MSW Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the MSW exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 MSW Exam Format at a Glance
📚 MSW Topics to Study (52)
✍️ Sample MSW Questions & Answers
1. In Roberts' Seven-Stage Crisis Intervention Model, what is the FIRST step a social worker should complete when working with a client in acute crisis?
Roberts' model begins with a thorough assessment of lethality, dangerousness, and immediate safety because the worker must determine the level of risk before any other therapeutic work can proceed.
2. A macro-level social worker is advocating for policy change to expand Medicaid coverage in their state. Which advocacy strategy involves mobilizing constituents to contact their elected officials?
Grassroots lobbying involves mobilizing community members and constituents to directly contact legislators and advocate for specific policy changes.
3. A social worker is starting services with a new client. Which of the following is the MOST comprehensive description of the informed consent process?
Informed consent, as outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics (1.03), is not a single event but an ongoing process. It requires a thorough discussion in clear, understandable language about all aspects of treatment, including purpose, risks, limits, costs, and alternatives, and it must include the client's right to refuse or withdraw. It's a continuous dialogue that ensures the client remains a voluntary and informed participant in their care.
4. A social worker is conducting a biopsychosocial assessment for a client experiencing homelessness. Which component should be prioritized first to ensure immediate safety?
Immediate safety concerns including medical needs and active substance use must be assessed first when working with clients experiencing homelessness.
5. Which defense mechanism involves redirecting emotions from a threatening target to a safer substitute?
Displacement occurs when a person shifts emotional responses from the original source of distress to a less threatening person or object.
6. A social worker using a strengths-based perspective would MOST likely ask which of the following questions during an initial assessment?
The strengths-based perspective focuses on identifying existing client resources, resilience, and coping abilities rather than deficits.