Unit 3: Psychotherapy, Clinical Interventions, & Case Management

A social worker has been seeing a 65-year-old male who lives with his son and his three children. While meeting with the client he behaves and communicates in ways that demonstrate suicidal intent. When asked about suicidal thoughts the patient denies any intention of suicide. What is the social worker’s BEST course of action in this situation?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that guarantees special education and related services to qualified children with disabilities across the country and makes a free suitable public education available to them. According to the IDEA who makes the final decisions about classroom placement for students with disabilities?

A social worker has been seeing a 32-year-old female with a history of attachment and abandonment issues stemming from childhood. The social worker is worried about whether the treatment is having an impact. Which of the following is the BEST indication of a working alliance?

A social worker has been assigned to mediate a dispute between a couple who has recently separated and is going through a divorce. The goal of mediation for a social worker is to:

A 38-year-old single woman has an ambitious career and is trying her best to balance the demands of her work and other life responsibilities. The woman is an only child and she was born when her mother was 39 years old. The mother has fallen upon hard times, has many health complications, and is now forced to live in an assisted living facility. The woman has mentioned to her social worker on several occasions “I should go see my mother; I feel bad that she is in that place.” In response, the social worker states, “You have mentioned that you would like to visit your mother several times throughout our sessions. I am wondering what might be stopping you from visiting her?” What type of intervention is the social worker using?

A social worker is conducting an initial interview with a patient who appears overwhelmed. The patient is having a difficult time formulating the answers to the social workers questions and has shared very little information. What is the BEST strategy to help the social worker gather information?

A social worker has been seeing a client for 5 weeks. The client’s presenting concern is managing his anxiety and is being seen for short-term individual therapy. The social worker is concerned because the client has not made any meaningful progress in his treatment. How should the social worker proceed?

A social worker has been seeing a patient for several months and becomes aware that the patient has been struggling with substance use dependence. The social worker does not have experience working with individuals with substance use dependence and makes a referral to another social worker who specializes in the field. What is needed for the referral to be considered complete?

A 43-year-old male has been preoccupied with the fear of having a heart attack and has been seeing his primary care doctor, regularly visiting the emergency room, and demanding regular screenings for heart conditions. The man has received various forms of testing which have all come back normal. The doctor believes that the man’s problem may be psychological and refers him to a social worker. When asked by the social worker he confirms his fears about having a heart attack. What should the social worker do FIRST?

A client’s brother moved in with him after losing his job and falling seriously ill with Covid. The brother does not contribute to rent and has not been able to secure a job since moving in. His brother does not clean up around the house and doesn’t pick after himself. The client reports that he is tired and is having trouble tolerating his brother’s behavior. After he makes this statement, he expresses remorse for the comment about his brother. What should the social worker’s FIRST response be?

What type of validity is concerned with the ability of measurement instrument to discriminate between individuals who will differ in the future?

A social worker is teaching a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills group. This week’s topic is distress tolerance skills. What are distress tolerance skills used for?

A social worker has been working with a 31-year-old male with issues surrounding substance abuse for over a year. The patient has made significant strides in his treatment and has met all the goals he has set. The social worker believes that the patient is ready for step-down treatment into a long-term sobriety group. The goal of the group is to add additional support to maintain sobriety. What should be the social worker’s FIRST step when making the referral?

In general, authenticity refers to how much of a person’s true self is represented in their daily lives. What is the overall goal of authenticity when it comes to the practice of social work?

A social worker has been seeing a client for over a year. The client has met all her goals, and the social worker believes the client is ready to terminate therapy. The social worker discusses the prospect of termination with the client, and she agrees. During the first of their pre-termination session, the client questions why the social worker is pressuring her to terminate treatment and begins to criticize her decisions. The client’s behavior is MOST likely related to which of the following?

A social worker has started working with an 18-year-old male for treatment. During his second appointment, the client reports that he is bisexual and is unsure how to tell his parents. How should the social worker proceed?

Respite care would be MOST appropriate in which of the following case?

A social worker is referred to a family of four for therapy. The family reports that they are happy and aside from the behavior of the first-born child, they are relatively well adjusted. The family reports that their eldest child has become withdrawn and does not communicate with the other members of the family. During the interview, the social worker observes that the family hardly speaks, and the social worker is forced to probe for answers. The family also shows little emotionality towards one another and seems uncomfortable when discussing emotions. Of the following approaches, which would be the MOST appropriate.

