LCSW EXAM: THERAPIST
DEVELOPMENT CENTER EXAM WITH
CORRECT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2025
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 - CORRECT-ANSWERSThe 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 -
CORRECT-ANSWERSThe 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 - CORRECT-ANSWERSThe 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.
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. - CORRECT-ANSWERSThe 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.
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.
DEVELOPMENT CENTER EXAM WITH
CORRECT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2025
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 - CORRECT-ANSWERSThe 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 -
CORRECT-ANSWERSThe 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 - CORRECT-ANSWERSThe 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.
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. - CORRECT-ANSWERSThe 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.
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.
