Chapter 2: Social Work Theories Flashcards
(108 cards)
1
Q
How do some Social Workers feel about theory?
A
Theory is often viewed as esoteric, abstract and something people discuss in universities. Practice, on the other hand, is seen as common sense, concrete, and occurring in the real world.
2
Q
Why does Howe suggest all practice is theory based and what is Theory-Saturated activity?
A
we are constantly perceiving, assessing, and making decisions. These activities are never theory-free because they are based on certain fundamental assumptions about the nature of people, society, and relationships between the two. These assumptions enable social workers to make sense of any situation; making sense is what Howe (1987) refers to as a “theory-saturated activity”
3
Q
What is Theory?
A
A theory represents an explanatory framework that aims to help us make sense of the complexity of human lives and behaviour. Theories help us structure and organize our thinking and enable us to establish what we think is going on.
4
Q
What is a concept? And what are the two parts?
A
Building blocks of theory that tend to have two parts: a symbol (representing a word or term) and a definition.
5
Q
What is purist approach?
A
When a social worker regularly draws upon a particular theory or theoretical perspective regardless of the nature of a client’s presenting issues.
6
Q
Three reasons that one theory may not fit?
A
- It may not resonate with a client,
- May be at odds with a client’s goals and desires for change,
- May be inappropriate to a particular culture or context.
7
Q
What is eclectic approach?
A
When using this approach, a social worker draws upon a range of theories and techniques from different theoretical perspectives.
8
Q
Two reasons many theories may not work?
A
- a lack of in-depth knowledge of numerous theories may lead to a superficial and even inappropriate use of a variety of theories.
- amalgamating theories can be problematic if the fundamental assumptions of the theories are inconsistent
9
Q
What are the 5 preliminary questions one should ask when choosing a theory?
A
- Why have I chosen this/these particular theoretical perspective(s)?
- How will it/they benefit the client(s)/case in question?
- What are some limitations of drawing upon the theory/theories in my daily practice?
- How can these limitations be addressed?
- What are some potential alternatives?
10
Q
How do theories vary? 4
A
Theories vary according to time, social conditions, cultures, and contexts.
11
Q
What are the 5 theoretical perspectives discussed?
A
- Ecosystem theories
- Onion peeling theories
- Faulty engine theories
- Storytelling theories
- Mountain moving theories
12
Q
What are ecosystem theories?
A
Focus on the fundamental interactions between people and their social and physical environments.
13
Q
What are onion peeling theories?
A
Focus on peeling back the layers of past experiences in order for people to gain insight and awareness into what prevents them from moving forward in their lives.
14
Q
What are faulty engine theories?
A
Shift the focus of practice attention not to the past, but to the present.
15
Q
What are story telling theories?
A
Focus on how stories can be reinterpreted to enable more positive and rewarding life outcomes.
16
Q
What is a narrative?
A
“A story which performs social functions” (Fook, 2002, p. 132). Narratives are said to have particular structures that serve to provide some kind of meaning for the teller. Most narratives contain a temporal ordering of events, or an incident and a consequence.
17
Q
What are mountain moving theories?
A
Focus on eliminating disadvantage and empowering people to realize their hopes for themselves, their families, and their communities.
18
Q
What does ecosystem theories study?
A
Ecosystem theories study the reciprocal relationships among individuals, groups, organizations, and communities; investigate mutually influencing factors in the environment; and seek holistic change by examining the interacting components.
19
Q
What does ecosystem theories assessment and intervention focus on?
A
- focus on improving the relationship between people and their social environments.
- To work with people without consideration of their environments or vice versa
20
Q
What was Mary Richmonds ‘Social Diagnosis’ recognized
A
Recognized social work as systems approach
21
Q
What interdependence did Richmond notice and what did she challenge?
A
Working with the poor and marginalized in the United States in the early 1900s, Richmond identified the interdependence of people and context and challenged the notion that there was a single cause of family difficulty.
22
Q
Who developed general systems theory?
A
Ludwig von Bertalanffy
23
Q
What did general theory state?
A
biological theory sees all organisms as systems, composed of subsystems, and, in turn, part of super-systems.
24
Q
What are the 4 layers of social systems according to Bronfenbrenner?
A
- Microsystem
- Mesosystem
- Exosystem
- Macrosystem
25
What is the macrosystem?
Systems that exert influence on all other systems, such as social policies, societal norms and values, and economic systems.
26
What is the mesosystem?
The interrelations among the systems in which the developing person actively participates, such as school, work, family, or neighbourhood.
27
What is the exosystem?
One or more systems that do not involve the developing person directly as an active participant but in which events occur that can affect or are affected by the person, such as a parent’s workplace or the working conditions of a nurse providing care to the individual.
28
What is the microsystem?
A pattern of activities, roles, physical and mental abilities, and interpersonal relations experienced by the developing person.
29
What is an eco-map?
A pictorial representation of a person’s connections to other people or systems in their environment.
30
What are the four key elements involved in crisis intervention in ecosystem approaches?
* undertaking a rapid psychosocial assessment;
* drawing upon clients’ strengths, whether psychological or social networks;
* providing resources to help people build a new language and understanding of their experiences; and
* creating a strong rapport with clients.
31
What is the perspective on onion peeling theories?
human behaviour is a consequence of complex relationships, drives, personality development, and the conscious and unconscious mind
32
Why the metaphor of an onion?
While these layers have the capacity to protect us, they can also act as barriers to the realization of our needs and desires. With greater understanding of the influential layers and their origins, this theoretical perspective asserts that conscious change, greater emotional maturity, and optimal functioning become increasingly possible.
33
What is the belief of psychodynamic theory?
that our inner world—namely our dreams, fantasies, and unconscious experiences—profoundly influence who we are, how we feel, and what we do.
34
What are the key themes to psychodynamic theory? 4
- key role the past plays in our present lives,
- the importance of inner drives and motivations,
- the organization of our inner selves, stages of psychosocial development, and
- attachment,
35
Role of past in the present?
From the perspective of psychodynamic theory, our past is critical to understanding our present—our current behaviours, realities, or problems. It argues that unresolved past conflicts that can be traced back to particular events, such as childhood traumas or developmental challenges, bring forth responses that inhibit optimal functioning in the present.
36
Role of inner drives and motivations?
Our inner lives—our unconscious drives and motivations—are in constant interaction with the external world. Freud devoted his life to studying inner drives and motivations, and psychodynamic theory was intended as a science of discovery—a tool by which to rediscover unconscious thoughts, feelings, and drives. While psychosexual drives were seen as core elements in early Freudian thinking, more contemporary understandings focus on safety and security as primary drives.
37
Organizations of inner self?
Broken into id, ego and super ego
38
What is the id?
Refers to one’s unconscious, composed of powerful forces of drives, instincts, and desires.
39
What is the super ego?
Acts as “the conscience” and develops during one’s childhood through socialization. It is the internalization of societal values and norms taught by parents and caregivers. The superego is meant to control the id’s drives and desires.
40
What is the ego?
Balances and mediates the desires of the id and the external demands of the superego.
41
What are freuds development stages (5) and how do they shape our lives?
Freud identified key stages (oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital) through which humans move as they age. In each of these stages, an individual experiences particular challenges, which are normally resolved, and then moves on toward the next developmental stage. However, any childhood trauma that takes place during a particular stage may lead to the individual becoming “stuck” at that stage, potentially leading to future difficulties in adulthood.
42
What does attachment theory focus on?
focus on emotions and early childhood development as the basis for later relationships and emotional problems. A key interest is how early experiences of attachment are an important foundation for later social competence.
43
What are person centred approaches?
put the client at the centre of the practice and focus on client self-determination.
44
What is at the heart of person centred approaches and what does this represent?
Notions of dignity and respect represent an attempt to redress the demeaning experiences that many social work clients have experienced in their daily lives
45
Psychodynamic theories vs person centred?
In contrast to the more traditional psychodynamic theories that prioritized listening followed by the directive interpretations of the social worker, person-centred approaches focus on clients sharing their inner world experiences in a non-directive, safe, and empathic relationship.
46
What is trauma?
exposure to an extraordinary experience that presents a physical or psychological threat to oneself or others and generates a reaction of helplessness or fear
47
What is trauma informed social work practice?
is a way of providing services by which social workers recognize the impact of early adversity in clients’ lives, including how it shapes clients’ beliefs and everyday functioning, and see presenting problems as symptoms of maladaptive coping
48
What are the principles of trauma informed practice and why? 5
- safety,
- trust,
- collaboration,
- choice, and
- empowerment, which are integrated into the worker-client relationship, aiming for a therapeutic alliance.
