Deck 5: Building Blocks of Communication: Conveying Empathy and Authenticity

Question 1

Social workers should be able to experience what the clients convey. However, failure to separate themselves from those feelings may contribute to _____.​

A)​compassion fatigue
B)​client opposition
C)a Level 0 response​
D)​confrontations

Answer 1

A

Question 2

A female client, aged 35, has a cancerous tumor in her breast. She has been scheduled to undergo surgery and have her breast removed. She says, "I am worried about whether I will still be attractive to my partner or not even if I am cured." Which of the following statements is a Level 3 reciprocal response to the client's concerns?​

A)​So you are apprehensive that you might be physically safer after the surgery, but that your partner might not feel the same way about you?
B)​Can you not think about the alternative, the consequences of not having the cancer removed?
C)​You should focus on tackling one issue at a time.
D)​You'll just have to be patient. I can see that you are worried.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

To achieve positive results in role clarification while dealing with a new client, a social worker should:​

A)​not emphasize client responsibility.
B)​avoid mentioning that difficulties are inherent in the process.
C)​determine the client's expectations.
D)​avoid the person-in-the-environment focus.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A client is completing an enrollment session with you for a domestic violence group. In the course of discussion about what precipitated the violent act on his part, the client reports that his wife was nagging him about his relationship with his friend Charles. Which of the following statements would be an appropriate reciprocal response?​

A)​So why don't you stop seeing Charles for some time?
B)​So you were frustrated with your wife's concern about your relationship with Charles?
C)​So your wife has been nagging you?
D)​So your wife must be a jealous person?

Question 5

In a session with a social worker, a client who has had an abusive relationship with her husband discloses, "I am feeling sick and lonely today. I often miss my ex-husband when I am lonely. My sister usually helps me to get over him so I don't do anything stupid." The social worker responds, "So when you are sick and down like today, you have often coped by contacting your sister?" The social worker's reply in this scenario is an example of a _____ response.​

A)​Level 0
B)​Level 1
C)​Level 2
D)​Level 3

Question 6

If a client asks for personal information such as your marital status, which of the following would be an appropriate response?​

A)​I don't see how that information is pertinent here.
B)​Could you tell me how that information would be helpful to you?
C)​I am married.
D)​It is against agency policy to disclose personal information.

Question 7

Which of the following actions of a social worker will reduce the level of threat perceived by an involuntary client and mitigate his or her defensiveness?​

A)​Stating rigid views
B)​Empathizing with the situation
C)​Limiting self-exploration
D)​Blaming those responsible for the client's referral

Question 8

In a session with his social worker, a client states that the cops arrested him because he is a member of a racial minority group. Which of the following statements is an example of an empathic response?​

A)​Why do you think that the cops arrested you because of your race?
B)​It must be really difficult to live in this hostile environment.
C)​Would I be correct if I said that you felt harassed by the cops?
D)​What does your arrest have to do with your job search?

Question 9

Taking the time to explore expectations and to clarify how you can be of assistance to your clients goes a long way in:​

A)​granting immunity to you from prosecutions if an intervention backfires.
B)​preventing clients from drawing unwarranted negative conclusions.
C)​enabling you and your clients to set your own ethical standards.
D)​enabling you to force clients to pursue a particular course of advocacy action.

Question 10

A lesbian client who is yet to come out in the open consults a social worker. She tells the social worker, "The other day, the women at my office were talking about lesbians and about how repulsive the very thought of lesbianism was to them. How do you think I felt?" Which of the following would be the most appropriate reciprocal response by the social worker?​

A)Why should you let that bother you?​
B)​Why, that's kind of an exaggeration. If you just work along with me, things will be better soon.
C)​You must have felt extremely uncomfortable imagining that they would condemn you if they knew.
D)​How did you cope with it?

Question 11

Identify the probable deeper feeling in the following statement by an African American client: "The system is against people like me. People think that we drink, beat our kids, lay up on welfare, and take drugs."​

A)Hopelessness​
B)​Anger
C)​Frustration
D)​Bitterness

Question 12

Which of the following skills is essential for creating facilitative conditions?​

A)​Empathy
B)​Conditional positive regard
C)​Possessive warmth
D)​Rigidity

Question 13

In the context of empathic communication, which of the following statements is an example of self-disclosure?​

A)​As you describe what happened when you entered the new school, I think about what happened when I changed schools.
B)​I feel sad for what happened to you when you entered the new school.
C)​I don't think you should let what happened in school affect you.
D)​You are very disappointed that things are not better and are irritated with me. You feel that I should have been more helpful.

Question 14

Ms. Genelia cries while telling you about the recent death of her mother, whom she describes as one of her strongest supporters. You respond, "I know exactly how you feel. My mother died two years ago. We had a similar relationship. I cried for two weeks after her death." This is an example of:​

A)assertive responding.​
B)​compassion fatigue.
C)​sympathetic responding.
D)​a discrepant viewpoint.

Question 15

During early sessions with a client, which of the following self-disclosure statements by a social worker would be appropriate?​

A)​I also enjoy reading mysteries.
B)​I am also contemplating a divorce.
C)​I see several people with this concern.
D)​I cannot agree with that viewpoint.

Question 16

In the context of empathic communication between social workers and clients, which of the following statements is true of confrontation?​

A)​It is employed to expand clients' awareness and to motivate them to action.
B)​It is ineffective when clients are contemplating actions that are unlawful.
C)​It is employed to make a client pay attention to other people's feelings and circumstances.
D)​It is ineffective when clients are contemplating actions that are dangerous to themselves.

Question 17

Identify the apparent feeling in the following client message: "I know my children need to focus on their career. It is difficult for them to have time to call me."​

A)​Disappointment
B)​Guilt
C)​Embarrassment
D)​Confusion

Question 18

During a session with a social worker, a 30-year-old client conveys angry feelings about the trauma of his childhood abuse. Which of the following statements would be an appropriate Level 4 empathic response?​

A)​You are likely to succeed in gaining your self-respect at the conclusion of the case plan.
B)​I had undergone similar trauma during my childhood.
C)​You are really upset about what happened and you are wondering if you will ever gain your self-respect.
D)​How did you get along with your last social worker?

Question 19

_____ often exceed the level of feelings and meanings expressed by clients during early sessions and are thus reserved, in large part, for later phases of the helping process.​

A)​Additive empathic responses
B)​Sympathetic responses
C)​Reciprocal empathic responses
D)​Authentic responses

Question 20

If clients verbally or nonverbally object to directives, a social worker should:​

A)​explore the basis of their opposition.
B)​let them ignore the directives.
C)​compel the clients to follow the directives.
D)​change the directives to more amenable ones.

Question 21

​High-level empathic responding should increase clients':

A)​perception of others' problems.
B)​sense of righteousness.
C)​exploration of self and problems.
D)​sense of guilt.

Question 22

In the course of a session with a social worker, if a client becomes pensive, or shows puzzlement through facial expressions, the social worker should:​

A)​ignore the client's actions.
B)​verbalize the feeling explicitly through a reflective response.
C)​wait for the client to verbalize the feelings.
D)​ask the client if he or she wants to stop the session.

Question 23

It is appropriate for social workers to set limits in response to their clients' request for:​

A)​reporting false information to the clients' employers.
B)​maintaining excessive contact through phone calls and messages.
C)​withholding information from their partners.
D)​concealing information about violations of probation.

Question 24

When situations such as a client's angry attacks put social workers on the spot, they should :​

A)​respond by intertwining empathic and authentic responses.
B)​leave the room.
C)​assign another social worker to the client.
D)​argue with the client to prove that he or she is wrong.

Question 25

Why should social workers occasionally decline requests or set limits while contracting with clients?

Question 26

_____ are declarative statements that place the burden on clients to object if they are uncomfortable with a suggestion made by a social worker.​

A)​Closed-ended questions
B)​Imperatives
C)​Directives
D)​Stereotypical responses

Question 27

In the context of social work, _____ during the change process enhances clients' confidence in their own coping ability.​

A)positive feedback​
B)​a Level 2 response
C)​sympathetic recognition
D)​a Level 1 response

Question 28

_____ operationalizes the social work principle of "starting where the client is" and keeps social workers attuned to their clients' current feelings.​

A)​Reciprocal empathic responding
B)​Self-disclosing
C)​Sympathetic responding
D)​Stereotypical responding

Question 29

Briefly discuss the effects of a Level 0 response on a client.

Question 30

Social workers are frequently questioned by the clients regarding their experience and marital status. What considerations should a social worker take into account before deciding to self-disclose in such situations?

Question 31

Briefly discuss how empathic responding should be employed by a social worker in early sessions with a client.

Question 32

Describe the differences between sympathetic responding and empathic responding. Provide examples of each kind of response.

Question 33

Which of the following statements is true of the language used in an empathic response at a reciprocal level?​

A)​It should not be abstract.
B)​It should have professional jargon.
C)​It should use repetitive speech patterns.
D)​It should not be simple.