ASWB Clinical 3

Question 1

A social worker notices a client is consistently arriving late, forgetting appointments, and avoiding emotionally charged topics. This pattern is best understood as:

Accepted Answer

Resistance

Answer

Resistance refers to conscious or unconscious behaviors that impede therapeutic progress, such as avoidance, lateness, or topic deflection.

Question 2

Which eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating without compensatory behaviors, occurring at least once a week for 3 months?

Accepted Answer

Binge Eating Disorder

Answer

Binge Eating Disorder involves recurrent binge eating episodes without the purging or compensatory behaviors seen in Bulimia Nervosa.

Question 3

A client on lithium therapy complains of tremor, nausea, and confusion. The social worker's most appropriate first action is to:

Accepted Answer

Refer the client to their prescribing physician immediately

Answer

These symptoms may indicate lithium toxicity, a medical emergency requiring immediate evaluation by the prescribing physician.

Question 4

In family therapy, the concept of 'triangulation' refers to:

Accepted Answer

A third party being pulled into tension between two others to reduce anxiety

Answer

Triangulation occurs when a dyadic conflict is stabilized by involving a third person, diverting tension away from the original pair.

Question 5

A client with Borderline Personality Disorder idealized the social worker last week but is now expressing intense anger and calling the worker incompetent. This shift exemplifies:

Accepted Answer

Splitting

Answer

Splitting is a hallmark defense mechanism in BPD where others are viewed as all good or all bad, with sudden shifts between the two extremes.

ASWB - Association of Social Work Boards Practice Test

ASWB - Association of Social Work Boards Practice Test

ASWB Clinical 3