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“SHOULD” questions on the ASWB exam ask you to choose the most appropriate action for a Social Worker in a given situation. Several answers may sound reasonable, but only one reflects what a Social Worker should do based on safety, ethics, and sound practice.
This guide builds on our Breaking Down ASWB Questions with the 5 W’s post. It explains how to apply the 5 W’s to “SHOULD” questions, how to separate what you could do from what you should do, and how to eliminate wrong answers.
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Quick answer: ASWB “SHOULD” questions
- What they ask: the most appropriate action, not just a possible one.
- Break it down: use the 5 W’s (Who, What, Where, When, Why) to understand the scenario before you read the options.
- Priorities: safety first, then ethics and the law, then client self-determination and the helping process.
- Eliminate: answers that skip assessment, ignore safety, violate ethics, or take over the client’s choices.
Jump to: Question Types · The 5 W’s · Should vs. Could · Elimination · Practice Questions · FAQs
1) Types of ASWB Exam Questions
According to ASWB’s Examination Guidebook, every Social Work licensing exam includes three types of questions. The Associate and Bachelors exams include more recall questions, while the Masters, Advanced Generalist, and Clinical exams include more application and reasoning questions.
| Type | What It Tests |
|---|---|
| Recall | Remembering facts, terms, and concepts |
| Application | Using what you know in a specific situation |
| Reasoning | Weighing information and the situation to choose the best course of action |
“SHOULD” questions are usually application or reasoning questions.
Agents of Change packages include video and audio lessons, hundreds of practice questions, a personalized study plan, and 2 live study groups each month so you’ll be ready for test day!
2) Using the 5 W’s for “SHOULD” Questions
| W | Ask Yourself |
|---|---|
| Who | Who is the client? Who else is involved or affected? Is anyone especially vulnerable, like a child or an older adult? |
| What | What is the main issue? Is it a safety concern, an ethical dilemma, or a legal duty? What exactly is the question asking? |
| Where | What is the setting, like a hospital, school, agency, or the client’s home? Settings come with different roles and policies. |
| When | Where are you in the helping process, like the first session or termination? Is there an immediate risk? |
| Why | Why is the Social Worker involved, and what clues in the stem point to the underlying need? |
Watch how to break down ASWB question types with the 5 W’s, and learn more about how to analyze an ASWB question stem.
3) “Should” vs. “Could”
Many answer options describe things a Social Worker could do. The correct answer is what the Social Worker should do based on these priorities:
| Priority | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Safety first | If anyone is in danger, address safety before anything else. Review the ASWB exam safety-first rules. |
| Ethics and the law | Choose answers that follow the NASW Code of Ethics, legal duties, and agency policy. |
| Assessment before action | Gather information before intervening, referring, or making decisions. |
| Self-determination | Respect the client’s right to make their own choices, within the limits of safety and the law. |
| The helping process | Pick the action that fits where you are in the process, like engagement, assessment, intervention, or termination. |
Your real-world experience can help, but remember that the exam tests best practice according to the NASW Code of Ethics and standard Social Work knowledge, not your agency’s habits. Learn how the new exam is organized in our guide to the 3 new ASWB content domains.
4) Elimination Strategies
| Eliminate Answers That… | Why |
|---|---|
| Skip assessment | Acting before gathering information is rarely the best choice. |
| Ignore safety | Safety concerns must be addressed first. |
| Violate ethics or boundaries | Even if they seem helpful, they can’t be correct. |
| Take over the client’s decisions | They undermine self-determination. |
| Are extreme or overly drastic | They often go beyond what the situation calls for. |
| Pass the client off too quickly | Referring out without engaging or assessing first is usually premature. |
Use our complete guide to answering ASWB exam questions for more strategies, and learn from every practice question you get wrong by reading the rationale. Agents of Change also includes 2 live study groups each month to talk through tricky questions.
5) Practice “SHOULD” Questions
Question 1: During a session, a client says her partner hit her last night and she is afraid to go home. The Social Worker SHOULD:
A) Assess her immediate safety and work with her on a safety plan
B) Encourage her to file a police report today
C) Refer her to couples counseling with her partner
Correct Answer: A) Assess her immediate safety and work with her on a safety plan
Rationale: Safety comes first. The Social Worker should assess immediate danger and develop a safety plan with the client, respecting her choices. Pressuring her to report doesn’t respect self-determination, and couples counseling isn’t appropriate when there is violence in the relationship.
Question 2: A supervisor asks a Social Worker to change the dates on case notes so the agency appears compliant before an audit. The Social Worker SHOULD:
A) Decline, explain the ethical concern, and follow the agency’s process for raising it
B) Change the dates because the supervisor is responsible for the request
C) Change the dates but document that the supervisor asked
Correct Answer: A) Decline, explain the ethical concern, and follow the agency’s process for raising it
Rationale: Falsifying records is unethical and may be illegal. The Social Worker should refuse and address the concern through appropriate channels. Following a supervisor’s instruction doesn’t excuse dishonest documentation.
Question 3: An adult client in outpatient substance use treatment tells the Social Worker he plans to stop attending, against the treatment team’s advice. He has no safety concerns. The Social Worker SHOULD:
A) Explore his reasons for leaving and discuss the risks and options
B) Tell him he must stay in treatment
C) Contact his family to persuade him to stay
D) Close his case immediately
Correct Answer: A) Explore his reasons for leaving and discuss the risks and options
Rationale: A competent adult has the right to make his own decisions. The Social Worker should explore his reasons, share information about risks and alternatives, and respect his choice. Insisting, involving family without consent, or closing the case abruptly doesn’t respect self-determination or the helping process.
Want more practice? Start with our free ASWB practice questions and free ASWB flashcards. Agents of Change packages also include hundreds of practice questions with rationales and four full-length, 122-question practice exams.
6) FAQs: “SHOULD” Questions on the ASWB Exam
How do I tell the difference between what I could do and what I should do?
Check the priorities in order: safety, ethics and the law, assessment before action, and self-determination. The “should” answer is the one that best fits all of them at this point in the helping process.
How important are “SHOULD” questions on the ASWB exam?
Questions that ask what a Social Worker should do test the judgment and prioritization skills at the heart of Social Work practice, so they’re worth practicing often. Strategies for “SHOULD” questions also help with FIRST, NEXT, BEST, and MOST questions.
Does real-world experience help with “SHOULD” questions?
Yes, experience can help you read scenarios with more insight. But the exam tests textbook best practice, so balance your experience with a review of the NASW Code of Ethics, theories, and models you might not use every day.
7) Conclusion
“SHOULD” questions test your judgment as a Social Worker. Break down each scenario with the 5 W’s, put safety first, follow ethics and the law, assess before you act, and respect client self-determination. With practice, you’ll start to see the “should” answer more clearly.
► Learn more about the Agents of Change course here: https://agentsofchangeprep.com
About the Instructor, Dr. Meagan Mitchell: Meagan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been providing individualized and group test prep for the ASWB for over 11 years. From all of this experience helping others pass their exams, she created the Agents of Change course to help you prepare for and pass the ASWB exam!
Find more from Agents of Change here:
► Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aswbtestprep
► Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agents-of-change-sw
Disclaimer: This content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
