LMSW Question of the Day Flashcards
A client who struggles with alcoholism is prescribed medication that makes him feel sick everytime he drinks while taking it. The use of this medication is what type of operant technique?
A. Extinction
B. Flooding
C. Aversion therapy
D. In vivo desensitization
C. Aversion Therapy
Aversion therapy or treatment is aimed at reducing the attractiveness of a stimulus or a behavior by pairing it with an aversive stimulus. An example of this technique is treating alcoholism with antabuse.
A client who has repeatedly stated that she hates her sister tells a social worker that she just asked her sister to be the maid of honor in her wedding. The social worker points out that this action appears contradictory to her feelings about her sister. This statement by the social worker is known as a:
A. Clarification
B. Generalization
C. Paradoxical instruction
D. Confrontation
D. Confrontation
Confrontation is calling attention to something. Clarification is reformulating a problem in the client’s words to make sure there is a mutual understanding of the issue. Generalization or normalization of behavior is often used to show the client that what he or she is feeling or experiencing is typical and understandable. A paradoxical instruction is prescribing the opposite of what you want the client to do; commonly referred to as “reverse psychology.”
Upon intake, a woman tells a social worker that she was brutally beaten by her boyfriend 6 months ago, but it was an isolated incident and there have been no further acts of violence. Since that time, he has been remorseful and attentive. In this situation, the social worker should FIRST:
A. Tell the client that the boyfriend’s behavior was unacceptable.
B. Document the incident in the assessment but do not include it as a treatment issue since no further incidents occurred.
C. Explore with the client the degree to which the incident affected her relationship with her boyfriend.
D. Evaluate the need for medical and protective services.
D. Evaluate the need for medical and protective services.
The cycle of abuse indicates that this may be the “honeymoon” phase that happens after a battering incident. Just because there has not been any violence in the last 6 months does not mean that the battering will not occur in the future. The “honeymoon” phase leads to “tension building” and then violence in the future. The social worker must address the medical needs and safety issues of the client FIRST according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
A client is very distressed because she is physically attracted to individuals of the same gender. She has become increasingly upset by these desires and wants to find ways to eliminate them. The feelings that the client is experiencing are:
A. Latent
B. Ego alien
C. Ego-syntic
D. Rooted in the pleasure principle
B. Ego Alien
“Ego alien” means these feelings are experienced as being alien to the ego and not consistent with the client’s interests, conflicting with the rest of her view of herself.
According to the Tarasoff decision, in order for a social worker to have a duty to warn, all of the following must be present EXCEPT:
A. The threat of danger
B. An identifiable third party
C. A client history of violence against others
D. Personal harm must be imminent
C. A client history of violence against others
Duty to warn has become an important mandate in Social work. Generally, a social worker has to believe that a client is a danger to an identifiable third party and that the client is able to act on this danger in order for it to be considered necessary to warn and/or protect the intended victim. For example, if a client states that he or she is going to kill “women”, a social worker may consider this client a danger to others and take appropriate action. However, there is not an obligation to notify intended victims) because the threat is too broad and does not require notification to women in general. In addition, if a client who is incarcerated and not going to be released makes a threat against someone outside the prison to whom he or she does not have access, there is no imminent threat. A history of violence is not required for a social worker’s duty to warn obligation.
A social worker is working with a client who is anxious about public speaking. The social worker asks the client to close her eyes, visualize herself speaking to a large group and describe her feelings related to the imaginary situation in detail. This technique by the social worker is known as:
A. Covert modeling
B. Self-modeling
C. Live modeling
D. Symbolic modeling
A. Covert modeling
Covert modeling is when the clients are asked to use their imagination, visualize the desired behavior, and describe it in detail. Self- modeling is when clients are videotaped demonstrating the desired behavior and this tape is watched and discussed. Live modeling refers to watching a real person performing the desired behavior. Symbolic modeling includes watching others who have been videotaped perform the desired behavior.
A client is having difficulty finding a career that is fulfilling to her. She has repeatedly taken jobs that she quit because “they just don’t fit.” In order to assist the cline tin resolving this problem, which of the following tests may be used?
A. Minnesota Multiphasic B. Personality Inventory
B. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
C. Thematic Apperception Test
D. Wechsler Intelligence Scale
B. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) attempts to describe personality features. The client may find the MBTI test useful as a way of understanding herself. The client may want to pursue careers that allow her to make use of her natural preferences. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is a personality test for the assessment of psychopathology. The Thematic Apperception Test provides information on a client’s perceptions and imagination, for use in the understanding of the subject’s current needs, motives, emotions, and conflicts, both conscious and unconscious.
The Wechsler Intelligence Scale is designed as a measure of a child’s intellectual and cognitive ability.
All of the following are true about empathetic communication EXCEPT:
A. Empathetic communication bridges the gap between the social worker and the client by establishing rapport.
B. Empathetic communication is nonjudgmental, accepting and genuine.
C. Empathetic communication is verbal communication in which the client is engaged in oral problem solving and processing of new information.
D. Empathetic communication decreases defensiveness and encourages a more rational discussion of problems.
C. Empathetic communication is verbal communication in which the client is engaged in oral problem solving and processing of new information.
Empathetic communication also includes the client’s nonverbal messages. A social worker can observe body language and make explicit a client’s feelings, as well as communicate, through eye contact and posture, interest, and understanding in what the client is saying.
A social worker is interested in seeing the extent to which current clients are satisfied with a new relapse prevention program. The social worker distributes a client satisfaction survey to those in the program. The social worker then collects the surveys and analyzes the results that are presented to a management team in the agency. The social worker is conducting which type of evaluation?
A. Summative
B. Experimental
C. Quasi-experimental
D. Formative
D. Formative
Formative evaluations examine the process of delivering services, whereas summative evaluations examine the outcomes. Formative evaluations are ongoing processes that allow for feedback to be implemented during the service delivery. These types of evaluations allow social workers to make changes as needed to help achieve program goals. Summative evaluations occur at the end of services and provide an overall description of their effectiveness. Summative evaluation examines outcomes to determine whether objectives were met.
A social worker is appointed by the court to conduct a child custody evaluation for a couple that is divorcing. The mother reports that her husband is verbally abusive, controlling, and neglects the children when they are in his care. She reports that the children have missed a lot of school when staying with their father because he does not assist with getting ready for school or doing their homework. The father states that his wife is lazy. Irresponsible, and cannot meet the basic needs of the children. He reports that the school frequently has to provide lunch for the children because the mother does not supply it when they are in her care. In order to BEST evaluate the legitimacy of the information, the social worker should:
A. Ask the husband and the wife to put their allegations in writing and sign them, attesting to their accuracy
B. Determine whether the husband or wife have had any past instances with being untruthful
C. Always speak to the husband and wife together so that they are more likely to be honest
D. Obtain information from school personnel and records after obtaining parental consent.
D. Obtain information from school personnel and records after obtaining parental consent.
Collateral information is often used when credibility and validity of information obtained from a client or others is questionable. For example, child custody cases are inherently characterized by biased data within an adversarial process. Social workers should use data from neutral parties, such as the school, because this information has higher integrity.
A woman who used ASL to communicate comes to a community-based agency to see a social worker who is deaf. The woman is in need of mental health services that are not provided at this agency. In this situation the social worker should:
A. Provide the services in order to meet the client’s needs since it is unlikely that she will be able to find a social worker in the mental health agency who knows ASL.
B. Contact a mental health agency with the woman to see what accommodations are available.
C. Provide whatever services are available in the agency so the woman gets some help.
D. Make a referral to an advocacy organization for those who are deaf to see if they can assist.
B. Contact a mental health agency with the woman to see what accommodations are available.
Choice A calls for the social worker to work outside his or her school. Choice C does not meet the woman’s need, and referring her to an advocacy organization for those who are deaf (choice D) may just result in an extra step that does not result in service. The woman also may not identify with the deaf culture and may want to go to a generic mental health agency with an accommodation.
A mother states that her 12-year-old son is now able to stay home alone because he is aware of dangers, meets his basic needs, and problem-solves when needed. This child has reached which stage of cognitive development?
A. Sensorimotor
B. Formal operations
C. Concrete operations
D. Preoperational
B. Formal operations
Piaget defined four stages of cognitive development. They are sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operations, and formal operations. The formal operational stage begins at about age 11 and is characterized by a higher level of abstraction, assuming adult roles, and thinking hypothetically
Projective tests are based on which of the following theoretical perspectives?
A. Behavior Management
B. Psychoanalytic theory
C. Cognitive behavioral
D. Self psychology
B. Psychoanalytic Theory
In a projective test, a client offers responses to ambiguous scenes, words, or images. This type of test emerged from a psychoanalytic approach, which suggested that clients have unconscious thoughts or urges. Projective tests are intended to uncover unconscious desires that are hidden from conscious awareness.
All of the following are true about crisis intervention EXCEPT:
A. It is time limited
B. It focuses on the “here and now”
C. It must follow a major life event
D. It involves a high level of intervention and activity by the social worker
C. It must follow a major life event
A crisis does not need to be triggered by a major life event. Crisis intervention is focused on the “here and now” and is time limited. As the goal is to intervene quickly, there is usually a heightened level of activity by the social worker to assist clients in alleviating stress and returning to the previous level of functioning
A man who is having problems at work finds that he is yelling at his children more and has begun to have marital issues with his wife. The husband is most likely using the defense mechanism of:
A. Reaction formation
B. Projection
C. Conversion
D. Displacement
D. Displacement
Displacement is directing an impulse, wish, or feeling toward another person or situation that is less threatening. In this scenario, the man unconsciously realizes that he cannot express his anger on the job, as it may have negative consequences. So, he goes home and yells at his wife and children.
A private pay client has made substantial progress and achieved all stated treatment goals, but wants to continue to see a social worker “in case something comes up.” In the situation the social worker should:
A. Continue to see the client at the regular fee in order to respect the client’s self-determination
B. Begin termination with the client
C. Continue to see the client, but reduce the fee since the treatment goals have been achieved
D. Refer the client to another social worker because it appears that the client may have become dependent on the social worker.
B. Begin termination with the client
It is unethical to continue to treat when services are no longer needed or serve the client’s interests. The fee charged is not relevant to this standard.
If a client has a substance abuse disorder in addition to schizophrenia, these two disorders are considered to be:
A. Premorbid
B. Co-morbid
C. Contraindicated
D. Dissociated
B. Co-morbid
Co-morbid refers to two problems, conditions, or disorders that exist at the same time-such as the presence of a mental health and substance use issue, or a mental health and a medical problem.