LICSW Practice Questions – Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (Comprehensive
Exam Preparation Material)
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 - correct answer ✔✔B - Acknowledge the
client's right to decide about release of records
When faced by a hostile client in an agency setting, it is BEST for the social worker to:
a. Suggest that the client's attitude is making the situation worse
b. Accept the client's hostility and talk about nonthreatening topics
c. Set limits and structure on the interview session
d. Acknowledge the client's feelings and encourage discussion of them - correct answer ✔✔D -
Acknowledge the client's feelings and encourage discussion of them
A client who has received services for several years in a dialysis unit appears for a routine visit.
The nurse notices a markedly changed affect and refers the client to the social worker. When
seeing the social worker, the client seems detached, self-absorbed, and tearful. The social
worker should FIRST assess the client's:
a. Life situation and recent changes
b. Compliance with medical care
c. Concerns about dying
d. Feelings about dialysis - correct answer ✔✔A - Life situation and recent changes
,During Mrs. S's first appointment in a family agency, the social worker encourages her to
express her feelings about the recent placement of her child in a residential facility for the
developmentally disabled. Mrs. S talks at length instead about her physical problems. The social
worker should:
a. Use Mrs. S's remarks about her health to identify unresolved parenting issues
b. Refocus the interview on the child's behavior and the reason for the residential placement
c. Explore with Mrs. S how her health problems are related to the recent placement of her child
d. Listen to Mrs. S's description of her health as a beginning of a relationship and means of
assessing her self-perception - correct answer ✔✔D - Listen to Mrs. S's description of her health
as a beginning of a relationship and means of assessing her self-perception
A couple expressing extreme anger at each other go to a social worker for marital counseling.
The social worker should FIRST:
a. Explore the goals the anger is masking
b. Clarify whether each partner is willing to hear the other
c. Acknowledge the anger each partner has toward the other
d. Use the interview to probe for positive feelings each has for the other - correct answer ✔✔C -
Acknowledge the anger each partner has toward the other
A social worker has been asked to assist an elderly client in making alternative living
arrangements. In the initial interview, the client repeatedly attempts to discuss past
experiences. What is the social worker's MOST appropriate response to the client?
a. Ignore the references to the past
b. Facilitate discussion of the recollections
c. Refer the client for psychiatric evaluation
d. Administer a geriatric evaluation scale - correct answer ✔✔B - Facilitate discussion of the
recollections
,A hospital social worker interviews a couple whose six month old infant has recently been
hospitalized for cystic fibrosis. The social worker notices that the parents are reluctant to touch
the child. Based on this information, the social worker's FIRST intervention should be to:
a. Explore the parent's reaction to the child's illness
b. Refer the couple to a support group
c. Evaluate the situation for out-of-home placement
d. Provide the couple with information - correct answer ✔✔A - Explore the parent's reaction to
the child's illness
In the first session with a school social worker, a high school student reveals that he has been
cutting school and forging his mother's name on absence excuses. The social worker should:
a. Inform the student that the social worker has a responsibility to inform his mother
b. Avoid negatively reinforcing the attention-seeking behavior
c. Suggest that it would be best for him to inform school authorities and accept responsibility
for his behavior
d. Explore the reasons for the absences and factors contributing to the behavior - correct
answer ✔✔D - Explore the reasons for the absences and factors contributing to the behavior
A family comes to an agency complaining of their child's behavior problems. As a result of the
assessment phase, the social worker believes that the marital relationship is the primary
problem. The social worker should focus on:
a. The parents, confronting them with their relationship issues
b. The child and the ways the parents should react to the behavior
c. A discussion of the social worker's perception of the marital relationship
d. Developing the child's insight into behavior as a reaction to marital stress - correct answer
✔✔C - A discussion of the social worker's perception of the marital relationship
A 28-year-old with a long standing history of drug use is referred to a social worker by a
concerned relative. In the assessment interview, the client tells the social worker about frequent
cocaine use. The social worker should FIRST:
, a. Conduct a family interview to evaluate the family's concern
b. Begin treatment, focusing on the reason for drug abuse
c. Refer the client to a substance abuse program
d. Evaluate the client's motivation for change - correct answer ✔✔C - Refer the client to a
substance abuse problem
The developmental tasks of self-evaluation and skill learning are associated with what life stage?
a. Toddlerhood (2-4 years)
b. Early Childhood (4-6 years)
c. Middle School (6-12 years)
d. Early Adolescence (12-18 years) - correct answer ✔✔C - Middle School (6-12 years)
Parents of a four-year-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. Parent's understanding of the child's developmental process
d. Ways in which the child interferes with the parent's own relationship - correct answer ✔✔C -
Parent's understanding of the child's developmental process
The two most common defenses used by couples with marital problems are
a. Repression and Denial
b. Repression and Suppression
c. Projection and Displacement
d. Projection and Splitting - correct answer ✔✔C - Projection and Displacement
Exam Preparation Material)
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 - correct answer ✔✔B - Acknowledge the
client's right to decide about release of records
When faced by a hostile client in an agency setting, it is BEST for the social worker to:
a. Suggest that the client's attitude is making the situation worse
b. Accept the client's hostility and talk about nonthreatening topics
c. Set limits and structure on the interview session
d. Acknowledge the client's feelings and encourage discussion of them - correct answer ✔✔D -
Acknowledge the client's feelings and encourage discussion of them
A client who has received services for several years in a dialysis unit appears for a routine visit.
