Social Work Comprehensive Exam Review Flashcards

Community Based Social Work

What type of social work is characterized by a practice that looks at the impact larger social systems have on people and society to promote social change beyond the individual level?

Competence, Social Justice, Service, Dignity & Worth of the Person, Human Relationships, Integrity

What are the NASW Code of Ethics?

Supervised Rehearsal

What skill-building technique involves practicing a behavior, intervention, or communication skill under the observation and guidance of a supervisor or therapist?

Ex: A social work student role-plays conducting a suicide risk assessment while a supervisor provides feedback and coaching.

Verbal Idiosyncrasy

What communication characteristic refers to unusual, highly individualized, repetitive, or peculiar patterns of speech or word usage?

Ex: A client repeatedly uses made-up words or assigns unique meanings to common words that others do not understand.

Cultural Perspective

What approach involves understanding a person's behavior, beliefs, values, and experiences within the context of their cultural background?

Ex: A social worker explores how a client's cultural beliefs influence their views on mental health treatment and family responsibilities.

Reunion Behavior

What attachment concept refers to how a child responds when a caregiver returns after a separation?

Ex: A securely attached child seeks comfort from their caregiver upon reunion and is quickly soothed.

Paternalistic Orientation

What professional approach involves making decisions for clients based on what the professional believes is in the client's best interest, even when it limits client self-determination?

Ex: A social worker withholds information because they believe knowing the information would upset the client.

Deontological Perspective

What ethical perspective determines right and wrong based on duties, rules, and ethical obligations rather than outcomes?

Ex: A social worker maintains confidentiality because it is an ethical duty, even when doing so may not produce the best overall outcome.

Symbiotic Relationship

What relationship pattern involves an excessive level of emotional dependence and a limited sense of separateness between individuals?

Ex: A parent and child are so emotionally enmeshed that neither feels comfortable making decisions independently.

Subtext

What communication concept refers to the underlying meaning, emotion, or message beneath the spoken words?

Ex: A client says, "Do whatever you want," but the underlying message is anger and disappointment.

Implicit Communication

What communication refers to messages conveyed indirectly through tone, body language, actions, or context rather than explicit words?

Ex: A client says "I'm fine" while avoiding eye contact and crying.

Strange Situation

What attachment assessment developed by Mary Ainsworth uses separations and reunions between a child and caregiver to evaluate attachment patterns?

Ex: A toddler becomes distressed when their caregiver leaves the room and is observed when the caregiver returns to assess attachment style.

Therapeutic Use of Self

What social work skill involves intentionally using one's personality, communication style, and professional relationship to promote client growth?

Ex: A social worker uses empathy, authenticity, and self-awareness to strengthen the therapeutic relationship.

Outcome Assessment

What evaluation process measures whether a program, intervention, or treatment achieved its intended goals?

Ex: A social worker measures symptom reduction after a treatment program.

Antecedent

What behavioral concept refers to the event, situation, or trigger that occurs immediately before a behavior?

Ex: A child is told to stop playing a game and then has a tantrum.

Consequence

What behavioral concept refers to the event or outcome that occurs immediately after a behavior and influences whether it will continue?

Ex: A child receives attention after a tantrum, increasing the likelihood the behavior will occur again.

Partializing Techniques

What crisis intervention technique helps clients break overwhelming problems into smaller, more manageable parts?

Ex: A client overwhelmed by debt develops a step-by-step plan to address one financial issue at a time.

Here and Now Focus

What therapeutic factor emphasizes exploring current interactions and experiences occurring within the group?

Ex: A therapist asks members to discuss what they are feeling toward one another in the present moment.

Cohesiveness

What therapeutic factor refers to the sense of belonging, acceptance, and connection experienced within a group?

Ex: Members feel supported, valued, and accepted by one another.

Corrective Recapitulation of the Primary Family Group

What therapeutic factor involves re-experiencing and resolving early family conflicts within the group setting?

Ex: A group member learns healthier ways of relating to authority figures through interactions with the group leader.

Interpersonal Learning

What therapeutic factor involves gaining insight into oneself through interactions and feedback from others?

