Blog | SWTP

Aug

30

The use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association

August 30, 2024 | knowledge | DSM

Here's a short line from the ASWB exam outline that hides an ask for a lot of possible know-how: The use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. No, they don't just mean how to open a book and turn pages.

knowledge | DSM

Oct

31

Somatization and Somatic Symptom Disorder

October 31, 2023 | knowledge | DSM

What is somatization? Somatization is a psychological phenomenon where emotional distress is expressed through physical symptoms. People who somatize often have multiple unexplained physical complaints that may lead to frequent medical visits.

knowledge | DSM

Oct

11

PTSD Criteria with a Social Work Exam Practice Question

October 11, 2023 | dsm | practice

To be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) using DSM-

dsm | practice

Sep

08

Anxiety Disorders and the Social Work Exam

September 8, 2023 | dsm | practice

A client reports experiencing recurrent, sudden episodes of intense fear, sweating, and a sense of impending doom. These episodes are often accompanied by feelings of unreality or detachment from the self.

dsm | practice

Aug

28

Depressive Disorders and the Social Work Exam

August 28, 2023 | DSM | practice

A social worker is conducting an initial assessment with a 35-year-old client who reports experiencing a persistently low mood, loss of interest in hobbies, and feelings of guilt and worthlessness...

DSM | practice

Aug

21

Psychotic Disorders and the Social Work Exam

August 21, 2023 | DSM | practice

Imagine an ASWB exam question like this: A social worker meets with a client who reports hearing voices and occasionally seeing shadows… In other words, a client with psychotic symptoms. The question asks for the best diagnosis. How do you answer?

DSM | practice

Jan

17

Differences Between Bipolar I & II (ASWB Exam Content Spotlight)

January 17, 2023 | DSM | practice

Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings, including periods of high energy and activity (mania) and periods of low energy and activity (depression).

DSM | practice

May

23

DSM5-TR: Prolonged Grief Disorder

May 23, 2022 | DSM

The text revision for DSM5 is the now the diagnostic book of record for the APA…and for the ASWB. We've detailed some of the changes in earlier posts. The changes between regular 5 and 5-TR are many, but easy to miss.

DSM

May

02

DSM-5-TR Fact Sheets: The Details

May 2, 2022 | DSM

The changes that differentiate DSM-5 from the updated DSM-5-TR (TR for "Text Revision") are helpfully enumerated in Jonathan Singer's New Social Worker article (linked a few posts ago).

DSM

Apr

15

Free Practice Question: DSM-5-TR

April 15, 2022 | practice | DSM

If you've been closely following additions to the DSM that came with the new text revision, you may have an easy time with this free practice question: A client who's wife died a little over a year ago reports "constantly thinking" about her.

practice | DSM

Mar

28

Welcome to DSM-5-TR

March 28, 2022 | DSM

Without much fanfare, the American Psychiatric Association has launched an updated DSM. It's DSM-5-TR, which includes a hefty handful of changes, detailed here by Jonathan Singer (you may know him from the Social Work Podcast).

DSM

Mar

19

Free Social Work Exam Question: Encopresis

March 19, 2020 | DSM | practice

A mother and her twleve-year-old son meet with a social worker after the child was referred by his primary care physician, who has diagnosed the boy with encopresis.

DSM | practice

Nov

19

ASWB Exam Practice: Fear of Flying

November 19, 2019 | DSM | practice

You may travelling ahead. First, you have this free ASWB exam practice question about flying phobia: A client seeks therapy to address his phobia about flying.

DSM | practice

Nov

07

ASWB Exam Practice: "The boy makes it clear he doesn't want to talk about the condition..."

November 7, 2019 | DSM | practice

Some more free ASWB exam practice. A mother and her 8-year-old son meet with a social worker after the child was referred by his primary care physician, who diagnosed the boy with encopresis.

DSM | practice

Oct

04

Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders

October 4, 2019 | knowledge | DSM | practice

Let's take a look at the Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders chapter of the DSM. How do you distinguish the diagnosis from one another? This could come in handy on the licensing exam. First, the criteria.

knowledge | DSM | practice

Sep

10

Social Work Exam Practice - New Dx for a Client with MDD

September 10, 2019 | practice | DSM

A client previously diagnosed with major depressive disorder reports that she has recently been experiencing unusual giddiness at work and has been spending more than usual on groceries. She reports sleeping much more than she's used to.

practice | DSM

Aug

08

Free ASWB Exam Practice: A 15-year-old boy is court-ordered into therapy...

August 8, 2019 | DSM | practice

Here's a free practice question to help you get ready for the social work licensing exam: A 15-year-old boy is court-

DSM | practice

Jul

08

ASWB Exam Practice - PTSD Symptoms

July 8, 2019 | video | practice | DSM

How well do you know the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder? This video journey through a DSM practice question will test and strengthen your PTSD symptom knowledge. How best to narrow down to the best answer?

video | practice | DSM

Jun

24

ASWB Exam Practice Walk-Through: Social Worker Psych Ward Burnout

June 24, 2019 | aswb | DSM | practice | video

A new ASWB exam practice question video walk-through. This one's about social worker burnout.

aswb | DSM | practice | video

Jun

11

Spider Panic, the ASWB Exam, and You

June 11, 2019 | DSM | practice

Aiming to pass the ASWB exam? Here's a free practice question to help get you ready: A mother tells a social worker that her six-year-old daughter panics--hyperventilating and breaking into a sweat-- whenever she sees a spider.

DSM | practice

Jun

04

ASWB Exam Practice - Narcissistic Personality Disorder

June 4, 2019 | DSM | practice | video

Here's a new video walk-through all about the criteria for NPD. Follow along and see how you do. Stick around for a quick bonus question at the end of the video. For more DSM-focused practice, try our DSM Booster, available here.

DSM | practice | video

May

23

ASWB Exam Practice Question Video Walk-Through: Trauma Symptoms

May 23, 2019 | DSM | practice | video

Here's a video walk-through for a question that appeared on the SWTP blog a while back. How well do you know the Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders chapter of the DSM? Test you knowledge.

DSM | practice | video

Apr

15

ASWB Exam Prep: Movie Theater Anxiety

April 15, 2019 | practice | DSM | video

Take five minutes to dive into this question drawn from the anxiety disorders chapter of the DSM. A woman tells a social worker that she no longer goes to the movies. "Sitting on the aisle isn't enough," she says.

practice | DSM | video

Apr

08

ASWB Exam Question Walk-Through: The “Little Monster”

April 8, 2019 | video | practice | DSM

Here's a quick walk-through of a question that appeared on the blog once upon a time. A kindergartener is making life miserable for his mother and sister. How best to diagnose?

video | practice | DSM

Apr

01

ASWB Exam Practice: Psychosis, Mood, and the DSM

April 1, 2019 | practice | video | DSM

What's the difference between schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophreniform disorder? When do you diagnose MDD with psychotic features? Here's a walk-through of a practice question from the blog that should help clear some of that up.

practice | video | DSM

Feb

19

What's the difference between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder?

February 19, 2019 | knowledge | DSM | practice

They sound alike and look alike. They're not the same thing. Here's how to tell the difference between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The DSM devotes a chapter to Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders.

knowledge | DSM | practice

Feb

12

What's the Difference Between Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa?

February 12, 2019 | knowledge | DSM | practice

Given the similarities between bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, binge-eating/purging type, there's room for confusion when making a diagnosis, whether on the ASWB exam or in real life. Let's take a look at what the DSM says about each.

knowledge | DSM | practice

Jan

28

Diagnose This: Gradual Memory Loss and Occasional Confusion

January 28, 2019 | DSM | practice

Here's another free ASWB exam practice question from our old bonus exam. The more practice you get, the better.

DSM | practice

Jan

23

Free ASWB Exam Practice Question: Bipolar Disorder

January 23, 2019 | DSM | practice

Hello ASWB exam preppers. Here's a free question--one that didn't make the cut to be included in our full-length practice, since it's a little too simple and info-based. See how you do. The typical age of onset for bipolar disorder is: A. Mid-40s.B.

DSM | practice

Aug

29

Free Practice Question: Kid Trouble and the Social Work Exam

August 29, 2018 | vignette | DSM | practice

Here's something to help you get prepared to pass the social work licensing exam. It's part of our ongoing, intermittent, free question series. Put yourself in this social worker's shoes and figure out what you would do?

vignette | DSM | practice

Jun

20

Free Practice Question: Cluster B Boss?

June 20, 2018 | DSM | practice

Ready for another practice question? Here's a vignette about an truly awful boss. No reason!

DSM | practice

May

16

Free Practice: Anxiety Disorders

May 16, 2017 | DSM | practice

You've reviewed the anxiety disorders material in the DSM by now. But do you know it? Know it, that is, well enough to correctly answer questions about the material on the social work licensing exam?

DSM | practice

Feb

17

ED and the Social Work Exam

February 17, 2017 | DSM | practice

Let's revisit the DSM for today's free practice question. Flipping randomly into the purple book, just as an exam item writer might, we land on the Sexual Dysfunctions chapter.

DSM | practice

Nov

21

Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders and the Social Work Exam

November 21, 2016 | DSM | practice

Let's all keep going. Here's another free practice question to help you get prepared to pass the ASWB exam.This time, we're digging into the Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders chapter of the DSM.

DSM | practice

Oct

28

Narcissistic Personality Disorder and the Social Work Exam

October 28, 2016 | DSM | practice

Preparing for the ASWB exam? Here's a free practice question, this one from the Personality Disorders chapter of the DSM. But first, can you define all the personality disorders. Do you know which cluster each belongs in?

DSM | practice

Oct

15

PTSD and the Social Work Exam

October 15, 2016 | practice | DSM

Let's hop to the Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders chapter of the DSM. It's stressful out there, so questions from this chapter may seem especially pertinent.

practice | DSM

Sep

30

Free Practice Question: Schizoaffective Disorder

September 30, 2016 | practice | DSM

Let's do one more free practice question from the psychotic disorders section of the DSM. We'll forego the usual vignette style of our practice questions. Not all questions on the ASWB exam are vignettes.

practice | DSM

Sep

22

Name That Diagnosis

September 22, 2016 | practice | DSM

More free practice from the Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders section of the DSM. Answer this: A client tells a social worker that her apartment is infested with tiny insects. "They want to change my thoughts," she reports.

practice | DSM

Sep

07

Psychotic Disorders and the Social Work Exam

September 7, 2016 | DSM | practice

Let's look now to the Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders chapter of DSM-5 as a source for some free ASWB-exam-style practice questions.

DSM | practice

Aug

19

Sleep-Wake Disorders and the Social Work Exam

August 19, 2016 | DSM | practice

Another day, another free practice question! This one comes from the Sleep-Wake Disorders chapter of the DSM. What's in that chapter?

DSM | practice

Aug

15

Recurrent Temper Outbursts and the Social Work Exam

August 15, 2016 | practice | DSM

Our series of free practice questions to help you ready yourself for the social work licensing exam continues.

practice | DSM

Jul

26

Quick Quiz: Catatonia and the Social Work Exam

July 26, 2016 | DSM | quiz

Catatonia is not a diagnosis, but a symptom of other diagnoses (e.g., depression, schizophrenia). It's characterized by unresponsiveness even when apparently awake. That, you probably knew. In the catatonia section of DSM-

DSM | quiz

Jun

20

MDD and the Social Work Exam

June 20, 2016 | practice | DSM

For most social work exam items covering DSM material, you need just a basic understanding of what's what. The big picture. However, for some diagnoses, a little more detailed knowledge may be tested for in exam questions.

practice | DSM

May

17

Name that Anxiety Disorder

May 17, 2016 | DSM | practice

We're coming near the end of anxiety disorders to include in these blog questions. If you've been following along from the start, you may be able to get this one by process of elimination. What's left?

DSM | practice

Apr

29

Agoraphobia and the Social Work Exam

April 29, 2016 | DSM | practice

Here comes another section in the anxiety disorders chapter of DSM-5. It's agoraphobia. (Memorization clue: Agora is Greek for a public open space. Fear of that, more or less.) Agoraphobia is a new dx in DSM-5. Criteria look like this: A.

DSM | practice

Apr

20

Separation Anxiety Disorder and the Social Work Exam

April 20, 2016 | DSM | practice

Let's continue our journey through the DSM-5 anxiety disorders chapter by taking a look at separation anxiety. What's separation anxiety disorder?

DSM | practice

Apr

19

The SWTP DSM Booster is Here!

April 19, 2016 | DSM | materials | practice

We're very excited to announce the arrival of a new SWTP practice test, our DSM Booster. The 56-question, DSM-only exam is a great way to work out your DSM-5 test-prepping muscles.

