Here's a broad and vague item on in the ASWB exam content outline: Symptoms of neurologic and organic disorders. Which disorders? They're not saying. Do they mean all possible organic disorders? Sounds like a medical exam topic, not one for the social work exam. The idea here is most likely to encourage social workers to get some general knowledge about disorders that aren't in the DSM. That way, social workers know when to refer a client to an MD for rule outs. So let's get some knowledge. Will it help on the licensing exam? You never know.
Neurologic and organic disorders can manifest a wide range of symptoms, depending on the specific condition. Symptoms can vary greatly, and not all individuals with a particular disorder will experience the same signs. Here are some general symptoms that may be associated with neurologic and organic disorders:
Cognitive Symptoms:
Motor Symptoms:
Sensory Symptoms:
Speech and Language Symptoms:
Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms:
Seizures:
Autonomic Dysfunction:
Sleep Disturbances:
Pain:
Visual Disturbances:
These symptoms can overlap, and the severity of symptoms can vary. Most neurologic and organic disorders have specific diagnostic criteria and require a thorough medical evaluation for accurate diagnosis (well out of social workers' scope of practice!).
What disorders are we talking about here? The list is long. Some categories and diseases. You do not need to have this memorized or even understood. Give it a quick glance--maybe the info will lodge itself somewhere in your mind and end up being helpfu.
Neurodegenerative Disorders:
Cerebrovascular Disorders:
Epileptic Disorders:
Neuromuscular Disorders:
Movement Disorders:
Neurogenetic Disorders:
Neuropsychiatric Disorders:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):
Infectious Neurological Disorders:
Autoimmune Disorders:
Metabolic Disorders:
Peripheral Neuropathies:
Neuro-Oncological Disorders:
Degenerative Spine Disorders:
Neurological Manifestations of Systemic Diseases:
Sleep Disorders:
Exam questions for this topic are likely to come in one basic form: A client presents with something that may be medical...what should the social worker do? The answer (just about always)? Refer, refer, refer--get a medical assessment to rule out an underlying medical condition. Like this:
A social worker is working with a client who presents with symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. During the assessment, the client mentions experiencing rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and chest pain during anxious episodes. The client has no known medical history related to these symptoms.
A social worker is working with a client who is a middle-aged adult. The client reports experiencing persistent headaches, visual disturbances, and difficulty concentrating. The client has a history of migraines but mentions that these symptoms are different and more concerning. The client has not sought medical attention for these new symptoms.
First one? Refer for medical evaluation. Second one? Same. Third one? Refer some more. You have to rule out medical factors before working on psychological ones.
Questions on the social work exam may be closer calls...but probably not. The ASWB wants to make sure social workers don't mistake themselves for medical professionals. Social workers do social work; medical professionals do medicine. Will that be on the exam? Yes.
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