Values/ Ethics
In an initial session with a social worker, a client mentions having been hospitalized several times for depression. When the social worker attempts to explore the hospitalizations, the client becomes tense and guarded, saying "it's old history". The client refuses to give permission for the records to be released. The social worker should FIRST:
(A) explore why this topic appears to be upsetting the client
(B) acknowledge the client's right to decide about release of records
(C) reassure the client that the focus will be on present issues
(D) assess the client's current level of depression
(B) acknowledge the client's right to decide about release of records
Which of the following is the MOST commonly used assessment tool for diagnosing PTSD?
A. Beck Depression Inventory
B. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
C. Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS)
D. Rorschach Inkblot Test
C. Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS)
Which of the following theories emphasizes the importance of social systems in understanding human behavior?
A. Psychoanalytic Theory
B. Systems Theory
C. Behavioral Theory
D. Humanistic Theory
B. Systems Theory
A client reports feeling isolated and disconnected from their family. They express a desire to improve these relationships. What is the MOST effective initial intervention?
A. Encourage the client to confront their family immediately.
B. Advise the client to cut off ties with their family.
C. Recommend family therapy without further discussion.
D. Explore the client’s feelings and perceptions about their family dynamics.
D. Explore the client’s feelings and perceptions about their family dynamics.
Stress resulting from working with those who have experienced trauma; symptoms include apathy, feeling overwhelmed, exhaustion, pessimism, and feeling powerlessness; sometimes referred to as "the cost of caring"
Compassion fatigue
A 15-year-old client was recently referred to a therapist at a community counseling center for an initial assessment after throwing a chair at another student at school. The mother reports this is the first incident of this type, but that the client’s parents recently divorced a month ago. In order to develop the therapeutic relationship, the therapist must FIRST:
A. Go over the limitations of confidentiality with the client
B. Complete a biopsychosocial assessment
C. Play a game to lessen the stress of the first session
D. Get a release of confidentiality from the mother to talk to the client’s teacher
A. Go over the limitations of confidentiality with the client
A patient complains of sleeplessness, loss of appetite, feeling hopeless, general apathy. To help diagnose a social worker would most need to know (a) medications the client is taking (b) family history of depression (c) how long the symptoms have persisted (d) if the patient lives alone
(c) how long the symptoms have persisted
The view that learning takes place through observation and that new responses are acquired through the process of imitating models is associated with (a) cognitive behaviorism (b) operant conditioning (c) social learning (d) classic conditioning
(c) social learning
A client reports feeling extremely anxious about an upcoming job interview. What is the NEXT BEST step for the social worker to take?
A. Refer the client to a career counselor.
B. Advise the client to cancel the job interview.
C. Immediately suggest medication for anxiety.
D. Explore the client’s specific fears about the interview.
D. Explore the client’s specific fears about the interview.
Process of distinguishing between mental, physical, or other problems that result in similar symptoms or might be causes of behavior
Differential diagnosis
A therapist is developing a website to promote her private practice. It would be unethical to do which of the following:
A. Highlight the therapist’s expertise
B. Share extensive information about the therapist’s training and background
C. Include information about the therapist’s fees and sliding scale
D. Collect clients’ testimonials highlighting the effectiveness of treatment
D. Collect clients’ testimonials highlighting the effectiveness of treatment
Which of the following medications is primarily used in the treatment of psychosis? (a) haldol (b) xanax (c) wellbutrin (d) prozac
(a) haldol
Parents of a 4 yr old are referred to a social worker after a physical exam reveals no physical problem preventing the child from being toilet trained. The parents reveal that the child has not been able to separate from them to attend nursery school and he sleeps with them most nights. The most important area to focus on in the assessment phase is the: (a) parents use of rewards and punishments with the child (b) early developmental and family history of each parent (c) parents understanding of the child’s developmental processes (d) ways in which the child interferes with the parents own relationship
(c) parents understanding of the child’s developmental processes
A hospital social worker learns that a 6-year-old boy will be cared for by his 22-year-old brother after the parents were killed in an automobile accident. The adult brother works full-time and lives in a studio apartment. The young child has learning difficulties that require extra help with homework and some activities of daily living. Which of the following interventions will BEST assist these brothers?
A. Grief counseling to help address the recent loss of the parents
B. Case management to identify and coordinate needed resources
C. Educational supports to provide extra homework assistance
B. Case management to identify and coordinate needed resources
Manipulative behavior that is dramatic , demanding, self-indulgent, and attention-seeking
Histrionic behavior
A social worker is doing a home visit for a family with three kids who recently lost their mother in a car accident. The family was living in a homeless shelter and recently moved into a new home. When the social worker arrives, the social worker sees the father push one of his children on the ground and begins to punch the wall next to the child. The social worker’s FIRST response should be to:
A. Call the police
B. Make a CPS report
C. Intervene with the father
D. Take pictures of the event
A. Call the police
Borderline personality disorder is characterized by all of the following characteristics except (a) intense long term relationships (b) primitive delusional fantasies (c) lack of control of aggressive drives (d) self-destructive behavior
(a) intense long term relationships
Which of the following theories emphasizes the importance of unconscious processes and unresolved past conflicts?
A. Behavioral Theory
B. Psychoanalytic Theory
C. Humanistic Theory
D. Cognitive Theory
B. Psychoanalytic Theory
A client who is married to someone of the opposite gender reveals that having a homosexual affair for the last year has resulted in questioning of the client's current sexual orientation. The client is nervous about speaking to the spouse about the situation as the client thinks that the spouse will leave the relationship despite them having two small children. The BEST action by the social worker is to:
A. Help the client to understand the legal implications of ending the marriage
B. Assist the client to speak to the spouse about current sexual desires and interests
C. Educate the client about the importance of being truthful with the spouse about the affair
B. Assist the client to speak to the spouse about current sexual desires and interests
Counseling approach aimed at helping make changes; techniques focus on resolving ambivalence, eliciting change talk and behavior, and helping utilize internal motivation to make needed changes
Motivational interviewing
A therapist has been conducting a closed 10-week group for men living with AIDS. After the 3rd session, a group member reports to the leader that they are feeling frustrated and disconnected with other members of the group. They question whether or not they want to continue. The social worker should FIRST:
A. Initiate an individual session with this group member to address their feelings of frustration and disconnect
B. Tell the group member that it isn’t possible to leave the group at this time due to the closed nature of the group
C. Encourage the group member to bring this up in the next group session
D. Use the next group session to explore how other group members are feeling and whether anyone relates to how this group member is feeling in order to encourage cohesiveness
C. Encourage the group member to bring this up in the next group session
A 32-year-old client presents with persistent distrust and suspicion of others, even in the absence of clear evidence. He frequently interprets benign remarks as malicious, holds grudges, and is reluctant to confide in others due to fear of betrayal. There is no history of psychotic episodes, and his symptoms have been stable for years. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Schizotypal Personality Disorder
B) Paranoid Personality Disorder
C) Delusional Disorder, Persecutory Type
B) Paranoid Personality Disorder
A 32 year-old man seeks treatment from a social worker for ongoing problems with both his personal and professional functioning. He reports that even though he has been moderately successful in his career, he continues to feel uncertain about his abilities, feeling as if at any moment he will be exposed as a fraud. When the social worker inquires about his personal relationships, he looks down and says that he doesn’t really let anyone get close to him. According to Erikson, this client likely experienced difficulty during which developmental stage?
A. Trust vs. Mistrust
B. Industry vs. Inferiority
C. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
D. Initiative vs. Guilt
C. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
A client who is gender non-conforming comes to see a social worker due to reports of depression, sadness, and feelings of isolation. During the initial meeting, the client tells the social worker that they never really felt connected to others, citing a lack of friendships and intimate relationships as a reason for current unhappiness. Recently, the client has questioned their sexual orientation and interest in sexual relationships generally. In order to assist the client, the social worker should FIRST:
A. Refer the client for a medication evaluation for depression
B. Complete a sexual history on the client to identify past experience and encounters
C. Explore with the client past and current emotional connections
C. Explore with the client past and current emotional connections
Screening to identify diseases in the earliest stages, before the onset of signs and symptoms, through measures such as mammography and regular blood pressure testing
Secondary prevention