49
What type of manner are trauma informed practices delivered?
delivered in a careful manner to avoid the repetition of unhealthy interpersonal dynamics within the context of the therapeutic relationship.
50
What is transference?
Refers to the translocation of past experiences to the present without conscious awareness. Transference reactions involve attitudes, fantasies, desires, and conflicts from historically significant object relationships to the therapist.
51
What is counter-transference?
Refers to a therapist’s emotional reaction to a client, whether conscious or unconscious. Examples during practice include unusual interest, admiration, boredom, anger, hatred, anxiety, or dread in relation to a client that becomes an obstacle to effective clinical work.
52
What do onion-peeling theories look like in actual practice?
his approach typically uses insight as the primary means of working through conscious and unconscious processes that appear to be preventing a person from optimal functioning.
53
What are key elements of psychodynamic practice? 5
1. Establishing a trusting relationship and fostering a corrective emotional experience.
2. Providing a safe space to talk.
3. Enabling interpretive exploration
4. Containment
5. Humanistic values in practice.
54
What are criticisms of onion peeling theories? 4
- that the focus on the past as the core influence in our formation is reductionist and deterministic
- Many also highlight that onion-peeling theories fail to consider how multiple systems of oppression, such as racism, homophobia, or the broader social, economic, and political context may play a role in client concerns and challenges.
- There is also a lack of strong evidence to support the effectiveness of psychodynamic interventions
- Finally, psychodynamic and person-centred approaches typically require long-term interventions.
55
What are faulty engine theories?
shift the attention from the past to the present and emphasize concrete evidence of change. These theories tend to be more structured and directive than other theories and they aim to actively alter faulty thinking and behaviours in the here and now.In general, these theories, namely behavioural approaches and cognitive-behavioural approaches, focus on changing problem behaviours by using well-defined techniques combined with careful assessment and monitoring, typically done with behavioural measurements.
56
What is skinners behavioural approach?
assert that behaviour is acquired through learning. Moreover, a faulty learning environment can create unhelpful and problematic behavioural responses. Just as behaviour is learned, however, it can also be unlearned.
57
What is behaviour therapy?
Techniques that alter an individual’s maladaptive reactions to particular stimuli.
58
What clients does behaviour therapy work well with? 3
- Chronic mental illness
- autistic youth
- substance abuse
59
What is cognitive behavioural theories?
view behaviour as learned and shaped by our interpretations of the world (cognitions). When flawed or inaccurate, these interpretations can lead to irrational or maladaptive behaviours.
60
What are three fundamental assumptions did Teater make about CBT?
- Thinking mediates emotions and behaviour
- Faulty thinking leads to psychological distress and dysfunction
- altering distorted thinking and behaviour can reduce stress and dysfunction
61
How are clients viewed by CBT?
clients are viewed as proactive, autonomous agents who are able to influence their lives and situations
62
How do social workers use CBT?
Social workers use this approach with clients to understand the thought patterns that bring about certain behaviours and what sustains these patterns. To make this happen, social workers try to challenge negative cognitions and faulty thinking by contradicting the faulty thinking patterns. Through practice, social workers develop and reinforce alternative positive cognitions.
63
What is reframing?
change the conceptual and/or emotional setting or viewpoint in relation to which a situation is experienced and to place it in another frame which fits the ‘facts’ of the same concrete situation equally well or even better, and thereby change its entire meaning
64
What is CBT used for?
- Phobias
- Panic disorders
- anorexia
- bulimia
65
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66
What are story telling theories?
These narratives shape and influence one’s identity and sense of well-being. Narratives are said to have particular structures, which serve to provide some kind of meaning for the teller. Most narratives contain a temporal ordering of events, or an incident and a consequence that follows.
67
What does social constructionism propose?
as humans, we construct shared meanings that help us create coherence and ways of understanding the world around us.
68
How has foucaults work been influential to story telling theory?
Foucault argued that language and discourses are not neutral, but instead reflect and normalize certain “truths” while silencing others. These “truths” tend to be internalized, leading to individuals being subjected to the power of dominant stories.
69
What is narrative theory?
