Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Practice Exam

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• When a client expresses feeling lost, what is the most client-centered first response?
• What is the most important benefit of group work?
• During a group session, a client states that he is tired of being here and does not know if he wants to continue. In this situation, it is BEST for the social worker to:
• If a client threatens another person, the social worker's duty is to:
• Which is a common protective factor against burnout for social workers?
• Delirium tremens are associated with withdrawal from:
• In ethically working with a client whose medical condition is not understood, which action is NOT required?
• When a social worker treats a client with a medical condition they know little about and there are no other options, which action is NOT ethically required?
• A social worker discovers transportation issues prevent a client from attending services. FIRST step?
• Which element is least likely to be considered a dynamic risk factor in a risk assessment interview with a perpetrator?
• A health screening reveals that a medication is contraindicated for a current client. This means that this medication must:
• In cases where abuse is suspected, which action demonstrates ethical handling of confidentiality?
• Which framework best explains that a behavior is influenced by the fit between an individual and their environment?
• Which is NOT an advantage of working in an intradisciplinary group?
• What is the MOST common form of child maltreatment?
• A social worker says, "This is surprising because you have always said that you were happy there." The statement is:
• A client is diagnosed with a behavioral disorder and a health problem. These conditions are described as
• Which of the following is NOT an indicator that a client may be resistant or not ready to participate in services?
• Which practice best supports sustainable change in community organization?
• Which of the following communication styles is characterized by using criticism, blaming others, and having a low tolerance for frustration?
• Which of the following is NOT typically described as a physical neurological symptom?
• Which statement describes the initial step in problem-solving in social work?
• In ethical practice, when a client may pose risk to self or others, the social worker should begin by:
• A client tells a social worker that he feels 'alone' and does not think that anyone else is having the same problems that he is experiencing. In order to assist the client, it is BEST that the social worker:
• Which is NOT an essential part of obtaining a client's informed consent?
• A client believes a terminally ill parent will soon recover and the hospice will be discontinued. This best illustrates which defense mechanism?
• To help a supervisee improve empathic communication, which supervisory technique is MOST effective?
• A social worker feels overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork that they need to complete. The social worker is MOST likely experiencing:
• Which factor does NOT usually impact group cohesion?
• When a social worker receives a subpoena, he or she must:
• Which is MOST critical for change to occur?
• Which statement BEST describes the relationship between biological factors and mental health?
• Which of the following is NOT associated with positive ego strength?
• A client shows a social worker a list of reasons why she should and should not leave her abusive husband. She is basing her decision on which theory?
• Documentation describing a client's personal problems unrelated to the service provided is generally considered:
• In group therapy, what is the primary mechanism by which groups effect change?
• In bereavement, group therapy with others who have experienced similar losses is often recommended because it:
• Which perspective on bonding posits that humans are biologically predisposed to form attachments to enhance survival?
• A social worker receives a lot of background and collateral data on a client's presenting problem. However, in the assessment interview, the social worker asks the client extensively about the current situation. This questioning is MOST likely being done to:
• During ethical problem solving, after identifying an ethical conflict, what is the recommended next step?
• The husband wants to stay home with the new baby; the wife opposes due to breadwinner norms. To be MOST effective, the social worker should focus on:
• In a behavioral assessment, the social worker focuses on identifying the antecedents that precede observable indicators of stress.
• Which element is not typically addressed in a standard mental status examination?
• After assessment, placement in an intensive outpatient program rather than inpatient for a Substance Use Disorder is MOST likely based on:
• Which item is typically included in a client contract?
• Transference BEST is defined as:
• When a social worker suspects a colleague's impairment is affecting practice, which action is NOT appropriate to address the issue?
• To address power imbalance and systemic racism at the roots of economic injustice, social workers should do all of the following EXCEPT:
• Regarding TANF funding changes under PRWORA, which statement is true?
• A home-based social worker needs to discuss an urgent situation with a supervisor who suggests meeting at a local restaurant. The social worker should:
• When a social worker is assigned a client who is of a different race or ethnicity, what is the best professional approach?
