ASWB Bachelors 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Maslow's hierarchy of needs is MOST relevant to social work practice because it:
- Provides a diagnostic framework for mental health conditions
- Helps prioritize client needs from basic survival to self-actualization (Correct answer)
- Explains how trauma affects cognitive development
- Guides legal interventions in child welfare cases
Correct answer: Helps prioritize client needs from basic survival to self-actualization
Maslow's hierarchy helps social workers understand that basic needs like safety and food must be addressed before higher-order needs can be pursued.
Question 2: A BSW working in a school setting notices a student has unexplained bruises and seems fearful. The FIRST action should be to:
- Call the student's parents to discuss the concern
- File a report with child protective services (Correct answer)
- Speak with the student privately to gather more information
- Consult with a supervisor before taking any action
Correct answer: File a report with child protective services
Social workers are mandated reporters and must report reasonable suspicion of child abuse to child protective services without delay.
Question 3: Which theoretical framework focuses on the interaction between individuals and their environments across multiple system levels?
- Psychoanalytic theory
- Ecological systems theory (Correct answer)
- Cognitive behavioral theory
- Attachment theory
Correct answer: Ecological systems theory
Ecological systems theory, developed by Bronfenbrenner, examines how individuals are influenced by and interact with nested environmental systems.
Question 4: During intake, a client discloses they are undocumented. The BSW should:
- Inform the client that their status may need to be reported
- Provide services and maintain confidentiality as with any client (Correct answer)
- Refer the client to an immigration attorney before providing services
- Document immigration status in the case file for agency records
Correct answer: Provide services and maintain confidentiality as with any client
Social workers are obligated to provide services without discrimination and maintain confidentiality regardless of immigration status.
Question 5: The 'strengths perspective' in social work practice emphasizes:
- Identifying and building on client capacities and resources (Correct answer)
- Diagnosing deficits to develop targeted treatment plans
- Focusing on environmental barriers before internal factors
- Prioritizing evidence-based interventions over client preferences
Correct answer: Identifying and building on client capacities and resources
The strengths perspective shifts focus from pathology to clients' inherent resilience, capabilities, and existing resources.
Question 6: A BSW notices a client appears intoxicated during a home visit. The BEST course of action is to:
- Continue the visit and document the observation
- End the visit and reschedule when the client is sober (Correct answer)
- Call emergency services immediately
- Conduct the visit in a shorter format focusing only on essential items
Correct answer: End the visit and reschedule when the client is sober
A client who is intoxicated cannot meaningfully participate in or consent to services, making it appropriate to reschedule the visit.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes 'active listening' in a social work interview?
- Taking detailed notes while the client speaks
- Reflecting content and feelings to demonstrate understanding (Correct answer)
- Asking closed-ended questions to gather specific facts
- Offering advice based on the client's presenting problem
Correct answer: Reflecting content and feelings to demonstrate understanding
Active listening involves reflecting back both the content and emotional meaning of what the client shares to convey genuine understanding.
ASWB Bachelors 3
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is MOST relevant to social work practice because it: