Social Work Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Social Work facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. The 'stages of change' model (Prochaska & DiClemente) identifies which stage as the point when an individual is actively working to change behavior? → Action
2. Which legislation most significantly expanded civil rights protections and shaped case management services for individuals with disabilities? → The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
3. According to the DSM-5, which of the following is NOT a core symptom cluster of PTSD? → Manic episodes
4. Which model of case management is most intensive and integrates both coordination and direct therapeutic services? → Clinical case management model
5. Which intervention approach is grounded in helping clients reframe their life narrative to reduce the problem's influence? → Narrative Therapy
6. The primary goal of crisis intervention is to: → Restore the client to at least their pre-crisis level of functioning
7. Which research design is considered the gold standard for determining cause-and-effect relationships? → Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
8. Which model of intervention focuses on changing specific, observable behaviors through reinforcement and punishment? → Behavior modification
9. Which of the following is the primary purpose of a genogram in social work assessment? → Visually representing family relationships and patterns across generations
10. Which term refers to the overrepresentation of children of color in the child welfare system? → Disproportionality
11. A social worker who lobbies state legislators to increase funding for mental health services is engaging in: → Legislative advocacy
12. Which ethical principle in research requires that participation must be voluntary and informed? → Informed consent
13. Telehealth social work practice requires practitioners to consider which unique ethical issue? → Client privacy, technology security, and jurisdictional licensure across state lines
14. Macro-level social work practice most commonly involves: → Community organizing, policy advocacy, and systems change
15. Which statistical concept indicates the probability that study results occurred by chance? → p-value
16. The Social Security Act of 1935 was significant because it: → Created the framework for federal social welfare programs in the US
17. The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) is used to: → Assess the severity and frequency of suicidal ideation and behavior
18. Which type of sampling method involves selecting every nth person from a list? → Systematic sampling
19. In social work research, 'operationalization' refers to: → Defining how an abstract concept will be measured in a study
20. A case manager discovers a client's current housing program is not meeting their needs. The best next step is to: → Reassess the client's needs and modify the service plan accordingly
21. What is the primary focus of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)? → Building distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills
22. Task-centered practice in social work is best characterized by: → Short-term, structured work on specific client-identified problems
23. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) most emphasizes: → Identifying exceptions to the problem and building on strengths
24. The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) questionnaire measures: → Exposure to childhood trauma and adversity
25. Advocacy in social work is best defined as: → Speaking up and taking action on behalf of clients or groups to achieve social justice
26. The primary aim of community organizing in social work is to: → Build collective power to address shared social problems
27. In program evaluation, 'fidelity' refers to: → The degree to which a program is implemented as originally designed
28. Which of the following best describes 'vicarious trauma' in social work? → Emotional impact from indirect exposure to clients' traumatic experiences
29. According to Erikson's psychosocial stages, what is the primary conflict faced during adolescence? → Identity vs. Role Confusion
30. Which assessment tool is commonly used to screen for alcohol use disorder in adults? → AUDIT