• Which of the following is generally considered best practice when a former client asks for ongoing services in a non-clinical setting?
• Role complementarity occurs when:
• Which principle is centered on respecting a client's right to make their own decisions?
• When releasing summaries to the court, the social worker should:
• A client who is going through a bitter divorce tells a social worker that she 'does not know how this will ever turn out well.' The social worker, who is divorced, remembers when she also felt that way. To appropriately assist the client, the social worker should:
• Which statement about collectivist cultures is TRUE?
• Which of the following is NOT typically part of the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development?
• Which practice framework centers on clients' strengths and resources rather than deficits?
• Which is NOT a basic or deficiency need?
• When working with a client from a culture different from your own, you should:
• A couple reports to a social worker that their parents are strongly opposed to them living together prior to marriage. They have been dating for many years and would like to move in together, but do not feel that they are ready to get married. The social worker should FIRST:
• According to Erikson, which of the following is seen as the last stage in psychosocial development?
• A school social worker learns that a 10-year-old student has just been placed in foster care because physical abuse by her parents has been substantiated. The social worker has had many referrals for this student in recent weeks concerning incidents of bullying other children. This student's behavior is MOST likely a result of:
• Which represents a pre-post evaluation design?
• A social worker in a child care agency sees a mother distressed by her toddler's separation anxiety. To BEST assist, the social worker should:
• Which scenario is permissible to limit a client's self-determination?
• The life-course framework views the domains as interrelated, so changes in one domain can influence others.
• Which of the following distinguishes between micro, mezzo, and macro advocacy?
• In the contemplation stage of change, which is NOT the most effective way to respond to clients' resistance?
• In the DSM-5, the multiaxial system used in previous versions of the manual has;
• A 13-year-old client is staying home alone after school and is responsible for organizing her time. She is looking forward to high school next year and is selecting her classes so she can be a good candidate for college acceptance. This client is MOST likely in which of the following stages of cognitive development?
• A client who previously received case-management services requests a copy of her record after terminating services abruptly. The social worker should:
• Which statement about professional consultation in social work is true?
• A clinician wants to illustrate family relationships and patterns across generations to inform treatment. Which diagram is best suited?
• A client reports that her boyfriend brutally beat her a year ago but is very remorseful and there have been no signs of violence since that time. He has been attentive to her needs and promised that "nothing like that will ever happen again." In this situation, the client is:
• In evaluating whether hiring an additional after-school staff member will cover costs and generate revenue, which analysis is used?
• In educational or program evaluation, formative evaluation primarily focuses on which aspect?
• A puppet behind the back creates distress in a 6-month-old because the child has not yet developed:
• A 21-year-old young woman with significant developmental disabilities has never worked and needs financial assistance. The daughter is unemployable; which program is she most likely eligible for?
• When using a self-disclosure policy, which statement is most accurate?
• Which communication technique involves restating the client's message to convey empathy?
• Which is NOT a primary purpose of a social work license?
• A social worker sees bruises on a child in an after-school program. The child reports bruises occurred when grabbed by his father. The mother confirms there was a fight, but the father is out-of-state. What should the social worker do?
• A child who can classify objects by color, shape, and size is in which stage of Piaget's theory?
• Which is NOT a reason to seek collateral information about a client's problems?
• Negative entropy within a system is BEST described as:
• Partialization helps with all of the following EXCEPT?
• Before sharing summaries with court, the social worker should ensure which step to protect confidentiality?
• A client gets into a fight with his wife and buys her flowers and a ring several days later. These gifts are an example of:
• In confidentiality, disclosure without client consent is permissible in which of the following scenarios?
• Which statement about culture is NOT true?
• According to the cycle of abuse, what comes after a battering incident?
• Which statement is true about child sexual abuse?
• Those who are gender nonconforming are:
• When a client is receiving services involuntarily, all of the following must be provided as part of the informed consent procedure EXCEPT:
• Which statement best defines manifest content in communication analysis?
• In child welfare, neglect is most accurately characterized by which of the following?
• Which statement about Substance Use Disorders in DSM-5 is TRUE?
• Which practice demonstrates a strengths-based framework?
• Under what circumstance may a social worker limit a client's self-determination?
• Which of the following alone is NOT a strong correlate of violence toward others in adults?
• When a social worker suspects developmental concerns in a child based on parental report, what should be asked first?
• Pansexuality is defined as being attracted to others regardless of gender.
• During a first meeting with a client, which of the following will be LEAST effective in reducing resistance?
• When child abuse is suspected, the social worker must:
• Arthrodesis refers to fixation by fusion of
• A family served by the agency is experiencing ongoing problems after the husband, who had a long-standing problem with alcohol addiction, has been sober and engaged in treatment. This family is most likely experiencing problems due to a change in:
• Which defense mechanism reduces anxiety by attributing unacceptable thoughts to others?
• A client diagnosed with fibromyalgia; which body system is most affected?
• When using a qualified interpreter to provide services to a client who speaks a different language, all of the following EXCEPT:
• Which activity is an example of macro practice in social work?
• Which of the following is TRUE about Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders?
• During IEP development, which action best demonstrates social worker involvement?
• A social worker needs to contact a client who has not shown up for services in many weeks. He leaves the number provided with a simple message including his name, agency name, and contact information. The social worker's actions were:
• A teenage client expresses ongoing conflict at home; to BEST address the situation, the social worker should:
• Which of the following is NOT a social work role?
• Which document designates someone to make health care decisions for a client when they cannot?
• When elder abuse is suspected in a community setting, the social worker should first:
• When assessing the functioning of a community, which is MOST important?
• Which of the following is not typically included in DSM-5 diagnostic criteria?
• After identifying thoughts of self-harm, what factor should be assessed to gauge ongoing risk?
• When helping a supervisee develop empathic communication with clients, which supervisory approach is MOST effective?
• A client who is receiving case management and is nearing termination learns that her father has been hospitalized. What should the social worker do?
• Which document is used to present a client's family history and current functional relationships in social work?
• A client is shown sketches and asked to create a story for each card. Which psychological test is this?
• Which statement best describes a primary purpose of professional licensure for social workers?
• A client enters the social worker's office speaking loudly and in a hostile manner. The most appropriate immediate approach is to
• In Motivational Interviewing, which approach is most effective when a client is in the contemplation stage?
• A client taking hydrocodone is most likely using it to treat which kind of issue?
• An 11-year-old student who lacks confidence and is fearful of taking on tasks is most likely experiencing a crisis in which psychosocial stage?
• Which statement is TRUE about human trafficking?
• Which stage of change is characterized by lack of awareness or willingness to change?
• Psychological abuse is MOST often detected by:
• Meaningful involvement in environmental justice refers to:
• If a supervisor directs to monitor ongoing abuse allegations, what is the most appropriate action for the social worker?
• A client tells a social worker that she is attracted to him and would like to terminate services to "see if it would go anywhere." The social worker should:
• In a crisis situation, the social worker's first step should be to:
• Which form of power is based on formal authority or position within an organization?
• Which evaluation approach is most appropriate for assessing whether after-school staffing changes improve financial outcomes?
• Widowed client feels lonely; best suggestion:
• In response to overdue balances that violate policy, what is an appropriate action for the social worker?
• When a social worker leaves a job for another agency, which action related to termination with clients is required?
• A client is having difficulty at work because her boss asks her to perform tasks she does not feel qualified to do. The BEST way for the social worker to help is to:
• Which DSM edition is most current and widely used by social workers?
• A social worker reviews a client's letter and notes the underlying meaning of the content suggesting hopelessness. This illustrates focusing on which content type?
• FIRST step in addressing community problems to ensure resident-driven change is to:
• Using a cognitive approach, assessment would focus on all of the following EXCEPT:
• A school social worker has been informed that a student has been involved in an accident which has caused permanent physical disability. In order to BEST meet this student's needs, the social worker should be sure to assess the:
• A client comes to a social worker with concerns about food and housing insecurity, her inability to pursue her passion for writing, her relationship with her boyfriend, and her self-esteem. The social worker should FIRST assist the client with:
• Financial exploitation of older adults includes all of the following actions EXCEPT:
• During assessment, partialization can be used by a social worker to assist a client with all of the following EXCEPT:
• When a social worker is served with a subpoena, which action aligns with standard professional practice?