An approach that focuses on assisting people to create empowering stories about themselves and their lives.
70
What are the 6 common processes involved in reconnecting narratives?
1. Uncover with the client the narratives involved, taking care to identify those that are dominant
2. Identify the functions of different narratives, including those that are empowering and disempowering
3. Validate the narratives that are performing an empowering role and those that are being marginalized by dominant narratives
4. Externalize the narratives that are disempowering
5. Build alternative narratives and “re-story” them with narratives of strength, transformation, and empowerment
6. Create further validation by creating an audience for the new narratives
71
What is solution focused theory?
A present- and future-oriented approach that focuses on goals and capacities rather than problems and constraints.
72
Difference between narative theory and solution based theory?
Unlike narrative therapy, the solution-focused approach asserts that it is unnecessary to elicit lengthy narratives around the causes, consequences, and effects of problems to help individuals and families grow, flourish, and move forward. Instead, the approach purports that people have untapped capacities and resources that can be released by moving them away from “problem talk” and toward “solution talk”
73
What are 5 techniques from Dejong and berg to support solution talk?
1. Amplify strengths: by expressing curiosity and interest when examples of resilience are expressed
2. Seek exceptions: by asking clients about times when a problem could have been present but was not
3. Explore coping strategies: by asking what individuals and families are doing to survive the painful or stressful circumstances they are finding themselves in
4. Scale progress: by asking individuals and families to identify where they fall on a scale between 1 (problem always present) and 10 (problem rarely if ever present) and inquiring what would move them up the scale
5. Identify goals and wishes: by asking individuals and families to imagine what would be different in their lives if they woke up one morning and found the problem they were seeking help for had gone away
74
What is strength based approach?
An approach asserting that people have inherent strengths and are motivated toward well-being and optimal functioning.
75
What are mountain moving theories?
share a common aim to connect the personal with the political and, in doing so, shift the focus from individual blame to collective solutions across social, economic, and political domains. These theories can be seen as transformational, as they propose that social work should seek to change the way societies create and respond to social problems.
76
What does mountain moving theories encourage social workers to be?
to be critically reflective of how social work can reinforce or maintain oppression and challenge practices that reproduce dominance and privilege
77
What is social location?
An individual’s affiliation as a member of a group based on the personal, cultural, and social context of one’s structured position within society (e.g. racialized identity, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual identity, Indigenous status, ability, class, religion, citizenship status).
78
What is an important role in mountain moving theories?
An important goal is to empower clients (individuals and groups) by supporting and encouraging them to realize their own power and take action for themselves.
79
What are the two elements of empowerment from Parrott?
(1) control—people defining their own situations and needs, and
(2) self-actualization—enabling clients to take power for themselves by developing their confidence, skills, and knowledge.
80
What does mountain moving theories umbrella? 5
- feminist theories,
- anti-oppressive practice,
- critical race theory,
- structural social work, and
- Indigenous approaches to social work practice
81
What are the 6 types of feminism?
- Liberal feminists
- Marxist feminists
- socialist feminists
- Radical feminists
- Black feminism
- Post modern feminism
82
What is liberal feminism?
Seeks equality between men and women, particularly in the workplace and in the home.
83
What is marxist feminism?
Highlights the unequal distribution of power as the critical component of women’s oppression, elevating women’s oppression from an individual to a collective level.
84
What are Socialist feminists?
Emphasizes interpersonal and relationship aspects of women’s oppression as created by patriarchy.
85
What is Radical feminism?
Asserts that women’s freedom depends on the elimination of patriarchy.
86
What is black feminism?
Points to the diversity of women and the different forms of oppression by which they are affected.
87
What is postmodern feminism?
Highlights the complexity of social relations that involve women by focusing on how discourse shapes how women are and should be treated.
88
What is the patriarchy?
A social system characterized by men’s power and privilege.
89
How did feminist social work emerge?
Feminist social work emerged from activism by women working with women in their communities, linking personal and local predicaments with public issues.
90
What are the 4 main areas of social work?
- Womans condition
- Womans centred practice
- Womans different voice
- Woman with diversity
91
What are the 9 highlights from Dominelli?
