Fall 2025 SOWK 530 Week 06 - Practice with Assessments

title: Fall 2025 SOWK 530 Week 06 - Practice with Assessments date: 2025-10-03 17:13:05 location: Heritage University tags:

  • Heritage University
  • MSW Program
  • SOWK 530 presentation_video: > “” description: >

Week six is synchronous with an in-person session taking place on Saturday (10/04). Students will read chapter nine of Hepworth et al. (2023), which continues to explore assessment, examining individual and environmental factors and their impact on our clients. In the forums, students have the opportunity to reflect on the assessment process and their own biases. The agenda for the in-person session includes:

  • Discuss the role-play assignment
  • Areas evaluated in a biopsychosocial assessment
  • Conceptualizing and assessing social supports

The learning objectives for this week include:

  • Describe the structure, purpose, biopsychosocial assessments in various practice settings.
  • Demonstrate understanding of key domains in assessment and ability to assess a clients needs.
  • Use social support mapping tools to conceptualize and assess client support systems.
  • Reflect on the role of self-concept, implicit bias, and cultural humility in assessment practices.
  • Critically evaluate sample assessment tools and documentation practices.
  • Demonstrate understanding of various domains of client functioning and formulate targeted assessment approaches for each.

Plan for Week Six

Agenda

  • Discuss the role-play assignment
  • Areas evaluated in a biopsychosocial assessment
  • Conceptualizing and assessing social supports

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the structure, purpose, biopsychosocial assessments in various practice settings.
  • Demonstrate understanding of key domains in assessment and ability to assess a clients needs.
  • Use social support mapping tools to conceptualize and assess client support systems.

How Observant Are You?

I want to start our session with a short video clip to see how observant you are. So, you all have at least gotten your BA. I want to do a short little test to see how well you can count. We are going to watch a short movie clip of two teams (a black one and a white one) passing the ball. Make sure that you keep an accurate count!

[Activity] Watch the video clip

[Discussion] How many did you count? How many of you noticed the gorilla moon walking through the background?

Context is important when we think about our clients situations.

Do The Test. (2008). Test your Awareness: Do the test [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Ahg6qcgoay4

Assignment 04a: Interviewing Skills Role-Play

Review assignment due in two weeks. Make sure people have somebody to do the role-play with.

Assignment 04: Interviewing Skills Demonstration and Reflection

Worth 190 points, or 48% of the student’s final grade, the assignment has two parts. They are key assignments for SOWK 530 used to assess students’ implementation of competency six. The role-play allows the student to engage as a social worker conducting an interview. The reflective paper provides a space to self-critique your engagement and interviewing skills and consider what you might do to engage across system levels.

Meta: Points 100 pts (20% of final grade); Deadline Monday 10/13/25 at 08:00 AM; Completion via Anthology accessible through MyHeritage Assignments; Locations Informational Handout Compress a Video to Reduce the File Size (Desktop Computer), Assignment Submission, and Description and Rubric;

Purpose: The Interviewing Skills Video Role-Play supports students in confirming the acquisition of interviewing skills through the application of person in the environment, empathetic responding, reflective responding, and other interpersonal skills.

Task: Students will work with a partner to record a 10 to 15-minute interview. The interview should be a role-play of an initial meeting between a social worker and a fictional client. Students have the freedom to develop their settings for the interview. This assignment is designed to offer the student the opportunity to demonstrate engagement, the sixth competency described by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The following is the language used in the 2022 education and policy standards (EPAS):

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that engagement is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with and on behalf of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Social workers value the importance of human relationships. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and person-in-environment and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge to facilitate engagement with clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers are self-reflective and understand how bias, power, and privilege as well as their personal values and personal experiences may affect their ability to engage effectively with diverse clients and constituencies. Social workers use the principles of interprofessional collaboration to facilitate engagement with clients, constituencies, and other professionals as appropriate.

Social workers:

a. apply knowledge of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, to engage with clients and constituencies; and b. use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to engage in culturally responsive practice with clients and constituencies. (p. 11)

The following are the instructions for this assignment:

  • Students will record a 10 to 15-minute role-play with a classmate. To complete this, students should use a tripod or stable surface to record the role-play with a cell phone or other recording device.
  • Each student’s role-play will have three parts (1) introduce the role-play setting, (2) complete the client interview using listening and attending skills discussed and practiced in class, and (3) debrief the role-play with your partner.
  • The intention is to demonstrate your ability to use attentive listening, open-ended questions, empathetic responding, and other skills. The focus is not on solving the person’s problem or difficulties.
  • Students can do each of the three parts with the camera rolling. During the debrief with your partner, discuss (a) the things that you said/did that helped the other person feel comfortable and open up, (b) the things that you could have improved, and (c) any suggestions or feedback from your partner.
  • After completing the first interview, switch roles and do another 10 to 15-minute role play following the same format.
  • Each student should upload their final video as the interviewer to the Anthology Portfolio for the instructor’s assessment.
  • Your video may be too large to upload to Anthology Portfolio and may need to be compressed. Appendix D provides step-by-step directions with screenshots for how to reduce the file size of your video.