Ex: A group member learns that others perceive them as more critical than they realized.

Instillation of Hope

What therapeutic factor involves developing optimism by seeing that improvement and recovery are possible?

Ex: A group member becomes encouraged after hearing another member's success story.

Cross-Family Dialogue

What group therapy technique involves members of different families communicating directly with one another to share experiences and perspectives?

Ex: Parents from one family discuss coping strategies with parents from another family during a multifamily group session.

Parentification

What family systems concept occurs when a child takes on adult responsibilities or caregiving roles within the family?

Ex: A child regularly cares for younger siblings and provides emotional support to a parent.

Accommodation

What Piaget concept refers to changing existing schemas to incorporate new information?

Ex: A child learns that not all four-legged animals are dogs and creates a new category for horses.

Adaptation

What Piaget concept refers to the overall process of adjusting to the environment through assimilation and accommodation?

Ex: A child continually modifies their understanding of the world as they encounter new experiences.

Organization

What Piaget concept refers to arranging knowledge into increasingly complex cognitive systems or schemas?

Ex: A child organizes information about animals into categories such as pets, farm animals, and wild animals.

Fluid Intelligence

What type of intelligence involves solving new problems, reasoning, and thinking abstractly without relying on previously learned knowledge?

Ex: A person solves a novel puzzle they have never encountered before.

Inductive Reasoning

What type of reasoning involves drawing general conclusions from specific observations?

Ex: After seeing several swans that are white, a person concludes that all swans are white.

Crystallized Intelligence

What type of intelligence involves using accumulated knowledge, experience, and learned information?

Ex: A person uses vocabulary knowledge and information learned throughout life to answer questions.

Prosopagnosia

What neurological condition involves the inability to recognize familiar faces?

Ex: A client recognizes a friend's voice but cannot identify them by looking at their face.

Aphasia

What neurological condition involves impairment in language comprehension or expression due to brain damage?

Ex: Following a stroke, a client has difficulty speaking and understanding language.

Acalculia

What neurological condition involves the loss of the ability to perform mathematical calculations?

Ex: A client who previously managed finances can no longer complete basic arithmetic.

Agnosia

What neurological condition involves the inability to recognize or identify familiar objects despite intact sensory functioning?

Ex: A client can see a key but cannot identify what it is or its purpose.

Quasi-Experimental Designs

What research designs include an intervention and comparison group but do not use random assignment?

Ex: A school compares outcomes between students who participated in a program and students from another school who did not.

Pre-Experimental Designs

What research designs lack random assignment and often lack a true control group, limiting the ability to determine causation?

Ex: A researcher measures outcomes after implementing a program with only one group of participants.

Comparison/Control Groups

What research groups are used to compare outcomes and determine whether an intervention caused observed changes?

Ex: Group that does not get the intervention

Change Agent

What social work role involves initiating, facilitating, or promoting change within individuals, groups, organizations, or communities?

Ex: A social worker advocates for policy changes to improve access to mental health services.

Mixed-Method Research

What research approach combines both quantitative and qualitative methods to gain a more complete understanding of a problem?

Ex: A researcher collects survey data on depression symptoms and also conducts interviews to understand participants' experiences.

Exogenous Depression

What type of depression is primarily triggered by external life events or environmental stressors?

Ex: A client develops depressive symptoms after losing their job and going through a divorce.

Neoclassical Management Theory

What management theory emphasizes employee motivation, social relationships, and the impact of human factors on workplace productivity?

Ex: An agency encourages teamwork, employee participation, and supportive supervision to improve morale and performance.

Collateral Sources

What sources provide information about a client from people or records other than the client?

Ex: A social worker gathers information from teachers, family members, physicians, and school records.

Korsakoff Syndrome

What neurological disorder, often associated with chronic alcohol use and thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency, is characterized by severe memory impairment and confabulation?

Ex: A client cannot form new memories and fills in memory gaps with inaccurate stories they believe are true.

Single-Subject Design

What research design evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention by repeatedly measuring outcomes in one individual before, during, and after treatment?

