LCSW CERTIFICATION SCRIPT 2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Termination Process.
Answer: Is most associated with evaluating goals and accomplishments
◍ Community Organizer.
Answer: Developing and working with groups from a community to
improve relationships among the residents
◍ A group for women experiencing depression has been meeting for 3 weeks.
Several group members approach the group leader expressing concern that
another group member regularly interrupts and dominates the conversation.
What stage of group formation is the group most likely in?
A. Forming
B. Storming
C. Norming
D. Performing.
Answer: The correct answer is B: Storming. During this stage it is common
for subgroups to emerge, like the one approaching the leader.
◍ A social worker has been meeting with a client for two years who is about to
graduate from college and move back to her home state. The client wishes to
continue therapy with the social worker via teletherapy. The social worker is
only licensed in the state the social worker resides. What is the FIRST thing
the social worker should do?
A. Decline to provide teletherapy because it is illegal to do so across state
lines.
B. Determine whether the social worker's state board allows teletherapy
acros.
, Answer: The correct answer is B: to determine whether the social worker's
state board allows teletherapy across state lines. If they do, then we could do
C after this (if the social worker's state board does not allow this, then there
would be no need to do C, which is why we would do B first). A is incorrect
because that is not a true statement as some states do allow this. D is
similarly incorrect because it does not acknowledge the fact that some states
do not allow teletherapy across state lines. (Even if there is a longstanding
relationship).
◍ A social worker meets with a 22-year-old woman who reports she is
experiencing increased feelings of anxiety, agitation, and irritability. What
should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Consider a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism
B. Refer the client for a psychiatric evaluation
C. Complete a biopsychosocial assessment
D. Refer the client for a medical evaluation.
Answer: The correct answer is D, to refer the client for a medical evaluation.
The client reports increased feelings of anxiety, agitation, and irritability.
Before doing anything else, we want to discuss the need for a medical
evaluation to rule out a possibly underlying medical reason for her
condition. While we aren't expected to know any and every medical
condition, we are expected to know that a medical referral for new
symptoms is best practice. A is outside of our scope of practice; it wouldn't
be our job to consider this specific medical diagnosis, but to refer her to
someone who can rule out this and any other underlying biological cause for
her symptoms. B is incorrect, because while at some point we may make a
referral to a psychiatrist for medication, it is not what we would do FIRST.
C could occur after we do D.
◍ DSM-IV-TR.
Answer: Most helpful with assessment interpretation
◍ Borderline Intellectual Functioning.
Answer: IQ 71-84
,◍ All of the following statements describe defense mechanisms EXCEPT:
A. Conscious behavior used by the client to protect the client from the
influence of the therapist.
B. Justifying actions or thoughts to make them seem acceptable when
unconsciously they are not.
C. Rejecting or attributing unacceptable aspects of one's personality to
another individual.
D. The process of protecting oneself from anxiety, feelings of guilt, or
undesirable thoughts..
Answer: The best answer here would be A. If we look at the definition
provided above we notice that B, C, and D all incorporate various aspects of
defense mechanisms. On the other hand, A is discussing conscious
behaviors or thoughts, whereas defense mechanisms are on a more
unconscious level. That is why as clinicians we need to help client's identify
the various defense mechanisms they may use and bring them to a conscious
level.
◍ Borderline Intellectual Functioning.
Answer: Code on Axis II
◍ A social worker has been meeting with a 28-year-old woman for the past six
months to work on issues of depression and suicidal ideation. The social
worker observes that on days that she meets with this client, later in the day
she spends a lot of time thinking about death and her mood is lower. What
should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Use her emotional reaction to explore how the client's suicidal ideation
may be impacting those around her.
B. Seek supervision.
C. Begin meeting with an individ.
Answer: The correct answer is B, to seek supervision. A is inappropriate
because we should not be using countertransference (which is about our
emotional reactions as the therapist) in therapy. Although it is possible that
the therapist may begin their own therapy (C) at some point, this isn't the
, FIRST thing we would do. Individual therapy is something that could be
discussed in supervision as one way to manage the therapist's
countertransference. D is premature, as the therapist and client have been
meeting for 6 months and have an established relationship. At this point,
there is no need to refer out.
◍ A social worker has been meeting with a 28-year-old woman for the past six
months to work on issues of depression and suicidal ideation. The social
worker observes that on days that she meets with this client, later in the day
she spends a lot of time thinking about death and experiences a lower mood.
What is this an example of?
A. Poor Boundaries.
B. Transference.
C. Countertransference.
D. Trauma Response..
Answer: The correct answer is C, countertransference. The therapist is
having an emotional reaction to what the client is sharing.
◍ Mild MR.
Answer: 55-70, considered educable, minimal assistance, may need some
supervision and guidance, live in community or in supervised settings
◍ Moderate MR.
Answer: 35-55, considered trainable, able to preform at 2nd grade level,
moderate supervision, can attend to their own personal care, can perform
unskilled or semi-skilled work, can live in the community
◍ A social worker meets with a 14-year-old client who shares with the social
worker that she is pregnant. She does not want her parents to know she is
pregnant. The social worker practices in a jurisdiction where social workers
are required to share this information with the parents of a minor child.
What should the social worker do FIRST:
A. Maintain confidentiality per the client's request
B. Maintain confidentiality due to safety issues that may arise if the parents
are informed of her pregnanc.