Success: Each student will submit a video of themselves that demonstrates their use of interviewing skills. Grades will be based on the Interview Skill Video Role-Play and Competency 6 Practice Behavior Rubric, which evaluates students based on the CSWE competency six.

Interviewing Skill Video Role-Play and Competency 6 Practice Behavior Rubric

Discuss rubric and the highly developed ratings.

The rubric used to assess the A-04a: Interviewing Skills Video Role-Play, and it is focused on evaluating CSWE’s (2022) competency six and related practice behaviors. This includes applying social knowledge and engagement skills through empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills.

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and/or Communities.

a. Apply knowledge of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, to engage with clients and constituencies; and
b. Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to engage in culturally responsive practice with clients and constituencies.

Description Initial Emerging Developed Highly Developed
Engages with client and applies knowledge of human behavior (HB) and person-in-environment (PIE), as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, to engage with clients and constituencies Demonstrates minimal knowledge of HB, PIE, and practice context through use of inappropriate strategies or question. Demonstrates some HB, PIE and Practice knowledge, but interviewer also demonstrates some misunderstanding. Demonstrates fundamental understanding of HB and PIE and practice context knowledge, but may have some gaps in applying appropriate strategies. Utilizes strategies, to include choice of language, level of assertiveness, etc., that are appropriate for the client based on HB, PIE and interprofessional conceptual frameworks.
Use empathy to engage Communicates judgmental statements during the interview and does not help the client to feel understood. Demonstrates beginning skills at empathy, but has lapses that communicate judgment of the client or create an atmosphere that is too formal to build trust. Demonstrates a sufficient amount of empathy and understanding. There are very few statements that might be perceived as judgmental. Demonstrates empathy and understanding throughout the entire client interaction. Refrains from statements that might be perceived as judgmental.
Use reflection to engage Does not create a flow from one question to the next. Asks primarily closed questions. Jumps from topic to topic without regard for themes. Asks a number of closed questions, but includes some open-ended questions. Begins to address client feelings. Has at least some ability to direct the conversation. Utilizes primarily open-ended questions. Acknowledges client feelings and encourages the client to share thoughts. Utilizes well-planned, open-ended questions that allow client to expand on thoughts and feelings. Reflects on the main ideas the client shares and gently directs the interview toward those themes.
Use interpersonal skills to engage Communicates discomfort and/or disinterest through verbal and nonverbal behavior. Demonstrates some basic verbal and nonverbal communication skills, but is not yet able to communicate warmth and genuineness to the client. Elements of the interview clearly communicate warmth and genuineness, although there may be lapses. A few attending and communications techniques are included. Conversation flows fairly well. Communicates basic helping skills to the client from the greeting and throughout verbally and nonverbally. Demonstrates a combination of attending skills. Has the ability to keep momentum in the conversation, and also uses silence appropriately.

Biopsychosocial Assessment: What Goes On The Form

The format and structure of a biopsychosocial assessment varies greatly in how it is organized, understood, and considered. Forms are sometimes open headings and other times used with checkboxes or drop down menus. The following is the content that was identified by Hepworth et al. (2023):

  • Identifying information (e.g., name, age, referral source)
  • Presenting Problem (i.e., the presenting problem, symptoms, history of problem)
  • The past psychiatric and medical history of the client and the client’s family (e.g., injuries, operations, medical conditions, medication, ongoing medical treatment)
  • The client’s social history (e.g., overview of client’s childhood, family structure, living situation, employment and employment history, educational history, hobbies, daily routine, religious or spiritual preferences, friends, past trauma, substance use)
  • A mental status exam and DSM-5 diagnosis
  • A formulation (e.g., a statement that summarizes and synthesizes the most important aspects of the case to create a story of the client and their past and presenting problems)

Areas of Assessment in a Biopsychosocial Evaluation (1 of 7) General Areas

We generally assess the following areas:

  • Presenting Problem
  • Domains with Potential Needs
  • Impressions and Recommendations

Areas of Assessment in a Biopsychosocial Evaluation (2 of 7) Strengths in Managing Presenting Problem

We assess for strengths throughout the interview, and it can help us understand their presenting needs as well as each domain that we assess for.

Some questions we might ask include:

  • How have you been coping with your presenting problem?
  • What resources or supports have you been using?
  • What qualities do you have that have enabled you to keep going in the face of such difficulty and stress?

(Hepworth et al., 2023)

Areas of Assessment in a Biopsychosocial Evaluation (3 of 7) Central Questions to Assess the Presenting Problem

In finding out what the presenting problem is, there are some central questions that guide the focus of the interview to understand the presenting problem.

  • How severe is the problem?
  • What meaning does the client ascribe to the problem?
  • Where does the problem occur?
  • When does the problem occur?
  • How often does the problem occur?
  • How long has the problem existed?

We don’t ask these questions, but they guide our assessment.

(Hepworth et al., 2023)

Areas of Assessment in a Biopsychosocial Evaluation (4 of 7) Practice Assessing Presenting Problem

[Small Group Activity] Practice Assessing Presenting Problem

  1. Pick scenario
  • Academic stress: Struggling with exams, procrastination.
  • Family conflict: Arguments with parents or siblings.
  • Relationship issue: Breakup or ongoing conflict.
  • Work stress: Boss conflict, burnout, or job insecurity.
  • Health concern: Sleep problems, unexplained somatic complaints.
  • Adjustment issue: Moving to a new city or starting grad school.
  • Substance use: A friend is worried, but client is ambivalent.
  • Mood/Anxiety: Persistent sadness, panic, or irritability.
  1. Plan out potential direction for client needs
  2. Role-play scenario to draw out details of the presenting problem

[Whole Group Activity] Debrief Practice Assessing Presenting Problem

  • What strategies did you use
  • What worked and what didn’t
  • How was your use of following skills

Areas of Assessment in a Biopsychosocial Evaluation (5 of 7) Domains with Potential Needs

The following are some of what I think about as common areas we might evaluate for in a a assessment. The content that we might draw from each one is different and dependent on setting.

  • Psychiatric history (e.g., Px Dx, Family Dx/problems)
  • Medical History (e.g., injuries, operations, medical conditions, medication, ongoing medical treatment)
  • Substance abuse
  • Trauma, safety, and risk
  • Family (relationship, connections)
  • Social supports (quantity, connection, group involvement)
  • Developmental history
  • Education and employment history
  • Strengths and resources
  • Cultural and spiritual

Areas of Assessment in a Biopsychosocial Evaluation (6 of 7) How Differentiate Different Domains

I want you to consider how we differentiate our assessment based on domain.

[Small Group Activity] Discuss Domains of Assessment and How Assess Differently

  1. Potential settings
  • Healthcare Settings (e.g., Hospital Inpatient Unit, Emergency Department, Primary Care / Integrated Behavioral Health, Rehabilitation Center)
  • Mental Health Settings (e.g., Outpatient Therapy / Counseling Center, Community Mental Health Agency, Psychiatric Inpatient Unit)
  • Family & Child Welfare (e.g., Child Protective Services (CPS), Juvenile Justice)
  • School Social Work Setting
  • Community & Social Service Settings (e.g., Homeless Shelter or Housing Agency, Domestic Violence Program, Refugee/Immigrant Resettlement)
  • Gerontology & End-of-Life (e.g., Nursing Home / Long-Term Care, Hospice / Palliative Care)
  • Specialized & Other Contexts (e.g., Military/Veterans Affairs, Substance Use Treatment, Workplace EAP (Employee Assistance Program), Forensic / Court-Ordered Evaluation)
  1. Pick a few of these settings and discuss the following
  • How does the purpose of the setting shape the assessment?
  • What general information is prioritized?
  • What are some of the specific things you would be assessing for?
  • Other considerations or constraints we might consider (time, privacy, safety)?

[Whole Group Activity] Debrief Discussion

Areas of Assessment in a Biopsychosocial Evaluation (7 of 7) Impressions and Recommendations

Finally, assessments have a place for us to share our impressions and recommendations.

These might include:

  • A mental status exam and DSM-5 diagnosis
  • Summary and formulation
  • Recommendations

Using the DSM

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is a collection of diagnoses of mental disordered accompanied by the typical behaviors and symptoms you might see in a particular diagnosis.

[Discussion] How much do you know about the DSM?

[Discussion] What is the purpose of the DSM

We will use the DSM next year.

–> Click

  • Common language
  • Billing
  • Research

Problems Related to the DSM

While the DSM is prolific and used everywhere, there are some problems that are related to the DSM?

