LISW PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
A social worker has terminated therapy with an adult client and afterwards receives a
subpoena to release the client's record, what should the social worker do first?
A) not release the record under any circumstances
B)refuse to release the records until an attorney has been consulted
C) contact the client to obtain consent
D) Provide the info, unless the client is considered mentally unstable - Answers - C)
assert privilege and try to obtain client consent
A Social worker has terminated therapy with a child and afterwards receives a
subpoena to release the client's records, what should the social worker do?
A) not release the record under any circumstances
B)refuse to release the records until an attorney has been consulted
C) contact the client to obtain consent
D) Provide the info, unless the client is considered mentally unstable - Answers - C) Be
sure to get permission from legal guardians first before releasing records
As a supervisor, it is important to realize that different social workers may have different
theoretical backgrounds. For example, one social worker may employ a
"psychodynamic" approach, while another may use a "cognitive behavioral" approach.
When taking into account these different treatments approaches supervisees under her
direction could use the supervisor should?
A) For all supervisees review established guidelines for practice, regardless of their
varying practice approaches
B) only supervise social workers that practice in a manner similar to the supervisor
C) This issues is not relevant to the practice of SW
D) Assume that, regardless of their orientation, all SW under her direction will always
maintain professionalism - Answers - A) Get all SW that you supervise to follow the
established guideline for practice, regardless of their varying practice approaches
Pete a 5 yo child is told he will need an operation that involved inserting a catheter into
the child's groin. The procedure was explained to him. Pete sates that he is not afraid of
the operation but is worried about the catheterization. From a Psychodynamic POV his
anxiety stems from
A) Fear of Mutilation
B) Fear of parental separation
C) Fear of pain
D) Fear of annihilation - Answers - A) fear of mutilation. The child is afraid that he will be
harmed by the procedure and focuses on the concrete aspects of it
The most common psychological cause of sexual dysfunction's are generally related to
,A) Fear and anxiety
B) Depression
C) Impotence
D) Ignorance - Answers - A) Fear and anxiety cause sexual dysfunction
According to the NASW Ethical Code, which of the following is true with regards to
confidentially?
A) Because they are easily Misinterpreted, Clients should not have access to their SW
reports
B) SW should never share confidences revealed by clients without their verbal consents
C) SW Should obtain informed consents from clients before tape recoding therapy
sessions
D)NASW does not discuss ethics - Answers - C) The only one that is true is the
importance of SWs to obtain informed consent from clients before tape recording a
therapy session
A SWer has been contacted to evaluate a 5 yo boy. His teacher claims that he is
bullying the other children and often makes menacing or sexual gestures towards the
other children when he does not get his way. Upon the interview, the SW should assess
the possibility of...
A) ADHD
B) Sexual Abuse
C) Parental neglect
D) Conduct disorder - Answers - B) This type of behavior is very unusual for such a
young child and warrants investigations
A SW is seeing a couple in therapy that are parents of a 17 yo male and are concerned
that the son is dating an older 19 yo female. The parents suspect that they may be
sexually involved and want to know if they can report the girlfriend for child abuse, since
their son is a minor. The SW should advise the parents that:
A) The SW has no choice and she will now need to report the situation
B) the son clearly needs further individual therapy
C) Explore their concerns further as the situation does not necessarily indicate a
situation that is reportable
D) Tell the parents to report the GF immediately - Answers - C) this is not a clear case
of abuse. It sounds like both individuals are consenting's and there is no indication
evidence that anything has occurred that is harmful to the male
Although there is a legal definition of intoxication, what is the most important
consideration for the social worker to take into account during the assessment process
related to an individual who appears intoxicated?
A) Some individuals show no signs of alcohol consumption
B) all individuals show obvious signs of intoxication
C) Some individuals become intoxicated even if they have no yet reached the legal limit
,D) intoxication is no always alcohol related - Answers - C) It is very important to know
that metabolism, body size, and weight etc. Can affect how intoxicated a person gets.
Some can and do become intoxicated even if they have not yet reached the legal limit
In the first session with a couple, the couple tells you that one of the partners has tested
HIV positive. The SW has never worked with anyone with HIV before. During therapy, it
becomes clear that the infected partner is having difficulty expressing his feelings and
appears hostile and angry towards other partner. It is reported that the infected partner
is also having difficulty preforming everyday tasks. The SW should first?
A) refer the couple to a therapist more skilled in the area
B) help the infected partner to process his expected loss of function
C) Explore further the relationship issues which may arise because of the illness
D) Consider your own feelings about treating gay couples before proceeding with
therapy - Answers - C) although, its true to recognize your own feelings and how you
feel about treating a gay couple, once in the initial session, the first thing the SW should
do is address the crisis of the issues at hand, which involves the relationship
(communication) issue. If need be, after helping the couple to recognize and address
the issues the referral to anther therapist can be made.
Your Client is a 23 yo woman, who recently divorced and is seeing a SW in order to
assist her in adapting to her new life situation. During one session, the woman appears
to be particularly anxious and states that she is suddenly feeling "out of control" The SW
should first
A) Call the police
B) Refer for Medical Evaluation
C) Consider safety issues of others around her
D) Assess the woman's definition of "out of control" - Answers - D) It is unclear what the
client means by "Out of control" and she must be asked first to clarify.
A Social Worker is forming a group of teenagers in transition. One of the most important
considerations for establishing membership in a therapy group is?
A) Diagnoses
B) Cohesion of the group members
C) Race
D) Goals of the group - Answers - A) the diagnosis is the most important in establishing
membership in a therapy group. The key word in this question is "establish". Diagnosis
and race are important yet diagnosis is considered more important than race
A SWer is conducting group therapy with a group of older adults providing caregiving
support services for a relative. The SWer realizes that in group therapy there are
several stages of group development. The best indicator of the group's stage of
development is:
A) The therapist's level of empathy
B) The amount of self-disclosing done by the therapist
C) The presence of counter-transference
, D) the Cohesion Level within the group - Answers - D) The level of cohesion is an
important indicator of over-all group progress. The other answers relate directly to the
therapist (not the group) and the one dealing with the counter-transference is clearly not
the best answer
A Recently licensed SWer is preparing to provide individual therapy to a client. When is
it acceptable for a SWer to have sexual relationship with his/her client
A) only after they have terminated therapy
B) only if there is no coercion by the SWer
C) It is never acceptable
D) Only when there is no coercion on the part of the pt - Answers - C) it is never
acceptable for a SW to have sex with a previous or current client
A SWer is working with a client that has just experienced a crisis. In crisis intervention,
the most important factor is:
A) Providing homogeneity in the session
B) Providing support to the client
C) Becoming a firm leader for the client
D) understanding past behavior - Answers - B) Providing support to the client is an
essential characteristic. Remember, these are individuals who are just having trouble
coping and their usual ways of handling the situations are not working
A SWer has recently terminated therapy with a client. Several Weeks later she hires the
client as a paid SW intern who is to function under her supervision. This would be
considered?
A) Ethical
B) Unethical
C) Ethical but illegal
D) Illegal and unethical - Answers - B) it is considered unethical for SWers that has
recently terminated therapy with a client to hire the client several weeks later as a paid
SW intern who will function under her supervision
A husband, wife, and their seven years old daughters are seeing a SWer at the request
of their family physician. During the initial session, the SWer suspects that the father is
physically abusing his daughter. The daughter is shy and withdrawn, and the SW
notices that her arms and legs have numerous bruises at varying stages of healing. The
mother openly admits that her husband has difficulty controlling his temper but the
father denies any abuse. Taking the above info into account the SWer should.
A) establish a therapeutic alliance with the family and then determine if a report is
needed
B) Report the suspected abuse appropriately
C) Wait till the SWer can determine that abuse has occurred then report it
D) report the abuse only if she witnesses it - Answers - B) if a case of child abuse it
should always be reported. There does not have to be a confirmation of abuse
ANSWERS
A social worker has terminated therapy with an adult client and afterwards receives a
subpoena to release the client's record, what should the social worker do first?
