Assessment and Planning
ASWB gives Assessment and Planning 33% of the 2026 Masters exam. It covers assessment concepts (development, family dynamics, trauma, abuse, mental illness, substance use, poverty and environment), assessment methods and techniques, and assessment practices such as goal setting and medication awareness. The PrepPass study guide covers these areas in four chapters.
Development and behavior
Know Erikson's eight psychosocial stages and Piaget's four cognitive stages well enough to tell typical from atypical behavior at each age. Attachment patterns reflect how predictable caregiving has been. Defense mechanisms are tested as precise definitions — for example, repression is unconscious while suppression is a conscious choice.
Risk and mental health indicators
The Masters exam rewards recognizing indicators and choosing the next step rather than diagnosing. Ask directly about suicide; assess plan, means, intent and timeline. Sudden changes in thinking call for a medical evaluation first. Heavy daily drinkers should not stop abruptly without medical advice, because alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous.
Planning
Plans put safety and basic needs first, then the client's own priorities. Goals are broad; objectives are specific, measurable and time-bound. Social workers do not change medications, but they notice side effects and interactions — such as an antidepressant combined with St. John's wort — and involve the prescriber.
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