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Quiz Session - Attempts With Random Questions

ASWB LCSW Exam Questions

Page 3 of 50

41.

According to Sigmund Freud's belief, which of the following contains thoughts, desires, feelings, and memories of which a client has no awareness, even though they influence their daily life?

  • Unconscious

  • Conscious

  • Superego

Correct answer: Unconscious

Stemming from Sigmund Freud's belief, the unconscious contains thoughts, desires, feelings, and memories of which a client has no awareness, even though they influence their daily life. 

Freud believed that the conscious, however, contains all of the information that a client is paying attention to at any given time, and that superego is the moral component of personality. 

42.

A single subject design is MOST appropriate in this type of clinical practice environment:

  • Inpatient psychiatric facility

  • Private practice

  • County health department

Correct answer: Inpatient psychiatric facility

A social worker should have control over the client’s environment when using a single subject design, which means an inpatient psychiatric facility would be the most appropriate clinical practice environment.

The other options are incorrect because a social worker would not have as much/any control over the client’s environment in an outpatient setting, like a private practice or a county health department.

43.

You have been working with a client, Davie, for a few sessions when he states that he enjoys visiting crowded places because he receives erotic pleasure by rubbing against others. Which of the following diagnostic categories BEST describes Davie?

  • Frotteurism

  • Fetishism

  • Voyeurism

Correct answer: Frotteurism

Frotteurism is when an individual experiences erotic pleasure by rubbing against or touching a nonconsenting person.

Fetishism is when an individual experiences an erotic attraction to an object or a body part, such as clothing or hair, and voyeurism is when an individual experiences erotic pleasure by watching unsuspecting individuals while they are undressed or engaged in sexual activities. These options do not best fit the information that is offered in the question, so they are incorrect.

44.

Elsa, a young girl, comes in to see you for therapy. She is conventionally attractive but does not think she is. In fact, she suffers from what she sees as negative aspects of her appearance, particularly her hair and thigh gap. She always checks herself whenever she walks past anything reflective to make sure her hair is okay and she has an acceptable thigh gap. Elsa also reports that she thinks people talk about these aspects of her appearance when she is not paying attention.

Which of the following disorders is Elsa MOST likely suffering from?

  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

  • Social Anxiety Disorder

  • Histrionic Personality Disorder

Correct answer: Body Dysmorphic Disorder

While Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are in the same family of disorders, Elsa's obsessive quality of thought and action hinges on aspects of her appearance, and her repetitive mental/physical acts are to fight off the ensuing anxiety.

Social Anxiety Disorder is more characterized by a fear of evaluation in general and does not usually contain compulsive action as a component. Histrionic Personality Disorder would speak to a broader pattern of attention-seeking behaviors, and would also not necessarily contain any compulsive thought or action. These two options are not the best fit for a diagnosis for Elsa, based on the information in this question.

45.

In order to facilitate treatment and the effectiveness of interventions in social work practice, the following is the MOST important factor:

  • Establishment and maintenance of a sound worker/client relationship

  • Confirming that the worker and client fully agree on the nature and extent of the client's presenting problems and methods by which solutions may be obtained

  • Explanation of agency/practice policies/procedures and methods, such that the client has a clear, complete understanding of what to expect

Correct answer: Establishment and maintenance of a sound worker/client relationship

One of the core elements of social work practice is the strong emphasis on the relationship between client and worker. There is a high likelihood that if there is mutual trust and respect in the social worker/client relationship, treatment will be more effective.

Accomplishment of items listed in other choices, while not irrelevant or unimportant, can be facilitated or hindered by the quality of the relationship.

46.

A mother and father are seeing you in regard to Jakoby, their teenage son. He is a great student and is active in many after-school activities. However, once Jakoby is home, he will barely speak to his parents. The mother feels that this is normal teenage behavior, while the father disagrees and believes that the behavior is not normal. 

What should you do FIRST?

  • Focus on the family’s interpersonal communication

  • Provide the parents with marital counseling

  • Request Jakoby's school record

Correct answer: Focus on the family’s interpersonal communication

In this question, since Jakoby is doing well at school, it appears as if he is reacting to his parents' inability to agree on different situations and is trying to stay out of the disagreements between his parents. Therefore, you need to focus on the family’s interpersonal communication.

The question, and information provided in it, does not suggest marriage counseling, and Jakoby's school record is not necessary, as he is not having trouble at school.

47.

The following type of validity in social work research is mostly concerned with the way different parts of a test might produce different results:

  • Internal consistency

  • Interobserver

  • Test-retest

  • Parallel forms

Correct answer: Internal consistency

Internal consistency reliability deals with the consistency across items within a test.

Interobserver reliability is interested in the different experiences of different testers or evaluators. Test-retest reliability addresses the consistency of the test's results across time, and parallel forms reliability deals with the consistency of different inventories taken from the same content.

48.

While you are in an adolescent psychiatric program, you consistently communicate with your clients/families with a light, lilting tone of voice and positive, smiling facial expressions. 

Which of the following is the LEAST accurate statement about your communication style?

  • It will have the effect of communicating hope and optimism to recipients and promote a sense of confidence in your focus on positive outcomes

  • The social worker may be unaware of this behavior, and could benefit from feedback regarding the fact that she uses this communication style

  • Adolescents, especially, may come to perceive you as insincere, fake, and/or lacking understanding of their problems/feelings

Correct answer: It will have the effect of communicating hope and optimism to recipients and promote a sense of confidence in your focus on positive outcomes

The communication behaviors described in the information in the question are examples of incongruity in communication between words and the manner in which they are expressed. Congruence, a good match between verbal/nonverbal expression, is a key factor in establishing/maintaining a sense of empathy and common understanding, especially in situations that are critical or difficult for clients.

Because of the incongruence between content and verbal presentation/facial expression, your communication style may create confusion among recipients. It is possible that you are unaware of how your behavior may affect others, or that your clients may perceive you as fake or insincere.

49.

Henry, a five-year-old child, cries when his parents drop him off at school and he constantly asks his teacher when he will see his parents again. Which of the following disorders is Henry MOST likely exhibiting?

  • Separation anxiety disorder

  • Conduct disorder

  • Adjustment disorder

Correct answer: Separation anxiety disorder

According to the DSM-5, an individual who shows excessive distress when faced with the loss of a major attachment figure demonstrates separation anxiety disorder. In this question, Henry is losing his parents for a short period of time, which causes him to experience excessive distress.

The other options are incorrect. An individual who is unable to adapt successfully to stressors in the environment demonstrates an adjustment disorder. An individual who repetitively demonstrates a patterned behavior which violates age-appropriate norms and social rules demonstrates a conduct disorder.

50.

Which of the following would be harmful to a client in crisis?

  • Becoming anxious in response to their situation

  • Rapidly establishing a collaborative relationship with a client

  • Allowing the client to maintain ownership of the crisis

  • Operating according to a general blueprint for responding to crisis situations

Correct answer: Becoming anxious in response to their situation

Becoming anxious in response to the client's crisis could be harmful. Even if you are reasonably worried for the client, becoming outwardly anxious could worsen the crisis.

All of the other answer choices are appropriate social worker actions during a crisis, and they are unlikely to be harmful.

51.

The Kahan family is meeting with you for family therapy. Mr. and Mrs. Kahan insist that two of their three children are well-adjusted, but their third, Wednesday, often gets into trouble at school and refuses to socialize with the rest of the family. She also has an overall, difficult personality. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kahan blame Wednesday for their marital issues.

Wednesday could be regarded as the:

  • Family scapegoat

  • Reason for homeostasis within the Kahan family

  • Reason for the Kahan's troubles

  • Bully

Correct answer: Family scapegoat

A family scapegoat is a member of a family who is singled out for being different, and often for causing conflict between other family members. In this question, Mr. and Mrs. Kahan are blaming Wednesday for the problems in the family. You should help the parents realize that Wednesday is not the source, and should help Mr. and Mrs. Kahan strengthen their own relationship, which, hopefully, would improve the family dynamics, as well as Wednesday's symptoms. 

Homeostasis is the state of balance within the family, but no specific member of the family is the reason for homeostasis. As stated above, even though the Kahans may believe Wednesday is the reason for all the family's troubles, this is a dysfunctional view of the situation and it must be corrected in order for healthy functioning to occur. It is not suggested in the information offered in the question that the third child is a bully.

52.

You are working with a client for one-on-one therapy. The client begins to have a very angry reaction towards you, despite your best efforts to be kind and engaging.

Of the following, what would be the best response?

  • Evaluate whether transference might be at play

  • Discharge the client for being uncooperative

  • Allow your supervisor to sit in on a session and observe the problem

  • Reprimand the client for being rude

Correct answer: Evaluate whether transference might be at play

Transference appears when a client directs feelings about someone else in their life toward the social worker. In this case, the social worker may be triggering anger in the client, because the client is working out anger they have toward someone else in their life.  Working through transference can be clinically meaningful.

Discharging the client for being uncooperative would not be ethically appropriate. Part of the social worker's role is to engage the client and work through resistance.

Having a supervisor sit in on a session is also not the most appropriate choice. The client may be intimidated by having an additional party in a session, and you would need client permission.

Finally, your role is not to reprimand clients.

53.

The following is NOT a value that may inhibit the therapeutic relationship:

  • Utilitarianism

  • Universalism

  • Dichotomous thinking

  • Heightened value on logic

Correct answer: Utilitarianism

Because social workers will always be somewhat different from their clients in one way or another, it is important to recognize ways in which these differences might affect the therapeutic relationship. Strongly held values, such as Universalism, dichotomous thinking, and the heightened value on logic can limit one's perspective and excessively influence the therapeutic bond.

Utilitarianism is a broad, ethical philosophy and not specifically concerned with treatment.

54.

Miles is meeting his client, Maverick, for therapy. Over the past few months of sessions, Miles has noticed that Maverick tends to sexualize his appearance, tends to overdramatize his experiences, and goes out of his way to seek attention in any way he can. 

What personality disorder is Maverick MOST likely suffering from?

  • Histrionic Personality Disorder

  • Borderline Personality Disorder

  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder

  • Schizoid Personality Disorder

Correct answer: Histrionic Personality Disorder

Based on the information in the question, Maverick appears to suffer from Histrionic Personality Disorder. This disorder is most characterized by aggressive and risky attention-seeking, some of which may be sexualized, and the overdramatic and melodramatic expression of life events.

While the other options are personality disorders, they do not match the information in the question.

55.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is a manual of the standard classification of mental disorders and is used by mental health professionals in the United States. The most recent 5th edition (DSM-5) was released in what year? 

  • 2013

  • 1968

  • 2000

  • 1980

Correct answer: 2013

The DSM-5 is the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used in the diagnosis of mental disorders.

The DSM-II was released in 1968, the DSM-III was released in 1980, and the DSM-IV-TR was released in 2000. 

56.

If Jackson refuses to leave his home and becomes panicked when he has to leave, what is Jackson MOST likely suffering from?

  • Agoraphobia

  • Aphephobia

  • Algophobia

Correct answer: Agoraphobia

According to the DSM-5, agoraphobia is the fear of leaving home or going to unfamiliar places. It is addressed along with other phobias in the Anxiety Disorders section.

The other options are not correct because algophobia is the fear of pain and aphephobia is the fear of being touched.

57.

The following situation is the BEST example of "cognitive dissonance":

  • A consumer wishes to buy a household appliance, and he has determined what price range is within his budget. As he is shopping, a salesperson engages him in a discussion and indicates that he probably would only need one of the "less complicated" models (which is within his budget range), implying that he would not have the skill to operate a model with more "features." He buys one of the more expensive appliances, assuming it will be much more useful than those within his budget.

  • A student who has tremendous admiration for one of her professors reads an announcement in her school's weekly newspaper, indicating that the professor is retiring at the end of the year. The student feels very insulted that the professor did not announce this event personally in a class that the student was taking.

