Social Work Competency

Which statement most closely matches the unifying purpose of social work?

a. Social work is the professional activity of providing advice to individuals, groups, or communities that are experiencing problems

b. Social work is the professional activity of creating social change through social action to address needs of individuals, groups and communities

c. Social work is the professional activity of helping individuals, groups and communities to enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favorable to this goal

d. Social work is the professional activity of counseling, linking clients with resources, and promoting social justice to restore the clients capacity for social functioning

c. Social work is the professional activity of helping individuals, groups and communities to enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favorable to this goal

The view that the social worker should not become too emotionally involved with client problems is captured in which principle?

a. The social worker should practice ethical social work

b. The social worker should engage in conscious self

c. The social worker should maintain objectivity

d. The social worker should treat clients as the expert of their own lives

c. The social worker should maintain objectivity.

With respect to social work practice, the concept of 'person-in-environment':

a. Suggests that social workers focus simultaneously on person and environments

b. Suggest that social workers focus on persons rather than environments

c. Suggests that social workers focus on environments rather than persons

d. Is not relevant to social work practice

a. Suggests that social workers focus simultaneously on person and environments.

A social worker's question, 'why did you stay in that relationship so long?' most directly contradicts the social work principle of:

a. Self- determination

b. Individualization

c. Accountability

d. Judgementalism

d. Judgementalism

All of the following are social work values except:

a. Competence

b. Service

c. Sanction

d. Integrity

c. Sanction.

This level of intervention involves creating change via task groups, teams, organizational structures & service delivery networks.

a. Micro level intervention b. Mezzo level intervention c. Macro level intervention d. Exosystem level intervention

b. Mezzo level intervention.

This social work role is focused on achieving continuity of service to clients by linking them to appropriate services:

a. Administrator b. Case manager c. Client developer d. Workload manager

b. Case manager.

This level of intervention involves facilitating social change through work with neighborhoods, communities, and society at large including nations and the world.

a. Micro level intervention b. Mezzo level intervention c. Macro level intervention d. Exosystem level intervention

c. Macro level intervention.

Social work practice principles are:

a. Grounded in social works philosophy

b. Reflections of social work values and ethics

c. Combinations of social work's knowledge and science

d. All of the above

D. Grounded in social work’s philosophy, reflections of social work values and ethics, combinations of social work's knowledge and science

A social worker's values, assumptions and expectations:

a. Have no relevance for social work practice

b. Influence understanding but not responses

c. Become part of the reality of the professional relationship

d. Are best kept out of the professional relationship

c. Become part of the reality of the professional relationship.

Clinical social work is best described as which level of practice?

a. Generalist

b. Micro

c. Mezzo

d. Macro

b. Micro.

Burned out social workers often begin to think of their work with clients as being 'case by case' or 'more of the same'. This attitude directly contradicts the social work principle of:

a. Self-determination

b. Individualization

c. Accountability

d. Confidentiality

b. Individualization.

Empathy, a basic facilitative quality of professional helping, is accurately described as:

a. Part of the science of social work

b. Relating to the client's experiences

c. Feeling what your client feels

d. Walking in your client's shoes

d. Walking in your client's shoes

Generalist social workers:

a. Work exclusively with families and children

b. Have job descriptions which exclude policy concerns

c. Consider interventions at all system levels

d. Work inside the home

c. Consider interventions at all system levels.

Which of the following is NOT considered to be a core value of the social work profession?

a. Promotion of social justice

b. Respecting people's dignity and worth

c. Serving society's most advantaged people

d. Respecting clients right to privacy

c. Serving society's most advantaged people.

Social work is scientific because it involves:

a. Gathering, organizing, and synthesizing data for practice

b. Using data for making practice decisions

c. Critically evaluating practice actions

d. All of the above

d. All of the above

The job function of "referral" is most associated with what social work role?

a. Administrator b. Counselor/clinician c. Broker d. Advocate

c. Broker.

This phase of the planned change process involves data collection & assessment.

a. Phase II

b. Phase I

c. Phase III

d. Phase IV

a. Phase II

Fair economic policies promote the social work value of:

a. Civil rights

b. Social justice

c. Humanitarianism

d. Responsive social services

b. Social justice.

