Human Development
A social worker is working with a 75-year-old client who is reflecting on their life, expressing both satisfaction and regret. The client wonders whether they have made meaningful contributions and struggles with feelings of despair over missed opportunities. According to Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development, what is the BEST intervention for the social worker to focus on?
A) Encouraging the client to create new goals for the future
B) Exploring the client’s past successes and contributions
C) Helping the client accept that regret is a normal part of aging
D) Encouraging the client to suppress negative thoughts about the past
B) Exploring the client’s past successes and contributions
(In Erikson’s final stage—Ego Integrity vs. Despair—older adults reflect on their lives. Helping the client recognize accomplishments and meaningful contributions fosters a sense of integrity and life satisfaction.)
A treatment plan should be:
A) Static and unchangeable once it is set
B) Focused solely on the therapist's observations and assessments
C) Developed in collaboration with the client and reviewed regularly
D) Based exclusively on the diagnosis
C) Developed in collaboration with the client and reviewed regularly
Which of the following principles is NOT included in the NASW Code of Ethics?
A) Social justice
B) Integrity
C) Competence
D) Financial gain
D ) Financial Gain
A social worker at a high school notices that a student, Alex, seems isolated and has been absent frequently. Alex's grades have also dropped significantly this semester. What is the FIRST step the social worker should take?
A) Refer Alex to a mental health clinic without further assessment.
B) Meet with Alex to assess his situation and offer support.
C) Contact Alex's parents to inform them about the situation.
D) Advise Alex's teachers to reduce his workload immediately.
B) Meet with Alex to assess his situation and offer support.
What is a primary goal of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)?
A) To explore unconscious processes affecting present behavior
B) To change negative thought patterns to positive ones
C) To focus on solutions and encourage clients to use their strengths to achieve goals
D) To analyze past traumatic experiences and their impact on current functioning
C) To focus on solutions and encourage clients to use their strengths to achieve goals
A social worker is assessing a family through the lens of systems theory. The family consists of two parents, a teenage daughter, and a younger son. The daughter has recently been diagnosed with a chronic illness, which has caused shifts in family roles and dynamics. According to systems theory, how might this situation impact the family system?
A) Changes within one part of the system (the daughter's illness) will likely ripple through and affect the whole system in various ways.
B) The illness may be viewed as an isolated issue that only affects the daughter.
C) The family will remain static in their roles and dynamics despite the daughter's illness.
D) The son will automatically take on the role of caretaker to maintain balance within the family system.
A) Changes within one part of the system (the daughter's illness) will likely ripple through and affect the whole system in various ways.
What is the primary purpose of a psychosocial assessment in social work?
A) To determine the client's eligibility for social services
B) To diagnose psychiatric disorders
C) To understand the client's social, emotional, and behavioral functioning
D) To provide a legal documentation
C) To understand the client's social, emotional, and behavioral functioning
A social worker receives a subpoena demanding the release of a client's records. What should be the social worker's FIRST course of action?
A) Immediately release the records as requested by the subpoena.
B) Contact the client to inform them about the subpoena.
C) Consult with a legal advisor or supervisor to understand the obligations and rights.
D) Ignore the subpoena as client confidentiality is paramount.
C) Consult with a legal advisor or supervisor to understand the obligations and rights.
Maria, a social worker, is working with Lisa, a client who has decided to decline a recommended medical treatment due to her religious beliefs. Maria believes the treatment is in Lisa's best interest. What should Maria do?
A) Respect Lisa's decision and support her in exploring alternative solutions.
B) Contact Lisa's family to convince her to accept the treatment.
C) Override Lisa's decision by speaking directly to the medical team.
D) Report Lisa's refusal to the authorities as a self-harming behavior.
A) Respect Lisa's decision and support her in exploring alternative solutions.
A social worker is using motivational interviewing with a client who is considering making a lifestyle change to improve their health. What is a key principle of motivational interviewing?
A) Direct confrontation of client's denial about their situation
B) Providing expert advice and guidance without seeking client input
C) Expressing empathy through reflective listening
D) Prioritizing the social worker's agenda over the client's
C) Expressing empathy through reflective listening
According to Bowlby's attachment theory, a child with an avoidant attachment style is likely to display which of the following behaviors?
A) Shows distress when caregiver leaves but is easily comforted upon return.
B) Exhibits anger or indifference toward the caregiver upon return.
C) Seeks closeness to the caregiver and is resistant to explore.
D) Prefers to explore new environments independently without checking in with the caregiver.
B) Exhibits anger or indifference toward the caregiver upon return.
Which of the following is NOT a part of the DSM-5's criteria for diagnosing Major Depressive Disorder?
A) At least a two-week period of a depressed mood
B) Presence of at least five depressive symptoms
C) Symptoms cause clinically significant distress in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
D) The individual must have a previous diagnosis of Dysthymia
D) The individual must have a previous diagnosis of Dysthymia
Which of the following scenarios BEST illustrates an unethical dual relationship?
A) A social worker attending the same yoga class as a client, with minimal interaction.
B) A social worker providing therapy to a neighbor.
C) A social worker accepting a friend request on social media from a former client they haven't seen in years.
D) A social worker and a client both participate in a public fundraiser for a local charity.
B) A social worker providing therapy to a neighbor.
John, a social worker, learns that his client, Emma, is using illegal drugs while caring for her two young children. Emma has not been accused of neglect, but John is concerned for the children's safety. According to the NASW Code of Ethics, what is the BEST course of action for John?
A) Immediately report Emma to child protective services.
B) Discuss his concerns with Emma, focusing on the children's safety and wellbeing.