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Termination Process.
Answer: Is most associated with evaluating goals and accomplishments
◍ Community Organizer.
Answer: Developing and working with groups from a community to
improve relationships among the residents
◍ A group for women experiencing depression has been meeting for 3 weeks.
Several group members approach the group leader expressing concern that
another group member regularly interrupts and dominates the conversation.
What stage of group formation is the group most likely in?
A. Forming
B. Storming
C. Norming
D. Performing.
Answer: The correct answer is B: Storming. During this stage it is common
for subgroups to emerge, like the one approaching the leader.
◍ A social worker has been meeting with a client for two years who is about to
graduate from college and move back to her home state. The client wishes to
continue therapy with the social worker via teletherapy. The social worker is
only licensed in the state the social worker resides. What is the FIRST thing
the social worker should do?
A. Decline to provide teletherapy because it is illegal to do so across state
lines.
B. Determine whether the social worker's state board allows teletherapy
acros.
, Answer: The correct answer is B: to determine whether the social worker's
state board allows teletherapy across state lines. If they do, then we could do
C after this (if the social worker's state board does not allow this, then there
would be no need to do C, which is why we would do B first). A is incorrect
because that is not a true statement as some states do allow this. D is
similarly incorrect because it does not acknowledge the fact that some states
do not allow teletherapy across state lines. (Even if there is a longstanding
relationship).
◍ A social worker meets with a 22-year-old woman who reports she is
experiencing increased feelings of anxiety, agitation, and irritability. What
should the social worker do NEXT?
A. Consider a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism
B. Refer the client for a psychiatric evaluation
C. Complete a biopsychosocial assessment
D. Refer the client for a medical evaluation.
Answer: The correct answer is D, to refer the client for a medical evaluation.
The client reports increased feelings of anxiety, agitation, and irritability.
Before doing anything else, we want to discuss the need for a medical
evaluation to rule out a possibly underlying medical reason for her
condition. While we aren't expected to know any and every medical
condition, we are expected to know that a medical referral for new
symptoms is best practice. A is outside of our scope of practice; it wouldn't
be our job to consider this specific medical diagnosis, but to refer her to
someone who can rule out this and any other underlying biological cause for
her symptoms. B is incorrect, because while at some point we may make a
referral to a psychiatrist for medication, it is not what we would do FIRST.
C could occur after we do D.
◍ DSM-IV-TR.
Answer: Most helpful with assessment interpretation
◍ Borderline Intellectual Functioning.
Answer: IQ 71-84
,◍ All of the following statements describe defense mechanisms EXCEPT:
A. Conscious behavior used by the client to protect the client from the
influence of the therapist.
B. Justifying actions or thoughts to make them seem acceptable when
unconsciously they are not.
C. Rejecting or attributing unacceptable aspects of one's personality to
another individual.
D. The process of protecting oneself from anxiety, feelings of guilt, or
undesirable thoughts..
Answer: The best answer here would be A. If we look at the definition
provided above we notice that B, C, and D all incorporate various aspects of
defense mechanisms. On the other hand, A is discussing conscious
behaviors or thoughts, whereas defense mechanisms are on a more
unconscious level. That is why as clinicians we need to help client's identify
the various defense mechanisms they may use and bring them to a conscious
level.
◍ Borderline Intellectual Functioning.
Answer: Code on Axis II
◍ A social worker has been meeting with a 28-year-old woman for the past six
months to work on issues of depression and suicidal ideation. The social
worker observes that on days that she meets with this client, later in the day
she spends a lot of time thinking about death and her mood is lower. What
should the social worker do FIRST?
A. Use her emotional reaction to explore how the client's suicidal ideation
may be impacting those around her.
B. Seek supervision.
C. Begin meeting with an individ.
Answer: The correct answer is B, to seek supervision. A is inappropriate
because we should not be using countertransference (which is about our
emotional reactions as the therapist) in therapy. Although it is possible that
the therapist may begin their own therapy (C) at some point, this isn't the
, FIRST thing we would do. Individual therapy is something that could be
discussed in supervision as one way to manage the therapist's
countertransference. D is premature, as the therapist and client have been
meeting for 6 months and have an established relationship. At this point,
there is no need to refer out.
◍ A social worker has been meeting with a 28-year-old woman for the past six
months to work on issues of depression and suicidal ideation. The social
worker observes that on days that she meets with this client, later in the day
she spends a lot of time thinking about death and experiences a lower mood.
What is this an example of?
A. Poor Boundaries.
B. Transference.
C. Countertransference.
D. Trauma Response..
Answer: The correct answer is C, countertransference. The therapist is
having an emotional reaction to what the client is sharing.
◍ Mild MR.
Answer: 55-70, considered educable, minimal assistance, may need some
supervision and guidance, live in community or in supervised settings
◍ Moderate MR.
Answer: 35-55, considered trainable, able to preform at 2nd grade level,
moderate supervision, can attend to their own personal care, can perform
unskilled or semi-skilled work, can live in the community
◍ A social worker meets with a 14-year-old client who shares with the social
worker that she is pregnant. She does not want her parents to know she is
pregnant. The social worker practices in a jurisdiction where social workers
are required to share this information with the parents of a minor child.
What should the social worker do FIRST:
A. Maintain confidentiality per the client's request
B. Maintain confidentiality due to safety issues that may arise if the parents
are informed of her pregnanc.