In case advocacy, the social worker takes action on behalf of:

a. An oppressed group

b. An individual client

c. A political cause

d. All of the above

d. All of the above

Self-determination:

a. Means there are no limits placed on clients' decision making

b. Presupposes clients are free from coercion

c. Means social workers take responsibility for decision making

d. Is only appropriate if clients are likely to make the "right" decision

b. Presupposes clients are free from coercion.

This is the third phase of the planned change process:

a. Data collection & assessment

b. Planning & contracting

c. Assessment & intervention

d. Intervention & planning

b. Planning & contracting.

This term represents the process of enhancing personal, interpersonal or political power of clients:

a. Social justice b. Advocacy c. Acceptance d. Empowerment

d. Empowerment.

This phase of the planned change process involves implementation of the intervention.

a. Phase II

b. Phase I

c. Phase IV

d. Phase IIII

c. Phase IV

Which of the following is not a part of the generalist perspective?

a. Utilizing a cognitive-behavioral approach as a dominant mode of practice b. Using a multidimensional intervention approach

c. Engaging in multi-level practice unrestricted by any single theoretical orientation

d. Basing the selection of intervention strategies primarily on the client situation

a. Utilizing a cognitive-behavioral approach as a dominant mode of practice.

When practicing as a generalist social worker, your client might be:

a. An individual

b. A community

c. An organization

d. All of the above

d. All of the above

An orientation and method of social work intervention in which small numbers of people who share similar interests convene regularly defines:

a. Group work b. Consortium c. Group therapy d. Psychodynamic treatment

a. Group work.

A family's boundaries that allow outsiders to enter or leave easily is called:

a. impermeable family

b. defensive family

c. permeable family

c. Permeable family.

All of the following are characteristics of a task group EXCEPT for:

a. The purpose is to achieve a desired goal or to implement a change in the group's external environment

b. To help so solve personal problems, cope with stress. Improve quality of life for individual participant

c. The leader is a professional with training and expertise in the topic area

d. Conduct research and make recommendations to policy makers

b. To help solve personal problems, cope with stress.

Discussing the physiological and social ramifications of HIV/AIDS with high school students would be characteristics of which kind of group?

a. Therapeutic b. Support c. Task d. Educational

c. Task

Theories perform a number of important functions. Which of the following is NOT a function of theory?

a. Explain and predict social problems

b. Are mutually exclusive and overlapping

c. Guide social work practice

d. Can be used to anticipate future outcome and speculate about the relationships among variables

b. Are mutually exclusive and overlapping.

A loud noise, which produces a startle response is paired with a flashing light so that the light, when presented alone, elicits a startle response the loud noise in the situation is a(n):

a. unconditioned stimulus

b. conditioned stimulus

a. Unconditioned stimulus

According to the theory that wealthy people aim to keep their wealth while the less wealthy strive to increase their status, what is this theory?

a. resolve

b. conflict

c. resolution

d. tension

b. Conflict

For Erikson, what psychosocial crisis is a 2-year-old facing?

a. Autonomy vs shame and doubt

In contrast to Freud, how does Erikson view the importance of social aspects of personality?

c. Views the social aspects of the personality to be more important than sexual drives

According to Erikson, which psychosocial crisis does the adolescent experience?

c. Identity vs role confusion

During which stage does Freud say sexual energy becomes quiet, allowing focus on social skills?

c. Latency stage

According to Fowler, which level of faith development do few people reach?

a. Mythic-literal faith

b. Synthetic-conventional faith

c. Individuative-reflective faith

d. Universalizing faith

d. Universalizing faith

Which theoretical perspective emphasizes that people's perceptions of their environments impact their well-being?

a. family

b. social

c. ecological

c. Ecological

Whose work is concerned with how people develop their capacities to think, learn, and process information from birth through their teenage years?

a. erickson

b. freud

c. bowen

d. piaget

d. Piaget

What is the psychosocial struggle of middle adulthood according to Erikson?

b. Generativity vs stagnation

According to Freud, which defense mechanism involves unconsciously attributing unacceptable ideas to another?

