LCSW Exam Prep – comprehensive study guide and practice questions for ASWB clinical
licensure exam
What action by the social worker is MOST likely to facilitate rapport between a social worker
and a client who is anxious about receiving services?
A. Assessing mutuality in the relationship
B. Acknowledging the client's difficulty in resolving the presenting problem
C. Disclosing to the client that the social worker has similar feelings
D. Validating the client's feelings with a nonjudgmental attitude - correct answer ✔✔D.
Validating the client's feelings with a nonjudgmental attitude
A social worker meets with a client in a domestic violence shelter. The client tells the social
worker that a decision has been made to return home to an abusive partner. What should the
social worker do FIRST?
A. Help the client develop a safety plan
B. Refer the client for counseling services
C. Encourage the client to remain in the shelter - correct answer ✔✔A. Help the client develop a
safety plan
What drug is classified as a depressant?
A. Cocaine
B. Caffeine
C. LSD
D. Alcohol - correct answer ✔✔D. Alcohol
A social worker meets with a family experiencing stress because one member recently became
unemployed. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Begin family counseling
,B. Assess the family's needs
C. Refer for financial services - correct answer ✔✔B. Assess the family's needs
A social worker at a substance use treatment center meets with an adolescent client who
expresses remorse about engaging in sexual activity while drunk. The social worker tells the
client that sexual promiscuity while intoxicated may indicate alcohol use disorder. What BEST
describes the social worker's approach?
A. Education
B. Confrontation
C. Summarization
D. Clarification - correct answer ✔✔A. Education
The termination process is MOST often associated with:
A. Evaluating goals and accomplishments
B. Implementing a plan of action
C. Setting limits
D. Developing a contract - correct answer ✔✔A. Evaluating goals and accomplishments
What part of the helping process is MOST important in developing a therapeutic alliance?
A. Contracting for service
B. Intervention planning
C. Establishing rapport - correct answer ✔✔C. Establishing rapport
A social worker facilitates a treatment group for juveniles who are court mandated to attend.
During the first session, a 13-year-old brags to the others about vandalism committed in the
neighborhood. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Discuss the client's behavior with the parents
B. Confront the client about the behavior
,C. Encourage the client to talk about possible motivation for the behavior
D. Report the client to the court - correct answer ✔✔C. Encourage the client to talk about
possible motivation for the behavior
A student's family is referred to a school social worker because the student has been disruptive
in the classroom. At the intake interview, the parents tell the social worker they are preoccupied
with finding employment and may lose their housing. What should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Tell the parents the student must behave better in school
B. Arrange an assessment interview with the student
C. Assess needs related to the issues affecting the family
D. Help the student talk to the parents about the reasons for the behavior - correct answer
✔✔C. Assess needs related to the issues affecting the family
Residents of a neighborhood are concerned about increasing crime rates. The residents ask a
social worker for help. To help the residents work together to improve their safety, what process
should the social worker use?
A. Program development
B. Community organizing
C. Social reform - correct answer ✔✔B. Community organizing
A social worker at an inpatient psychiatric facility meets with a 40-year-old patient and the
patient's family to discuss discharge planning. The patient has a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a
history of assaultive behavior and substance use disorder. The patient's parents want the
patient to move into their home. What factor should the social worker evaluate FIRST?
A. History of medication compliance
B. Potential danger to the family
C. Likelihood of exposure to illegal substances
D. Opportunities for outpatient treatment - correct answer ✔✔B. Potential danger to the family
, A social worker meets with a patient who has been in a psychiatric hospital for three weeks. The
patient's diagnoses include depression and substance use disorder. The patient is prescribed
psychotropic medication and an anticonvulsant for a seizure disorder. For several days the
patient has experienced drowsiness, stumbling, and slurring of speech. What should the social
worker do FIRST?
A. Consult with a behavior therapist for a behavior management plan
B. Review the patient's discharge plan
C. Evaluate the patient for hidden substance use
D. Consult with the psychiatrist for a medication evaluation - correct answer ✔✔D. Consult with
the psychiatrist for a medication evaluation
A school social worker answers a call from a parent asking for help with a teenager's behavior.
The parent tells the social worker the teenager is frequently defiant and aggressive toward a
younger sibling and family pets. What is the social worker's MOST appropriate response to the
parent's request?
A. Suggest new discipline strategies for the parent to use
B. Recommend the teenager receive a mental health assessment
C. Explain that the teenager's behaviors are normal for this age
D. Consult with the psychiatrist for a medication evaluation - correct answer ✔✔B. Recommend
the teenager receive a mental health assessment
A social worker interviews a client with a history of resistance to treatment and hostility toward
agency staff. To involve the client and establish a therapeutic alliance, what should the social
worker do FIRST?
A. Conduct a mood assessment with the client
B. Engage the client in a discussion of the presenting problem
C. Review the history of services with the client
D. Refer the client to an anger management group - correct answer ✔✔B. Engage the client in a
discussion of the presenting problem
licensure exam
What action by the social worker is MOST likely to facilitate rapport between a social worker
and a client who is anxious about receiving services?