A) not release the record under any circumstances
B)refuse to release the records until an attorney has been consulted
C) contact the client to obtain consent
D) Provide the info, unless the client is considered mentally unstable - Answers - C)
assert privilege and try to obtain client consent
A Social worker has terminated therapy with a child and afterwards receives a
subpoena to release the client's records, what should the social worker do?
A) not release the record under any circumstances
B)refuse to release the records until an attorney has been consulted
C) contact the client to obtain consent
D) Provide the info, unless the client is considered mentally unstable - Answers - C) Be
sure to get permission from legal guardians first before releasing records
As a supervisor, it is important to realize that different social workers may have different
theoretical backgrounds. For example, one social worker may employ a
"psychodynamic" approach, while another may use a "cognitive behavioral" approach.
When taking into account these different treatments approaches supervisees under her
direction could use the supervisor should?
A) For all supervisees review established guidelines for practice, regardless of their
varying practice approaches
B) only supervise social workers that practice in a manner similar to the supervisor
C) This issues is not relevant to the practice of SW
D) Assume that, regardless of their orientation, all SW under her direction will always
maintain professionalism - Answers - A) Get all SW that you supervise to follow the
established guideline for practice, regardless of their varying practice approaches
Pete a 5 yo child is told he will need an operation that involved inserting a catheter into
the child's groin. The procedure was explained to him. Pete sates that he is not afraid of
the operation but is worried about the catheterization. From a Psychodynamic POV his
anxiety stems from
A) Fear of Mutilation
B) Fear of parental separation
C) Fear of pain
D) Fear of annihilation - Answers - A) fear of mutilation. The child is afraid that he will be
harmed by the procedure and focuses on the concrete aspects of it
The most common psychological cause of sexual dysfunction's are generally related to
,A) Fear and anxiety
B) Depression
C) Impotence
D) Ignorance - Answers - A) Fear and anxiety cause sexual dysfunction
According to the NASW Ethical Code, which of the following is true with regards to
confidentially?
A) Because they are easily Misinterpreted, Clients should not have access to their SW
reports
B) SW should never share confidences revealed by clients without their verbal consents
C) SW Should obtain informed consents from clients before tape recoding therapy
sessions
D)NASW does not discuss ethics - Answers - C) The only one that is true is the
importance of SWs to obtain informed consent from clients before tape recording a
therapy session
A SWer has been contacted to evaluate a 5 yo boy. His teacher claims that he is
bullying the other children and often makes menacing or sexual gestures towards the
other children when he does not get his way. Upon the interview, the SW should assess
the possibility of...
A) ADHD
B) Sexual Abuse
C) Parental neglect
D) Conduct disorder - Answers - B) This type of behavior is very unusual for such a
young child and warrants investigations
A SW is seeing a couple in therapy that are parents of a 17 yo male and are concerned
that the son is dating an older 19 yo female. The parents suspect that they may be
sexually involved and want to know if they can report the girlfriend for child abuse, since
their son is a minor. The SW should advise the parents that:
A) The SW has no choice and she will now need to report the situation
B) the son clearly needs further individual therapy
C) Explore their concerns further as the situation does not necessarily indicate a
situation that is reportable
D) Tell the parents to report the GF immediately - Answers - C) this is not a clear case
of abuse. It sounds like both individuals are consenting's and there is no indication
evidence that anything has occurred that is harmful to the male
Although there is a legal definition of intoxication, what is the most important
consideration for the social worker to take into account during the assessment process
related to an individual who appears intoxicated?
A) Some individuals show no signs of alcohol consumption
B) all individuals show obvious signs of intoxication
C) Some individuals become intoxicated even if they have no yet reached the legal limit
,D) intoxication is no always alcohol related - Answers - C) It is very important to know
that metabolism, body size, and weight etc. Can affect how intoxicated a person gets.
Some can and do become intoxicated even if they have not yet reached the legal limit
In the first session with a couple, the couple tells you that one of the partners has tested
HIV positive. The SW has never worked with anyone with HIV before. During therapy, it
becomes clear that the infected partner is having difficulty expressing his feelings and
appears hostile and angry towards other partner. It is reported that the infected partner
is also having difficulty preforming everyday tasks. The SW should first?
A) refer the couple to a therapist more skilled in the area
B) help the infected partner to process his expected loss of function
C) Explore further the relationship issues which may arise because of the illness
D) Consider your own feelings about treating gay couples before proceeding with
therapy - Answers - C) although, its true to recognize your own feelings and how you
feel about treating a gay couple, once in the initial session, the first thing the SW should
do is address the crisis of the issues at hand, which involves the relationship
(communication) issue. If need be, after helping the couple to recognize and address
the issues the referral to anther therapist can be made.
Your Client is a 23 yo woman, who recently divorced and is seeing a SW in order to
assist her in adapting to her new life situation. During one session, the woman appears
to be particularly anxious and states that she is suddenly feeling "out of control" The SW
should first
A) Call the police
B) Refer for Medical Evaluation
C) Consider safety issues of others around her
D) Assess the woman's definition of "out of control" - Answers - D) It is unclear what the
client means by "Out of control" and she must be asked first to clarify.
A Social Worker is forming a group of teenagers in transition. One of the most important
considerations for establishing membership in a therapy group is?
A) Diagnoses
B) Cohesion of the group members
C) Race
D) Goals of the group - Answers - A) the diagnosis is the most important in establishing
membership in a therapy group. The key word in this question is "establish". Diagnosis
and race are important yet diagnosis is considered more important than race
A SWer is conducting group therapy with a group of older adults providing caregiving
support services for a relative. The SWer realizes that in group therapy there are
several stages of group development. The best indicator of the group's stage of
development is:
A) The therapist's level of empathy
B) The amount of self-disclosing done by the therapist
C) The presence of counter-transference
, D) the Cohesion Level within the group - Answers - D) The level of cohesion is an
important indicator of over-all group progress. The other answers relate directly to the
therapist (not the group) and the one dealing with the counter-transference is clearly not
the best answer
A Recently licensed SWer is preparing to provide individual therapy to a client. When is
it acceptable for a SWer to have sexual relationship with his/her client
A) only after they have terminated therapy
B) only if there is no coercion by the SWer
C) It is never acceptable
D) Only when there is no coercion on the part of the pt - Answers - C) it is never
acceptable for a SW to have sex with a previous or current client
A SWer is working with a client that has just experienced a crisis. In crisis intervention,
the most important factor is:
A) Providing homogeneity in the session
B) Providing support to the client
C) Becoming a firm leader for the client
D) understanding past behavior - Answers - B) Providing support to the client is an
essential characteristic. Remember, these are individuals who are just having trouble
coping and their usual ways of handling the situations are not working
A SWer has recently terminated therapy with a client. Several Weeks later she hires the
client as a paid SW intern who is to function under her supervision. This would be
considered?
A) Ethical
B) Unethical
C) Ethical but illegal
D) Illegal and unethical - Answers - B) it is considered unethical for SWers that has
recently terminated therapy with a client to hire the client several weeks later as a paid
SW intern who will function under her supervision
A husband, wife, and their seven years old daughters are seeing a SWer at the request
of their family physician. During the initial session, the SWer suspects that the father is
physically abusing his daughter. The daughter is shy and withdrawn, and the SW
notices that her arms and legs have numerous bruises at varying stages of healing. The
mother openly admits that her husband has difficulty controlling his temper but the
father denies any abuse. Taking the above info into account the SWer should.
A) establish a therapeutic alliance with the family and then determine if a report is
needed
B) Report the suspected abuse appropriately
C) Wait till the SWer can determine that abuse has occurred then report it
D) report the abuse only if she witnesses it - Answers - B) if a case of child abuse it
should always be reported. There does not have to be a confirmation of abuse