C) Ignore the drug use as long as there's no evidence of neglect or abuse.
D) Inform Emma's relatives about her drug use and its potential impact on the children.
B) Discuss his concerns with Emma, focusing on the children's safety and wellbeing.
A client with a history of trauma is experiencing intense flashbacks and dissociation. The social worker decides to integrate Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as part of the treatment plan. What ethical consideration must the social worker prioritize before proceeding with EMDR?
A) Ensuring the client has given informed consent specifically for EMDR, understanding its purpose, process, and potential risks
B) Making sure that EMDR is used as the sole treatment modality for trauma to ensure its effectiveness
C) Waiting for a significant period to see if traditional psychotherapy methods work before trying EMDR
D) Obtaining permission from a family member or caregiver to use EMDR with the client
A) Ensuring the client has given informed consent specifically for EMDR, understanding its purpose, process, and potential risks
Which of the following Erik Erikson's stages is characterized by the challenge of trust vs. mistrust?
A) Adolescence
B) Early Childhood
C) Infancy
D) Young Adulthood
C) Infancy
When utilizing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for a client with anxiety, what is an essential component to include in the treatment plan?
A) Encouragement to avoid anxiety-provoking situations
B) Identification and challenging of irrational beliefs
C) Exclusive focus on past traumatic events
D) Use of medication in place of talk therapy
B) Identification and challenging of irrational beliefs
A social worker is working with a client who expresses a desire to harm themselves. The client has a history of making similar statements without acting on them. The client has not provided any specific plan or means. What is the MOST ethically appropriate action for the social worker to take?
A) Break confidentiality and contact the client's family to inform them of the risk.
B) Advise the client to engage in more social activities to distract from these thoughts.
C) Immediately hospitalize the client based on their historical statements.
D) Assess the immediacy and seriousness of the threat, including asking about plans and means.
D) Assess the immediacy and seriousness of the threat, including asking about plans and means.
A client, Derek, who is dealing with severe depression, discloses to his social worker that he has had thoughts of suicide, but insists he has no plan to act on these thoughts. He pleads with the social worker not to tell anyone, fearing it would lead to his hospitalization. What is the MOST appropriate action for the social worker to take?
A) Respect Derek's wishes and keep the information confidential.
B) Hospitalize Derek immediately based on his suicidal ideation.
C) Assess Derek's risk of suicide more thoroughly, including any plans, means, and supports.
D) Inform Derek's emergency contact about his suicidal thoughts.
C) Assess Derek's risk of suicide more thoroughly, including any plans, means, and supports.
A client with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) frequently experiences intrusive thoughts about worst-case scenarios. The social worker decides to use cognitive restructuring to address these thoughts. What is the FIRST step in cognitive restructuring?
A) Identifying and challenging negative thoughts
B) Encouraging the client to replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations
C) Teaching relaxation techniques to decrease anxiety symptoms
D) Helping the client develop behavioral experiments to test their beliefs
A) Identifying and challenging negative thoughts
(Cognitive restructuring begins by identifying the client’s automatic negative thoughts before challenging and modifying them.)
According to Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, which of the following challenges is MOST associated with early adulthood (ages 20–40 years)?
A) Identity vs. Role Confusion
B) Intimacy vs. Isolation
C) Generativity vs. Stagnation
D) Ego Integrity vs. Despair
B) Intimacy vs. Isolation
(This stage focuses on the ability to form close relationships and develop meaningful connections with others.)
A client with a dual diagnosis of substance use disorder and bipolar disorder is resistant to medication management for the bipolar disorder due to past experiences with side effects. What is the MOST appropriate action for a social worker to take in developing a treatment plan?
A) Insist on medication compliance as it is the standard of care
B) Work collaboratively with the client and a psychiatrist to explore medication options, considering the client's concerns and experiences
C) Focus treatment solely on substance use until the client agrees to medication for bipolar disorder
D) Refer the client to another provider, as this situation is too complex to manage
B) Work collaboratively with the client and a psychiatrist to explore medication options, considering the client's concerns and experiences
A social worker discovers that a colleague has been discussing clients' cases with non-staff members in a public setting, potentially violating confidentiality. What is the FIRST step the social worker should take according to the NASW Code of Ethics?
A) Confront the colleague directly and discuss the potential breach of ethics.
B) Report the colleague to the state licensing board.
C) Inform their supervisor or another appropriate authority within the organization.
D) Ignore the situation unless a client raises a complaint.
A) Confront the colleague directly and discuss the potential breach of ethics.
You are working with a family where the parents are going through a contentious divorce. The children are showing signs of stress and emotional distress. Both parents are using the sessions to argue their points for custody, rather than focusing on the children's wellbeing. What is the FIRST step you should take to address this situation effectively?
A) Choose a side to support in the custody battle based on the children's best interest.
B) Refuse to continue sessions until the parents agree to behave civilly.
C) Redirect the focus of the sessions to the children's needs and establish ground rules for participation.
D) Report the situation to the court, recommending a guardian ad litem for the children.
C) Redirect the focus of the sessions to the children's needs and establish ground rules for participation.
A social worker is treating a client diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who avoids situations that remind them of past trauma. The social worker decides to use exposure therapy. What is the PRIMARY goal of exposure therapy?
A) To help the client avoid distressing memories
B) To gradually desensitize the client to trauma-related stimuli
C) To help the client suppress traumatic memories
D) To focus solely on relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety
B) To gradually desensitize the client to trauma-related stimuli
(Exposure therapy is designed to reduce avoidance and decrease the emotional power of trauma-related triggers through gradual exposure.)