* combat “women-blaming” exaggeration of feminist gains
* commit to avoiding gender stereotypes
* engage men in caring; affirm alternative child-care practices
* debate the role of men where women and children have been oppressed
* identify and analyze privileging of men
* avoid gender dichotomies
* avoid seeing alternative family structures as inadequate
* work in partnership with women to achieve their aims
* challenge assumptions of men’s violent nature
92
What is anti-oppressive practice?
recognizes multiple forms of oppression that exist in everyday experiences and ways oppression can be harmful
93
How does oppression emerge?
Oppression emerges from unequal power differentials and social workers can reduce negative impacts by adopting a critically reflective approach and response that avoids client disempowerment.
94
What is the goal of antiopressive practices?
is to acknowledge the existence of oppression in all forms and the complex nature of identities.
95
What are the 10 themes drawn from Baines that analyze and address social conditions and challenges?
1. Macro– and micro–social relations generate oppression.
2. Everyday experience is shaped by multiple oppressions.
3. Social work is a highly contested and politicized practice.
4. Social work is not a neutral caring profession, but an active political process.
5. Social justice–oriented social work assists individuals while simultaneously seeking to transform society.
6. Social work needs to build allies with social causes and movements.
7. Social work’s theoretical and practical development must be based on the struggles and needs of those who are oppressed and marginalized.
8. Participatory approaches are necessary between practitioners and “clients.”
9. Self-reflexive practice and ongoing justice analysis are essential AOP components.
10. A multi-faceted approach to social justice provides the best potential for politicized, transformative social work practice.
96
What are the two ways anti-oppressive practice differs from other practices? Baines
1) mainstream social work draws on several theories that see social and economic systems as politically neutral and that fail to recognize the serious inequities in our society or how these injustices are embedded in the profit model of patriarchal, racialized, homophobic, colonial capitalism
2) AOP attempts to see the bigger picture of the impacts of oppressive policies, practice, and social relations as workers address immediate crises and emotional pain instead of individually focused interventions
97
Where did critical race theory emerge?
initially emerged in the context of the civil rights movement as part of a legalistic effort to problematize laws and other principles that serve to normalize and perpetuate racism
98
What does CRT aim for?
It aims to deconstruct the complex relationship between race/racism and power and the way racism is constructed and embedded in society, with the ultimate goal of reforming these relations to instill positive social change.
99
What are Razack and Jeffery's basic tenants of CRT? 9
1. Whiteness as normative non-racial
2. The silence of marginalized narratives
3. Liberal principles of neutrality, fairness, and meritocracy
4. Colour-blindness
5. Recognizing race, power, and privilege
6. A critique of Whiteness:
7. Integrating an anti-racist discourse within social work:
8. Legitimizing race scholarship:
9. Globalized understandings of race:
100
What is intersectionality?
Systems of oppression based on race, class, gender, Indigenous status, ability, religion, citizenship status, and sexual/gender identity that intersect with each other.
101
Who came up with structural social work?
Maurice Moreau
102
What does structural social work focus on?
on the impact of wider social structures such as racism, homophobia, and patriarchy on personal problems. It also considers secondary structures such as family, community, and bureaucracy.
103
How does structural social work view the role of the state?
social problems, including discrimination on the basis of class, gender, race, and so on, are built into societal structures.
state’s institutions, such as the law and the education system, function as instruments of oppression and benefit privileged groups.
104
How does structural social work view relationship of individual vs structure?
With the importance and emphasis given to structures, structural social workers believe focusing on the individual as the cause of social problems blames the victim. For social problems to be resolved, it is the social structures that must change.
105
What a major assumption made by structural social work?
conventional social work perpetuates social problems by focusing on personal change rather than fundamental social change.
106
4 practice strategies structural social work focuses on?
- empowerment,
- consciousness raising,
- normalization, and
- dialogical relations.
107
What are 4 ways of knowing in indigenous social work?
1. Recognition of distinct Indigenous worldviews with the understanding that there is diversity of perspectives and beliefs across Indigenous communities
2. Development of Indigenous consciousness regarding the impact of colonialism
3. Emphasis on the importance of cultural knowledge and traditions, particularly valuing Indigenous connections to the land and the linkages between the natural environment and spirituality
4. Use of the concept of Indigenous empowerment and self-determination
108
What is reflexivity?
A process by which the worker’s thinking influences the action, ensuring a more sophisticated analysis of practice.
