30 Social Work Licensing Exam Mock Test
1. A social worker is meeting a new client who has been referred for depression. What should be the FIRST step in the helping process?
A) Develop a treatment plan
B) Conduct a psychosocial assessment
C) Refer the client to a psychiatrist
D) Begin cognitive behavioral therapy
Answer: B) Conduct a psychosocial assessment
Explanation:
Assessment is always the first step in the helping process to understand the client’s needs, history, and current situation before developing any plan or intervention.
2. Which of the following best describes transference in the therapeutic relationship?
A) The therapist develops emotional reactions toward the client.
B) The client projects feelings from past relationships onto the therapist.
C) The therapist interprets the client’s behavior.
D) The client resists discussing painful issues.
Answer: B) The client projects feelings from past relationships onto the therapist.
Explanation:
Transference occurs when a client unconsciously transfers feelings about important people in their life onto the therapist.
3. What is the primary purpose of confidentiality in social work practice?
A) To protect agency records
B) To maintain trust in the professional relationship
C) To ensure compliance with federal laws
D) To prevent legal liability
Answer: B) To maintain trust in the professional relationship
Explanation:
Confidentiality fosters a trusting environment where clients feel safe to share personal information necessary for effective intervention.
4. A social worker suspects child abuse. The parent denies it and asks the worker to keep it confidential. What should the social worker do?
A) Respect confidentiality
B) Wait for more evidence
C) Report it to child protective services
D) Confront the parent again
Answer: C) Report it to child protective services
Explanation:
Social workers are mandated reporters; any reasonable suspicion of child abuse must be reported immediately.
5. According to systems theory, human behavior is best understood by examining:
A) Internal psychological conflicts
B) Individual personality traits
C) The interactions between individuals and their environment
D) Biological predispositions
Answer: C) The interactions between individuals and their environment
Explanation:
Systems theory emphasizes that individuals are part of interconnected systems—family, community, and society—that influence behavior.
6. Which ethical principle is most relevant when a social worker avoids dual relationships with clients?
A) Integrity
B) Dignity and worth of the person
C) Competence
D) Boundaries and professionalism
Answer: D) Boundaries and professionalism
Explanation:
Maintaining appropriate boundaries prevents conflicts of interest and preserves professional integrity.
7. During crisis intervention, what should be the immediate goal of the social worker?
A) To provide long-term therapy
B) To explore the client’s family history
C) To ensure safety and stabilize the client
D) To analyze defense mechanisms
Answer: C) To ensure safety and stabilize the client
Explanation:
Crisis intervention focuses first on safety, stability, and immediate support before deeper exploration.
8. In motivational interviewing, which technique helps clients explore ambivalence about change?
A) Giving direct advice
B) Reflective listening
C) Silent observation
D) Cognitive restructuring
Answer: B) Reflective listening
Explanation:
Reflective listening allows clients to hear their own thoughts, helping them resolve ambivalence and move toward change.
9. Which term refers to a social worker’s understanding of their own cultural values and biases?
A) Cultural competence
B) Cultural humility
C) Cultural awareness
D) Cultural relativism
Answer: B) Cultural humility
Explanation:
Cultural humility involves ongoing self-reflection about one’s own cultural background and biases in professional practice.
10. A client shares suicidal thoughts but denies having a plan. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A) Document and continue therapy
B) Conduct a risk assessment
C) Notify family members
D) Call the police immediately
Answer: B) Conduct a risk assessment
Explanation:
A risk assessment determines the level of danger and the appropriate intervention steps to ensure client safety.
11. Which of the following is an example of role conflict?
A) A social worker teaching coping skills
B) A social worker being both a friend and therapist to a client
C) A client refusing to attend sessions
D) A client feeling guilty after relapse
Answer: B) A social worker being both a friend and therapist to a client
Explanation:
Role conflict arises when dual roles create incompatible expectations or ethical concerns.
12. What is the primary goal of case management in social work?
A) Therapy for emotional distress
B) Coordination of services to meet client needs
C) Legal advocacy
D) Group counseling
Answer: B) Coordination of services to meet client needs
Explanation:
Case management ensures clients access and receive appropriate resources and services effectively.
13. The “strengths perspective” in social work focuses on:
A) Deficits in client functioning
B) Diagnosing disorders
C) Identifying and building upon client abilities
D) Exploring past trauma
Answer: C) Identifying and building upon client abilities
Explanation:
This approach emphasizes empowering clients by recognizing their skills, resilience, and potential.
14. Which of the following best defines countertransference?
A) Client projects feelings onto therapist
B) Therapist projects unresolved feelings onto client
C) Mutual understanding develops between client and therapist
D) Client resists therapeutic interventions
Answer: B) Therapist projects unresolved feelings onto client
Explanation:
Countertransference involves the therapist’s own emotional responses influenced by past experiences.