DSM | materials | practice

Apr

13

Generalized Anxiety Disorder and the Social Work Exam

April 13, 2016 | knowledge | DSM

The theme lately has been anxiety disorders. Let's continue now with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Criteria for GAD are pretty straightforward: A.

knowledge | DSM

Apr

07

Panic Disorder and the Social Work Exam

April 7, 2016 | knowledge | DSM | practice

Your client reports occasional "freak outs" during which she experiences: 1. Palpitations 2. Sweating 3. Trembling 4. Shortness of breath 5. Choking feelings 6. Chest pain 7. Nausea 8. Dizziness 9. Chills 10. Numbness 11. Feelings of unreality 12.

knowledge | DSM | practice

Apr

02

Social Anxiety Disorder and the Social Work Exam

April 2, 2016 | knowledge | DSM

Social anxiety disorder aka SAD aka social phobia is one of those diagnoses, like OCD or PTSD, that many people use casually to describe non-clinical symptoms (eg, "I really don't want to go to that party, my social phobia's kicking in.

knowledge | DSM

Mar

31

DSM Practice: Anxiety Disorders

March 31, 2016 | DSM | practice

We're overdue for a practice question here on the SWTP blog. Today, let's take a look at the DSM chapter covering anxiety disorders.

DSM | practice

Mar

04

DSM Practice: Depressive Disorders

March 4, 2016 | DSM | practice

Here's a section of the DSM that shows up in social work settings all the time and is just as likely to show up in diagnostic questions on the social work licensing exam: depressive disorders. Here's the complete list from DSM-

DSM | practice

Feb

22

DSM Practice: Paraphilic Disorders

February 22, 2016 | DSM | practice

Another blog post, another free DSM practice question to help get you ready for the social work licensing exam. This one comes from the paraphilic disorders chapter. Do you know one from the other? Here's the complete DSM-

DSM | practice

Feb

05

DSM Practice: Eating Disorders

February 5, 2016 | DSM | practice

Continuing our occasional series of free practice questions based upon the DSM. Here's one that comes from the Feeding and Eating Disorders chapter. There are eight diagnoses included in the chapter (including Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder).

DSM | practice

Jan

25

DSM Practice

January 25, 2016 | DSM | practice

As we've said here before, the majority of the DSM questions that show up on the social work licensing exam are likely to be about the diagnoses that most often show up in regular social work practice.

DSM | practice

Jan

13

Delusional Disorder and the Social Work Exam

January 13, 2016 | practice | DSM

We've been reviewing to the NASW Code of Ethics for a while now. Let's look to another book that's just as vital to your preparation for the social work licensing exam: the DSM-5.

practice | DSM

Aug

14

Autism Spectrum Disorder

August 14, 2015 | DSM

Next up in our survey of things to know from DSM-5: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As ever, the net provides the essentials.

DSM

Aug

13

Alcohol Use Disorder

August 13, 2015 | DSM

Continuing our series of quick posts highlighting big diagnostic changes that appear in DSM-5. Up next: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Again, let's let the net do what it does and answer the question. What is AUD?

DSM

Aug

01

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

August 1, 2015 | knowledge | DSM

Here begins a series of quick posts highlighting big diagnostic changes that appear in DSM-5. First up for spotlighting: Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD).

knowledge | DSM

Jul

01

Welcome, DSM-5

July 1, 2015 | DSM

It's official. DSM-5 is on the ASWB exam. If a question asks, "What is the BEST diagnosis according to the DSM...?" there's no need to ask yourself which DSM the exam means. It's the purple one, the new one, DSM-5.

DSM

Jun

22

DSM-5 Lectures

June 22, 2015 | DSM | video

Here, from the SWTP YouTube channel, is a collection of lectures about DSM-5 and the changes therein. Not a lot of bells and whistles here. Just PowerPoint slides and professorial voices.

DSM | video

Mar

17

DSM-5 Exam Practice

March 17, 2015 | DSM

SWTP practice tests all use DSM-5 throughout. In each 170-question practice exam, you'll encounter lots of questions about DSM-5 diagnosis and assessment. Still want more DSM-5 practice? Try our DSM Booster Test.

DSM

Mar

11

Focusing on DSM-5

March 11, 2015 | DSM

Come summer (July to be exact), DSM-5 is what you'll need to know for the ASWB exam. If you're getting an early start at studying, here are some resources to help you sort out the changes between DSM-IV-TR and the big, new manual.

DSM

Aug

27

Launched: CA BBS Practice Exam Using DSM-5

August 27, 2014 | DSM

DSM-5 will not appear on the social work licensing exam most places until July, 2015. In California--like with so many other things--it's different. DSM-

DSM

Dec

03

DSM-V and the Social Work Exam

December 3, 2012 | bbs | aswb | DSM

It's official, DSM-5 has been approved. Big changes are summarized at the link. What's this mean for the social work licensing exam? For the moment, not too much.

bbs | aswb | DSM

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