Question 1

Social workers take on many roles when assessing and providing intervention to their clients. For example, the mediator role involves resolving conflicts in various subsystems without taking sides. Which of the following is another role social workers play?

Accepted Answer

The integrator or coordinator brings components together in an organized manner. This may include advocacy and identification of coordination opportunities. Another avenue would be providing technical assistance in the development and implementation of service linkages.

Question 2

In an effort to keep his job and family, George has decided to seek therapy for his substance abuse problem. Since this type of psychological problem is viewed as an inability to make meaningful and self-directed choices on how to live, intervention should be directed at increasing George's self-awareness and understanding, with a focus on acceptance and growth. Which kind of therapy is this a description of?

Accepted Answer

Acceptance and growth are major themes of humanistic therapy. The humanistic approach to therapy holds a belief that individuals have the capacity for self-understanding and choice. Human nature is basically good with a potential to maintain healthy relationships and responsible decisions. Humanistic therapy focuses on freeing people from disabling attitudes and enabling them to thrive.

Question 3

Existential therapy focuses on helping clients find meaning amidst anxiety by making choices to act and think responsibly and focusing on individual problems such as loneliness, despair, isolation and death. Existential therapy believes that clients' problems come from not sufficiently exercising choice to bring meaning into their lives. What are the main themes for this type of therapy?

Accepted Answer

The idea that responsibility and freedom enable people to live meaningful lives, even amidst uncertainty, is a major theme of existential therapy. The existential therapist believes that the human experience is influenced by biology, culture and luck. Each individual is responsible for making meaning out of their lives. Therapy helps with the confrontation of negative internal forces.

Question 4

When developing a functioning service plan to maintain safety and permanence within a family, what type of assessment should be utilized?

Accepted Answer

Family-centered assessment helps identify needs, strengths and resources to determine the best possible assistance for a family. The family unit is seen as a whole and full participation is expected.

Question 5

A social worker meets with the Robertson family to complete a comprehensive family assessment to help recognize parental behavior. Information will be collected on who lives in the home, health history, employment and stability. Which of the following possible contributing factors should the social worker consider?

Accepted Answer

When completing a comprehensive family assessment, the social worker should consider possible contributing factors, including domestic violence, alcohol/drug usage, and educational background, and employment status. All of these concerns are addressed to ensure the permanency and safety of the children. A social worker cannot determine a working service plan without this information.

Question 6

A family has asked for help with their son. Adrian is an active nine year old who is always on the go. His past behaviors have been blamed on high energy levels and the need to be expressive. Lately, these behaviors have become a problem for Adrian's teachers. There have been three conferences between parents and school staff in the last three months pertaining to the child questioning rules and talking back inappropriately. When he is confronted, Adrian displays resentment towards the authority figure. What might the child be assessed for by the social worker?

Accepted Answer

Oppositional defiant disorder affects approximately 16% of school students. It is often recognized as an ongoing pattern of hostile, uncooperative and defiant behaviors displayed towards authority figures. Symptoms must be observed at home and school to be correctly diagnosis.

Question 7

A social worker needs to be cautious when completing an assessment for oppositional defiant disorder. The problem should be observed at home and school. Behaviors must occur in a manner that affects family, social life and academic life. Which of the following symptoms need to be displayed in order to correctly diagnose oppositional defiant disorder?

Accepted Answer

In order to correctly diagnose oppositional defiant disorder, a social worker must observe a specific set of behaviors, including frequent temper tantrums, hateful language directed at others, and annoyance at interacting with other people. Oppositional defiant disorder affects school-aged children and adolescents. Currently, there are no known causes for this problem.

Question 8

Sandra's grandmother has been diagnosed with dementia, but recently she has been demonstrating more severe symptoms. She has problems thinking, and the memory loss is beginning to interfere with hobbies, family and social life. What problem may be occurring that affects 5.3 million Americans?

Accepted Answer

Alzheimer disorder causes an individual to demonstrate confusion and major changes in thinking. The disorder worsens over time and there is currently no known cure. Brain cells will begin to fail, and the outcome is always fatal.

Question 9

There is a wide range of symptoms and severity across the autism spectrum. Given this fact, which observation is most crucial in establishing a diagnosis of autism?

Accepted Answer

Autism is a spectrum disorder described as a set of behaviors that children and adults display in various ways. There is normally little interest in most activities and noticeable delays in spoken language. Nonverbal behaviors such as body posture and facial expressions can become a problem with autism. One third of patients with this diagnosis have a normal IQ.

Question 10

Ashley's family has sought out the services of a social worker to determine what kind of problems the child is having. She tends to display involuntary movements such as repeatedly blinking her eyes and saying things at inappropriate times. These issues have worsened with age. Her father states that there is an uncle in the family who demonstrates the same behaviors. What might be the findings of the social worker's assessment?

