LSA - Licensed Social Worker Associate Models of Social Work Practice Questions and Answers

Question 1

A social worker is meeting with a high school student who is feeling overwhelmed by college applications. Instead of dwelling on the student's anxiety, the social worker asks, "Suppose you woke up tomorrow and the problem was solved. What would be the first small sign that things are better?" This line of questioning is characteristic of which practice model?

Accepted Answer

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

Answer

This question uses the 'miracle question,' a hallmark technique of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). [1, 9, 16] SFBT concentrates on helping clients envision a future without the problem and identify concrete, small steps towards achieving that future, rather than analyzing the history of the problem itself. [21, 24]

Question 2

Which of the following is a fundamental principle of the Strengths-Based Perspective in social work?

Accepted Answer

Every individual, group, and community has strengths.

Answer

The Strengths-Based Perspective is founded on the core belief that all clients possess inherent strengths and resources that can be mobilized for change. [11, 12, 23] The focus is on what is working well and what clients are capable of, rather than concentrating on deficits or pathologies. [22]

Question 3

A client wants to improve their relationship with their teenage son. The social worker and client agree on the specific goal of 'having one positive conversation per day.' They then break this down into smaller steps and set a timeline of two weeks to implement these steps. This approach is MOST indicative of which practice model?

Accepted Answer

Task-Centered Practice

Answer

Task-Centered Practice is a brief, structured model focused on helping clients solve specific, client-acknowledged problems by completing a series of clearly defined tasks within a set timeframe. [3, 5, 18] The scenario describes the key elements of this model: problem specification, goal setting, task development, and a time limit. [8, 13]

Question 4

A social worker using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) would most likely focus on which of the following with a client experiencing social anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Identifying and challenging the client's automatic negative thoughts about social situations.

Answer

The core of CBT is addressing the connection between thoughts (cognitions), feelings, and behaviors. [4] A primary technique for social anxiety is cognitive restructuring, which involves helping clients identify, evaluate, and change distorted or unhelpful thinking patterns (automatic negative thoughts) that contribute to their emotional distress. [14, 27]

Question 5

A client repeatedly describes themself as 'a failure' because they lost their job. The social worker helps the client examine times in their life when they have been resilient and successful, reframing the job loss as a single chapter in a much larger life story of perseverance. This technique of separating the person from their problem is central to which model?

Accepted Answer

Narrative Therapy

Answer

Narrative Therapy involves helping clients deconstruct problem-saturated stories and re-author new, more empowering ones. A key technique is 'externalizing the problem,' which involves separating the client's identity from the issue they are facing (i.e., 'the person is not the problem; the problem is the problem'). [2, 10, 17, 19]

LSA - Licensed Social Worker Associate Certification Practice Test

LSA - Licensed Social Worker Associate Certification Practice Test

LSA - Licensed Social Worker Associate Models of Social Work Practice Questions and Answers