David Peterson

I have written about the danger of “overthinking” in earlier blog posts. “Overthinking” refers to going off on tangents when you really should be trying to identify what the question is about, what concept is being illustrated by the specific test question you are trying to answer. Several responses recently posted on our Facebook page, […]

Many social workers are asking: What do I need to know about DSM-5 for the test? How many DSM-5 questions will be on the test? Well, we’d all like to know the answers, but for now all we can do is speculate. Here’s my take on it: I would guess that there will not be […]

Red Light! 1 –Don’t put your real self in the question or choose an answer that relates only to your specific agency, policies, practices, etc. Of course it makes sense to draw on your work experience but please, remember that this is a national exam. What that means for you, is that local practices, policies […]

Have you ever read a test question and found yourself confused as to which one is right? For all you know, all the answers seem “reasonable” and it’s a matter of determining the most reasonable one, right? Wrong. In fact, questions on the ASWB exam are strategically set up to be situational. Often, my students […]

I have recently worked with two social workers; both of whom were nurses before switching to our profession. Comparing the two roles helped me understand more about the skills social workers are best at in their professional activities. Nurses, for example, can administer medications, take blood samples, and perform many kinds of objective tests to […]

Engagement is a very likely topic to be included in the ASWB’s license exam questions. The need to engage your client at the beginning of a professional relationship is well understood and almost predictable. Yet, indicators of a need for engagement also may appear during any moment of your connection with a client. Here’s an […]

OK, so you just failed the test and are devastated! You’ve prepared for weeks, spent many hours – and some money – learning the concepts, going over sample questions, and you thought you were ok, that you would pass. So you let a few days go by, get some (well-deserved) encouragement and know that you […]

TIPS FOR THE TEST Is taking the license exam on your agenda? Have you heard that the exam can be difficult, daunting and you aren’t sure how to prepare? I am the creator of Passitpro, an online course for license exam preparation, and I would like to share a few tips that may be of […]

Different cognitive skills are required to analyze the “application” and reasoning” form of questions on the ASWB social work license exams. Do you know what they are? Do you have them? If not, how do you acquire them? Many people will take the test for the first time and pass. These individuals usually have a […]