existential theory

  • Cognitive theory

  • Psychoanalytic theory

Correct answer: Existential theory

Existential theory is a focus on the acceptance of the client’s fundamental autonomy, freedom of choice and the social worker’s commitment to the concept of client self-determination.

The other options are incorrect as neither of them best match the information offered in the question. Cognitive theory is a focus on a client’s conscious thinking processes, reasons, and motivations for certain behaviors. Psychoanalytic theory is the hypotheses and treatment applications of human personality and its development.

14.

A client pretends to be ill for no other reason than to deceive his parents and friends, but not his social worker. Which of the following BEST describes the client’s situation?

  • Factitious disorder

  • Malingering

  • Secondary gain

  • Tertiary gain

Correct answer: Factitious disorder

Factitious disorder is an act of deceiving others by pretending to be ill or injured. In this question, the client is guilty of factitious disorder and is not benefiting from pretending to be ill. 

Tertiary gain is an advantage or a benefit that a person with mental or physical illness brings to others as a result of the illness. Secondary gain is an advantage or a benefit that one receives from a physical or mental illness. Malingering is an act of feigning disability or illness in order to avoid undesired obligations.

15.

Which of the following therapeutic approaches focuses on strategies to directly alter behaviors?

  • Action

  • Aversion

  • Solution focused

Correct answer: Action

Action therapies focus on strategies to directly alter behaviors.

Solution focused therapy focuses on dealing with the positive outcomes the client seeks instead of the client’s problems, while aversion therapy focuses on the elimination of a maladaptive behavior by associating the behavior to an aversion stimulus.

16.

During a session with his social worker, Brad describes himself as loyal and honest. However, he has confessed in previous sessions that he regularly cheats on his wife with a coworker. 

What defense mechanism is Brad using?

  • Compartmentalization

  • Regression

  • Projection

  • Splitting

Correct answer: Compartmentalization

Psychological Defense Mechanisms are unconscious, involuntary techniques that reduce anxiety. Compartmentalization refers to the process of separating various parts of oneself from each other and behaving as if each one has separate sets of values and beliefs. 

Regression involves returning to more infantile patterns. Projection is when a person's own uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are assigned to another. Splitting is a defense mechanism that is associated with Borderline Personality Disorder, and occurs when one sees self and others as "all good" and "all bad."

17.

One of the major components of a contract between social worker and client is:

  • Reciprocal accountability

  • Free association

  • Prognosis

  • What the relationship between social worker and client is after termination of services

Correct answer: Reciprocal accountability

A contract is an agreement created between a social worker and the client to make it very clear what the therapy is meant to address, which interventions will be administered, and how goals will be achieved. One of the most important components of a contract is reciprocal accountability, and this refers to the expectations of both the social worker and the client throughout the course of therapy or other services.

Free association is a technique used in psychoanalysis that gives permission to clients to express thoughts that influence their current functioning. Prognosis refers to the likelihood that a client's symptoms will improve and, while this is part of informed consent, it is not necessarily part of a social worker/client contract. A social worker should also be very clear about the limits and boundaries that need to be in place after termination of services, but this is not necessarily a main component of a contract.

18.

One of the MOST likely contributions that a social work researcher's perspective might make in investigating the efficacy of a new/innovative intervention method would be:

  • Studying and documenting the effects of culture, race, and/or ethnicity related to outcomes and client/participant perceived effectiveness of the intervention

  • Exploring statistical interactions between various levels of exposure to treatment and measures of symptom improvement

  • Comparing the efficacy of the model in question against more established models, in the context of the research participants' genetic vulnerability to the disorder being treated

Correct answer: Studying and documenting the effects of culture, race, and/or ethnicity related to outcomes and client/participant perceived effectiveness of the intervention

Given the research priority indicated in the information in the question, the social work research perspective/contribution would be greatest (and most likely) in an area in which social work espouses the greatest value and focus.

While it would not be prohibited or impossible for a social work researcher to address the areas contained in the other options, those areas can be seen to be within the primary purview of professions other than social work (i.e., psychology, anthropology/sociology, biology/medicine, etc.).

19.

Which of the following BEST expresses the key aspect(s) of the principle of informed consent in social work agency/practice contexts?

  • It is a concept that is central to any practice situation, and while specific practices vary by setting, it supports the core value of client self-determination

  • The most important aspects of obtaining informed consent are that it is carefully documented and includes all necessary elements to protect the social worker from legal liability

  • It is primarily intended for settings in which experimental or untested treatments may be employed to provide the client with an opportunity to learn the potential risks/benefits of proposed interventions

Correct answer: It is a concept that is central to any practice situation, and while specific practices vary by setting, it supports the core value of client self-determination

Informed consent is a concept closely related to social work values, including support for the principle of self-determination. Although the process and degree of documentation involved may vary by setting, purpose, and policy, it is prudent as best practice across settings and/or legal requirements.

Informed consent is required in any client-worker relationship, and it is true that informed consent should be documented and serves to protect the social worker. However, it also protects the client from unauthorized parties having access to their information.

20.

One strategy that you might use while treating a client with passive aggressive tendencies is:

  • Create some discomfort for your client

  • Discourage self-confidence and self-sufficiency

  • Integrate family members into your client's treatment

  • Provide concrete evidence that perceptions of others are false

Correct answer: Create some discomfort for your client

Engagement can be challenging when dealing with resistance of any kind. The goal of social workers and other clinicians working with individuals with passive aggressive personalities is to make them aware of this anger. In this question, by creating discomfort, you are allowing your client to act out this discomfort in passive-aggressive ways and once this occurs in the safe space that is treatment, you can address the problem with your client.

When treating clients with passive aggressive personalities, the social worker should not discourage self-confidence. It is not necessary in all situations to integrate family members into treatment, and clients with passive aggressive tendencies/personalities do not necessarily have false perceptions of others and, therefore, do not require concrete evidence related to these perceptions.