A. Assessing mutuality in the relationship
B. Acknowledging the client's difficulty in resolving the presenting problem
C. Disclosing to the client that the social worker has similar feelings
D. Validating the client's feelings with a nonjudgmental attitude - correct answer ✔✔D.
Validating the client's feelings with a nonjudgmental attitude
A social worker meets with a client in a domestic violence shelter. The client tells the social
worker that a decision has been made to return home to an abusive partner. What should the
social worker do FIRST?
A. Help the client develop a safety plan
B. Refer the client for counseling services
C. Encourage the client to remain in the shelter - correct answer ✔✔A. Help the client develop a
safety plan
What drug is classified as a depressant?
A. Cocaine
B. Caffeine
C. LSD
D. Alcohol - correct answer ✔✔D. Alcohol
A social worker meets with a family experiencing stress because one member recently became
unemployed. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Begin family counseling
,B. Assess the family's needs
C. Refer for financial services - correct answer ✔✔B. Assess the family's needs
A social worker at a substance use treatment center meets with an adolescent client who
expresses remorse about engaging in sexual activity while drunk. The social worker tells the
client that sexual promiscuity while intoxicated may indicate alcohol use disorder. What BEST
describes the social worker's approach?
A. Education
B. Confrontation
C. Summarization
D. Clarification - correct answer ✔✔A. Education
The termination process is MOST often associated with:
A. Evaluating goals and accomplishments
B. Implementing a plan of action
C. Setting limits
D. Developing a contract - correct answer ✔✔A. Evaluating goals and accomplishments
What part of the helping process is MOST important in developing a therapeutic alliance?
A. Contracting for service
B. Intervention planning
C. Establishing rapport - correct answer ✔✔C. Establishing rapport
A social worker facilitates a treatment group for juveniles who are court mandated to attend.
During the first session, a 13-year-old brags to the others about vandalism committed in the
neighborhood. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Discuss the client's behavior with the parents
B. Confront the client about the behavior
,C. Encourage the client to talk about possible motivation for the behavior
D. Report the client to the court - correct answer ✔✔C. Encourage the client to talk about
possible motivation for the behavior
A student's family is referred to a school social worker because the student has been disruptive
in the classroom. At the intake interview, the parents tell the social worker they are preoccupied
with finding employment and may lose their housing. What should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Tell the parents the student must behave better in school
B. Arrange an assessment interview with the student
C. Assess needs related to the issues affecting the family
D. Help the student talk to the parents about the reasons for the behavior - correct answer
✔✔C. Assess needs related to the issues affecting the family
Residents of a neighborhood are concerned about increasing crime rates. The residents ask a
social worker for help. To help the residents work together to improve their safety, what process
should the social worker use?
A. Program development
B. Community organizing
C. Social reform - correct answer ✔✔B. Community organizing
A social worker at an inpatient psychiatric facility meets with a 40-year-old patient and the
patient's family to discuss discharge planning. The patient has a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a
history of assaultive behavior and substance use disorder. The patient's parents want the
patient to move into their home. What factor should the social worker evaluate FIRST?
A. History of medication compliance
B. Potential danger to the family
C. Likelihood of exposure to illegal substances
D. Opportunities for outpatient treatment - correct answer ✔✔B. Potential danger to the family
, A social worker meets with a patient who has been in a psychiatric hospital for three weeks. The
patient's diagnoses include depression and substance use disorder. The patient is prescribed
psychotropic medication and an anticonvulsant for a seizure disorder. For several days the
patient has experienced drowsiness, stumbling, and slurring of speech. What should the social
worker do FIRST?
A. Consult with a behavior therapist for a behavior management plan
B. Review the patient's discharge plan
C. Evaluate the patient for hidden substance use
D. Consult with the psychiatrist for a medication evaluation - correct answer ✔✔D. Consult with
the psychiatrist for a medication evaluation
A school social worker answers a call from a parent asking for help with a teenager's behavior.
The parent tells the social worker the teenager is frequently defiant and aggressive toward a
younger sibling and family pets. What is the social worker's MOST appropriate response to the
parent's request?
A. Suggest new discipline strategies for the parent to use
B. Recommend the teenager receive a mental health assessment
C. Explain that the teenager's behaviors are normal for this age
D. Consult with the psychiatrist for a medication evaluation - correct answer ✔✔B. Recommend
the teenager receive a mental health assessment
A social worker interviews a client with a history of resistance to treatment and hostility toward
agency staff. To involve the client and establish a therapeutic alliance, what should the social
worker do FIRST?
A. Conduct a mood assessment with the client
B. Engage the client in a discussion of the presenting problem
C. Review the history of services with the client
D. Refer the client to an anger management group - correct answer ✔✔B. Engage the client in a
discussion of the presenting problem
