LMSW Social Work Ethics and Values 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A social worker receives a gift from a client valued at $75 as a token of appreciation at the end of treatment. The most ethical response is to:
- Accept the gift to avoid offending the client and damaging the therapeutic relationship
- Decline the gift and explore the meaning behind it with the client (Correct answer)
- Accept the gift but document it in the case file
- Donate the gift to charity on the client's behalf
Correct answer: Decline the gift and explore the meaning behind it with the client
The NASW Code of Ethics cautions against accepting gifts from clients, and exploring the meaning of the gift provides a therapeutic opportunity while maintaining professional boundaries.
Question 2: Which scenario best demonstrates a violation of the social work value of 'dignity and worth of the person'?
- Challenging a client's irrational beliefs during cognitive behavioral therapy
- Refusing to provide services to a client based on their immigration status (Correct answer)
- Explaining the limits of confidentiality during the informed consent process
- Documenting a client's strengths and challenges in a case note
Correct answer: Refusing to provide services to a client based on their immigration status
Refusing services based on immigration status violates the core value of dignity and worth of the person, which requires treating all individuals with respect regardless of their background.
Question 3: An LMSW working with adolescents discovers that a 16-year-old client is using marijuana recreationally. The client asks the worker to keep this confidential. The social worker should:
- Report the substance use to the parents immediately, as minors cannot consent to confidentiality
- Break confidentiality only if the marijuana use poses a serious, imminent risk of harm (Correct answer)
- Contact child protective services, as substance use is always a form of child abuse
- Disclose the information to the school counselor to protect the client
Correct answer: Break confidentiality only if the marijuana use poses a serious, imminent risk of harm
Recreational marijuana use by an adolescent does not automatically require a breach of confidentiality; disclosure is warranted only when there is a serious and imminent risk of harm.
Question 4: A social worker is asked by a client to write a letter supporting their disability claim. The worker believes the client may be exaggerating symptoms. The ethical obligation is to:
- Write the letter as requested to advocate for the client
- Refuse to write the letter and refer the client to another professional
- Write only an accurate, truthful account based on clinical observations (Correct answer)
- Consult with the client's physician before making any decision
Correct answer: Write only an accurate, truthful account based on clinical observations
Social workers must maintain honesty and integrity in all professional communications, including documentation and letters, reflecting only accurate clinical findings.
Question 5: The concept of 'cultural humility' in social work ethics differs from 'cultural competence' primarily because it:
- Focuses on learning about specific cultural groups through education
- Emphasizes ongoing self-reflection and acknowledgment of power imbalances (Correct answer)
- Requires fluency in the client's native language
- Centers on matching clients with workers from their same cultural background
Correct answer: Emphasizes ongoing self-reflection and acknowledgment of power imbalances
Cultural humility is a lifelong process of self-reflection, acknowledging one's own cultural biases and the power differentials between worker and client, rather than mastering knowledge of specific cultures.
Question 6: When a social worker suspects a colleague is impaired by alcohol during working hours, the first ethical step is to:
- Report the colleague to their state licensing board immediately
- Consult with the colleague directly and offer assistance resources (Correct answer)
- Notify clients who may be affected by the colleague's impairment
- Document the observations and wait to see if the situation continues
Correct answer: Consult with the colleague directly and offer assistance resources
The NASW Code of Ethics recommends first consulting with the colleague and offering assistance when possible before pursuing formal reporting channels.
Question 7: A mandated client states they do not want to participate in court-ordered counseling. The social worker's ethical approach should be to:
- Respect the client's autonomy and advocate for removal of the court mandate
- Acknowledge the client's feelings while clarifying the parameters of the mandate (Correct answer)
- Refuse to work with clients who are not voluntarily seeking services
- Immediately notify the court that the client is non-compliant
Correct answer: Acknowledge the client's feelings while clarifying the parameters of the mandate
Acknowledging the client's feelings validates their experience while clarifying the legal context helps establish an honest, therapeutic relationship within the constraints of the mandate.
LMSW Social Work Ethics and Values 3
A social worker receives a gift from a client valued at $75 as a token of appreciation at the end of treatment.
The most ethical response is to: