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Some exam essentials and study tips from the SWTP Study Guide (which you get in its entirety when you create a Social Work Test Prep account).

Some questions answered:

--How long is the AWSB exam?

--How many questions on the ASWB exam?

--How many questions count toward your score on the ASWB exam?

--What material to I need to know to pass the ASWB exam?

--What are the best ways to approach questions on the ASWB exam?

--What's the most effective way to study for the ASWB exam?

That one we'll answer here: practice, practice, practice!

Enjoy.

"The Association of Social Work Boards, on behalf of the Massachusetts Board, congratulates you." That's the email Karen got to confirm that she passed the MA LICSW exam. Then she wrote this to us:

I want to thank you. I wanted to study for my LICSW, but once you buy the test from ASWB you have a limited time to study even though I had to wait 3 months to take the test; I wanted a more flexible study plan so someone recommended your site/tests.

I purchased the DSM booster and the Ethics booster first and boy, was I glad I did! It was the perfect way to see what I needed to study. There were questions that helped me realize where my strengths and needs were so that I could study and prepare. The links following each question were wonderful. I went back to the tests many times to refresh my memory. I also purchased the ASWB test later (so nervous about which material to study) and found it was identical to the ones you offer; this is good for anyone ambivalent when choosing the best options.

The flexibility with your site/purchasing options and access to the tests was probably the most helpful of any practice tests/studying I did. Will was awesome and answered my emails right away; I had some issues with signing into my account etc and he fixed the issues---even on the weekend or at night!!

I passed the test right away.

* * *

Congratulations, Karen! Thanks for the testimonial!

Ready to follow Karen into social work licensure? Get started by signing up for an account and getting our free study guide.

Good luck on the exam!

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

A psychiatric hospital social worker tells her supervisor she's been feeling irritable, exhausted, restless at night, and unsure of her ability to do her job anymore. She's thinking of quitting. The supervisor suggests a new hobby, some exercise, and time with friends. How is the supervisor most likely conceptualizing the social worker's complaints?

Get the offered answers plus strategies about how to narrow down to the correct answer. Follow SWTP on YouTube or Facebook to get these as they post. For complete, 170-question practice tests for some serious ASWB exam prep, sign up!

Have plans to pass the ASWB exam this summer? You're not alone. You've got the company of thousands of other social workers. Don't be surprised if you that lounging person you think is just checking Instagram actually has a practice test opened and is deep in concentration, getting ready to take the big test. Try it out. You'll remember passing the exam better than any beach read.

Use coupon code SUMMER19 for additional savings on all SWTP exams and boosters.

This summer, you get licensed. We're rooting for you!

Here's a quick practice question to keep you on your toes.

A man brings his 16-year-old son to a therapy appointment to have him assessed for depression. His son has started wearing black and has dyed his blond hair black. The boy denies he's depressed and says that all his friends dress the way he does. According to Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, which crisis is the client experiencing?

A. Industry vs. inferiority.

B. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt.

C. Identity vs. role confusion.

D. Intimacy vs. isolation.

What do you think?

For a question like this, you can strip the stem down to its essentials: a teenager and Erikson. The question could be much simpler and ask the same thing: What is the central conflict for teenagers according to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development?

Either way, it's handy to know the stages. But even if you don't, you might be able to figure it out. Let's walk through the options together: Industry vs. inferiority. Sounds like middle school (it's actually 6-12). Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (sounds like infants or teens…let's leave that one for a second). Identity vs role confusion (sounds very teenage). Intimacy vs. isolation (sounds like the partnering years. 20s, say. And it is-20s-40s).

So, with this, we've narrowed down to autonomy vs. shame and doubt and identity vs. role confusion.

Which one sounds more like a teenager to you?

Think of the teenagers in your life. Think of  yourself as a teenager. Trying to develop a sense of self. Struggling with the question, "What do I want to do with my life?" Sounds like one of the options more than any of the others: C, identity vs. role confusion.

Sometimes "sounds like" is the best you can do on the ASWB exam. And that's fine. You don't need to have the answer immediately at your fingertips for every single question. If you can narrow to two options and take your best guess, that's sometimes the best you can do.

To avoid having the entire exam feel like mysterious guesswork, it's best to get to exposed to lots and lots of practice questions as you prep for the exam. And that's what we've got here (sign up to get started!).

Happy studying, good luck on the exam, and with whatever Eriksonian stage you're grappling with right now!