Which statement best describes transference in social work?

• A. The client projects feelings about significant others onto the worker.
• B. The worker transfers duties to the client.
• C. The client transfers ownership of problems to the agency.
• D. The worker transfers therapeutic techniques to other staff.

Answer: (A)

Transference happens when a client unconsciously redirects feelings from important people in their life onto the social worker. The statement that describes the client projecting those feelings about significant others onto the worker matches this dynamic precisely. The other options describe different processes—for example, the worker taking on duties from the client, the client externalizing problems to the agency, or the worker sharing techniques with colleagues—none of which involve the client’s unconscious transfer of emotions toward the worker. In practice, recognizing transference helps you understand the client’s relational patterns and use the moment therapeutically while keeping professional boundaries in place and watching for your own countertransference.