LCSW PRACTICE EXAMINATION 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Types of Exam Questions.
Answer: Recall BasedApplication BasedReasoning Based
◍ Resperidone is for which dx?.
Answer: SchizophreniaIt's a newer anti-psychotic medication
◍ Reaction Formation.
Answer: Defense mechanism where you do the OPPOSITE of how you feel
about somebody.
◍ Which type of question makes up the majority of the exam?.
Answer: Reasoning based questions. 80-85% of the questions
◍ A new social worker begins to establish professional rapport with a group of
school aged youths. After a few weeks, the social worker discovers that their
former social worker still sees the youths, gives them new school supplies,
and takes them out for social events. The new social worker should FIRST:.
Answer: speak directly to the former social worker
◍ Lotus of Control.
Answer: clients take control of their lives rather than follow the direction of
others who were previously in control. Under client/person centered therapy.
◍ A parent in great distress consults a social worker. Because of having heard
so much in the media about sexual abuse, the parent is unsure how to
respond to recently finding her five-year-old exploring the body of another
child. The parent does not know whether this is deviant behavior. The social
worker should:.
, Answer: reassure the parent that this is normal for children this age
◍ A social worker is the new manager of a human service organization that is
simultaneously struggling with maintaining positive employee morale,
increasing client services, and improving outcomes. The manager should
FIRST:.
Answer: initiate a staff recognition program
◍ What is MOST important to remember about defense mechanisms?.
Answer: Defense mechanisms are unconscious process.
◍ A 27-year-old male with a history of hospitalizations for bipolar disorder
and alcohol abuse recently stopped taking his medication, became manic,
and resumed drinking. At his landlord's request, the police take him to the
hospital and arrange an involuntary admission to the acute psychiatric unit.
The client has all of the following rights EXCEPT the right to:.
Answer: leave the hospital regardless of his condition
◍ Solution focused therapy.
Answer: brief, goal directed therapy focusing on client's strengths and
resources
◍ Which therapy uses the "miracle question"?.
Answer: solution focused therapy
◍ A social worker assesses an elderly client for suicide risk. The BEST
approach is to use the clinical interview and the:.
Answer: Geriatric Depression Inventory
◍ A couple married for 30 years seeks help at a crisis clinic. The husband
describes his wife's emotional and erratic behavior and radical change in
appearance and dress, which is contrary to their religious beliefs. The wife
talks openly and happily about spending more time outside the home with
her friends and hobbies, and her desire to work for the first time. The social
worker should assess the couple for evidence of:.
Answer: Issues related to family transition
,◍ countertransference.
Answer: set of conscious or unconscious emotional reactions to a client
experienced by a therapist. These feelings originate in the therapist's own
developmental conflicts/past.
◍ A client is seen by a social worker at a family service agency complaining
that she has been feeling depressed. She states that she shouldn't feel this
way because there are no problems in her life. She has a husband, a good
job, and two healthy children. The social worker should FIRST:.
Answer: clarify what the client means by depression
◍ what is the first step when experiencing countertransference?.
Answer: seek supervision
◍ A social worker meets with an adolescent who frequently misses school and
is having academic problems. Psychological testing found the client is above
average in intelligence, but with poor impulse control and at high risk for
antisocial behaviors. The social worker completes the social history to:.
Answer: understand factors that affect the client's behavior
◍ At a community mental health agency, a new social worker replaces a social
worker who resigned with short notice due to a family emergency. Within a
few weeks, the social worker has met with all the clients. While in the
public waiting room, a social work colleague hears the new social worker
say to a client that it was "unprofessional and harmful" for the prior social
worker to leave the agency so suddenly. The colleague should FIRST:.
Answer: talk to the new social worker about the conversation
◍ transference.
Answer: emotional reactions that are assigned to current relationships but
originated in earlier experiences. feelings client has toward therapist.
◍ dual dignosis.
Answer: occurrence of coexistant diseases within a person. Mostly
associated with a substance use disorder and another psychiatric disorder.
grad school research
, ◍ A social worker conducts a support group for adults who are caregivers for
their elderly parents. During one group meeting, a member begins to
describe how she behaves toward her parent when she becomes frustrated.
The social worker becomes concerned that the behavior may constitute
abuse. The social worker should:.
Answer: meet with the member individually after the group to review the
situation
◍ A 14-year-old girl comes to a family service agency for help. She is four
weeks pregnant, unmarried, and depressed. She lives with her parents who
are unaware of her pregnancy. Local law requires parental consent for
treatment of minors who live with their parent(s) or legal guardian. The
social worker should FIRST:.
Answer: discuss the need for parental involvement with the client
◍ A 25-year-old woman seeks help at a local mental health clinic. She
complains of nightmares, agitation, an inability to concentrate, and weight
loss. During the assessment phase, the social worker learns that the client
had been recently raped and mugged. The social worker should FIRST focus
on:.
Answer: potential for self-harm
◍ A social worker in private practice is temporarily moving to another city.
Following consideration of the risks and benefits that may be experienced
by each client, the social worker offers to continue the therapeutic
relationship with several clients through email. This suggestion is MOST
appropriate for clients who:.
Answer: are able to cope with day-to-day issues
◍ dual relationship.
Answer: having a second role with the client in addition to the
client-therapist relationship. Basically anytime we know a client outside of
the therapeutic relationship
◍ ego syntonic.
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Types of Exam Questions.
Answer: Recall BasedApplication BasedReasoning Based
◍ Resperidone is for which dx?.
Answer: SchizophreniaIt's a newer anti-psychotic medication
◍ Reaction Formation.
Answer: Defense mechanism where you do the OPPOSITE of how you feel
about somebody.
◍ Which type of question makes up the majority of the exam?.
Answer: Reasoning based questions. 80-85% of the questions
◍ A new social worker begins to establish professional rapport with a group of
school aged youths. After a few weeks, the social worker discovers that their
former social worker still sees the youths, gives them new school supplies,
and takes them out for social events. The new social worker should FIRST:.
Answer: speak directly to the former social worker
◍ Lotus of Control.
Answer: clients take control of their lives rather than follow the direction of
others who were previously in control. Under client/person centered therapy.
◍ A parent in great distress consults a social worker. Because of having heard
so much in the media about sexual abuse, the parent is unsure how to
respond to recently finding her five-year-old exploring the body of another
child. The parent does not know whether this is deviant behavior. The social
worker should:.
, Answer: reassure the parent that this is normal for children this age
◍ A social worker is the new manager of a human service organization that is
simultaneously struggling with maintaining positive employee morale,
increasing client services, and improving outcomes. The manager should
FIRST:.
Answer: initiate a staff recognition program
◍ What is MOST important to remember about defense mechanisms?.
Answer: Defense mechanisms are unconscious process.
◍ A 27-year-old male with a history of hospitalizations for bipolar disorder
and alcohol abuse recently stopped taking his medication, became manic,
and resumed drinking. At his landlord's request, the police take him to the
hospital and arrange an involuntary admission to the acute psychiatric unit.
The client has all of the following rights EXCEPT the right to:.
Answer: leave the hospital regardless of his condition
◍ Solution focused therapy.
Answer: brief, goal directed therapy focusing on client's strengths and
resources
◍ Which therapy uses the "miracle question"?.
Answer: solution focused therapy
◍ A social worker assesses an elderly client for suicide risk. The BEST
approach is to use the clinical interview and the:.
Answer: Geriatric Depression Inventory
◍ A couple married for 30 years seeks help at a crisis clinic. The husband
describes his wife's emotional and erratic behavior and radical change in
appearance and dress, which is contrary to their religious beliefs. The wife
talks openly and happily about spending more time outside the home with
her friends and hobbies, and her desire to work for the first time. The social
worker should assess the couple for evidence of:.
Answer: Issues related to family transition
,◍ countertransference.
Answer: set of conscious or unconscious emotional reactions to a client
experienced by a therapist. These feelings originate in the therapist's own
developmental conflicts/past.
◍ A client is seen by a social worker at a family service agency complaining
that she has been feeling depressed. She states that she shouldn't feel this
way because there are no problems in her life. She has a husband, a good
job, and two healthy children. The social worker should FIRST:.
Answer: clarify what the client means by depression
◍ what is the first step when experiencing countertransference?.
Answer: seek supervision
◍ A social worker meets with an adolescent who frequently misses school and
is having academic problems. Psychological testing found the client is above
average in intelligence, but with poor impulse control and at high risk for
antisocial behaviors. The social worker completes the social history to:.
Answer: understand factors that affect the client's behavior
◍ At a community mental health agency, a new social worker replaces a social
worker who resigned with short notice due to a family emergency. Within a
few weeks, the social worker has met with all the clients. While in the
public waiting room, a social work colleague hears the new social worker
say to a client that it was "unprofessional and harmful" for the prior social
worker to leave the agency so suddenly. The colleague should FIRST:.
Answer: talk to the new social worker about the conversation
◍ transference.
Answer: emotional reactions that are assigned to current relationships but
originated in earlier experiences. feelings client has toward therapist.
◍ dual dignosis.
Answer: occurrence of coexistant diseases within a person. Mostly
associated with a substance use disorder and another psychiatric disorder.
grad school research
, ◍ A social worker conducts a support group for adults who are caregivers for
their elderly parents. During one group meeting, a member begins to
describe how she behaves toward her parent when she becomes frustrated.
The social worker becomes concerned that the behavior may constitute
abuse. The social worker should:.
Answer: meet with the member individually after the group to review the
situation
◍ A 14-year-old girl comes to a family service agency for help. She is four
weeks pregnant, unmarried, and depressed. She lives with her parents who
are unaware of her pregnancy. Local law requires parental consent for
treatment of minors who live with their parent(s) or legal guardian. The
social worker should FIRST:.
Answer: discuss the need for parental involvement with the client
◍ A 25-year-old woman seeks help at a local mental health clinic. She
complains of nightmares, agitation, an inability to concentrate, and weight
loss. During the assessment phase, the social worker learns that the client
had been recently raped and mugged. The social worker should FIRST focus
on:.
Answer: potential for self-harm
◍ A social worker in private practice is temporarily moving to another city.
Following consideration of the risks and benefits that may be experienced
by each client, the social worker offers to continue the therapeutic
relationship with several clients through email. This suggestion is MOST
appropriate for clients who:.
Answer: are able to cope with day-to-day issues
◍ dual relationship.
Answer: having a second role with the client in addition to the
client-therapist relationship. Basically anytime we know a client outside of
the therapeutic relationship
◍ ego syntonic.
