SSW Evaluation & Intervention Planning 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school social worker is conducting a functional behavioral assessment (FBA). Which step comes FIRST in this process?
- Define the target behavior in observable, measurable terms (Correct answer)
- Develop a behavior intervention plan
- Interview the student's parents
- Identify replacement behaviors
Correct answer: Define the target behavior in observable, measurable terms
The FBA must begin by operationally defining the target behavior so it can be reliably observed and measured.
Question 2: When reviewing a student's cumulative school record as part of an evaluation, a school social worker finds a prior psychological report. Which action is most appropriate?
- Ignore it since it was completed by another professional
- Incorporate relevant historical information into the social developmental history (Correct answer)
- Share it directly with the teacher without parental consent
- Conduct a new psychological evaluation to replace the old one
Correct answer: Incorporate relevant historical information into the social developmental history
Historical records provide valuable context and should be integrated into the current social developmental history during evaluation.
Question 3: A student is referred for evaluation due to suspected emotional disturbance. Under IDEA, what must the evaluation include beyond standardized testing?
- A social developmental study conducted by the school social worker (Correct answer)
- A full psychiatric evaluation by a licensed psychiatrist
- Classroom video recordings for at least one month
- A trial period of special education services
Correct answer: A social developmental study conducted by the school social worker
IDEA requires a social developmental study as part of a comprehensive evaluation for emotional disturbance eligibility.
Question 4: During intervention planning, a school social worker identifies a student's protective factors. Which of the following is an example of a protective factor?
- Inconsistent school attendance
- Strong relationship with at least one caring adult (Correct answer)
- History of trauma exposure
- Limited peer social skills
Correct answer: Strong relationship with at least one caring adult
A strong relationship with a caring adult is a well-established protective factor that buffers against risk and supports resilience.
Question 5: A school social worker uses a structured observation tool to assess a student's classroom behavior. What is the PRIMARY advantage of structured observation over teacher report alone?
- It is faster to complete than rating scales
- It provides direct, objective data on behavior in the natural environment (Correct answer)
- It eliminates the need for parent input
- It satisfies all IDEA evaluation requirements independently
Correct answer: It provides direct, objective data on behavior in the natural environment
Structured observation provides firsthand, objective behavioral data in the natural setting, reducing reliance on subjective reports.
Question 6: An IEP team is determining eligibility for a student who struggles academically due to family instability. The school social worker's role is to ensure the team considers which key distinction?
- Whether the student qualifies for free and reduced lunch
- Whether the academic difficulties are primarily due to environmental/economic factors rather than a disability (Correct answer)
- Whether the student has ever received mental health services
- Whether English is spoken in the home
Correct answer: Whether the academic difficulties are primarily due to environmental/economic factors rather than a disability
IDEA requires ruling out environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage as the primary cause of educational difficulties before finding a disability.
Question 7: A school social worker is using the ecological systems model during evaluation. Which data source best represents the EXOSYSTEM level of influence on a student?
- The student's academic self-efficacy beliefs
- Parent workplace policies that affect family availability (Correct answer)
- The student's peer relationships at school
- The student's relationship with their teacher
Correct answer: Parent workplace policies that affect family availability
The exosystem includes settings the student doesn't directly participate in but that still affect them, such as a parent's workplace policies.
SSW Evaluation & Intervention Planning 2
A school social worker is conducting a functional behavioral assessment (FBA).
Which step comes FIRST in this process?