Ex: A social worker tracks a client's anxiety symptoms for several weeks before and after implementing a new intervention.

Separation

What concept in development and family systems refers to the process of becoming psychologically and emotionally independent from caregivers?

Ex: A young adult moves out, makes independent decisions, and develops a separate identity from their parents.

Paraphrasing

What communication skill involves restating a client's message in your own words to demonstrate understanding and clarify meaning?

Ex: Client: "I feel overwhelmed by everything happening at work."
Social Worker: "It sounds like you're feeling stressed because work demands have become difficult to manage."

Unexamined Identity

What is Stage 1 of Cultural, Racial, and Ethnic Identity Development in adolescents, characterized by limited awareness or exploration of one's cultural, racial, or ethnic identity?

Ex: An adolescent accepts cultural beliefs and values without questioning them and has not yet explored what their cultural identity means to them personally.

Identity Search/Exploration Phase

What is Stage 2 of Cultural, Racial, and Ethnic Identity Development, characterized by actively exploring and questioning one's cultural, racial, or ethnic identity?

Ex: An adolescent begins learning about their cultural heritage, asks questions about discrimination and identity, and explores what their background means to them.

Identity Achievement

What is Stage 3 of Cultural, Racial, and Ethnic Identity Development, characterized by developing a secure, integrated, and positive sense of one's cultural, racial, or ethnic identity?

Ex: An adolescent feels comfortable with their cultural identity, appreciates their heritage, and can interact confidently with both members of their own group and other groups.

Protracted Emotional Dysregulation

What term refers to prolonged difficulty managing emotions, resulting in persistent emotional instability or intense emotional reactions?

Ex: A client experiences ongoing anger, sadness, and emotional outbursts that are difficult to control and last for extended periods.

Furthering

What communication skill involves encouraging a client to continue discussing a topic or expand on what they have already shared?

Ex: A social worker says, "Tell me more about that," after a client briefly mentions feeling overwhelmed.

Disparate Impact

What concept refers to a policy or practice that appears neutral but has a disproportionately negative effect on a particular group?

Ex: A hiring requirement unintentionally excludes a significantly higher percentage of applicants from a protected group.

Nonnormative Influence

What developmental influence refers to unusual or unexpected events that affect an individual's development and are not experienced by most people?

Ex: A child experiences the death of a parent at age 8.

Normative Influence

What developmental influence refers to experiences that are common and expected for people within a particular age group or culture?

Ex: Starting school, entering adolescence, or retiring from work.

Ethical System

What term refers to an organized framework of ethical principles used to determine what is right or wrong?

Ex: Utilitarianism and deontology are examples of ethical systems used to guide decision-making.

Fishbowl Technique

What group technique involves one group discussing an issue while another group observes, followed by reflection and feedback?

Ex: Counseling students observe a mock therapy session and later discuss what they noticed about communication and intervention skills.

Re-Authoring

What narrative therapy technique helps clients rewrite or redefine the story they tell about themselves in a more empowering way?

Ex: A client changes their personal narrative from "I am a failure" to "I am someone who has overcome significant challenges."

Ethical Calculus

What ethical decision-making approach involves weighing potential benefits and harms to determine the most ethical course of action?

Ex: A social worker evaluates several options and chooses the one likely to produce the greatest overall benefit and least harm.

Value System

What term refers to a person's collection of beliefs, priorities, and principles that guide attitudes and behavior?

Ex: A social worker highly values honesty, compassion, and social justice.

History-Graded Influence

What developmental influence refers to events that affect an entire generation or group because they occur at a particular point in history?

Ex: Growing up during the COVID-19 pandemic, a major war, or the Great Depression.

Focusing

What communication skill involves helping a client concentrate on one issue, topic, or concern when the discussion becomes broad or unfocused?

Ex: A client discusses work stress, family conflict, finances, and health concerns all at once, and the social worker asks, "Which of those feels most important to address today?"

Organic Brain Syndrome

What term refers to cognitive, emotional, or behavioral impairment caused by a physical or medical condition affecting the brain?

Ex: An older adult develops memory loss, confusion, and personality changes as a result of dementia.

Assertiveness Training

What behavioral intervention teaches individuals how to express their thoughts, feelings, and needs directly, respectfully, and confidently?

Ex: A client practices saying, "I'm unable to work late tonight," instead of agreeing to requests they resent.

Mindfulness

What therapeutic practice involves intentionally focusing on the present moment with awareness, openness, and without judgment?

Ex: A client focuses on their breathing and observes thoughts without trying to change or avoid them.

Summative Evaluation

What type of evaluation is conducted after a program is completed to determine its overall effectiveness and outcomes?

Ex: At the end of a substance use treatment program, outcome data are reviewed to determine whether participants met treatment goals.

Process Evaluation

What type of evaluation examines how a program is implemented and whether it is being delivered as intended?

Ex: A supervisor reviews attendance, staff training, and adherence to the intervention model during a support group program.

Practice Evaluation

What type of evaluation assesses the effectiveness of a social worker's interventions with individual clients, families, groups, or communities?

Ex: A social worker tracks a client's anxiety scores over time to determine whether therapy is reducing symptoms.

Suprasystem

What systems theory concept refers to the larger system that contains and influences smaller systems?

Ex: A family is part of a school system, community, culture, and society, all of which influence family functioning.

Psychodrama

What therapeutic technique uses role-playing and dramatic reenactment to help clients explore emotions, relationships, and conflicts?

Ex: A client acts out a difficult conversation with their parent during a therapy group to gain insight and practice new responses.

Group Polarization

What group phenomenon occurs when group discussion causes members' views to become more extreme than their original positions?

Ex: A committee initially has moderate concerns about a policy, but after discussion the group adopts a much stronger stance.

Cognitive Dissonance

What psychological concept refers to the discomfort experienced when a person's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors are inconsistent with one another?

Ex: A person who values healthy living continues smoking and feels uncomfortable about the contradiction.

Echolalia

What communication symptom involves repeating words, phrases, or statements spoken by another person?

Ex: When asked, "How are you today?" a child responds by repeating, "How are you today?"

Metacommunication

What communication concept refers to the messages conveyed about communication itself, often through tone, body language, or nonverbal cues?

Ex: A client says "I'm fine" while crying and avoiding eye contact.

Ego-Syntonic

What term describes thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that are consistent with a person's self-image and are not viewed as problematic by the individual?

Ex: A person with a personality disorder sees their behavior as normal and does not believe they need treatment.

Ego Fixation

What psychodynamic concept refers to being psychologically stuck at a particular stage of development because of unresolved conflicts?

Ex: An adult who constantly seeks oral gratification through smoking, chewing gum, or overeating may have an oral fixation.

Stratification

What sociological concept refers to the ranking of individuals or groups into hierarchical social levels based on factors such as wealth, power, or status?

Ex: Differences in income, education, and occupational prestige contribute to social class divisions.

Pluralism

What sociological concept refers to a society in which multiple cultural, ethnic, religious, or social groups maintain their distinct identities while coexisting within the larger society?

Ex: A community includes people from many cultural backgrounds who preserve their traditions while participating in the broader society.

Ego Strength

What psychodynamic concept refers to an individual's ability to cope effectively with stress, reality, and internal conflicts?

Ex: After losing a job, a person remains emotionally stable, problem-solves effectively, and seeks support when needed.

Ego-Dystonic

What term describes thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that are inconsistent with a person's self-image and are experienced as distressing or unwanted?

Ex: A person with OCD recognizes that their intrusive thoughts are irrational and finds them upsetting.

Enuresis

What disorder is characterized by repeated urination into bed or clothes, either during the day or night, occurring at least twice per week for 3 consecutive months (or causing significant distress or impairment), in a child who is at least 5 years old?

Ex: A 7-year-old child regularly wets the bed several nights per week despite being old enough to be expected to maintain bladder control, causing embarrassment and distress.

Encopresis

What disorder is characterized by the repeated passage of feces into inappropriate places, such as clothing or the floor, occurring at least once per month for at least 3 months, in a child who is at least 4 years old?

Ex: A 6-year-old child repeatedly soils their underwear several times each month despite being developmentally old enough for toilet training, causing embarrassment and difficulties at school.

Engage Stakeholders

What is the first step of program evaluation, which involves identifying the people or groups interested in the evaluation results?

Ex: Identifying teachers, parents, students, school administrators, funders, and community partners who want to know whether a social skills group was effective.

Describe the Program

What is the second step of program evaluation, which involves clearly describing the program, target population, goals, activities, and intended outcomes?

Ex: Explaining that an 8-week social skills group for 6th-grade girls met twice weekly to improve self-esteem and social skills.

Focus the Evaluation Design

What is the third step of program evaluation, which involves selecting the type of evaluation and determining what questions the evaluation will answer?

Ex: Deciding to conduct an outcome/effectiveness evaluation to determine whether participants' self-esteem improved after the program.

Justify Conclusions

What is the fifth step of program evaluation, which involves analyzing data and determining whether the program met its goals?

Ex: Finding that 85% of participants showed increased self-esteem and concluding that the program was effective.

Alcohol Use

What substance is associated with signs such as impaired judgment, slurred speech, unsteady gait, inappropriate behaviors, uninhibited emotional control, stupor, or coma?

Amphetamine/Cocaine Use

What substance category is associated with signs such as dilated pupils, euphoria, grandiosity, hyperactivity, increased energy, restlessness, high blood pressure, decreased appetite, and prolonged wakefulness followed by a crash?

Opioid Use

What substance category is associated with signs such as pupillary constriction, slurred speech, drowsiness, impaired memory and attention, chronic constipation, and in severe cases, coma?

Heroin Use

What substance is associated with signs such as weight loss, scabs or bruises from skin picking, delusions, disorientation, hallucinations, paranoia, and poor personal hygiene?

Caffeine Use

What substance is associated with signs such as restlessness, nervousness, excitement, increased energy, increased heart rate, and a rambling flow of speech or thoughts?

Marijuana Use

What substance is associated with signs such as increased appetite, red eyes, social withdrawal, slowed sense of time, slower reaction speed, dry mouth, and sometimes increased anxiety?

Use and Share Lessons Learned

What is the sixth step of program evaluation, which involves sharing results and using findings to improve future programs?

Ex: Determining that two facilitators are needed, additional staff training would be helpful, and lunchtime remains the best time to hold the group.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

What therapeutic approach focuses on identifying and changing dysfunctional thought patterns, automatic thoughts, negative schemas, assumptions, and beliefs in order to improve emotions and behaviors?

Ex: A client with depression learns to challenge the thought "I'm a failure" and replace it with a more balanced belief, leading to improved mood and coping skills.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

What therapeutic approach is commonly used to treat anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and bipolar disorder by helping clients identify and modify unhealthy thought patterns?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

What therapeutic approach is based on the principles of CBT and focuses on helping clients manage intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, emotional dysregulation, and dysfunctional thinking while promoting acceptance and coping skills?

Ex: A client learns mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills to better manage intense emotional reactions.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

What client-centered, strengths-based therapeutic approach is used to resolve ambivalence, increase motivation for change, and build a helping relationship through the use of OARS (Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries)?

Ex: A therapist helps a client explore both the pros and cons of their substance use and guides them toward identifying their own reasons for making a change.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

What therapeutic approach is commonly used with resistant, difficult-to-engage, court-mandated, or substance use clients to increase readiness for change?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

What therapeutic approach is commonly used for clients with intense emotional swings, self-destructive behaviors, suicidal thinking, and Borderline Personality Disorder?

Gather Credible Evidence

What is the fourth step of program evaluation, which involves collecting reliable data that measures whether program goals were achieved?

Ex: Using pre- and post-group self-esteem surveys completed by students, parents, and teachers to measure change.

Gender Dysphoria

What condition is characterized by a marked incongruence between an individual's assigned gender and experienced gender, lasting at least 6 months, and causing significant distress or impairment?

Ex: A teenager experiences persistent distress because their assigned gender does not align with their experienced gender, strongly wishes to be treated as another gender, and feels uncomfortable with the development of their secondary sex characteristics.