Accepted Answer

People with Tourette syndrome display behaviors that they think need to be performed before they can relax or calm down. Tics, or involuntary body movements, will increase with anxiety and excitement. Family members with the same disorder can be found in one third of all cases.

Question 11

Sabrina has managed to alienate all of her co-workers with bizarre behaviors. She is constantly stealing other people's food from the refrigerator in the lunchroom, arguing with fellow employees over unimportant issues and most recently showing up for work intoxicated. Sabrina is quick-tempered and has even thrown a stapler at a coworker's computer. She has been ordered to seek help for observable problems. A full assessment will more than likely display what findings?

Accepted Answer

A full assessment for Sabrina will likely have the finding of impulse control disorder. Individuals with impulse control disorder are unable to manage aggressive desires without immediate action. Other symptoms of this disorder include sexual promiscuity and excessive drug use. This is an ego function problem that is quite common.

Question 12

When utilizing cognitive therapy as a form of direct practice, a social worker's main goal is to bring about which of the following changes in behavior?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive therapy helps one overcome difficulty by identifying and making changes to behaviors, emotional responses and dysfunctional thinking.

Question 13

A social worker is helping a client named Beth with anxiety issues that surface when she is in dark places. The problem has occurred since the client was young, and she sleeps with every light on in her home. Most nights, Beth dozes on the couch, and the lack of sleep is interfering with her home and social life. Which of the following types of therapy would be most effective in combating Beth's anxiety issues?

Accepted Answer

Systematic desensitization educates a person to overcome an avoidance pattern. It helps effectively with phobias and anxiety by exposing the client to the fear gradually until it can be tolerated.

Question 14

Many social workers utilize a therapy-not to be confused with classical conditioning.-that deals with modifications of voluntary behaviors caused by environmental influences. This kind of therapy includes four basic consequences: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment and negative punishment. Which of the following therapies is described above?

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning therapy looks at the antecedent and consequences that cause negative behaviors. Reinforcement and punishment are the main tools of this therapy.

Question 15

Person-centered therapy demonstrates emotional understanding and sensitivity towards the client's point of view. The social worker's job is to listen and give complete attention to what the client is verbalizing. Which three attitudes on the part of the therapist make this therapy productive?

Accepted Answer

Positive reaction, positive regard and congruence are important facets of person-centered therapy. In person-centered therapy, the direction of the therapy should be determined by the client. Therapy seeks to increase the individual's self-understanding and insight.

Question 16

Scott has been in and out of traditional therapy with little effect on his problems. He feels the main focus is on the issue rather than the solution, and this tends to place him in a passive, helpless role. He already knows what is wrong but wants to move towards what is right. What goal would a social worker aim for with this in mind?

Accepted Answer

Solution building should be the main goal when working with Scott. In solution building, a social worker will attempt to change how an individual thinks about a solution and educate a client on how to achieve happiness.

Question 17

Social workers will often utilize a therapy that is similar to the existential approach. An emphasis is on fulfillment and growth through self-perception. The presumption is that everyone's true nature is good.
Which of the following therapies is described above?

Accepted Answer

Humanistic therapy is based on self-mastery and self-examination. It focuses on the belief that humans want to improve and reach high levels of success. A social worker will still consider the influences of society and the unconscious.

Question 18

Sabrina sees a social worker once a week due to an internal conflict that has hindered her everyday functioning in society. The therapy focuses on freedom of choice for issues that are present and those in the possible future. Sabrina will work on four themes, including isolation, freed om, meaninglessness and death. What method is being utilized?

Accepted Answer

Existential therapy helps clients become open to the idea they are free to choose possibilities for their themselves.

Question 19

A social worker is asked to help a family struggling after the recent loss of their home. A fire consumed the entire structure and all contents within. Tangible supports such as food and clothing have been donated. What other care would be most beneficial at this time?

Accepted Answer

Informational support can be provided by advice from friends and family. A social worker can also make referrals to agencies that provide information on housing. Emotional support helps reassure individuals that others can help them through this traumatizing time.

Question 20

The disengagement theory views aging as a mutual withdrawal from family, support circles and friends. Societies around the world appear to endorse the idea of elders voluntarily slowing down. Sometimes this occurs when older adults lose their ability to drive, eat or bathe on their own. Which of the following factor most influences the extent to which an elderly person will interact with others?

Accepted Answer

As the elderly lose the ability to be mobile within society, their large network of social circles start to grow smaller. Eventually, the only people within an older individual's life tend to be a few close relatives. An assessment will see this withdrawal as beneficial to the community and elderly.

Quiz 1: Assessment: Assessments and Interventions in Social Work