LMSW LMSW Treatment and Intervention Planning Questions and Answers 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A social worker is treating a couple in conflict over finances. The MOST appropriate initial intervention is to:
- Assign individual therapy to each partner before couples work
- Establish ground rules for communication and assess each partner's perspective (Correct answer)
- Side with the financially responsible partner to reinforce healthy behavior
- Refer the couple to a financial advisor and close the case
Correct answer: Establish ground rules for communication and assess each partner's perspective
Establishing communication ground rules and gathering both partners' perspectives creates a safe, balanced therapeutic alliance for couples work.
Question 2: A social worker uses the SOAP format in clinical documentation. In which section would the client's report of sleep disturbance be recorded?
- O (Objective)
- S (Subjective) (Correct answer)
- A (Assessment)
- P (Plan)
Correct answer: S (Subjective)
The Subjective section captures what the client reports, including self-described symptoms like sleep disturbance.
Question 3: A social worker is treating a client from a collectivist cultural background who defers all treatment decisions to family elders. The most culturally competent response is to:
- Insist the client make independent decisions to build autonomy
- Acknowledge the cultural value of family involvement and explore how to include elders appropriately (Correct answer)
- Document that the client lacks capacity for informed consent
- Refer to a culturally matched therapist without discussing it with the client
Correct answer: Acknowledge the cultural value of family involvement and explore how to include elders appropriately
Culturally competent practice respects collectivist values and finds culturally appropriate ways to engage the family while maintaining the client's well-being.
Question 4: A client in recovery from alcohol use disorder reports urges to drink when passing a bar near work. The MOST effective cognitive-behavioral intervention is:
- Advise the client to find a new job immediately
- Urge surfing and identifying and challenging high-risk cognitions (Correct answer)
- Prescribe benzodiazepines to reduce craving anxiety
- Use paradoxical intention to encourage controlled drinking
Correct answer: Urge surfing and identifying and challenging high-risk cognitions
Urge surfing teaches clients to observe cravings without acting on them, while cognitive restructuring addresses automatic thoughts that precede relapse.
Question 5: Which factor is MOST important to assess before implementing an evidence-based intervention with a client?
- Whether the intervention was developed in the same city as the client
- Cultural appropriateness and fit with the client's values, preferences, and context (Correct answer)
- Whether the intervention is covered by the client's insurance
- How quickly the intervention produces symptom change
Correct answer: Cultural appropriateness and fit with the client's values, preferences, and context
Evidence-based practice integrates research evidence with clinical expertise and client values, making cultural fit a critical factor.
Question 6: A client with schizophrenia is stabilized on medication but struggles with social isolation. Which group intervention is MOST appropriate?
- Psychoanalytic group therapy focusing on unconscious processes
- Social skills training group (Correct answer)
- Encounter group with confrontational feedback
- Grief and loss support group
Correct answer: Social skills training group
Social skills training groups teach specific interpersonal skills through modeling, role-play, and feedback, directly addressing social isolation in people with schizophrenia.
Question 7: A social worker is ending treatment with a client after 18 months. Which termination intervention best supports a healthy closure?
- Abruptly ending sessions to avoid dependency
- Reviewing progress, consolidating gains, and planning for potential future challenges (Correct answer)
- Referring the client to another provider without discussing the ending
- Extending treatment indefinitely to prevent any regression
Correct answer: Reviewing progress, consolidating gains, and planning for potential future challenges
A planned termination that reviews progress, acknowledges growth, and prepares the client for future challenges consolidates therapeutic gains and reduces relapse risk.
LMSW LMSW Treatment and Intervention Planning Questions and Answers 5
A social worker is treating a couple in conflict over finances.
The MOST appropriate initial intervention is to: