Title: University of Texas Pan American Department of Social Work
1University of Texas Pan AmericanDepartment of
Social Work
- Social Work License Exam Preparation Workshop
- April 19, 24 26, 2008
2Presenters
- Lydia Arizmendi, J.D., MSW
- Sonja Arredondo, LMSW
- Alonzo Cavazos, Ed.D., LCSW
- Catherine Faver, Ph.D., MSW
- Janis Feldman, Ph.D., LCSW
- Kristina Church, MSSW
- Estela Sosa-Garza, LCSW
- Sharon Pittman, Ph.D.
- Shirley Rombough, Ph.D., MSW
3- Test Taking Strategies
- April 19, 2008
- 900am 1000am
- Alonzo Cavazos, Ed.D., LCSW
4Test Taking Strategies
- General tips
- Strategies for studying for the test
- Strategies for responding to questions
- Other Strategies
5General Tips
- Analyze your past test resultsEach test can
further prepare you for the next test.If
available, use old tests to review when preparing
for an exam. - Arrive early for testsBring all the materials
you will need such as pencils and pens, a
calculator, a dictionary, and a watch (if
allowed). This helps you focus on the task at
hand. - Be comfortable but alertChoose a good spot and
make sure you have enough room to work, maintain
comfortable posture but don't "slouch" - Stay relaxed and think positively (be confident).
Remind yourself that you are well-prepared and
are going to do well. If you find yourself
anxious, take several slow, deep breaths to
relax. Don't talk about the test to other
students just before it anxiety is contagious.
6Strategies for studying for the test
- Find a study partner OR form a study group
- Divide the material to be covered (some content
areas have more questions on the exam) - Share notes and information with each other
7Strategies for studying for the test
- Divide you study time among the different areas
- Priority 1 greatest portion of the exam with
the section that you have the least familiarity. - Priority 2 -- focus on area that makes up a
lesser portion of the exam that you know the
least about. - Priority 3 focus on greatest portion of the
exam with which you have the greatest
familiarity. - Priority 4 focus on area that makes up a
lesser portion of the exam that you know the
most about.
8LMSW Exam Content(section with 7 or greater)
- Direct and Indirect Practice 22
- HBSE 18
- Assessment, Diagnosis Intervention Planning
11 - Professional Values Ethics 11
- Supervision, Administration, Policy 8
- Diversity 7
- Communication 7
9Direct and Indirect Practice
- Intervention models and methods
- The intervention process
- Intervention techniques
- Intervention with couples and families
- Intervention with groups
- Intervention with communities and larger systems
- Consultation interdisciplinary collaboration
10Strategies for studying for the test(continued)
- Make sure you carefully examine each
question.watch for qualifying words such as
best, most, least likely, first step, etc. - Skip 1st question you dont know move to the
next question. When you come to the 3rd question
you need to skip, go back and answer the skipped
questions.
11Test Simulation encountering first 5 questions
- Know the answer
- Dont know the answer (Skip to next question)
- Dont know the answer (Skip)
- Know the answer
- Dont know (return to number 2 and answer the 3
questions that you skipped)
12Strategies for studying for the test(continued)
- Most questions will have at least 2 good
answers. Do not answer a question based solely
on the practice agency where you work. Questions
are designed to cover a broad range of practice
settings. - Test Question In most states, the vast majority
of children in placement reside in - Institutions
- Foster homes
- Group homes
- Detention centers
13Suggestions
- Accept the question at face value (dont read
anything into question) - On client related questions the clients safety
comes first - Your first considered choice is probably the
correct response - Consider what social work principle or theory is
being tested
14If a question does not have one answer that is
clearly the correct answer, eliminate all but the
two best answers. And then
- If an answer refers specifically to assessment,
choose this one. - In general, do not choose an answer that contains
extreme wording such as always, never, must, etc.
--- There are a few exceptions (It is never
appropriate to engage in sexual activity with a
client.) - Select the answer that was your initial guess.
- If an answer has more professional wording,
choose that one.
15Focus on answer that refers specifically to
assessment
- Following an initial visit to an elderly client,
social worker notifies the client that they will
meet again in six weeks. The next day and for
several subsequent days the client continues to
call the worker. The clients questions seem
contrived and trivial and do not concern
significant or pressing issues. The worker
should. - Answer the questions and not schedule another
appointment. - Reflect to the client that her anxiety is
causing her to make the calls. - Ask the client if she would like to schedule an
earlier visit. - Transfer the case.
16The correct answer is c ask client if she
wants earlier interview
- Communication includes both manifest and latent
content. Answering the clients questions
responds only to the manifest content, not the
underlying message that there may be a desire for
more contact.
17Test Question professional wording
- A social worker who uses a behavioral approach to
assessment and treatment will usually be most
concerned witha. Applying treatment methods
that are simple to apply and easily understood
by the client. - b. Interventions that are based on empirical
research and produce observable and measurable
results. - c. Rapid progress that encourages further change.
- d. Changing the clients thought patterns through
repetitive exercises.
18The correct answer is b
- A social worker who uses a behavioral approach to
assessment and treatment will usually be most
concerned with interventions that are based on
empirical research and produce observable and
measurable results.
19Multiple choice questions usually include a
phrase or stem followed by 3 5 options
- Test strategies
- Read the question (directions) carefully Know if
each question has one or more correct option.If
possible, read through the entire test quickly
and answer the easiest questions first. Mark
those you think you know in some way that is
appropriate. - If possible, read through the test a second time
and answer more difficult questions.You may pick
up cues for answers from the first reading, or
become more comfortable in the testing situation.
- If time allows, review both questions and
answers.It is possible you mis-read questions
the first time
20Answering optionsImprove your odds, think
critically
- Cover the options, read the stem, and try to
answerSelect the option that most closely
matches your answer - Read the stem with each optionTreat each option
as a true-false question, and choose the "most
true"
21Test Question
- In a beginning interview with a client, the
purpose of asking questions is to - Probe the clients unconscious feelings.
- Obtain information about the presenting problem.
- Direct and focus the clients conversation on the
clients personal and family history. - Find out if the client really wants help.
22The correct answer is b
- b. Obtain information about the presenting
problem. - Understanding the presenting problem as the
client experiences it is the first step in a
social work intervention.
23Read the stem with each optionTreat each option
as a true-false question
- A clients capacity to enter into a social work
relationship cannot usually be determined by - emotional and personality make-up
- age
- judgment
- intelligence
24The Correct Answer is b - Age
- Most human beings, regardless of age, are capable
of entering into a relationship. Age will more
accurately reveal how the person may enter into a
relationship, based on developmental
expectations, rather than whether they are
capable of a relationship.
25Strategies to answer difficult questions
- Eliminate options you know to be incorrectIf
allowed, mark words or alternatives in questions
that eliminate the option - Give each option of a question the "true-false
test"This may reduce your selection to the best
answer - Question options that grammatically don't fit
with the stem - Question options that are totally unfamiliar to
you
26Test Question
- An infant showing drug withdrawal symptoms at
birth is ready for foster care placement
following medical treatment and court action. To
prepare the prospective foster parents, the
social worker should - Not mention the infants drug background so as
not to precipitate feelings of bias. - Inform them of the infants drug background, and
the treatments provided, and answer any questions
about the medical issues the child may present. - Inform them that they baby may have some medical
problems and give them instructions about how to
proceed. - Inform them of biological mothers drug
addiction, and that they should not worry about
any potential medical problems.
27The correct answer is b
- b. Inform them of the infants drug background,
and the treatments provided, and answer any
questions about the medical issues the child may
present. - This is both an ethical and a practice question.
The foster parents have a right to full
disclosure of the infants condition. Moreover,
in order for them to properly care for the child
they need to have complete information. Holding
back or minimizing is an ethical breach and is
poor practice.
28Strategies to answer difficult questions
- Question options that contain negative or
absolute words.Try substituting a qualified term
for the absolute one, like frequently for always
or typical for every to see if you can eliminate
it - "All of the above"If you know two of three
options seem correct, "all of the above" is a
strong possibility - Number answerstoss out the high and low and
consider the middle range numbers
29Question options that contain negative or
absolute words
- When considering Native American customs and
developing treatment or service plans, social
workers should understand that - all Indians have the same culture and that
tribal differences are minor. - there are important reasons why Indians never
integrated into American culture. - with more than 500 tribal groups, there are
substantial cultural and social differences among
Indian groups. - it is important for Indians to separate from the
traditional culture if they want to succeed
economically.
30Correct Answer is c
- c. with more than 500 tribal groups, there are
substantial cultural and social differences among
Indian groups. - There are many similarities among Indian groups,
but there are important cultural, geographic,
economic and tribal differences that are
considered in diagnosis and treatment.
