Practice Test Question of the Week:
5/6:
A social worker in a psychiatric setting is working with a client who exhibits characteristics of Bipolar I Disorder. The psychiatrist in the clinic plans to prescribe medication for the client. Which of the following is the most commonly used medication for Bipolar I Disorder?
- Lithium
- Ritalin
- Zoloft
- Prozac
The correct answer is "A" - Lithium. Ritalin (answer B) is not correct because Ritalin is a common medication used for ADHD. Zoloft (answer "C") and Prozac (answer "D") are both incorrect because they are medications commonly used to treat depression.
4/28:
A college student has made an appointment to speak with a counselor at her university’s counseling center about troublesome symptoms she has experienced on a number of occasions over the last six months. The symptoms include chest pain, nausea, pounding heart, and dizziness. A recent medical exam failed to identify any physical problems. Which of the following DSM-5 diagnoses is this student MOST LIKELY suffering from?
A) Generalized Anxiety Disorder
B) Social Anxiety Disorder
C) Panic Disorder
D) Specific Phobia
The correct answer is C - Panic Disorder. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (answer A) is not correct because Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive anxiety about a number of events or activities. Social Anxiety Disorder (answer B) is not correct because a Social Phobia is evoked by social or performance situations. Specific Phobia (answer D) is not correct because the diagnosis of Specific Phobia would be appropriate if these symptoms were evoked by a specific object or situation other than a social situation.
4/20:
While working with a family during a family session, the mother states that she is so angry that
she could hit her children senseless. This comment alerts the social worker to the fact that
there may be child abuse in the family. The social worker’s NEXT step needs to be to:
A. Ask the mother if she has hit the children
B. Change the subject
C. Ask the children if she has hit them before
D. Draw the children out to discuss this
The correct answer is A- ask the mother if she has hit the children. This would be the NEXT logical thing to do, as it was the mother's comments that raised the issue of possible child abuse. Changing the subject (answer B) is not correct because when a client reveals information such as that in the scenario, it is never appropriate to change the subject and not deal with the information. If the mother denies that she has hit the children, the social worker may want to further explore the possibility of abuse by asking the children if she has hit them before (answer C) or by drawing the children out to discuss the situation (answer D).
A Youth Corrections social worker is holding weekly group therapy session with the residents of a group home. In establishing the ground rules for the group, all of the following are appropriate EXCEPT
- Respect other’s comments
- Be on time to group
- Maintain confidentiality
- Don’t express negative emotions
The correct answer is D - Don't express negative emotions. The question asks which of four possible ground rules for a group is not appropriate. It is critical that group members be encouraged to express their emotions, positive and negative, in appropriate ways.
A social worker is employed in a community mental health agency. She/he/they is desirous of being an excellent social worker but wonders what factors result in the client being able to be successful. A large body of research has identified which of the following as the most important factor in therapy outcomes:
A. Theoretical orientation
B. Intervention skills
C. Client and worker homogeneity
D. Quality of the therapeutic relationship
The correct answer is "D" - Quality of the therapeutic relationship. Theoretical orientation (answer A) is not correct because experienced clinicians with different theoretical orientations seem to have comparable outcomes. Intervention skills (answer B) is not correct because skill level, though a factor in therapy outcome, has not been shown to be as important a factor as quality of the therapeutic relationship. Client and worker homogeneity (answer C) is not correct because the importance of homogeneity in client and worker characteristics is unclear.
A social worker has been working with a family that has a 16-year old son who has had a drug problem. The son, in an individual session, tells the social worker that he has started drug use again. The social worker's FIRST responsibility is to:
A. Maintain the son's confidentiality
B. Assess the son's drug use
C. Disclose this information to his parents
D. Ask the son to identify the reasons he has started using again
The correct answer is B- assess the son's drug use. The question asks about the social worker's FIRST responsibility. Before the social worker takes any action, it is important to make a careful assessment of the son's current drug use. Maintaining the son's confidentiality (answer A) is not the best answer as the question asks for the social worker's FIRST responsibility in this situation, and that is to find out the facts about the drug use. Disclosing the information to his parents (answer C) is not the best answer because the social worker needs to assess the young man's drug use before taking further action. Asking the son the reasons he has started using again (answer D) is not the best answer as this may be a step to be taken as part of assessing the son's drug use.
When a social worker uses an empathic response, he/she/they are attempting to
- Build a relationship with the client
- Provide accurate listening
- Develop confidence
D. Be sympathetic
The correct answer is A. Build a relationship with the client. Research indicates that social worker empathy is a critical factor in the quality of the therapeutic relationship. Providing accurate listening (Answer B) is not the best answer as providing accurate listening is only a part of building a relationship with the client. Developing confidence (Answer C) is not correct because developing confidence is a function of the client, not the social worker. Being sympathetic means feeling sorry for the clients, which is not an empathic response.
A patient complains of sleeplessness, loss of appetite, feeling hopeless, general apathy. To help diagnose a social worker would most need to know
(a) medications the client is taking (b) family history of depression (c) how long the symptoms have persisted (d) if the patient lives alone
The correct answer is C.
A 55-year-old male has been meeting with a social worker to address his alcohol dependence. Over the past few weeks he has cut down on his drinking. He arrives at his scheduled appointment sweating. He states he has been vomiting and he has a noticeable tremor in his hands. How should the social worker respond?
When people decrease or stop using substances, they will experience withdrawal symptoms if they were dependent on those substances. Withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous, but unless there's an obvious medical emergency, it is up to the client to determine if he wants to seek medical attention. The correct answer is A.
A. Talk to the client about the possible dangers of alcohol withdrawal and allow the client to make his own decision about whether or not to seek medical help.
Unless there's a medical emergency, the proper course is to explain the possible risks to the client and discuss whether or not he wants to seek medical treatment.
B. Encourage the client to withstand the uncomfortable symptoms for a few days as they will likely pass after the painful process of detox.
The tremor, the sweating, and the vomiting could be symptoms of a serious medical issue, so it could be dangerous simply to encourage the client to tough it out.
C. Encourage the client to decrease his alcohol intake more slowly as he is less likely to suffer such serious withdrawal symptoms.
The client may interpret this advice as encouragement to drink, which may cause more problems for him.
D. Call 911, even if the client refuses to consent, as the client is likely detoxing and may experience seizures or possibly death.
Although withdrawal can become life-threatening, the client is not exhibiting any signs of a medical emergency, so the social worker cannot break the client's confidentiality.
While working with a client who is experiencing difficulty getting along with the staff where she works, the client and the social worker become aware of a dysfunctional response pattern she has to staff in a specific type of situation. The best course of action is to help the client clearly identify what is happening and to change the maladaptive pattern by using which technique:
- Empty chair
- Mirroring
- Cognitive Restructuring
- Role Playing
The correct answer is C.
Cognitive restructuring is when one learns to replace disparaging remarks with positive messages. There is much support in the literature for the value of cognitive restructuring in resolving this type of problem. Empty chair (answer A) is not correct as empty chair is a technique used in Gestalt therapy, whereby the client is asked to act out feelings or thoughts to increase awareness, rather than to learn skills to restructure maladaptive behavior. Mirroring (answer B) is not correct as mirroring is a nondirective approach in which the social work reflects back the client's exact words and gestures. Role playing (answer D) is not the best answer because, although role playing may be a useful exercise to practice one's behavior, the cognitive restructuring needs to be the primary therapeutic approach.
Practice Test Question of the Week:
A school social worker in a public high school has been asked by her principal to set up a group of students who have been arrested for using drugs. He asks her to include some of the student leaders who have not used drugs, as positive role models for the other students. Which statement best describes this type of group?
- This is a therapy group
- B. This is an educational group
- C. This is a support group
- D. This group is not a good idea
The correct answer is D. - (click link for explanation)
