LMSW FREE LMSW Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A social worker is meeting with a client who discloses that they have been physically abused by a family member. What is the social worker's FIRST priority?
- Ensure the client's immediate safety (Correct answer)
- Notify law enforcement immediately
- Document the disclosure in the case file
- Refer the client to a domestic violence shelter
Correct answer: Ensure the client's immediate safety
Ensuring the client's immediate safety is always the first priority before any other intervention or documentation step.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'self-determination' in social work practice?
- The social worker decides the best course of action for the client
- The client has the right to make their own choices, even ones the social worker disagrees with (Correct answer)
- The agency sets goals collaboratively with the client
- The client follows the treatment plan developed by the interdisciplinary team
Correct answer: The client has the right to make their own choices, even ones the social worker disagrees with
Self-determination is a core social work value that upholds the client's right to make their own decisions regarding their life and treatment.
Question 3: A client with schizophrenia tells their social worker they want to stop taking their antipsychotic medication. The client is not a danger to themselves or others. What should the social worker do?
- Contact the prescribing psychiatrist to override the client's decision
- Explore the client's reasons for wanting to stop and provide psychoeducation about the risks (Correct answer)
- Discharge the client from services for non-compliance
- Immediately place the client on an involuntary psychiatric hold
Correct answer: Explore the client's reasons for wanting to stop and provide psychoeducation about the risks
The social worker should respect autonomy while exploring motivations and educating the client about risks, as the client is not currently dangerous.
Question 4: During a home visit, a social worker notices that an elderly client appears malnourished and has unexplained bruising. Which action should the social worker take?
- Speak privately with the client's caregiver before taking any action
- File a report with Adult Protective Services (APS) (Correct answer)
- Consult a supervisor before taking any action
- Wait to see if the situation improves at the next visit
Correct answer: File a report with Adult Protective Services (APS)
Suspected elder abuse or neglect requires a mandatory report to Adult Protective Services regardless of the social worker's level of certainty.
Question 5: A social worker is using a strengths-based approach with a client. Which statement BEST reflects this approach?
- Focusing on the client's diagnosed mental health conditions to guide treatment
- Identifying what has worked for the client in the past and building on those resources (Correct answer)
- Confronting the client's denial about their problems
- Conducting a thorough assessment of risk factors and deficits
Correct answer: Identifying what has worked for the client in the past and building on those resources
A strengths-based approach focuses on the client's existing capacities, resilience, and past successes rather than deficits or pathology.
Question 6: Which of the following describes 'countertransference' in clinical social work?
- The client projecting past relationship patterns onto the social worker
- The social worker's emotional reactions to the client based on the social worker's own unresolved issues (Correct answer)
- A technique used in cognitive behavioral therapy to challenge distorted thoughts
- The process of transferring a client to another provider
Correct answer: The social worker's emotional reactions to the client based on the social worker's own unresolved issues
Countertransference refers to the social worker's unconscious emotional responses to the client that stem from the worker's own personal history or conflicts.
LMSW FREE LMSW Questions and Answers 2
A social worker is meeting with a client who discloses that they have been physically abused by a family member.
What is the social worker's FIRST priority?