Unit 2: Assessment, Diagnosis & Treatment Planning ( Study Mode)

When a client displays symptoms that do not meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for a specific disorder, and the social worker does not want to explain why. The social workers should use what code?

A social worker notices that her 28-year-old client is demonstrating ambivalence about changing her current situation. In this situation, what does ambivalence refer to?

A social worker meets with a 55-year-old female who has recently filed for a divorce. The client reports feelings of anger, stress, and anxiety. She states that “I don’t know how I’m going to start over”. She reports that her ex-husband filled for divorce after having an affair with his 22- year- old coworker. In this case, partializing the treatment goals will:

A 35-year-old widowed father with four kids meets with a social worker for an initial intake. He appears anxious and overwhelmed during the assessment and states that he lost his job two days ago. The social worker should emphasize which of the following environmental factors.

A social worker at a shelter meets with a 30-year-old male who is unhoused and has difficulty maintaining a job due to longstanding depression and a cognitive disability. During the initial intake, the client reports having a second-grade education and struggles with reading and writing. He reports living in twelve foster homes and doesn’t trust people or service providers. He prefers to be independent and is reluctant to ask for assistance. To support the client’s needs, which social work services would be the MOST beneficial?

According to the DSM 5, Grandiosity is NOT a characteristic symptom of which of the following personality disorders?

A single mother meets with a social worker for support because she’s concerned about her 10-year-old daughter. Since seeing a horror film, the daughter has been afraid of the dark and sleeps with a night light. Mom says she’s now worried that her daughter isn’t brave enough. She tries to protect her from exposure to gang violence but also wants her to be tough because they live in  “the projects.” Which of the following is MOST likely to be true about this girl, according to the mother’s report?

A social worker begins working in individual therapy with a client who is constantly seeking attention and is sexually provocative to gain attention. These are symptoms of which disorder?

A social worker is working in a community center that provides services for low-income families. A 17-year-old boy reports having to work full time to support his wheelchair bound mother. He also acknowledges that he has provided sexual favors to pay for his mother medical treatments. What should the social worker do FIRST in this situation?

A social worker meets with a gay couple who have been married for 25 years and are seeking therapy for marital problems. The couple is considering divorce because they have drifted apart and are increasingly unhappy. Finalizing their divorce has taken a toll on the couple because they still love each other. The couple wants the social worker to assess the couple and assist them in deciding whether to remain married or not. The social worker believes that it’s unrealistic to assist them in one session. What is the Best course of action in this situation?

A social worker is working with Russian refugees. When working with this population, the social worker finds it beneficial to use members from the refugee community for outreach to assist with interpretation, translation, and prevention because of the culture and language barriers. While there are numerous advantages to using community members it can also bring challenges. What challenges should cause the social worker the MOST concern?

A social worker at a mental health clinic meets with a married couple who are seeking therapy because of the wife’s alcohol use. The wife was recently discharged from a detox treatment center and was diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder, moderate. The husband disclosed that his wife’s drinking is affecting their marriage. When asked to describe her alcohol intake, the wife denies drinking heavily. The husband, however, displays some concern and suggests that she may feel better if she “cuts back” on her drinking. The couple state that they have disputes daily due to her drinking. The wife has often promised to stop drinking but has never kept her promise. The husband expressed feeling frustrated but loves her and knows she’s doing the “best she can.” What should the social worker do FIRST in assessing this case?

30-year-old client symptoms include self-mutilation, unstable self-image, uncontrolled anger, intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation. These symptoms are most suggestive of which of the following DSM-5 disorders?

A social worker is working with a couple who immigrated from Cuba. The social worker is helping the couple understand the events that led to the wife’s depression and the problems in their marriage. During a therapy session, the husband illustrates a chronological sequence of significant life events that have happened during their marriage, such as a miscarriage, immigrating to the United States, leaving their homeland, acculturation struggles, and a recent job loss that has put a burden on their finances. The husband provided a framework during therapy to help understand the current problems. What assessment technique is the husband employing?

A school social worker meets with a 16-year-old girl for an initial assessment. She reports that every time she looks in the mirror, she looks obese. The social worker observes that the girl’s body is of average size. The girl reports feeling lonely and misses hanging out with friends but avoids social gatherings because she despises her appearance. She becomes anxious about attending school and wishes she could stop obsessing about her looks. What would be the MOST probable DSM diagnosis based on the information given?

The following criteria must be met for the DSM-5 diagnosis of panic disorder:

A father brings his 8-year-old daughter for an assessment at a mental health clinic. During the session, the girl is clingy and afraid, seems terrified, and avoids eye contact. The father informs the social worker that his daughter has no friends and lacks confidence. What should the social worker do FIRST based on the father’s report?

A social worker is meeting with a 12-year-old boy, who has been referred by the school psychologist. Based on the clinical notes from the school psychologist, the boy’s behavior at school is consistent with the diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. To confirm this diagnosis, the social worker would MOST likely:

A 30-year-old client and convicted pedophile reports feeling ashamed and guilty about his behavior over the years. The client appears nervous during the intake, but he can speak clearly, carry a conversation and his affect is appropriate. What does the phrase  “affect is appropriate” mean?

The patient is an 80-year-old man who has been experiencing cognitive symptoms. The onset of his symptoms suddenly appeared and are progressing. After several medical tests, the patient was diagnosed with a neurocognitive disorder. The following are all neurocognitive disorders EXEPT:

All the following are DSM- 5 criterion for Bulimia Nervosa Except:

A social worker at a mental health clinic meets with a 21 -year-old homeless man for an initial intake. The client is suicidal and violent and reports symptoms of psychosis. What should a social worker do NEXT:

A social worker meet with a client for an initial intake. The client reports that TV commercials are sending her personalize messages, and she won’t change her mind. This is an example of?

A client states being enraged and seeking retaliation against an annoying neighbor. The client has a history of physical violence and has been known to have a short fuse. What action should the social worker take in this interview to address the client’s potential for violent behavior?

A social worker meets with a veteran for an initial assessment. The client reports feeling tired and anxious. The client states that he has a history of recurrent depression since returning from Iraq, but has never felt this tense or apprehensive before. He was treated for depression four years ago after returning from his deployment and says that his mood improved. However, he is currently feeling on the edge and believes he will never be able to relax. What should the social worker do FIRST in assessing this client?

A school social worker is meeting with a 13 -year-old girl with multiple physical disabilities for services. What should the social worker do FIRST?

Ego-syntonic traits are:

A newlywed couple reports having disputes frequently and having trouble coming to agreements. They claim that when they fight, they frequently misinterpret one another, which causes the disputes to become more heated. What should the social worker do FIRST in this situation?

A 50-year-old man is referred for case management services. Two months ago, the client was fired from a job he had held for 30 years due to poor job performance and frequent absences that started after being diagnosed with Covid- 19. He has been unable to find employment and is in danger of losing his home. During the intake, the client appeared disoriented and answers many of the social worker’s questions by saying, “I do not know” or “I don’t remember.” What should the social worker explore FIRST given this information?

The client claims that she is struggling with several food-related challenges, including episodes of overeating. She states that despite going on several diets throughout the years, she constantly puts the weight back on after reaching her ideal weight. She reports that despite screenings for health problems such as hypothyroidism, cushing’s disease, and polycystic ovarian syndrome, all medical tests have been negative. The social worker should consider the following factors when deciding whether the client meets the DSM criteria for binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa.

A social worker is meeting with a father and his 4-year-old son. During the initial intake, the boy flaps his arms and flicks his fingers repeatedly. What DSM-5 diagnosis is MOST indicated for this boy?

A 16-year-old high-school student firmly believes that he is a doctor. What does this illustrate?

A social worker at a children’s hospital who specializes in child development is creating a therapeutic intervention for children. Which of the following factors is MOST important when selecting group members?

A 17-year-old is brought in for evaluation by his father, who is concerned because his son has been isolating himself from his friends and family for the past 4 months and is hearing voices. He has no additional symptoms. What is the boy’s MOST probable diagnosis?

According to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, of the following symptomology, which would point to agoraphobia rather than social anxiety disorder?

A case manager meets with a single mother of two boys who was evicted from her apartment because of unpaid rent. The client reports that the father of her children has not paid child support in six months and needs money to pay for food, shelter, and medical insurance. The client also reports that her youngest son is having behavior problems at school and is constantly angry. She doesn’t understand why he is acting out or why he is angry. After partializing the client’s problems, what would the social worker and the client address FIRST?

A hospital social worker is meeting with a 78-year-old patient for discharge planning after being diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. His physical and cognitive abilities have begun to decline, which makes it impossible for him to drive himself to and from medical appointments. Furthermore, after managing on his own for several years, he has recently started to rely more on his daughter for assistance with Activities of Daily Living. His daughter works full-time and frequently travels for work; the patient’s daughter is concerned that she won’t be there if her father needs her. As the patient’s social worker, what should you do FIRST?

What does dual diagnosis mean in social work?

A client presented for therapy at a mental health clinic because of anxiety and persistent concerns about becoming sick from touching surfaces. The client claims that despite knowing that these ideas are “ridiculous and irrational,” he can’t stop them. The social worker completes the assessment of the client and determines that he has obsessive-compulsive disorder. As part of the treatment plan, the social workers refer the client to a psychiatrist for a medication consult. What medication would MOST likely be prescribed to decrease the client’s obsessions?

The onset of symptoms for disruptive mood dysregulation disorder must occur before the age of:

A social worker was referred by a medical provider to meet with a college student who was raped at a party. When would it be the most appropriate to refer a client to therapy?

A woman being treated by a psychiatrist is taking medication for a mental disorder. The woman goes wine tasting with her friends. After eating some imported aged cheese from Italy and drinking red wine, the woman develops an extreme headache. She decides to drive to the emergency room. Her medical test reveals elevated high blood pressure. This suggests that the woman is MOST likely taking which of the following medications?

The mother of a 5-year-old girl comes in for a consultation about changes in her daughter’s behavior. She is worried because her daughter has been wetting and soiling herself throughout the day, both at home and in preschool, for three months. The girl doesn’t appear ashamed or concerned about her soiled underwear, even at school. The mother claims she is at her wits’ end with her daughter’s behavior. She reports that her daughter was potty trained at age 1 ½. What would be the social worker’s BEST way to approach treatment in this situation?

A mental health social worker is conducting a mental status exam on a 45-year-old client. The client reports that he quit his job four days ago. The client is questioned about the reason for his decision to leave his employment of 20 years. The social worker is assessing the clients:

A social worker is meeting with a 17-year-old and her parents. The parents expressed feelings of anger over their daughter’s behavior because she wants to spend weekends with friends. The mother makes the statement “who knows where you are hanging out or who you are with.” The parent also reports that they have offered to host gatherings at their house, but the daughter insists on going out with her friends. The parents report having several arguments with their daughter about this, and they recently discovered that she snuck out on Friday to attend a college party with friends. When the social worker asks the daughter about her behavior, she states, “I will be leaving for college soon. What’s the big deal.” Based on this scenario, what is the MOST likely diagnosis for this girl?

A social worker is meeting with an 85-year-old male whose case manager advised him to see a mental health professional. Since moving into a senior living facility, the client has become depressed and stopped attending his bible class, daily exercise classes, and social functions. To rule out the possibility that the client has developed adjustment disorder in reaction to the relocation to the living facility, the social worker is MOST likely to explore which of the following?

An individual who is under the age of 18 cannot be diagnosed with:

A hospital social worker is meeting with a family for the first time. The family includes a mother, a father, and 12-year-old twins. The mother was diagnosed with cancer and was given a poor prognosis. The parents report that they are worried about their twins, who have been misbehaving at home and in school ever since they found out about their mother’s prognosis. In addition, they have been isolating themselves. The social worker observes that the twins are quiet during the interview and avoid making eye contact with the parent. What does the social worker need to do FIRST?

A 48-year-old client who has been taking antipsychotic medication for most of her adult life begins to experience repetitive muscle movements in the face, neck, arms, and legs, tightness in her jaw, and involuntary tongue movements. This client’s MOST likely diagnosis is?

A social worker is working in individual therapy with a 20- year-old client who presents with persistent depressive disorder but has recently been feeling better. During the therapy session, the client admits to having contemplated suicide. What should the social worker do?