The nurse notices a markedly changed affect and refers the client to the social worker. When
seeing the social worker, the client seems detached, self-absorbed, and tearful. The social
worker should FIRST assess the client's:
a. Life situation and recent changes
b. Compliance with medical care
c. Concerns about dying
d. Feelings about dialysis - correct answer ✔✔A - Life situation and recent changes
,During Mrs. S's first appointment in a family agency, the social worker encourages her to
express her feelings about the recent placement of her child in a residential facility for the
developmentally disabled. Mrs. S talks at length instead about her physical problems. The social
worker should:
a. Use Mrs. S's remarks about her health to identify unresolved parenting issues
b. Refocus the interview on the child's behavior and the reason for the residential placement
c. Explore with Mrs. S how her health problems are related to the recent placement of her child
d. Listen to Mrs. S's description of her health as a beginning of a relationship and means of
assessing her self-perception - correct answer ✔✔D - Listen to Mrs. S's description of her health
as a beginning of a relationship and means of assessing her self-perception
A couple expressing extreme anger at each other go to a social worker for marital counseling.
The social worker should FIRST:
a. Explore the goals the anger is masking
b. Clarify whether each partner is willing to hear the other
c. Acknowledge the anger each partner has toward the other
d. Use the interview to probe for positive feelings each has for the other - correct answer ✔✔C -
Acknowledge the anger each partner has toward the other
A social worker has been asked to assist an elderly client in making alternative living
arrangements. In the initial interview, the client repeatedly attempts to discuss past
experiences. What is the social worker's MOST appropriate response to the client?
a. Ignore the references to the past
b. Facilitate discussion of the recollections
c. Refer the client for psychiatric evaluation
d. Administer a geriatric evaluation scale - correct answer ✔✔B - Facilitate discussion of the
recollections
,A hospital social worker interviews a couple whose six month old infant has recently been
hospitalized for cystic fibrosis. The social worker notices that the parents are reluctant to touch
the child. Based on this information, the social worker's FIRST intervention should be to:
a. Explore the parent's reaction to the child's illness
b. Refer the couple to a support group
c. Evaluate the situation for out-of-home placement
d. Provide the couple with information - correct answer ✔✔A - Explore the parent's reaction to
the child's illness
In the first session with a school social worker, a high school student reveals that he has been
cutting school and forging his mother's name on absence excuses. The social worker should:
a. Inform the student that the social worker has a responsibility to inform his mother
b. Avoid negatively reinforcing the attention-seeking behavior
c. Suggest that it would be best for him to inform school authorities and accept responsibility
for his behavior
d. Explore the reasons for the absences and factors contributing to the behavior - correct
answer ✔✔D - Explore the reasons for the absences and factors contributing to the behavior
A family comes to an agency complaining of their child's behavior problems. As a result of the
assessment phase, the social worker believes that the marital relationship is the primary
problem. The social worker should focus on:
a. The parents, confronting them with their relationship issues
b. The child and the ways the parents should react to the behavior
c. A discussion of the social worker's perception of the marital relationship
d. Developing the child's insight into behavior as a reaction to marital stress - correct answer
✔✔C - A discussion of the social worker's perception of the marital relationship
A 28-year-old with a long standing history of drug use is referred to a social worker by a
concerned relative. In the assessment interview, the client tells the social worker about frequent
cocaine use. The social worker should FIRST:
, a. Conduct a family interview to evaluate the family's concern
b. Begin treatment, focusing on the reason for drug abuse
c. Refer the client to a substance abuse program
d. Evaluate the client's motivation for change - correct answer ✔✔C - Refer the client to a
substance abuse problem
The developmental tasks of self-evaluation and skill learning are associated with what life stage?
a. Toddlerhood (2-4 years)
b. Early Childhood (4-6 years)
c. Middle School (6-12 years)
d. Early Adolescence (12-18 years) - correct answer ✔✔C - Middle School (6-12 years)
Parents of a four-year-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. Parent's understanding of the child's developmental process
d. Ways in which the child interferes with the parent's own relationship - correct answer ✔✔C -
Parent's understanding of the child's developmental process
The two most common defenses used by couples with marital problems are
a. Repression and Denial
b. Repression and Suppression
c. Projection and Displacement
d. Projection and Splitting - correct answer ✔✔C - Projection and Displacement