A previously motivated 19-year-old client appears ambivalent during a recent session with the social worker. The social worker attempts to discuss the ambivalence, but the client responds with anger and denial. After exploring the client’s emotions, what should the social worker do NEXT?

A social worker starts seeing a family of four in family therapy. The social worker has over 10 years of experience practicing structural family therapy. The parents report that the primary concern that brings them into treatment is the recent behavior and outburst from their 10-year-old daughter. The family reports that this behavior is uncharacteristic and that they are very concerned. According to the structural family therapy approach, what should the social worker do FIRST?

A social worker who works at the Veterans Administration has been seeing a patient for several months. The patient has a significant history of trauma as a child and also served overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The majority of the Veteran’s war trauma stems from an incident that occurred following the liberation of the Iraqi citizens. In this incident, the patient, who was a military vehicle driver in the Army, ran over a woman and a small child who stepped in front of his vehicle. During a session, the patient suddenly becomes very emotional and begins talking as if an accident has just occurred and he is witnessing the incident in real time. He can’t stop crying, and he is completely overpowered. A social worker who is psychodynamically trained may interpret this as:

When arriving home from school a child is told that they need to complete their homework assignment for the day because it is due the following morning. The child complains and states that “I always have to do my homework and I’m tired of it.” The parent explains that if they do not do their homework then they will not get to watch their favorite TV program in the evening. The child ultimately decides to do their homework. This example illustrates:

A social worker is leading a group for military veterans who are struggling to adjust to civilian life. The Veterans have developed a strong bond with one another and are able to settle disputes, talk openly with one another and have become a mutual support system for one another. The group is MOST likely in which of the following stages of development.

A social worker is seeing a husband and wife who have recently become empty nesters. They are very excited about the potential of spending more time by themselves in their home. However, the wife finds out that her mother has been having difficulties with mobility, so they decide to move her in. Not long after the mother moved in, she started to show early signs of dementia. They are now concerned about what they should do with the mother. What is the issue for the social worker to manage FIRST?

A social worker recently started working with an Asian American family who has been referred to therapy due to issues of child maltreatment. The family admits that they are embarrassed about the issues of maltreatment and do not like coming into the office for fear that their neighbors might see them. The social worker also has trouble with the family making their appointments on a consistent basis. The family only shows up for 75 percent of their sessions. What is the BEST way to reduce the stigma surrounding office visits and increase compliance with treatment:

A social worker is seeing a 35-year-old patient for the first time. The social worker is seeing this patient for a home visit. The patient reports that she has a difficult time doing things by herself and would like her sister to be present for the meeting. How should the social worker respond?

A social worker has recently started working with a client whose behavior he finds to be annoying. If the social worker were to seek supervision on the matter how would the supervisor BEST respond?

Which of the following is NOT a component of motivational interviewing?

A client is scheduled to see a social worker at 9:00 am for an intake evaluation. The social worker looks up at the clock and it is now 9:15 am. The social worker becomes frustrated and annoyed by the client’s tardiness. The client finally arrives for their appointment at 9:20 am. What should the social worker do in this situation?

What is the primary goal of interventions for the children’s protective service?

A 22-year-old gay male comes into treatment regarding his recent transition. He reports that he finally developed the courage to come out to his family. He states that his family was initially shocked and confused about the news but were very accepting and supportive. The man states that the process went better than expected, and he is now considering coming out to the world. To start, he is considering revealing his sexuality to his coworkers. How should the social worker proceed?

A social worker is meeting with a 45-year-old male with a history of anxiety and depression. In the first few sessions, the social worker spends time assessing the client and collecting information. After the client’s third session, he reports that he is starting to feel better. What is the man MOST likely experiencing?

Which action used by the social worker is MOST likely to help build rapport with a client who is anxious about obtaining services?

Which of the following is the BEST example of peer group supervision?

A social worker is seeing a patient for the first time. He is a 45-year-old male who was blinded during an industrial accident two years ago. The accident left the client with scars on his face, and he uses a white cane to assist him when walking. During the intake, the client states, feeling depressed and would like some help managing his feelings. However, the man neglected to mention anything about his disability. How should the social worker address his disability?

