×

Quiz Session - Attempts With Random Questions

ASWB BSW Exam Questions

Page 7 of 50

121.

Jamila is a social worker in a middle school in her community. She is meeting with a new student who frequently displays aggressive behavior, has difficulty forming attachments, and shows delayed developmental milestones. The child also withdraws from physical touch and avoids eye contact. Which of the following is MOST LIKELY indicated by these behaviors?

  • Psychological neglect 

  • Physical abuse

  • Sexual abuse

  • Physical neglect 

Correct answer: Psychological neglect 

Psychological neglect refers to a parent or caregiver's failure to provide emotional support, attention, and nurturing that is essential for a child's healthy development. The child's aggressive behavior, difficulty forming attachments, and withdrawal from physical touch and eye contact indicate emotional neglect because they suggest a lack of appropriate emotional care and responsiveness. Children experiencing psychological neglect may also express feelings of loneliness, have a flat affect, engage in bullying, and/or engage in self-harm. 

Physical abuse refers to the infliction of a physical injury, and signs of this include unexplained bruises, unexplained burns, unexplained fractures, and/or unexplained cuts. Children experiencing physical abuse may also be wary of adults, become aggressive, or fear reporting the abuse. Sexual abuse refers to acts of inappropriate exposure to sexual conduct or engagement in sexual contact without consent. Signs of sexual abuse in children include negative views of sex, overvaluation of sex, hypersexual behaviors, feelings of guilt, feelings of shame, a lack of trust, and/or development of sleep issues. Physical neglect refers to a failure to meet the physical needs of an individual. Signs of physical neglect in a child mirror those of physical abuse.

122.

Chris is a social worker at a mental hospital. In the course of his work, he notices ethical problems in how the hospital operates. In particular, Chris is concerned that patients are being served by other social workers who may not be qualified. In taking action, which social work value is Chris honoring?

  • Competence

  • Dignity and worth of the person

  • Social justice

  • Importance of human relationships

Correct answer: Competence

Social work values are inherent to providing the best quality service and maintaining the profession's integrity. Among these are competence, which is the value associated with being qualified. Others include honoring the dignity and worth of the person, having a commitment to social justice, and valuing the importance of human relationships.

123.

Which school of personality theory MOST describes human personality as the result of the interaction between person and environment?

  • Behavioral

  • Interactionist

  • Environmental

  • Affective

Correct answer: Behavioral

The behavioral theories describe personality as a result of many interactions between person and environment; in other words, learning. 

The other answers are incorrect.  Interactionist, environmental, and affective are not terms used to describe schools of personality theory.

124.

A social worker receives a call from the husband of one of her former clients, who died last year from cancer. The husband tells the social worker that he would like the notes from the social worker's sessions with his wife because he wants to be able to tell their children about mental health issues that run in the family.

What should the social worker do?

  • Explain to the husband the limits of confidentiality

  • Agree to release records to the husband, in-person

  • Ask the husband for the marriage certificate to allow the release of written records

Correct answer: Explain to the husband the limits of confidentiality

Social workers should always aim to protect the confidentiality of their clients and should never release information about a client's treatment without consent. Even though the social worker's former client is no longer alive, the social worker should protect the confidentiality of the deceased client.

As stated above, the social worker should not release records to the husband. There is no reason to ask for the couple's marriage certificate.

125.

During which phase of intervention planning would a social worker and client define the problem? 

  • Planning 

  • Assessment

  • Intervention

  • Evaluation 

Correct answer: Planning

The stages of intervention planning are engagement, assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, and termination. During the planning stage, the social worker and client work together to define the problem, uncover causes of the problem, discuss solutions, and develop SMART goals. This is the most appropriate stage for a client and social worker to define the client's problem to be treated. 

During the assessment stage, the social worker and client participate in an interview so that the social worker can gather information that will be used to identify problems and solutions. During the intervention stage, the client becomes actively engaged in pursuing the planned changes and working toward goals. During the evaluation stage, the client's perspective and objective observations are used to determine the level of progress and to determine whether goals and/or interventions need to be adjusted or have been completed. 

126.

A social worker has been meeting with a 21-year-old woman for therapy on a weekly basis for the past month for symptoms of depression. The woman has continued to display sadness and other depressive symptoms with little improvement. However, at the next therapy session, the woman's affect appears much brighter. In the course of their discussion, the social worker learns that the woman has been clearing out her belongings and giving them away to her loved ones.

Which of the following MOST likely explains the woman's change in mood?

  • The woman is planning to commit suicide

  • The woman is suffering from bipolar disorder

  • The woman's medication has started working

  • The woman has established a trusting relationship with the social worker

Correct answer: The woman is planning to commit suicide

There are many behavioral warning signs social workers should be aware of that indicate a client is contemplating suicide. These include a drastic increase in mood for no apparent reason, taking care of legal and other issues, and giving away belongings, among other signs. The social worker should ask the client directly if she is considering killing herself.

Other than the fact the woman's mood has changed, there are no indicators that the woman has bipolar disorder. The question does not mention that the woman is taking medication for depression. The woman may trust the social worker to some extent, but this is not the best explanation for the woman's sudden change in mood.

127.

Jessica is undergoing an assessment in a mental hospital. In part of the assessment, she is asked questions meant to establish whether stimuli she is experiencing are coming from inside or outside herself. Which of the following describes this part of her assessment?

  • Reality testing

  • Affect

  • Potential for harm

  • Orientation

Correct answer: Reality testing

"Reality testing" refers to how well a client knows the difference between internal stimuli and external stimuli or, in other words, what is "real" and what is part of their inner experience.

The other answers are incorrect. "Affect" refers to one's emotional presentation. A potential for harm section of an assessment may include psychosis, but not necessarily. "Orientation" in this context refers to a client's sense of location in context.

128.

Jane and Carol are meeting with a couples therapist in preparation for their wedding. The couple reports that there has been some benign conflict within the relationship as they navigate major life changes. They report that there has been an increase in independence and have had fears creep in about their sense of self being threatened if they get married. Which stage of couples development is the couple MOST LIKELY moving through?

  • Stability

  • Power struggle

  • Commitment

  • Romance 

Correct answer: Stability 

There are six identified stages of couples development: romance, power struggle, stability, commitment, and co-creation. During the stability phase, couples often find themselves shifting time and attention away from their partner and back to themselves. In healthy dynamics, this is completed in a respectful way. An additional indicator of a healthy relationship is the ability to resolve conflict without either partner feeling as though they have lost. The balance of intimacy and independence is key during this phase. 

The power struggle phase is characterized by pursuit of differentiation, or seeing yourself as an individual within a couple. During this stage, the individuals begin to see that their partner has flaws and that they are different. Conflict management skills are developed during this phase. The focus is on differences rather than shared traits or interests. The commitment stage focuses on acknowledging that they want to be together after resolving conflicts related to flaws and individuation and after seeing that the good outweighs the bad. Romance is the first stage and is characterized by discovering common interests, getting to know one another, and forming attachments.

129.

A social worker is meeting with a single mother whose three-year-old has been acting out aggressively toward other children and his teachers at daycare for the past two months. About three months ago the client's husband and father of the three-year-old was killed in a car accident. The social worker has tried several times to initiate a conversation about the death of the client's husband, but the client insists that she has "moved on." However, the social worker believes that the child is acting out because of his father's sudden absence.

Which of the following should the social worker do FIRST?

  • Acknowledge the client's positive outlook on the situation

  • Let the client know that it is normal to deny feeling sad or angry about a spouse's death

  • Ask the child how he feels about his father's death

Correct answer: Acknowledge the client's positive outlook on the situation

The social work profession acknowledges the environment as an important contextual consideration in understanding client problems and providing assistance. The aim of social work practice is to focus on the interactions between people and systems in the social environment to attain a goal of restoration of balance or equilibrium where there has been some disruption. However, social workers should always aim to meet clients where they are, emotionally and psychologically. The client is clearly denying the impact that her husband's death is having on her son but, to preserve the relationship and focus on the client's strengths, the social worker should acknowledge the client's positive outlook on the situation before doing anything else.

By letting the client know that it is normal to deny feeling sad or angry about a spouse's death, the social worker is making an assumption about the client rather than validating her feelings. The social worker would be splitting if she asked the child how he feels about his father's death; this might be a question for further exploration once the mother has come further along in her therapy.

130.

All of the following are ways self-actualization might occur in the context of group work, EXCEPT:

  • Processing past experiences

  • Release of feelings that block social performance

  • Orientation to reality

Correct answer: Processing past experiences

Group work serves to help members gain more insight into themselves for the purpose of making changes in their lives. This self-actualization occurs through:

  • A release of feelings that block social performance
  • Support from others
  • Orientation to reality
  • Reappraisal of self

Processing past experiences occurs more often in individual rather than group settings.

131.

Joe is seeing his client, Ralph, for the first time. During their session, Ralph states that he is losing sleep and feeling sad. He has started drinking to excess and has missed work. Ralph suggests that this is because he has lost his job, has had bad luck in his investments, and has recently gotten bad news about a loved one's health.

Which of the following BEST describes Ralph's apparent condition?

  • Exogenous depression

  • Endogenous depression

  • Delusion

  • Disorientation

Correct answer: Exogenous depression

Exogenous depression is depression that is caused by something external rather than internal (such as a chemical imbalance). Common examples of catalysts for exogenous depressive episodes include traumatic events or grief.

Endogenous depression is depression that is caused by internal factors such as chemicals in the brain. Delusions are beliefs that individuals hold that are not true that they continue to believe even when confronted with irrefutable evidence against the beliefs. Disorientation refers to a lack of awareness of person, time, or place.

132.

A social worker is meeting with a family for the first time. The family consists of two parents, three children ages 5 to 12, and the children's maternal grandmother, who lives in the home. The grandmother complains that no one pays attention to her, while the father says his mother-in-law is "needy" and puts her own interests before the children's.

What should be the focus of the social worker's intervention?

  • Improving interactions between family members

  • Helping the grandmother find another place to live

  • Building the father's compassion for and patience with his mother-in-law

  • Encouraging the children to help more with their grandmother

Correct answer: Improving interactions between family members

Working with families has always been central to social work practice. Family interventions require treating not just an individual but all those within a family unit, with the focus of assessment and intervention directed at the interaction of family members.

The remaining answer options are incorrect. Helping the grandmother find another place to live may temporarily fix the problem, but there are very likely other dysfunctional relational patterns within the family system. The social worker's focus should be on interactions between all family members, not just the father. There is nothing in the question that indicates the children should be helping more with their grandmother.

133.

Which of the following BEST demonstrates an appropriate use of psychoeducation?

  • Teaching a group of parents about effective communication techniques with their teenagers

  • Providing a client with emotional support and active listening during a crisis

  • Encouraging a client to engage in creative art therapy to express their emotions

  • Recommending medication as the primary treatment for a client's depression

Correct answer: Teaching a group of parents about effective communication techniques with their teenagers

Psychoeducation involves providing clients with information they can use to make educated decisions that move them toward identified goals. Teaching parents effective communication techniques is an example of psychoeducation because it imparts practical knowledge to improve their parenting skills. One of the core tenets of the psychoeducation model is that education plays a very important role in emotional and behavioral change. 

Providing a client with emotional support and active listening is an important aspect of therapeutic relationships, but it does not focus on educating the client about specific skills or knowledge related to their situation. Encouraging a client to engage in creative art therapy to express their emotions is a therapeutic intervention but does not primarily focus on education. Psychoeducation centers on providing information and knowledge. Recommending medication is not an example of psychoeducation. Providing information about the benefits and drawbacks of medication is an example of medication psychoeducation. 

134.

Sam, a new client, is expressing some of her needs to a case worker who is helping her find resources. Which of the following would NOT be considered a D-need using Maslow's hierarchy of needs? 

  • Identifying being an artist as her calling in life 

  • Obtaining shelter

  • Leaving an abusive relationship

  • Developing a romantic relationship

Correct answer: Identifying being an artist as her calling in life 

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is split into five levels: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization. This is broken into two categories: deficiency needs (or, more often, D-needs) and growth needs. D-needs include physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, and esteem needs. Growth needs are encompassed in self-actualization. Self-actualization is defined as becoming or pursuing what one is capable of being and emphasizes potential. Identifying one's true calling is considered a growth need and aligns with pursuit of self-actualization.

Prior to reaching or pursuing self-actualization, a person must meet all D-needs. Obtaining shelter and leaving an abusive relationship would be considered safety needs. Developing social and romantic relationships is considered a social need. As a result, these are all considered D-needs. 

135.

Termination will most likely occur in all of the following situations, EXCEPT:

  • A social worker and client have just agreed on a treatment plan

  • A client and social worker agree that their work together is complete

  • A social worker quits their job at an agency

Correct answer: A social worker and client have just agreed on a treatment plan 

Termination is the final stage of therapy when the client and the social worker's time together has come to an end. Establishing a treatment plan is one of the first steps of therapy, so if a social worker and client have just agreed on goals, then the next step to follow would be interventions, not termination.

Termination usually occurs when both the client and the social worker agree that their work together is complete. It can also happen more abruptly, however, if the social worker leaves an agency or if a client relocates.

136.

Carl, a social worker, is seeing his client Julia for their first session. During the course of the session, Julia is surprised to find that Carl's office is in his home, having expected to be seen in an office. Julia also does not receive a physical examination during the session, which she expects from all health care providers. Finally, Julia is upset when she finds that Carl cannot prescribe medication as she anticipated.

Which aspect of role theory does Julia's experience depict?

  • Role conflict

  • Role ambiguity

  • Role complementarity

  • Role reversal

Correct answer: Role conflict

Roles are the norms that guide behavior in social interactions. Role conflict is defined as incompatible or conflicting expectations around these rules or norms. In this case, Julia's expectations of Carl as her therapist are completely congruent with her expectations but completely incongruent with Carl's actual role. The role conflict exists because Julia does not understand or is confused by Carl's role as her social worker.

According to role theory, role ambiguity exists when roles are undefined or incompletely defined. Role complementarity exists when all parties in the social interaction are satisfied that their expectations have been met. Role reversal exists when, in a planned or unplanned manner, roles are exchanged.

137.

What are dual relationships?

  • Cases in which a social worker relates to the same client in more than one relationship

  • Cases in which a social worker is not competent to administer services to a client

  • Cases in which a social worker acts unethically

  • Relationships that a client has with more than one social worker

Correct answer: Cases in which a social worker relates to the same client in more than one relationship

Dual relationships are common in social work practice. They are cases in which social workers relate to clients in more than one relationship, such as providing therapy to a client whose children go to the same school as the social worker's children.

Dual relationships are not related to the social worker's competence or whether the social worker is acting unethically. They also do not refer to a client who has more than one social worker.

138.

Which of the following is NOT a way to reduce cognitive dissonance?

  • Process the conflict with cognitive techniques

  • Shift behavior patterns to better align with their beliefs 

  • Shift thought patterns to better align with their behaviors 

  • Shift their perceptions of the conflicting options 

Correct answer: Process the conflict with cognitive techniques

Cognitive dissonance occurs when an individual is forced to make a choice and finds their options to be both at odds with one another and equally appealing (or unappealing). When working to reduce or eliminate cognitive dissonance, a social worker should work with a client to shift behavior patterns to better align with their beliefs, shift thought patterns to better align with their behaviors, or shift their perceptions of the conflicting options. 

Using cognitive techniques to process the conflict is not a recognized means for resolving cognitive dissonance. 

139.

A social worker lives in a small town and provides services to Jan, a hair stylist who has a stellar reputation in the town. There are not many other options, and Jan invites the social worker to come to her for a haircut. Which of the following statements is TRUE? 

  • The social worker should not go to her for a haircut as this would constitute a dual relationship

  • The social worker can get her hair cut by the client as long as clear boundaries are articulated beforehand 

  • The social worker is able to get a haircut from this client as there are not many other options available

  • The social worker is able to get a haircut if it is arranged as a barter for clinical services 

Correct answer: The social worker should not go to her for a haircut as this would constitute a dual relationship

The NASW Code of Ethics states, "Social workers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or former clients in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client. In instances when dual or multiple relationships are unavoidable, social workers should take steps to protect clients and are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries. (Dual or multiple relationships occur when social workers relate to clients in more than one relationship, whether professional, social, or business. Dual or multiple relationships can occur simultaneously or consecutively.)" 

This would be considered a dual relationship, and the NASW Code of Ethics advises against it. In the event that the dual relationship is unavoidable, it is allowed, but clear boundaries must be established. The prompt states that there are "not many" other options, indicating an alternative does exist and should be pursued prior to forming a dual relationship, regardless of established boundaries. Bartering is allowed in limited circumstances "when it can be demonstrated that such arrangements are an accepted practice among professionals in the local community, considered to be essential for the provision of services." This circumstance does not meet those requirements. 

140.

Cara, a social worker serving children, is working with her young client Pedro. Pedro is a model student with nearly perfect grades and no behavioral problems. However, he has begun to show signs of depression and is not skilled at engaging with his peers.

Which of the following parenting styles is Pedro MOST likely encountering at home?

  • Authoritarian parenting

  • Authoritative parenting

  • Permissive parenting

  • Uninvolved parenting

Correct answer: Authoritarian parenting

Authoritarian parenting is characterized by strict rules and harsh punishment. It tends to produce children that follow rules and are proficient in school work, but unhappy and unskilled with peer relationships.

The other answers are incorrect. Authoritative parenting ( a more democratic, nurturing approach) tends to produce children that are happy, capable, and successful. Permissive parenting (an approach where boundaries are looser) tends to produce unhappy children with poor self-regulation. Uninvolved parenting (an approach with little communication or engagement) is associated with low self-control, low self-esteem, and less competence in children.

×