Last month we wrote about the ASWB Exam Changes for the LMSW and LCSW exams for 2023. (If you haven’t already, we encourage you to check it out! Additionally, here is a direct link to the ASWB's announcement: https://www.aswb.org/testing-enhancements/). We had really positive feedback about the practice questions we put in last month's blog. Test takers shared it was helpful to see how a question would look changing it from 4 answer options to 3 answer options. So we decided to offer another example of that change this month! We will give you a free practice question that is a traditional 4 answer option question. Then we will take that same question and modify it to having three answer options.
ASWB exam change practice question 1:
A private practice social worker meets with a 25-year-old single mother of 2-year-old twins who is seeking therapy around issues of stress and anxiety. The client shares that some days she is so overwhelmed after work that she’ll drink until she passes out, but then often wakes up feeling groggy the next day. What should the social worker do?
A. Make a CPS report.
B. Validate how overwhelming it must be to be a single parent of twins.
C. Complete a substance use assessment.
D. Determine who is caring for her children when she passes out.
Now we could take that same question and change it to a 3 answer option question.
ASWB practice question 2:
A private practice social worker meets with a 25-year-old single mother of 2-year-old twins who is seeking therapy around issues of stress and anxiety. The client shares that some days she is so overwhelmed after work that she’ll drink until she passes out, but then often wakes up feeling groggy the next day. What should the social worker do?
A. Make a CPS report.
B. Complete a substance use assessment.
C. Determine who is caring for her children when she passes out.
(Scroll for answer and rationale).
The correct answer for both questions is to determine who is caring for her children when she passes out. (This is answer option D for the first question and answer option C for the second question). Because the question stem tells us the client is a single mother of toddlers, we need to first and foremost ensure someone is taking care of the children when mom passes out after drinking. We don’t want to assume no one is caring for them. (It’s important to remember we never want to make assumptions on the test). If no one is caring for the children when mom passes out, we would need to then make a CPS report and after that could complete a substance use assessment. While it may be tempting to choose answer option B for the first question, if there is a safety concern this takes priority over validation on the test. The exam wants to know that you know to address possible mandated reporting concerns above anything else.
ASWB masters (LMSW) and clinical (LCSW) exam preparation
How did you do on today’s questions? Did you find it was easier when you had only three answer options? Did it change anything for you?
As we mentioned last week, we hope this change to the exam doesn’t stress you out. We hope (and believe) this change will have a positive impact on test takers and make the exam just a touch simpler. In fact, the ASWB doesn't even refer to them as changes; rather, they refer to them as 'enhancements' to the exam.
If you’re getting ready for your LMSW or LCSW exam and you’re looking to PASS with CONFIDENCE, I encourage you to check out TDC if you haven’t already. I used TDC to pass both of my licensure exams with confidence. Each of TDC’s exam prep programs are fully up to date to help you pass your 2023 exams. One of my favorite parts of TDC (first as a customer and now as a coach) is that all programs include coaching. You have access to a real live licensed clinical social worker who you can reach out to with any questions that come up as you’re going through the program. We’ll always email you back within two business days (but often can get back even sooner!). Having a real live person you can reach out to makes such a huge difference in the studying process! Check out some of our real customer testimonials of the thousands of social workers across the country who we’ve helped pass their exams over the past 10 years.