An elementary school teacher is creating a once-a-week group for children to complement other forms of treatment. In the group, the children will learn active listening skills, turn-taking, assertiveness, and modeling. What is the approach being used by the social worker?

A social worker is meeting with a 7-year-old boy with down syndrome and his family. The family reports that the boy has started to wander off by himself and introduce himself to strangers. The parents are afraid that this behavior will become a safety concern and that he will leave the school grounds. What is the BEST intervention for the social worker to use?

A male social worker meets with a 21-year-old female. She informs the social worker that she has trouble trusting males because of childhood sexual abuse. What should the social worker do FIRST?

A client who is court mandated was referred to see the social worker for treatment. The individual is a 29-year-old female who was recently incarcerated for drug possession. As a result of her conviction, the woman reports that she has lost custody of her 3-year-old child. The woman reports that she does not want to come to treatment but wants to get her child back. Given her resistance, what is the BEST method for engaging the client in treatment?

Which action used by the social worker is MOST likely to help build rapport with a client who is anxious about obtaining services?

What is the primary reason for a social worker and a client to have a contract?

A school social worker meets with a 17-year-old student who identifies as gay for an initial intake. It has been reported by school staff that it is believed the student is being abused in a relationship with another student. During the initial meeting, the student is quiet and hesitant to answer the social worker’s questions. How should the social worker respond to the student’s silence?

A social worker is employed by a busy outpatient clinic in an urban area. Because of the increased demand for services, the wait time for an appointment can sometimes exceed two months. During an initial interview with one of her patients the social worker picks up on what she perceives to be frustration by the client. He does not say directly, but the patient appears to be upset that it took so long to be seen by the clinic. The client’s frustrations seem to be a point of contention for the patient and are causing resistance. Of the following, which is the BEST way to manage the client’s resistance?

A social worker at a mental health clinic facilitates a treatment group for college students with dual diagnoses of major depressive disorder and substance use disorder. The social worker wants to use role play to help the clients recognize triggers for depressive symptoms. What action by the social worker is MOST likely to engage participants in role play?

A social worker has recently started working with a couple who lost both of their children in a natural disaster. The couple are deeply religious and attend church regularly. In the most recent session, the couple discusses that they are starting to lose faith. They report that “it is hard to keep faith in a world where both of our children are gone.” The couple feels guilty about questioning their faith and it is causing more distress. How should the social worker communicate empathy in this situation?

A social worker is providing skills-based training for social workers seeing patients in a primary care setting. The training is critical to the overall functioning of the primary care office so the social worker is seeking to maximize the effectiveness of the training. In order to increase training effectiveness, what should the social worker be MOST concerned about?

A social worker receives a referral for a patient who has been court-ordered for treatment. The patient is a 25-year-old male with a history of alcohol use disorder and theft. During the initial intake, the man is hesitant to engage but does keep repeating that he does not want to attend treatment. How should the social worker approach this situation?

A single father contacts a social worker due to concerns with his 17-year-old daughter’s mental health. The father reports that his daughter is depressed, anxious, is restricting her food intake and will not talk with him about her problems. The father states that if she comes into treatment, he will join her in the sessions. The social worker talks with the daughter, and she agrees to treatment. Upon the daughter’s approval, she contracts the father and daughter for combined treatment, where he will see the daughter for individual therapy and include the father for joint therapy on every third appointment. On the third visit the man drops his daughter off but does not join the session as discussed. On the second scheduled joint meeting the father misses again. The daughter reports that she is upset that her father has not followed through on his end of the agreement. How should the social worker manage this situation?

A social worker has been seeing a 30-year-old male patient who is diagnosed with a severe traumatic brain injury. The man has gone through significant rehabilitation and regained some of his independence. However, due to physical and cognitive challenges, it is recommended he live in a group home. The social worker learns that the patient was admitted to a psychiatric facility by his primary care doctor over the weekend. The next day the social worker attends a team meeting at the psychiatric facility. What is the priority action the social worker should take in this meeting?

Which of the following interventions is BEST for maintaining the independence and health of people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers?