Ethics
1. The NASW Code of Ethics has six core pur-poses. Which of the following choices are included in those core purposes?
I. To provide the rules and standards that social workers can use to evaluate the conduct of others in the profession
II. To help identify information that social workers should take under advisement when ethical conflicts may exist or when an ethical dilemma presents itself
III. To inform new social workers about core issues relating to the mission of so-cial work and to the ethical standards of the field
IV. To relate the vision of social work in a standard way throughout the profession
V. To establish the consequences of violating the ethical standards of social work
VI. To ensure that collaborating professions are aware of the expectations to which social workers are held
a. Choices I, II, and III
b. Choices I, IV, and V
c. Choices II, III, and VI
d. Choices III, IV, and VI
a. Choices I, II, and III
_____ The NASW Code of Ethics is a set of rules that prescribe all behaviors in complexities of professional work and practice.
FALSE-It is a guide for conduct in situations that have ethical complications.
Claudia is coming to therapy for the first time. She meets her therapist, Susan, a licensed clinical social worker, and Susan tells her what she can expect from treatment. Claudia says that she understands the process of therapy and the risks and that she is excited to begin. Susan notes their discussion and begins her assessment. Has Susan satisfied the informed consent requirement, and why or why not?
a. Yes. Susan discussed the process and risks of therapy, and the client agreed.
b. No. Susan didn't ask Claudia if she un-derstood everything fully.
c. No. Susan did not have Claudia sign a consent form.
d. Yes. Susan made a note that Claudia agreed as part of her documentation.
c. No. Susan did not have Claudia sign a consent form.
Clinicians should take additional steps if necessary to ensure a client’s comprehension of the informed consent contract.
TRUE-Clinicians must take reasonable steps beyond simply presenting a consent form to ensure clients understand the informed consent contract. This includes using clear language, providing visual aids, offering interpreters, and addressing questions or concerns. The goal is to ensure clients are actively involved in the process and fully comprehend the terms before agreeing to treatment or research.
3. Susan's husband is employed in the IT sector and is looking for a new job. Susan's client, Claudia, mentions during their therapy session that her husband is an IT recruiter. At the end of their session, Susan asks Claudia for her husband's con-tact information. She says she would like her husband to reach out to Claudia's hus-band to find a better IT job. What bound-ary issue does this represent?
a. Dependency
b. Personal gain
c. Dual relationship
d. Altruism
b. Personal gain
Personal gain refers to instances in which a social worker engages in activity with a client that results in a monetary (or otherwise valuable) benefit to the social worker. This could involve situations such as referring a client to a business owned by the social worker or a friend/family member of the social worker, selling something to a client, or even asking a client for professional suggestions
The Code of Ethics (COE) does not cover research activities of social workers.
FALSE- The NASW Code of Ethics (Code of Ethics) does not specifically exclude social workers' research activities from its scope. In fact, the Code of Ethics directly addresses ethical research practices and provides guidance on how social workers should conduct research, including informed consent, confidentiality, and data collection.
4. Which of the following statements regard-ing the three stages of the prevention-fo-cused service distribution model of social work is incorrect?
a. The primary prevention stage involves addressing potential causes and getting rid of the problem's root cause.
b. The problem occurs prior to the primary prevention stage.
c. The secondary prevention stage in-volves actions that attempt to stop the problem before they spread and cause further harm.
d. Actions in the tertiary stage are de-signed to decrease the problem's sever-ity through remedial service provisions, which decrease the problem's lasting ef-fects and duration.
b. The problem occurs prior to the primary prevention stage.
Couples should be informed that both reconciliation and divorce are possible outcomes of therapy.
TRUE- Couples should be informed that both reconciliation and divorce are possible outcomes of therapy, particularly when engaging in discernment counseling. This is because discernment counseling aims to help couples gain clarity and make informed decisions about their relationship, whether that means staying together, separating, or divorcing.
5. What are the components of an ethical dilemma?
a. Conflicting values; the social worker must decide between different courses of action; the social worker may have to ter-minate with the client.
b. Ethical principles are at odds; the so-cial worker can either make a decision or not; the situation is troubling to the social worker.
c. Different courses of action exist; ethical
principles are at odds; the social worker can either make a decision or not.
d. The social worker must make a decision; different courses of action exist; no matter what choice of action is made, an ethical ideal will be compromised
d. The social worker must make a decision; different courses of action exist; no matter what choice of action is made, an ethical ideal will be compromised.
The NASW COE is relevant to all social workers and social work students, regardless of their professional functions, the settings in which they work, or the populations they serve.
TRUE- The statement is accurate. The NASW Code of Ethics is a foundational document for all social workers and social work students, regardless of their specific role, work setting, or the populations they serve. It outlines the core values, principles, and standards of ethical conduct that guide social work practice.