LCSW Exam – Quick Study Terms – essential social work definitions and concepts
for ASWB clinical exam
Steps of community organizing - correct answer ✔✔1. Integrate into the community
2. Identify the issue impacting the community
3. Identify individuals and create core group
4. Set goals and objectives
5. Create an action plan to meet goals
6. Execute and monitor the action plan
7. Evaluate the effect of the action plan on the stated goals
Lobbying - correct answer ✔✔influencing public policy, usually legislation or regulation
Coalitions - correct answer ✔✔groups of individuals in an alliance who represent various
organizations from within the community who agree to work together toward a common goal
internal: within a specific organization to achieve goal
external: number of organizations working together
these tend to be larger than a task force and may encompass task forces or sub-committees,
that are grouped by areas of specialty
Physical indicators of abuse - correct answer ✔✔-presence of multiple injuries at different
stages of healing
-history "doesn't fit"
-bruises on soft body parts of typically protected body parts (abdomen, buttocks, genitals)
-linear bruises
,-bruises on neck
-rope burns
-bite marks
-burns
-head injuries
Indicators of neglect - correct answer ✔✔-self stimulatory behavior or attempts to comfort
themselves instead of turning to adults
-developmental delay, failure to thrive, poor weight gain, thin extremities, protruding abdomen
-hoarding or stealing food
-chronic tiredness or drowsiness
-dirty, unwashed, foul body odor, unchanged diapers
-awkward peer relationships, half-hearted attempts at play
-variety of behavioral problems
Behavioral and emotional indicators of abuse - correct answer ✔✔-A child who is remote,
withdrawn, compliant, detached, and unresponsive to engagement
-Ambivalent, insecure attachment patterns
-Regressive behavior
-"Frozen watchfulness"
-Aggressive or hyperactive behavior
-Difficulty concentrating
-Lying, stealing, fighting, angry outbursts, aggression, drug use, truancy, social withdrawal,
anxiety, depression, or dissociative episodes
-(Important to rule out abuse before viewing this as antisocial behavior or Conduct Disorder)
,Physical and behavioral indicators of sexual abuse - correct answer ✔✔Fecal or urinary
incontinence after potty training; or other regressive behaviors (such as thumbsucking)
● Not wanting to be left alone with certain people or new fear of being away from primary
caregiver(s)
● Masturbation with a driven quality
● Mimicking sex/pelvic thrusting
● Refusing to bathe/inadequate personal hygiene
● Difficulty sleeping and/or nightmares
● Asks other children to behave sexually or play sexual games
● Mimics sexual behaviors with toys, dolls, or stuffed animals
● Somatic complaints without a physical cause
● Changes in weight or appetite
● Bruising, irritation, or swelling in genital area or difficulty walking or sitting
● Blood on underwear or bedding
● Urinary or yeast infections
● Sexually transmitted infection
● Post traumatic stress symptoms
Counter-transference - correct answer ✔✔A set of conscious or unconscious emotional
reactions to a client experienced by a therapist; These feelings usually originate in the
therapist's own developmental conflicts or past.
transference - correct answer ✔✔the emotional reactions that are assigned to current
relationships but originated in earlier experiences (often presented as feelings client has toward
therapist)
, Dual diagnosis - correct answer ✔✔the occurrence of coexistent diagnoses within an individual;
most commonly associated with a substance use disorder and another psychiatric disorder
Ego-syntonic - correct answer ✔✔Traits of personality, thought, behavior, and values that are
incorporated by the individual who considers them acceptable and consistent with their overall
"true" self. (often associated with personality disorders)
Ego-dystonic - correct answer ✔✔Traits of personality, behavior, thought, or orientation
considered to be unacceptable, repugnant, or inconsistent with the individual's perceptions—
conscious or unconscious—of themselves
Empowerment model - correct answer ✔✔Utilizes interventions that help people achieve a
sense of control in their lives by using a client's strengths, resources and resilience.
Reflection/reflective listening - correct answer ✔✔When using reflection, the social worker is
accurately describing the client's verbal and nonverbal clues, listening and responding to not
just the content, but the feelings of the client. It involves communicating that you accurately
sense the world as they are experiencing it. Reflection is like holding up a mirror in counseling;
you are reflecting back the essence of what the client has just communicated (verbally and
nonverbally) to you.
interpretation - correct answer ✔✔The therapist's clinical impression of the meaning behind
behavior, communication, thought patterns, other explicit and observable client content and
involves communicating an inferred component with the intention of adding new knowledge or
perspective
Probing questions - correct answer ✔✔questions that SW asks to help the client dig deeper into
their thoughts, feelings, and opinions
Task force - correct answer ✔✔any group or organization that is assembled for a specific task
for ASWB clinical exam
Steps of community organizing - correct answer ✔✔1. Integrate into the community
2. Identify the issue impacting the community
3. Identify individuals and create core group
4. Set goals and objectives
5. Create an action plan to meet goals
6. Execute and monitor the action plan
7. Evaluate the effect of the action plan on the stated goals
Lobbying - correct answer ✔✔influencing public policy, usually legislation or regulation
Coalitions - correct answer ✔✔groups of individuals in an alliance who represent various
organizations from within the community who agree to work together toward a common goal
internal: within a specific organization to achieve goal
external: number of organizations working together
these tend to be larger than a task force and may encompass task forces or sub-committees,
that are grouped by areas of specialty
Physical indicators of abuse - correct answer ✔✔-presence of multiple injuries at different
stages of healing
-history "doesn't fit"
-bruises on soft body parts of typically protected body parts (abdomen, buttocks, genitals)
-linear bruises
,-bruises on neck
-rope burns
-bite marks
-burns
-head injuries
Indicators of neglect - correct answer ✔✔-self stimulatory behavior or attempts to comfort
themselves instead of turning to adults
-developmental delay, failure to thrive, poor weight gain, thin extremities, protruding abdomen
-hoarding or stealing food
-chronic tiredness or drowsiness
-dirty, unwashed, foul body odor, unchanged diapers
-awkward peer relationships, half-hearted attempts at play
-variety of behavioral problems
Behavioral and emotional indicators of abuse - correct answer ✔✔-A child who is remote,
withdrawn, compliant, detached, and unresponsive to engagement
-Ambivalent, insecure attachment patterns
-Regressive behavior
-"Frozen watchfulness"
-Aggressive or hyperactive behavior
-Difficulty concentrating
-Lying, stealing, fighting, angry outbursts, aggression, drug use, truancy, social withdrawal,
anxiety, depression, or dissociative episodes
-(Important to rule out abuse before viewing this as antisocial behavior or Conduct Disorder)
,Physical and behavioral indicators of sexual abuse - correct answer ✔✔Fecal or urinary
incontinence after potty training; or other regressive behaviors (such as thumbsucking)
● Not wanting to be left alone with certain people or new fear of being away from primary
caregiver(s)
● Masturbation with a driven quality
● Mimicking sex/pelvic thrusting
● Refusing to bathe/inadequate personal hygiene
● Difficulty sleeping and/or nightmares
● Asks other children to behave sexually or play sexual games
● Mimics sexual behaviors with toys, dolls, or stuffed animals
● Somatic complaints without a physical cause
● Changes in weight or appetite
● Bruising, irritation, or swelling in genital area or difficulty walking or sitting
● Blood on underwear or bedding
● Urinary or yeast infections
● Sexually transmitted infection
● Post traumatic stress symptoms
Counter-transference - correct answer ✔✔A set of conscious or unconscious emotional
reactions to a client experienced by a therapist; These feelings usually originate in the
therapist's own developmental conflicts or past.
transference - correct answer ✔✔the emotional reactions that are assigned to current
relationships but originated in earlier experiences (often presented as feelings client has toward
therapist)
, Dual diagnosis - correct answer ✔✔the occurrence of coexistent diagnoses within an individual;
most commonly associated with a substance use disorder and another psychiatric disorder
Ego-syntonic - correct answer ✔✔Traits of personality, thought, behavior, and values that are
incorporated by the individual who considers them acceptable and consistent with their overall
"true" self. (often associated with personality disorders)
Ego-dystonic - correct answer ✔✔Traits of personality, behavior, thought, or orientation
considered to be unacceptable, repugnant, or inconsistent with the individual's perceptions—
conscious or unconscious—of themselves
Empowerment model - correct answer ✔✔Utilizes interventions that help people achieve a
sense of control in their lives by using a client's strengths, resources and resilience.
Reflection/reflective listening - correct answer ✔✔When using reflection, the social worker is
accurately describing the client's verbal and nonverbal clues, listening and responding to not
just the content, but the feelings of the client. It involves communicating that you accurately
sense the world as they are experiencing it. Reflection is like holding up a mirror in counseling;
you are reflecting back the essence of what the client has just communicated (verbally and
nonverbally) to you.
interpretation - correct answer ✔✔The therapist's clinical impression of the meaning behind
behavior, communication, thought patterns, other explicit and observable client content and
involves communicating an inferred component with the intention of adding new knowledge or
perspective
Probing questions - correct answer ✔✔questions that SW asks to help the client dig deeper into
their thoughts, feelings, and opinions
Task force - correct answer ✔✔any group or organization that is assembled for a specific task