[Discussion] What are some of the problems people have with use of a medical model for diagnoses

  • Not strengths based (Graybeal, 2001)
  • Possible loss of personal freedom (recommendations of specific treatments)
  • Lifelong labeling
  • Variance of diagnoses among professionals (other citation)

Graybeal, C. (2001). Strengths-based social work assessment: Transforming the dominant paradigm. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 82(3), 233-242. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.236

Shackle, E. M. (1985). Psychiatric diagnosis as an ethical problem. Journal of Medical Ethics, 11(9), 132-134. https://doi.org/10.1136/jme.11.3.132

DSM Sections

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) is an important tool for understanding and formulating mental and emotional disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013b).

For each disorder, the manual uses a standardized format to present relevant information. The sections contain:

  • Diagnostic Criteria: The specific list of symptoms and conditions required for diagnosis, including duration and exclusion criteria.
  • Diagnostic Features: A narrative description of core features that define the disorder and help differentiate it from others.
  • Associated Features: Common but non-essential symptoms, behaviors, or conditions that often accompany the disorder.
  • Prevalence: : Information on how common the disorder is in the general population and/or specific subgroups.
  • Development and Course: Typical age of onset, how the disorder progresses over time, and lifespan considerations.
  • Risk and Prognostic Factors: Factors that increase the likelihood of developing a disorder or influence its course and outcome. Divided into:
    • Temperamental: Individual personality traits or emotional tendencies that predispose someone to a disorder
    • Environmental: External life events or conditions—like trauma, stress, or upbringing—that affect risk or progression.
    • Genetic and Physiological: Inherited or biological traits that influence vulnerability to the disorder.
    • Course Modifiers: Factors that change the severity, persistence, or expression of the disorder once it has developed.
  • Culture-Related Diagnostic Issues: How cultural context may influence the presentation, interpretation, or stigma of symptoms.
  • Sex and Gender-Related Diagnostic Issues: Differences in prevalence, presentation, or course across genders.
  • Association with Suicidal thoughts or Behaviors: Information about elevated risk and considerations for safety assessment.
  • Functional Consequences of the Disorder: The impact of the disorder on a person’s daily life, work, relationships, etc.
  • Differential Diagnosis: Other disorders or conditions that should be ruled out before making the diagnosis.
  • Comorbidity: Other disorders that commonly co-occur with the diagnosis.

Some Entries include other information such as specifiers (e.g., severity, subtype, course), recording procedures, changes from DSM-IV, and ICD-10-CM Codes

Reference

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5-TR (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Association.

Conceptualizing and Assessing Social Networks and Social Support (1 of 3) Idea and Ecomaps

  • Understanding resources and connections
  • Clients who don’t reconize their connections
  • Introduce ecomaps and what that looks like.
  • Why would use them…
  • Introduce the social support map/grid?

    • Practice example discussed in the textbook. Comes from Tracy and Whittaker (1990)
    • Never done w/ client (although have done ecomaps)

Conceptualizing and Assessing Social Networks and Social Support (2 of 3) The Social Network Map

  • Could see clients engaging positively (Note that clients respond positively to use of this instrument and many report enhanced morale after identifying and considering social supports available to them.)

Complete with peer

  • Social Support Network Map
  • Social Network Grid (see next slide)

Add various names in each area:

  • Household
  • Other family
  • Work/school
  • Clubs/organizations/church
  • Friends
  • Neighbors
  • Formal services

Conceptualizing and Assessing Social Networks and Social Support (2 of 3) Social Network Grid

Area of Life

  1. Household
  2. Other family
  3. Work/School
  4. Organizations
  5. Other friends
  6. Neighbors
  7. Professionals
  8. Other

Concrete Support

  1. Hardly ever
  2. Sometimes
  3. Almost always

Emotional Support

  1. Hardly ever
  2. Sometimes
  3. Almost always

Information/Advice

  1. Hardly ever
  2. Sometimes
  3. Almost always

Critical

  1. Hardly ever
  2. Sometimes
  3. Almost always

Direction of Help

  1. Goes both ways
  2. You to them
  3. They to you

Closeness

  1. Not very close
  2. Sort of close
  3. Very close

How Often Seen

  1. Does not see
  2. Few times /yr
  3. Monthly
  4. Weekly
  5. Daily

How Long Known

  1. Less than 1 yr
  2. 1-5 yrs
  3. More than 5 yrs”

Reference

Tracy, E. M., & Whittaker, J. K. (1990). The Social Network Map: Assessing Social Support in Clinical Practice. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 71(8), 461-470. https://doi.org/10.1177/104438949007100802