LMSW LMSW Intervention and Treatment Planning Questions and Answers 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A social worker is using Motivational Interviewing with a client who is ambivalent about stopping alcohol use. Which technique best elicits 'change talk' from the client?
- Confronting the client about the consequences of drinking
- Asking the client to list reasons they want to change (Correct answer)
- Telling the client about the health risks of alcohol
- Assigning a sobriety contract for the client to sign
Correct answer: Asking the client to list reasons they want to change
Eliciting change talk by asking clients to articulate their own reasons for change is a core MI technique that increases intrinsic motivation.
Question 2: When developing a treatment plan for a client with co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorder, the BEST approach is to:
- Treat the substance use disorder first, then address PTSD
- Treat PTSD first before addressing substance use
- Address both disorders concurrently using an integrated treatment model (Correct answer)
- Refer the client to separate providers for each disorder
Correct answer: Address both disorders concurrently using an integrated treatment model
Integrated treatment that addresses co-occurring disorders simultaneously is the evidence-based standard of care for dual diagnoses.
Question 3: A social worker employing a strengths-based perspective in treatment planning would PRIMARILY focus on:
- Diagnosing the client's pathology accurately
- Identifying deficits that need to be corrected
- Exploring the client's resilience, resources, and capabilities (Correct answer)
- Setting goals based on what the social worker believes is best
Correct answer: Exploring the client's resilience, resources, and capabilities
The strengths-based perspective centers treatment on clients' existing resources, resilience, and capabilities rather than deficits.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of psychoeducation in a treatment plan?
- Teaching clients to administer their own psychiatric medications
- Providing clients and families with information about a disorder to improve coping and outcomes (Correct answer)
- Educating clients about the social work profession
- Training clients to provide therapy to peers
Correct answer: Providing clients and families with information about a disorder to improve coping and outcomes
Psychoeducation provides clients and families with information about mental health conditions, treatment options, and coping strategies to support recovery.
Question 5: A social worker is treating a 10-year-old child with separation anxiety using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Which intervention would be MOST appropriate to include in the treatment plan?
- Flooding the child with separation situations immediately
- Gradual exposure hierarchy combined with relaxation techniques (Correct answer)
- Prescribing anxiolytic medication as the primary intervention
- Removing the child from school to reduce anxiety triggers
Correct answer: Gradual exposure hierarchy combined with relaxation techniques
Gradual exposure combined with relaxation is the evidence-based CBT approach for childhood separation anxiety, allowing systematic desensitization.
Question 6: A social worker is treating a client with borderline personality disorder. Which evidence-based treatment model was specifically developed for this population?
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) (Correct answer)
- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
Correct answer: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), developed by Marsha Linehan, is the gold-standard evidence-based treatment specifically designed for borderline personality disorder.
Question 7: When a social worker sets SMART goals in a treatment plan, the 'M' stands for:
- Meaningful
- Measurable (Correct answer)
- Motivational
- Manageable
Correct answer: Measurable
In SMART goals, 'M' stands for Measurable, meaning progress toward the goal can be tracked with observable, quantifiable indicators.
LMSW LMSW Intervention and Treatment Planning Questions and Answers 3
A social worker is using Motivational Interviewing with a client who is ambivalent about stopping alcohol use.
Which technique best elicits 'change talk' from the client?