If you want to be a clinical social worker, you need to get licensed. The Association of Social Work Boards® (ASWB®) administers the Clinical Social Work licensing exam. Professionals who pass the exam show they have the knowledge and skills to succeed in the field.
What’s the test like? How can I get a study guide that will help me pass?
The information on this page will help! Click the “Start Test” button above to take a free ASWB Clinical exam practice test.
About the ASWB Clinical Social Work Test
The ASWB Clinical Exam includes 122 questions spanning three core aspects of a career in social work.
I. Values and Ethics (36%)
Ethical Service Delivery: This tests ethical clinical service delivery, including client autonomy, boundaries, reporting, documentation, billing, policy, termination, electronic practice, supervision, end-of-life issues, and research ethics.
Diversity and Social Justice: This tests culturally responsive clinical practice, including anti-oppressive approaches, social justice, accessibility, identity, bias, privilege, power, exploitation, and immigration’s effects on clients and services.
II. Assessment and Planning (32%)
Assessment Methods and Techniques: This tests clinical assessment methods, including risk evaluation, interviewing, client engagement, readiness for change, DSM use, mental status exams, and integrating collateral records.
Assessment Practices: This tests assessment-based treatment planning, including community resources, triage, service planning, intervention selection, cultural responsiveness, medication awareness, and readiness for termination.
III. Intervention and Practice (32%)
Practice Concepts: This tests core clinical practice concepts, including strengths-based care, helping relationships, teamwork, problem-solving, end-of-life support, parenting, policy, and professional documentation.
Intervention Methods and Techniques: This tests clinical intervention skills, including trauma-informed and evidence-based care, crisis response, communication, emotional regulation, addiction treatment, family and couples work, advocacy, and aftercare.
Practice Evaluation and Research: This tests evaluating clinical outcomes and programs, establishing objectives, applying research methods, analyzing data quality, and ensuring reliable, valid, cost-effective social work services.
Supervision and Administration: This tests clinical supervision and administration, including supervisee responsibilities, consultation models, supervisory dynamics, risk-reduction policies, organizational operations, and fiscal resource management.
Check Out Mometrix's LCSW Clinical Study Guide
Get practice questions, video tutorials, and detailed study lessons.
Top 3 Most Challenging Questions
Now that you know more about the exam, try your hand at some targeted practice!
Over the last year, we’ve compiled the data from about 1,100 test-takers who tried their hand at the practice test at the top of this page. According to the data, around 80% of people answered these three questions incorrectly.
Answer each question and read through the answer explanation, whether you got the answer right or wrong. This will help you ensure you’ve got the topic mastered.
Whether you struggled with these questions or aced them on your first try, be sure to take the full practice test to get a better idea of how prepared you really are!
1. Of the following, which is the best definition of empathic mirroring?
Further validation comes from, as Kohut puts it, “the radiance of the mother’s eyes” when regarding her offspring. The aggregate result is referred to as empathic mirroring, which engenders idealized affirmation of the self and deep nurturance and bonding.
2. One way that Heinz Hartmann’s ego psychology differed from Sigmund Freud’s views on personality structure was Hartmann’s view that:
Option A is not correct because it was Freud that placed the greatest emphasis on the past over current social environments. Option B refers to a concept espoused by both Freud and Hartmann. Option C is incorrect because both theorists saw defense mechanisms as strategies related to the ego and not the id.
3. The concept of productive conflict management is drawn from which of the following types of management theories?
Check Out Mometrix's Clinical Social Work Flashcards
Get complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
LCSW Online Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online LCSW prep course designed to give you everything you need to succeed!
Here’s what you’ll find in the LCSW course:
- 70+ Review Lessons Covering Every Topic
- Over 1,000 LCSW Practice Questions
- 400+ Digital Flashcards
- 30+ Instructional Videos
- Money-back Guarantee
- Mobile Access
Everyone learns differently, so we’ve tailored the LCSW online prep course to ensure every learner has what they need to prepare for the LCSW exam.
Click below to check it out!
FAQs
Q
How many questions are on the ASWB Clinical exam?
A
There are 122 multiple-choice questions. Of those, 110 are scored and 12 are not scored.
Q
How much does it cost to take the test?
A
It costs $260 to take the test. You can request an application through your local social work regulatory board. (Note that you may have to pay additional fees to your state or jurisdiction’s licensing board.) Your board will provide the approval to take the test, and you can then register with the ASWB.
Q
What’s the time limit when taking the exam?
A
There is a four-hour time limit.
Q
When should I arrive at the test center and what should I bring?
A
You should arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes prior to the exam. You’ll need identification (a government-issued ID such as a passport or driver’s license), and a secondary ID (work ID, Social Security Card, for example) that has your name and signature.
Q
What can’t I bring into the testing room?
A
You can’t take any personal items, such as electronic devices, cell phones, watches, and outerwear, into the testing room. Any personal items must be stored in a locker at the test center, and you can’t access them during the test. Food and drink are also not allowed, unless candidates have received permission in advance.
Q
What if I need to take a break?
A
After the first section of the exam, there will be an optional 10-minute break, which doesn’t count against your time. Any other breaks you take will count against the time limit.
Q
What is the pass rate?
A
The pass rate for the ASWB Clinical exam is 75.7%.
ASWB and Association of Social Work Boards are registered trademarks of the Association of Social Work Boards. Mometrix Test Preparation is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB).