  • A man who has been seeking a change in his employment and consistently searching for new positions receives offers from two competing companies simultaneously. While he is glad to have choices, he feels overwhelmed by deciding which offer to accept. He makes a list of the pros/cons of each, compares the lists, and accepts the position that seems to have the most advantages and the least significant drawbacks.

Correct answer: A consumer wishes to buy a household appliance, and he has determined what price range is within his budget. As he is shopping, a salesperson engages him in a discussion and indicates that he probably would only need one of the "less complicated" models (which is within his budget range), implying that he would not have the skill to operate a model with more "features." He buys one of the more expensive appliances, assuming it will be much more useful than those within his budget.

The term "cognitive dissonance" is used to describe the feeling of discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs. It is a key term used in the analysis of behavior. When there is a discrepancy between beliefs and/or behaviors, in order to create a sense of "balance" and reduce discomfort, often individuals will alter their attitudes, beliefs, and/or behavior such that the source of conflict is reduced or eliminated. Cognitive dissonance can occur in many areas of life, but it is particularly evident in situations where an individual's behavior conflicts with beliefs that are integral to their self-identity. 

The other options do not demonstrate cognitive dissonance because there are no clear conflicts between two sets of beliefs.

58.

In which of the following scenarios would it be appropriate to limit a client's rights to self-determination?

  • A client states they have a plan to kill themselves and intends to act on this plan

  • A client shows maladaptive behaviors

  • A client is not following the social worker's advice

Correct answer: A client states they have a plan to kill themselves and intends to act on this plan

Social workers should respect clients' rights to self-determination. Ultimately, social workers should not tell clients what to do, and the client should decide to change. A social worker should only limit clients' rights to self-determination when clients' actions or potential actions create serious risks to themselves or others. Acting on a suicide plan would create a serious risk, and thus would be the only option here when it would be appropriate to limit a client's right to self-determination.

If a client shows maladaptive behaviors, the social worker should help them learn and practice new skills. The social worker should not limit the client's right to self-determination; instead, they should help the client grow through modeling and role-playing.

Social workers should not tell clients what to do; thus, giving advice should not even be a part of the client-social worker relationship.

59.

Odessa, a social work student, is working in a field placement setting and has a reputation for being very direct, assertive, and communicating well in her work. She is assigned a client whose major problems include playing a victim role and repeatedly disengaging from potentially beneficial relationships. Tom, the clinical supervisor, observes that Odessa's behavior has begun to lack confidence and her manner of expressing herself has become progressively more indirect. In fact, Odessa has reached a point at which she begins to make excuses for needing to miss appointments and scheduled supervision sessions, and she seems to avoid regular contact with Tom. 

The MOST likely explanation for the above can be described by one of the following terms: 

  • Parallel process

  • Vicarious trauma

  • Interdisciplinary collaboration

  • Projective identification

Correct answer: Parallel process

Parallel process is a concept that originated in classical Freudian psychoanalytic practice in the form of a client's behaviors and characteristics becoming "mirrored" by the therapist or, in this case, social work student, Odessa. 

Vicarious trauma is an emotional impact experienced by social workers and therapists due to their treatment of trauma victims. Projective identification is when aspects of self are separated and projected onto a person with whom the identifier has a close relationship. Interdisciplinary collaboration is a complex phenomenon formed between two or more people from various professional fields to achieve common goals.

60.

Which of the following is NOT a step in cognitive restructuring?

  • Exploring repressed urges

  • Identifying dysfunctional beliefs related to problems

  • Teaching clients that beliefs are responsible for their emotional reactions

  • Replacing self-defeating thoughts with more rational thinking patterns

Correct answer: Exploring repressed urges 

Cognitive restructuring is a method used in cognitive behavioral interventions to help clients change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaving. Exploring repressed urges aligns with the psychodynamic approach, but it is not a part of cognitive restructuring.

All the other answer options are steps in cognitive restructuring.

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