b. Projection

This term represents a learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus

a. operant conditioning

b classical conditioning

b. Classical conditioning

This term represents a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior:

a. Extrinsic reinforcement b. Operant conditioning c. Intrinsic reinforcement d. Classical conditioning

b. Operant conditioning

According to Bronfenbrenner, what concept represents all roles and relationships in a person's immediate environment?

a. microsystem

b. macrosystem

c. mesosystem

a. Microsystem

What is the correct order of needs according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, starting with the most basic?

a. security, belonging, self-esteem, physiological

b. belonding, self-esteem, security, physiological

c. physiological, security, belonging, self-esteem

c. Physiological, security, belonging, self-esteem

Which statement is true regarding Piaget's theory?

a. Piaget's theory describes how people develop their capabilities to think, learn & process information from birth through early adulthood

b. Piaget proposes that people actively develop their cognitive skills through relatively fixed, universal stages

c. Piaget's theory was based primarily on a variety of children from different backgrounds

d. Piaget's period of concrete operations extends from age 11 to 16

b. Piaget proposes that people actively develop their cognitive skills through relatively fixed, universal stages

According to Piaget, during which stage do children become adept at understanding events from others' perspectives?

a. classical operation

b. operant conditioning

c. concrete operations

b. Concrete operations

What does homeostasis represent?

a. The tendency for a system to maintain a relatively stable, constant state of equilibrium or balance

b. The tendency for a system to become out of balance and chaotic

a. The tendency for a system to maintain a relatively stable, constant state of equilibrium or balance

According to Ecological Theory, what term represents the interactions between two or more environmental settings?

a. micosystem

b. mesosystem

c. macrosystem

b. Mesosystem

When a system exhibits efficient energy use and growth orientation, it is said to be in a state of?

a. positive entropy

b. negative entropy

b. Negative Entropy

What term represents communication and interactions that occur between people and their environment?

a. transactions

b. sales

c. exchanges

a. Transactions

What term reflects the relationship among a system's various subsystems?

Networking

What term is used to distinguish a system from its environment and provide it with identity?

a. boundaries

b. conflict

c. identity

a. Boundaries

What term reflects the reciprocal and mutually reliant relationships people have with one another and their environments?

a. enmeshement

b. boundaries

c. interdependence

c. Interdependence

What term represents a special form of input that provides a system with information regarding its performance?

a. output

b. feedback

c. outcome

b. Feedback

According to the theory that those with wealth will increase their wealth at the expense of the poor, what is this theory?

a. greed

b. conflict

c. rational choice

b. Conflict

What does Erikson refer to the demands made by society at each stage of development?

• a. Crises

• b. Hurdles

• c. Milestones

• d. Transitions

a. Crises

What term reflects the process of searching for meaning, wholeness, and purpose?

• a. Religion

• b. Morality

• c. Spirituality

c. Spirituality

According to Freud, if a person acts based on what gratifies their basic drives, which component of the mind are they operating according to?

• a. Id

• b. Ego

• c. Superego

• d. Libido

a. Id

What term represents a person whose self-definition challenges traditional binary conceptions of gender and sexuality?

• a. Cisgender

• b. Intersex

• c. Transgender

• d. Gender Fluid

• d. Gender Fluid

What term represents a system of oppression based on race?

a. Racism

What is classism?

b. Discrimination against people who have little or no money

What is sexism?

c. Discrimination against people because of their gender

What term represents irrational fears of homosexuality in others or within oneself?

a. Homophobia

What term represents a collection of attitudes and behaviors considered normal for a particular sex in a specific culture?

a. Gender identity b. Transvetism c. Gender role d. Cultural gender norms

d. Cultural gender norms

What is homophobia?

A collection of attitudes and behaviors that are negative towards individuals who identify as homosexual.

What is homosexuality?

The sexual attraction between members of the same sex.

What is transsexuality?

The condition of identifying with a gender different from the one assigned at birth, often involving medical transition.

What is gender role dysphoria?

A psychological condition where an individual experiences distress due to a mismatch between their gender identity and their assigned gender role.

What term reflects favorable or unfavorable opinions about a person or group, often formed without knowledge?