15. The Ecological Systems Model was proposed by:
A) Erik Erikson
B) Urie Bronfenbrenner
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Carl Rogers
Answer: B) Urie Bronfenbrenner
Explanation:
Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model emphasizes the multiple environmental systems influencing human development.
16. A client with schizophrenia is not taking medication as prescribed. What should the social worker do FIRST?
A) Report to psychiatrist
B) Explore reasons for noncompliance
C) Terminate services
D) Encourage hospitalization
Answer: B) Explore reasons for noncompliance
Explanation:
Understanding barriers like side effects or misunderstanding helps plan effective interventions.
17. Which of the following best demonstrates informed consent?
A) Client signs a form before treatment begins
B) Client is told about potential risks and benefits of treatment
C) Client attends first session voluntarily
D) Social worker explains agency policy
Answer: B) Client is told about potential risks and benefits of treatment
Explanation:
Informed consent means the client understands all aspects of treatment and agrees voluntarily.
18. The NASW Code of Ethics requires social workers to prioritize which value above others?
A) Integrity
B) Importance of human relationships
C) Service
D) Social justice
Answer: C) Service
Explanation:
“Service” is the foundation of social work values, emphasizing the profession’s mission to help others.
19. Which technique is MOST effective in dealing with client resistance?
A) Ignoring it
B) Direct confrontation
C) Empathic exploration
D) Termination
Answer: C) Empathic exploration
Explanation:
Exploring resistance empathetically helps uncover underlying fears or concerns without judgment.
20. What is the best indicator that a client has achieved treatment goals?
A) Client’s verbal agreement
B) Improved functioning and symptom reduction
C) Completion of all sessions
D) Approval from supervisor
Answer: B) Improved functioning and symptom reduction
Explanation:
Goal achievement is measured by observable improvement in behavior, emotions, or functioning.
21. Which of the following is an example of macro-level practice?
A) Family therapy
B) Policy advocacy for affordable housing
C) Group counseling
D) Individual casework
Answer: B) Policy advocacy for affordable housing
Explanation:
Macro practice focuses on large-scale interventions affecting systems, policies, and communities.
22. What is the main purpose of supervision in social work?
A) Administrative control
B) Professional development and accountability
C) Client monitoring
D) Performance appraisal only
Answer: B) Professional development and accountability
Explanation:
Supervision supports ethical practice, enhances skills, and ensures professional accountability.
23. When a social worker uses empathy, they are primarily:
A) Giving advice
B) Sharing personal experiences
C) Understanding the client’s feelings and perspective
D) Analyzing client’s defense mechanisms
Answer: C) Understanding the client’s feelings and perspective
Explanation:
Empathy helps build rapport by validating clients’ emotions without judgment.
24. Which defense mechanism involves transferring unacceptable feelings onto another person?
A) Repression
B) Projection
C) Denial
D) Rationalization
Answer: B) Projection
Explanation:
Projection occurs when a person attributes their own unacceptable emotions to others.
25. A client terminates therapy abruptly. What is the best response by the social worker?
A) Call the client repeatedly
B) Respect the decision but offer follow-up support
C) Close the case immediately
D) Inform the family
Answer: B) Respect the decision but offer follow-up support
Explanation:
Ethical termination includes respecting autonomy while providing closure or resources if needed.
26. Which of the following best defines ethical dilemma?
A) A choice between right and wrong
B) A choice between two equally justifiable but conflicting ethical principles
C) A violation of professional rules
D) An act of misconduct
Answer: B) A choice between two equally justifiable but conflicting ethical principles
Explanation:
Ethical dilemmas occur when competing ethical values (e.g., confidentiality vs. duty to warn) conflict.
27. The “duty to warn” principle originated from which legal case?
A) Roe v. Wade
B) Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California
C) Brown v. Board of Education
D) Miranda v. Arizona
Answer: B) Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California
Explanation:
The Tarasoff case established the legal duty of mental health professionals to warn identifiable victims of threats.
28. In group work, cohesion is most likely to occur when:
A) Members compete with each other
B) The leader dominates discussions
C) Members feel accepted and safe
D) Rules are not enforced
Answer: C) Members feel accepted and safe
Explanation:
Group cohesion grows when members trust each other and the environment supports open sharing.
29. Which intervention best represents cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)?
A) Exploring unconscious motives
B) Challenging irrational beliefs and replacing them with realistic thoughts
C) Free association
D) Family sculpting
Answer: B) Challenging irrational beliefs and replacing them with realistic thoughts
Explanation:
CBT focuses on changing distorted thought patterns to influence emotions and behaviors.
30. What is the final stage of the social work helping process?
A) Assessment
B) Intervention
C) Termination and evaluation
D) Planning
Answer: C) Termination and evaluation
Explanation:
The process concludes by evaluating progress and formally ending the helping relationship responsibly.
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