ASWB Clinical Treatment Planning & Medications Practice Questions
Treatment Planning & Medications makes up 4 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest ASWB Clinical practice test. Here are 10 of the 16 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.
Updated by the Tigertest team. Based on the ASWB Clinical content outline (2026 Examination Guidebook). Original questions; 50 per test, weighted like the real exam. Not affiliated with ASWB.
1. A client who recently added tramadol to her SSRI arrives agitated, sweating, with a fast heart rate and muscle twitching. The clinician should suspect:
- A.A panic attack
- B.Serotonin syndrome
- C.Lithium toxicity
- D.Opioid withdrawal
Answer: B. Combining serotonergic drugs, such as an SSRI with tramadol or a triptan, can cause serotonin syndrome: agitation, sweating, rapid heart rate, tremor and muscle twitching. It is a medical emergency.
2. A client on an antipsychotic develops a high fever, severe muscle rigidity and confusion. The clinician should:
- A.Schedule a visit for next week
- B.Advise him to stop all medication
- C.Suggest he drink more water
- D.Get emergency medical care now
Answer: D. High fever, rigidity, confusion and unstable vital signs on an antipsychotic suggest neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which can be fatal. The client needs immediate medical evaluation.
3. A client starting clozapine asks why she needs regular blood tests. The reason is the risk of:
- A.A low white blood cell count
- B.Thyroid problems in older adults
- C.High blood sugar after meals
- D.Liver damage from alcohol use
Answer: A. Clozapine can cause severe neutropenia (agranulocytosis), so absolute neutrophil counts are monitored on a set schedule. It remains the most effective medication for treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
4. A client who has taken a benzodiazepine daily for two years wants to stop it right away. The clinician should advise her to:
- A.Switch to alcohol to help her sleep
- B.Cut the dose in half on her own
- C.Taper with her prescriber
- D.Stop it tonight to avoid dependence
Answer: C. Stopping a benzodiazepine abruptly after long use can cause severe withdrawal, including seizures. A supervised taper is the safe approach.
5. A client on lamotrigine for bipolar disorder develops a spreading rash with blisters. The clinician should urge her to:
- A.Double her next dose
- B.Mention it at her next visit
- C.Seek medical care at once
- D.Apply lotion and wait a week
Answer: C. A serious rash, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, is a known risk with lamotrigine, especially early or with a fast dose increase. Any rash needs prompt medical attention.
6. A client taking a second-generation antipsychotic such as olanzapine should be monitored MOST closely for:
- A.Weight gain and blood sugar
- B.Low blood pressure only
- C.Loss of hair and nails
- D.Hearing loss and tinnitus
Answer: A. Many second-generation antipsychotics cause metabolic effects: weight gain, raised blood sugar and lipids, and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Weight, glucose and lipids are checked regularly.
7. A 19-year-old client starts an antidepressant. The FDA boxed warning means the clinician should watch closely for:
- A.Loss of hearing
- B.A sharp rise in blood pressure
- C.Sudden and severe weight loss
- D.New or worse suicidal thoughts
Answer: D. Antidepressants carry a boxed warning about increased suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents and young adults under 25, especially early in treatment or after a dose change.
8. A client with opioid use disorder is prescribed a partial opioid agonist that reduces cravings and withdrawal. This medication is:
- A.Acamprosate
- B.Buprenorphine
- C.Naloxone alone
- D.Disulfiram
Answer: B. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist used for opioid use disorder. Naloxone reverses an overdose, while disulfiram and acamprosate are used for alcohol use disorder.
9. A client taking disulfiram for alcohol use disorder should be told that drinking alcohol will cause:
- A.Better sleep and less craving
- B.Flushing, nausea and vomiting
- C.A stronger feeling of being drunk
- D.No effect while on the medication
Answer: B. Disulfiram blocks the breakdown of alcohol, so even small amounts cause flushing, nausea, vomiting and a racing heart. The client must avoid alcohol in foods and products as well.
10. A veteran with PTSD has frequent trauma nightmares. Which medication is sometimes prescribed specifically for this?
- A.Lithium
- B.Clozapine
- C.Methylphenidate
- D.Prazosin
Answer: D. Prazosin, a blood pressure medication, is sometimes used to reduce trauma-related nightmares, though evidence is mixed. The clinician coordinates with the prescriber and notes any dizziness.
Practice all 16 treatment planning & medications questions, and the rest of the 200-question bank, in the free ASWB Clinical training sets. Questions you miss come back until you have mastered them.
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