Prejudice

What term represents the belief that society is comprised of distinct ethnic, religious, and cultural groups, and that diversity is beneficial?

d. Diversity

Our society is hierarchal. This term represents one group having something of value that is denied to others because of the group that they belong to, rather than because of anything they have done or failed to do

Privilege

What term refers to policies and behaviors of dominant groups that have harmful effects on subordinate groups?

Institutional discrimination

Error that is consistent and patterned is known as:

b. Systematic error

What should researchers do when developing a measurement tool for a minority group?

a. Get assistance from members of the culture in developing the measuring tools

b. Immerse themselves in the culture of the group being studied

c. Perform validity and reliability checks using members of the minority group

d. All of the above

All of the above

What type of variable is 'number of persons in household'?

An ordinal variable

What characteristic distinguishes ratio measures from other levels of measurement?

A real (absolute) zero point

What reliability test is subject to multiple testing?

The test-retest approach

Which variable is NOT a ratio variable?

a. Income per year b. Nationality c. Number of prior arrests d. Average number of magazines subscribed per year

c. Number of prior arrests

What is a single indicator of a variable called?

An item

How do nominal measures classify observations?

Into mutually exclusive and exhaustive categories

What level of measurement is used when categorizing height as tall, medium, and short?

Ordinal

This policy is part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act and was a replacement for AFDC; a block grant program based on workforce, time limited benefits, and strict work participation rates:

TANF

What do entitlements in social welfare refer to?

Programs that assure citizens of their basic needs as a right of citizenship.

What is affirmative action?

Programs designed to redress past discrimination against minorities and women.

What does Brown v. Topeka Board of Education refer to?

A Supreme Court ruling that 'separate but equal' in education is inherently unequal.

What is NOT true about settlement houses?

a. They were mostly set up in immigrant neighborhoods by wealthy people b. They were active in the slavery abolitionist movement

c. They attempted to bridge class differences between groups of people and had a less patronizing form of charity

d. They attempted to help organize themselves

b. They were active in the slavery abolitionist movement

What is a welfare state?

• a. A country where the government owns all means of production and eliminates private property.

• b. A temporary emergency system designed only to provide food to citizens during a natural disaster.

• c. A system whereby the government protects the health and well-being of its citizens, especially those in financial or social need

• d. A political system where social services are provided exclusively by private charities and religious organizations.

• c. A system whereby the government protects the health and well-being of its citizens, especially those in financial or social nee

87. This concept refers to a work-oriented society that values hard work and looks unfavorably upon those who do not work

c. The Protestant Work Ethic

What is privatization of social welfare?

The private provision of public services.

When does policy analysis occur?

before or after legislation is passed.

Who established the Hull House?

Jane Addams

What does social stratification refer to?

The vertical segmentation of the population according to income, occupation, and status.

What does supply-side economics propose?

• a. A system that increases government spending on social welfare to stimulate consumer demand.

• b. A theory that suggests increasing the minimum wage will lead to higher production levels.

• c. A school of political-economy that proposes reductions in social programs so that tax dollars can be reinvested in the private sector to capitalize economic growth

• d. A strategy that focuses on government-led infrastructure projects to create jobs for the working class.

a. A school of political-economy that proposes reductions in social programs so that tax dollars can be reinvested in the private sector to capitalize economic growth

What is a method of funding social services through which the federal government provides money to states for specified service needs?

A method of funding social services through which the federal government makes available to the states monies that must be spent for narrowly specified service needs.

Which of the following is NOT true of the 1870's Charity Organization Societies (COS)?

a. They were the major providers of services of the poor

b. Charity Organization Societies had offices in most major American cities

c. Charity Organization Societies assumed a major share of the responsibility for urban social welfare during the late 19th century

d. They provided grants to states for maternal, child and disabled welfare services

d. They provided grants to states for maternal, child and disabled welfare services.

What is the approach designed to rehabilitate the poor by attacking the causes of poverty called?

b. Curative approach to poverty.

What term describes the removal of the mentally ill or patients with intellectual disabilities from state institutions to community settings?

d. Deinstitutionalization.

What are non-cash goods or services provided by the government that function as a proxy for cash called?

a. In-kind benefits.