SSW Mental Health 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school social worker notices a student showing persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, and fatigue for over two weeks. Which DSM-5 diagnosis should be considered first?
- Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood
- Major Depressive Disorder (Correct answer)
- Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
- Bipolar II Disorder
Correct answer: Major Depressive Disorder
Major Depressive Disorder requires at least two weeks of depressed mood or loss of interest plus additional symptoms affecting functioning.
Question 2: Which evidence-based intervention is MOST appropriate for a middle school student experiencing generalized anxiety disorder?
- Psychoanalytic therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (Correct answer)
- Narrative therapy
- Solution-focused brief therapy
Correct answer: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is the gold-standard, most empirically supported treatment for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.
Question 3: A student discloses they have been hearing voices telling them they are worthless. The school social worker should FIRST:
- Contact parents immediately without speaking further with the student
- Complete a mental status exam and assess for safety (Correct answer)
- Refer directly to a psychiatrist
- Document the disclosure and monitor the student
Correct answer: Complete a mental status exam and assess for safety
A thorough mental status exam and safety assessment must occur first to determine the nature, severity, and risk associated with the auditory hallucinations.
Question 4: Under IDEA, a student's emotional disturbance classification requires that the condition:
- Be diagnosed by a licensed psychiatrist
- Adversely affect educational performance over a long period of time (Correct answer)
- Include a documented history of hospitalization
- Result in a GPA below 2.0
Correct answer: Adversely affect educational performance over a long period of time
IDEA defines emotional disturbance as a condition that adversely affects educational performance and has been exhibited over a long period and to a marked degree.
Question 5: A student with PTSD is triggered by loud noises in the hallway. Which trauma-informed school strategy is MOST appropriate?
- Assigning the student to an isolated classroom permanently
- Developing a individualized safety plan with sensory accommodations (Correct answer)
- Advising the student to use relaxation apps independently
- Increasing academic demands to build resilience
Correct answer: Developing a individualized safety plan with sensory accommodations
A safety plan with specific sensory accommodations addresses the trauma trigger while keeping the student integrated in the school environment.
Question 6: Which screening tool is specifically designed to identify depression in adolescents in a school setting?
- Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)
- Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
- Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A) (Correct answer)
- Conners' Rating Scale
Correct answer: Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A)
The PHQ-A is a validated, adolescent-specific adaptation of the PHQ-9 widely used to screen for depression in school-aged youth.
Question 7: A school social worker is supporting a student recently diagnosed with OCD. Obsessions are BEST defined as:
- Repetitive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety
- Intrusive, unwanted thoughts that cause marked distress (Correct answer)
- Rigid routines that provide comfort
- Irrational fears of specific objects or situations
Correct answer: Intrusive, unwanted thoughts that cause marked distress
Obsessions are recurrent, persistent, intrusive thoughts, urges, or images that cause significant anxiety or distress.
SSW Mental Health 2
A school social worker notices a student showing persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, and fatigue for over two weeks.
Which DSM-5 diagnosis should be considered first?