• An elderly client is being discharged from the hospital. She has memory loss and trouble performing activities of daily living, and therefore needs significant support. She would like to return home. In this situation, what should the social worker do FIRST?
• A social worker does not agree with a supervisor's directive. The appropriate action is:
• A client who holds a belief despite evidence to the contrary is said to have which phenomenon?
• Which of the following is NOT typically a component of a client contract?
• Which statement best describes a NOT typical advantage of using an existing assessment instrument?
• A client who has developed a strong sense of their cultural, racial, and ethnic identity and feels comfortable socializing with people from diverse backgrounds is described as being in which stage?
• Which approach is most effective in building rapport during an initial session?
• Which term best describes a family pattern with weak boundaries and over-dependence on family members for identity?
• A social worker and a teacher set an objective that a second-grade student will remain seated after being reminded to do so in the classroom. The supervisor would judge the objective to be:
• Which statement BEST defines environmental justice?
• In a scenario where an elderly client is under guardianship and referrals are paid by insurance, what is required?
• Which statement best differentiates POLST from an Advance Directive?
• Which statement about family functioning is NOT true?
• In family systems theory, entropy refers to which phenomenon?
• In a situation where a supervisor proposes meeting in a restaurant to discuss urgent client issues, the social worker should:
• An agency social worker is asked by a supervisee about job candidates. The social worker's sister recently graduated and is an outstanding student. The best course is:
• When a client expresses suicidal thoughts but states they will not act, the social worker should FIRST?
• Which concept describes the ongoing development of social workers' ability to work effectively with diverse populations by understanding diversity and oppression?
• A client stops cannabis use after years of heavy use; which withdrawal is most likely in the early days?
• Upon entering school for the first time, a boy has ongoing incidents of urinating in his pants. After a medical evaluation shows no problems, the next step is:
• Which statement about the life-course interplay among biological, psychological, social, and spiritual domains is TRUE?
• An emancipated minor can do all of the following EXCEPT:
• Which statement best captures unconditional positive regard in therapy?
• Which statement reflects people-first language?
• After determining that an ethical conflict exists, a social worker should next:
• A client is reporting feeling very tired and having trouble getting out of bed. He has recently experienced a lot of stress at work. In order to best serve the client, a social worker should FIRST:
• If a client discloses intent to harm self or others, which action is appropriate?
• A social worker and her supervisor are meeting when a teenager comes into the office and wants "to talk." The teenager reports that she is "being tortured" at home and is the victim of emotional and physical abuse. The supervisor tells the social worker that this child made similar allegations several years ago and they were not substantiated by the child protection agency. The supervisor tells the social worker to "monitor" the situation and keep the supervisor informed in any subsequent allegations are made by the teenager. The social worker should:
• When language barriers exist and the social worker has limited fluency, what is the most ethical practice?
• Which of the following is NOT a recommended self-care strategy for social workers?
• When a client reports feeling alone, which approach best supports engagement and safety?
• Which statement best describes the primary purpose of supervision in social work practice?
• Families in which incest has occurred are LIKELY to have:
• Which instrument is a standardized self-report questionnaire used to assess a wide range of mental health symptoms and personality structure?
• A social worker documents that a client is having problems concentrating due to issues at home with his same-gender parents. The supervisor would consider this entry to be:
• Which of the following questions is NOT typically asked during a spiritual history interview?
• Which of the following is TRUE about stereotypes?
• Fibromyalgia affects which bodily system most directly?
• Which statement about spiritual development is true?
• A client asks to release information to a third party; which is true regarding confidentiality?
• In a group, when a member shows ambivalence about continuing, the appropriate action is to
• An emancipated minor status commonly allows the minor to:
• Needle exchange programs are based on which model of treatment?
• Early withdrawal from cannabis typically includes:
• An 8-year-old child with a history of physical abuse who is experiencing anger issues is referred for therapy. Based on typical cognitive developmental considerations for children this age, which modality is BEST suited to address behavioral issues?
• In evaluating client outcomes, which element is most directly linked to measuring program success?
• Which statement about age of majority is NOT true?
• In the precontemplation stage of change, a client is
• Which statement about the life-domain interconnection is true?
• Which principle best supports respecting a client's autonomy in decision-making?
• Which statement best differentiates an advance directive from a POLST?
• Which is a core value of social work as cited in the preamble of the professional code of ethics?
• In the first step of the problem-solving process, which of the following occurs EXCEPT?
• A client who acts in a manner opposite of her unconscious beliefs is most likely using which defense mechanism?
• Restating a client's ideas to gain a fuller understanding is an example of which technique?
• A social worker is provided with flowcharts to help determine why the agency is not meeting targets. They are likely assessing:
• A mother seeks a referral for her 4-year-old's development; the social worker should FIRST?
• Which of the following is NOT a physical sign of abuse or neglect in a child?
• A social worker notices that a client who has been very depressed in past weeks after being hospitalized for a suicide attempt appears to be much happier. The social worker should FIRST:
• Macro-level advocacy focuses on which of the following?
• In risk assessment, which factor is typically considered dynamic?
• Which of the following is an example of a boundary crossing rather than a boundary violation?
• Which statement about self-disclosure to a client is NOT true?
• Which of the following is NOT true about early childhood development?
• An Alzheimer’s foundation audits a program and asks to review client files as part of the evaluation. The social worker may allow such reviews:
• When releasing information with client consent, the social worker should:
• Which factor is least likely to determine initial service priority?
• A Hispanic family recently immigrated speaks only Spanish, and their child is bilingual. A social worker with limited Spanish fluency is assigned to assist. What is the best course of action?
• Which element is essential in a measurable objective in client work?
• Which statement best captures a common societal challenge faced by gender nonconforming individuals?
• What type of power is earned by holding a formal position within an organization?
• A student client feels like a failure after not getting a part in the school play. What should the social worker address first?
• Which action is most critical when using an empowerment approach with a client?
• In an intake with a client who has struggled with heavy drinking for years and has not had a drink in 12 hours, what is the social worker's FIRST step?
• Which is NOT an aim of community organization?
• All of the following are appropriate social work roles during the development of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) EXCEPT:
• In PRWORA, which element was not one of the restructuring changes to TANF?
• Unconditional positive regard is best defined as
• In a community needs assessment, the primary purpose is to:
• Countertransference is best defined as:
• Which of the following is NOT found in a client's advance directive?
• Social workers should refer clients to other professionals in all of the following instances EXCEPT when:
• Which of the following is the BEST definition of sublimation?
• Which planning approach aligns with the person-in-environment perspective when planning interventions?
• In a case involving distressing behavior in a child, which defense mechanism is most consistent with displacement?
• A client reports that her husband has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and she will be the primary caregiver for him. What will be MOST helpful for the social worker to do in assisting the client?
• What is the most significant difference between formative and summative evaluation?
• During assessment, a strengths-based approach would best involve which of the following?
• When delivering services to a client from a different cultural background, what is MOST important to effective practice?
• Which of the following is TRUE about physical contact of a client by a social worker?
• When leaving a voicemail for a client who missed several appointments, which approach maintains confidentiality?
• A client anxious about her children; to assess magnitude, the social worker asks her to log frequency of thoughts. Why is this used?
• To refer an elderly client for counseling paid by her insurer, which consents are required?
• In a setting where a social worker has minimal involvement with those being studied, the worker's observational role is best described as:
• In ethical decision-making, which principle guides respecting a client's autonomy?
• Which defense mechanism is most likely when a person denies reality of illness?
• When evaluating a teenager with behavioral problems at the start of high school, the best approach for a social worker is to:
• Which statement BEST defines people-first language?