Week 02 Social Work Perspectives, Frameworks, & Theories

SOWK 486 Fall 2020 Planning: Class 02

Location: Online - Zoom
Time: Monday’s from 5:30-8:15
Week 02: 08/31/20
Topic and Content Area: Social Work Perspectives, Frameworks, & Theories
Reading Assignment: Green and McDermott (2010) and De Jonge and Miller (1995)
Assignments Due:

• A–02: Asynchronous Class Engagement Diving into Theories discussion forum with an initial post due Friday 09/04/20 at 11:55 PM and two replies due Sunday 09/06/20 at 11:55 PM via My Heritage Class Forums

Other Important Information: N/A

Agenda

• Perspectives, theories, and frameworks
• Systems theory
• Ecological perspective
• Strengths perspective
• Solution focused brief therapy

Perspectives and Theories

The concepts of perspectives verses theories can easily be confused.

[Discussion] What is the difference between a perspective and a theory

• Theory: A general statement about the real world whose essential truth can be supported by evidence obtained through the scientific method.
  • Must explain in a provable way why something happens.
  • Ex: Learning theory explains behavior on the basis of what organisms have learned from the environment.
• Perspective: A way of perceiving the world flows from a value position. * The perspective will influence choice of theory and model.
• Framework / Model: Is a blueprint for action. It describes what happens in practice in a general way.
• Examples of theories and perspectives
  • Theories: System theory, psychodynamic theory, social learning theory, conflict theory, Erikson’s theory of stages of development, Piaget’s theory of cognition… etc
  • Perspectives: Strengths perspective, ecological perspective, feminist perspective… etc.
  • Frameworks / Models: Solution–focused, cognitive-behavioral, task-centered, narrative, etc.

Perspectives, Theories, and Frameworks / Models

Definitions previously discussed

Systems Theory

[Activity] Have volunteers hold hands in front, run back and forth to demonstrate the effects of the system.

[Discussion] Discuss a child’s hanging mobile and it’s relationship to systems theory.

• Definitions
  • Input: the information or communication flow received from other systems
  • Output: the same flow from a system to the environment or to other systems
  • Homeostasis: constant state of equilibrium or balance [constantly seeking]
  • Equifinality: the fact that there are many ways of viewing a problem which ultimately will give you different solutions or means to solve it
• General Information
  • Focus on interactions with various systems
  • Gives focus on target for intervention
  • System is constantly in flux and requirement of social worker to remain flexible and creative

Systems Theory -- Levels of Interaction

[Discussion] how can work for micro?

[Discussion] how can work for mezzo?

[Discussion] how can work for macro?

Ecological Perspective

Ecological perspective, while similar in some aspects to systems theory is distinct.

[Discussion] What is the difference between systems theory and ecological perspective

• Differences
  • More focus on interactions of the system with the person, and easing those interactions
  • Focuses on working with individuals in there social environments
  • The social environment involved the conditions, circumstance , and human interactions that encompass human beings.
  • People depend on their environments to strive and thrive.
• Flow of slides…
  • Person
  • Environment
  • Transactions
  • Interface
  • Energy
  • Adaptation
  • Coping
  • Interdependence
• Definitions
  • Person-in-environment: A focuses on people constantly interacting with various systems around them. So the social workers focused improving the interactions between the person and systems.
  • Interface: the exact point at which the interaction between an individual and the environment
  • Transactions: people communicate and interact with those in their environments [can be positive or negative]
  • Energy: the natural power of active involvement among people and their environments takes place [input or output]
  • Adaptation: the capacity to adjust to surrounding environmental conditions. This implies change because a person must adapt to change in order to continue functioning in their environment. Social workers help individuals during this process to direct their energies so that they are able to adapt
  • Coping: a form of human adaptation and implies a struggle to overcome problems. Refers to the way we deal with the problems we experience.
  • Interdependence: the reliance on one person to another. People depend on each others input, energy, services, and consistency

[Discussion] What are some examples of using systems theory vs ecological perspective?

Ecological Perspective -- Levels of Interaction

In ecological perspective, we can view the levels of interaction a little bit different.

• Micro level
  • Biological characteristics
  • Psychological characteristics
• Mezzo level
  • Personal context
• Macro level
  • Social context

[Discussion] how can work for micro?

[Discussion] how can work for mezzo?

[Discussion] how can work for macro?

Implementing Strengths Perspective

There are a number of general tasks that we have to preform if we are implementing strengths perspective

• Don’t take no for an answer
• Help correct the effects of being labeled
• Take advantage of the considerable resources of culture and ethnicity
• Normalize
• Possibility, solution and strengths focus

Focus of Attention: Area’s to look at

Along with those general tasks, we need to look into the following areas and focus our attention on…

• What people learn as they struggle
• Personal qualities and virtues
• Talents that people have
• Cultural and family rituals, beliefs, stories and lore
• Dreams and hopes
• The community
• Spirituality / Faith

Types of Questions

When we are practicing using strengths, we can help draw out strengths in a number of different categories.

[Whole Class Activity] For each category, write out a prompt on the board and elicit potential options for vocabulary that could be used for this category of question)

• Survival questions (How have you managed….?
• Support questions (What has helped make you feel like you can keep going?)
• Exception questions (magic question)
• Esteem questions (what has given you confidence, how have you processed… etc)

[Whole Class Activity] Demonstrate using strengths perspective to elicit information about going through school.

[Small Group Activity] Have students work in groups of two to talk about their experience going to school so far with a focus on eliciting strengths in the four areas.

Strengths Perspective - Levels of Interaction

Strengths perspective can be applied to every level, and all types of situations.

Mezzo level with helping to draw out shared strengths of a group or team Macro level by evaluation and process activities to asses the strengths of an organization or societal activities.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

Solution-focused brief therapy is a treatment model and a part of the solution-focused framework. It was developed by Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim Berg, and their colleagues starting in the late 1970’s

The solution-focused framework is unique because it is not focused on giving advice but giving the client the chance to direct the process.

Focus on solutions, not admiring the problem

• Spend 25% of our time focusing on the circumstances
• Spend 75% of our time focusing on the goals

SFBT - Tenants

• If it’s not broken, don’t fix it
• Look for exceptions
• Asking questions rather than telling clients what to do
• Future is negotiated and created
• Complements
• Gentle nudging to do more of what is working
• Change is constant and inevitable
• The solution is not always directly related to the problem

SFBT - Interventions

• Not knowing
• Complementing strengths
• Scaling questions
• Exception questions
• Coping questions
• Miracle question

Not Knowing

• Clients experts
• General attitude communicating an abundant, genuine curiosity
• Micro practice skills

Complementing Strengths

• Strengths perspective
• Building rapport and giving hope
• Direct complements: positive evaluation or reaction
• Indirect complements: a question implying something positive

Scaling Questions

• Motivation, hopefulness, depression, confidence, progress… etc
• Techniques for follow-up

Exploring Exceptions

• Problem description vs. exceptions
• Increase awareness of current/past successes
• Turning past solutions into present solutions
• Finding out specifics

Coping Questions

• Tailored to help client from feeling overwhelmed
• A method for exploring exceptions

Miracle question

• Amplifying what the client wants
• Formatting the question
• Concrete, behavioral, measurable terms
• Realistic terms