LMSW Practice Test

What should a social worker consider when an obsessive-compulsive individual's behavior hinders their work completion?

1. Making them appreciate their detailed work

2. Helping them realize their behavior needs change

3. Engaging them in less task-specific therapy

4. Focusing on the task completion aspect of their work

The correct answer is: Helping them realize their behavior needs change

The correct answer emphasizes the importance of helping the individual recognize that their behavior may need to change. This is crucial because individuals with obsessive-compulsive tendencies often struggle with their thoughts and actions, leading to challenges in completing tasks efficiently. By guiding the individual to understand how their compulsive behaviors impede progress, the social worker can facilitate personal insight and drive motivation for change. Encouraging self-awareness is a foundational step in cognitive-behavioral approaches often used in therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder. When a person acknowledges the discrepancies between their goals and behaviors, it opens the door to developing more adaptive coping strategies that allow for better work completion. Understanding this dynamic can also help the social worker tailor interventions that encourage the individual to seek healthier responses to their anxiety, instead of reinforcing the compulsive behaviors. This approach lays the groundwork for effective therapeutic change and task management.