31All of the above"If you know two of three
options seem correct, "all of the above" is a
strong possibility
- Test Question
- Group leaders are expected to protect
confidentiality of members by - Clearly defining what confidentiality means.
- Explaining to members why is it important.
- Discussing the difficulties involved in its
enforcement. - All of the above.
32The correct answer is d all of the above
33Number Answerstoss out the high low and
consider the middle range numbers
- The optimum span of control by a supervisor
is - 1-3 persons
- 10-12 persons
- 5-9 persons
- 11-15 persons
34The Correct Answer is c
35Strategies to answer difficult questions
- "Look alike options"probably one is correct
choose the best, but eliminate choices that mean
basically the same thing, and thus cancel each
other out - Double negativesCreate the equivalent positive
statement and consider - Echo optionsIf two options are opposite each
other, chances are one of them is correct - Favor options that contain qualifiersThe result
is longer, more inclusive items that better fill
the role of the answer - If two alternatives seem correct,compare them
for differences, then refer to the stem to find
your best answer
36Echo optionsIf two options are opposite each
other, chances are one of them is correct
- There are many different types of groups that
social workers lead. The type of group most
associated with self-improvement and
opportunities to expand self-awareness is - the therapeutic group
- the socialization group
- the growth group
- the recreational group
37The correct answer is c the growth group
38Guessing
- Reject answers that use specific determiners such
as everyone, always, never, etc. - Look for grammatical inconsistencies which may
help eliminate wrong answers. - Choose the longest, most precise answer.
- Choose the answer that is in the middle.
- Choose answers which use qualifying terms such
as often, most, etc. - Choose the answer which first caught your eye.
39When guessing -- choose the longest, most precise
answer
- In treating a client with a narcissistic
personality disorder, the social worker most
frequently becomes - the object of the clients libidinal impulses.
- an object of the clients anger.
- idealized by the client to fulfill functions
that have remained unfulfilled by the clients
parents. - angered by the clients projections.
40The correct answer is c --- idealized by the
client to fulfill functions that have remained
unfulfilled by the clients parents.
- Narcissistic personality disorder develops,
according to Self Psychology theory, as a result
of difficulty during a time when the child needs
to feel invincible and needs to experience the
parents as perfect. In the relationship with the
worker, the client will need to transform the
worker into a parent figure as an audience for
her grandiosity, or as a perfect parent
substitute.
41Choose the answer that is in the middle
- Which condition is known to have a genetic
cause? - hypoglycemia
- autism
- downs syndrome
- obsessive-compulsive behavior
42Correct Answer is c
- Downs Syndrome can be detected by a pre-natal
test amniocentesis. In this test, amniotic
fluid is withdrawn from the uterus and tested for
genetic abnormalities.
43More on Guessing
- Rely on your first impressions.
- The answer which comes to mind first is often
correct. - Nervously reviewing questions and changing
answers can do more harm than good.
44Answering multiple choice questions A review
- Read the question before you look at the answers.
- Come up with the answer in your head before
looking at the possible answers, this way the
choices given on the test won't throw you off or
trick you. - Eliminate answers you know aren't right.
- Read all the choices before choosing your answer.
- In "None of the above" choices, if you are
certain one of the statements is true don't
choose "None of the above". - A positive choice is more likely to be true than
a negative one. - Usually the correct answer is the choice with the
most information.
45Direct Practice test question
- A clients wife calls her husbands social worker
for information concerning her husbands
emotional problems. The first thing the social
worker would most likely say to her would be - That the relationship is confidential and any
information would have to come from her husband. - To probe why she was asking.
- To ask her if anything has created a concern.
- To suggest that she not interfere since it could
have a detrimental effect.
46Correct answer b
- Why is b the best answer?
- The question stem stresses the first thing
- Focusing on why she is calling enables the
social worker to deal with relationship and
formulate an assessment.
47Test Question
- The basic difference between social workers and
psychiatrists is - Social workers primarily use verbal methods and
interpersonal relationships to modify attitudes
and behavior. - Use of groups by social workers to facilitate
change. - The different patient populations served by each
profession. - None of the above.
48Correct answer is a
- Why
- Strategy when none of above is an option, you
can rule this out if one of the choices is true.
Social workers use groups. - Strategy choice b suggests that all social
workers use groups and than on psychiatrists use
groups. - Strategy choice c not true, certainly in
mental health, the clients are the same for both
social workers and psychiatrists.