Psychodymamic Approach in Social Casework - Essay Example

PSYCHODYMAMIC APPROACH IN SOCIAL CASEWORK Social casework has of late witnessed substantial practical success. Theoretically, when ed to intellectual evaluation and criticism, it passes the test of the crucible, as a feasible and viable social work method. But in execution, either through corruption of its acclaimed theoretical matrix or through a lapse in the implementation of the theory, there have been omissions now and then, a falling short of expectations. Social casework is primarily the restorative application of theories to specific cases of individual or collective social displacement- displacement in the life of an individual, in the running of a family or in the operation of an organisation. This definition bears a common denominator to most definitions of social casework, definitions which, given by sociologists, do not derive from any traditional social construction, but from a methodology formulated for the sole purpose of reinstating the social situations of particular groups or individuals in a statement by Periman. “Casework begins with a study phase to clarify the facts of the problem, followed by a diagnosis during which the practitioner analyzes the facts; casework finishes with treatment, during which the practitioner and client attempt to resolve the problem.” Prominent among the applications of social casework theory are those of its Anti-oppressive Practice (AOP). AOP is directed towards the sanitisation and restoration of the society to justice and human dignity, and seeks to eliminate the three recognised forms of oppression; namely, structural, cultural, and personal. Social caseworkers, therefore, take special interest in situations involving any of these three forms, and work conscientiously to address the specific injustices or traditional eccentricities in the situation in hand. Through AOP, they work towards the restoration of the oppressor party or parties to a sense of equity, seek to compensate the oppressed for oppressive damages, and, through enlightenment of both the oppressed and the oppressor about the proprieties and codes that do or should regulate human interrelationship, offer an uplift to societal human relations. This fact finds support in the following excerpt: “Anti-oppressive practice entails workers both acknowledging and challenging these three levels of oppression-structural, cultural and personal-in their daily practice. This understanding is incorporated into social work and welfare practice with clients by actively using strategies to bring about change at all three levels.”(Ronnie Egan, Jane Maidment; Allen & Unwin, 2004, p.6). Two theories are especially relevant to the social caseworker in the expert discharge of his duties: the cognitive theory and the psychoanalytic theory. Both theories concern the psychological dynamics of human behaviour, and are thus psychodynamic theories This exposition will dwell on the practical application of the social casework concept to the individual using these psychodynamic theories. An instance of its Anti-oppressive Practice (AOP) will be given. Specifically, the case of an eleven-year-old male child will be examined, who, subjected to maltreatment and abuse by his disciplinary parents, developed conspicuous psychological illness. Complementing the viable application of social casework skills to the reinstatement of the individual is another valuable social work method: systems theory. Systems theory recommends a comprehensive consideration of as many aspects or facets of a subject as is possible, and thus, relates these aspects to corresponding environmental influences which explain the current state and functioning of the subject. Thus, to study and appreciate the condition of a psychotic patient, the physical , social, psychological, aspects of the patient, among others, must receive consideration in the context of the past and current environmental influences on the psychotic patient (family, upbringing, hygiene and dietary influences for instance). The theory stipulates that nothing can be studied in isolation—“the person, the family, the community, the environment: all of these have interrelating parts and all the parts interact with one another.”(Dorothy A., 1997). Consequently, it is mandatory that in diagnosing a situation, skilled social caseworkers look beyond the objects of diagnosis and consider as many influences as possible interacting with this objects and having a direct or indirect impact on creation of the situation of current interest. The social worker can, thereby, simplify otherwise complicated circumstances confronting them, be these matters of an individual or a group. Consequently, “Systems approaches appear to have wide appeal and utility for social workers trying to make sense of the complex array of individual, group, community, and organisational circumstances confronting them. This holds true for a wide range of practice settings and user groups.” Stepney (2000) Now, the cognitive theory, also called Social Cognitive Theory (or SCT), is used as an illumination on behaviour, for a systematic appreciation of the whys of human behaviour. It reckons with such factors as have been scientifically established as determining human behaviour. Against the backdrop of his knowledge of such factors, the employer of the cognitive theory can predict the behaviour of an individual or a group, recommend steps towards improvement in behaviour, and help for the upliftment of body and personality. The purpose of SCT is to help the applicator “to understand and predict individual and group behaviour; to identify methods in which behaviour can be modified or changed; [for] interventions used at personality development, behaviour pathology, and health promotion.” ( Danice Stone, 1998). According to SCT, behaviour derives from the triad of personality, environment, and consequences of previous behaviour. The personality determines the pace and nature of cognitive processes, the environment -i.e. the surrounding animate and inanimate influences- provides the stimulus for action, cognition and behaviour, while the consequences of previous behaviour, cautioning or encouraging, defines or broadens the scope of responses to environmental stimuli. Danice Stone again provides support for this fact when she said: “…the SCT … contends that behaviour is largely regulated antecedently through cognitive processes. Therefore, response consequences of behaviour are used to form expectations of behavioural outcomes. It is the ability to form these expectations that give humans the capability to predict the outcomes of their behaviour, before the behaviour is performed. “The SCT s strong emphasis on ones cognitions suggests that the mind is an active force that constructs ones reality… and imposes structure on its own actions.” The cognitive theory is thus a psychological reference for understanding behaviour. The psychoanalytic theory, on the other hand, is generally supposed to be a theory relating behaviour to only physical instincts and fleshly desires. However, there are schools of thought that make more of the postulations of the psychoanalytic theory and seek to apply them more comprehensively towards a practical and beneficial diagnosis of human behaviour. The postulation of this theory is that the human personality is composed of three parts: the id, the ego and the super-ego. The id is presented as the benighted, pleasure and comfort -seeking component whose urges consist solely in the gratification of fleshly desires . “The id is considered as mostly biological or physical in function -- unfettered, compelling and lacking morality, selfish and intolerant of tension. It functions on the principle of pleasure before anything else." (The Psychoanalytic Theory). The “ego”, on the other hand, is rational, and subjects the urges of the “id” to intellectual consideration, weighing their practicality, viability, tolerability or intolerability. It modifies the impulses of the id with a filter of reason, and comes up with a rationalised version of the amoral “id” urges. “The ego is the rationally functioning element of human personality. It exerts conscious control, trying always to be the mediator between the id and the superego. Though the id seeks pleasure blindly, based on the pleasure principle, the ego seeks pleasure using rationality instead of irrationality. Its main quirk is rationality, and is always conscious.” (Ibid). The third part, the superego, is the morally discriminating component of the human personality, the part which, according to a set of imbibed moral principles assesses, the propriety of the urges sifted off the sensual medley of rational and irrational desires of the id, and decides whether or not to permit their execution. “The superego represents our moral system. It strives to put a right or wrong tag on our behavior, often triggering conflict among the three divisions. Its main quirk is morality. The ego is that aspect we present to the "outside".” (Ibid). Most psychoanalysts, however, consider humanity as dominantly “idic”, unreasoning, carnal and mechanical, thus without a substantial moral self. “Psychoanalysts treat humanity as a dismal breed -- irrational, materialistic and mechanistic.” (Ibid). Consequently, they tend to explain their actions and behaviour in terms of irrational sensual motivations. But the small school of thought, by whose principles competent social workers abide, does find beneficial practical application for the three components of the psychoanalytic human personality. Thus in trying to case-study groups or individuals, social workers reckon with such realistic factors as the rationality of the human intellect, the human conscience, moral and cultural backgrounds as well as those of the upbringing. Considerations in diagnosing human behaviour fully embrace the psychoanalytic triad and practicalise it with respect to the case in question. (A) SOCIAL CASEWORK IN A POLICY/AGENCY CONTEXT One policy that has of late impacted significantly on the implementation of casework services is the Care Management policy. The Care Management policy has enhanced the performance of social caseworkers, as it recommends partnership and inter-professional practices. Thereby, it affords social workers the opportunity for a broader, more inclusive application of skills for the benefit of the society. For instance, the collaboration of social workers with physicians, psychiatrists and psychologist proved immensely beneficial to the World-War service men and their families in need for social re-adjustment. “World War I provided unique opportunities for social caseworkers to prove the utility of their skills on non-poverty populations. Social works prestige was raised through work in war-related activities such as the Red Crosss Home Service. Caseworkers with the home service, led by Mary Richmond, applied their skills to problems faced by service men and their families. Physicians, psychiatrists and psychologists working with emotionally disturbed soldiers saw the social worker as a natural ally. They began using caseworkers as specialists in social adjustment.” (Social Work History) The Care Management Policy has given social casework standards and regulations for the application of its theories, so that an ideal social casework must necessarily conform to the stipulations of partnership and inter-professional practices. The quality of social caseworkers and social casework can thus be estimated by the extent of conformity to Care Management policies. (C) (I)THE MECHANICS OF SOCIAL CASEWORK The first step in offering casework services is the clarification and ascertainment of the facts of the problem. Following is a diagnosis of the problem-ideally with the principles of such theories as cognitive and psychoanalytic theories (It is noteworthy here that, given the influence and stipulation of the case management policy, the implementation of these principles do not always fall to the lot of the social caseworker. Collaboration with a psychoanalyst or psychologist, for instance, might be called for.). The final step is the treatment phase “during which the practitioner and client attempt to resolve the problem.” (Perlman, 1957). The clarification and ascertainment step involves interviewing the sevice-user or prospective beneficiary. The interviewing is, however, not a work-a-day process but demands learned skills and knowledge of the theoretical models of human behaviour .Questions are not asked arbitrarily from whomever - perhaps out of random curiosity -but are directed at those to whom the application of the theories stipulate. Thus what to ask , whom to ask, how to ask, and when to ask, are all guided by the theoretical models. Consequently, ideal social caseworkers head self-assuredly for a definite end with their sets of questions, questions which the unskilled onlooker might consider irrelevant, out of place, and misdirected. "Practitioners and students alike often are puzzled by what questions to ask during interviews: Should I encourage the client to talk? Should I interrupt with a question? Is some information more relevant than other information? What do I need to know about the client to properly understand the problem or situation? The social worker may answer such questions more easily if he or she comes to the interview with sufficient guidelines for helping strategies. No matter what the practice paradigm... "A theoretical model of human behaviour is a point of departure in social work practice. Having a working knowledge of a theorys assumptions provides guidelines about how to carry out the social work role. Whom to include in an interview, how to conduct it, and what activities and resources the social worker may use successfully are among the issues that may be answered by the practitioners chosen theoretical orientation. "(Human Behaviour Theory and Social Work Practice Book by Roberta R. Greene; Aldine De Gruyter, 1999, p.22). (D) SYSTEMS THEORY IN A POLICY/AGENCY CONTEXT Systems theory finds particular application in child and adult care policy. For the administration of child or adult care, conditions of “eligibility, needs testing, recipient contribution…” ( John Dixon, Robert P.Scheurell, 1995) need to be fulfilled as stipulated by general adult and childcare policy. To satisfy these conditions, a prospective beneficiary needs the recommendation of a recognised social worker, the proper fulfilment of whose duty consists in the application of systems theory for the evaluation of the condition of the child or adult in question. A child abused by his/her parents, to merit the state welfare services, should be subjected to such examination as will reveal not only the circumstances of abuse but also the mental and physical health, the psychology, the social and educational background of the child, so that the proper institution may be assigned for his/her rehabilitation such as was needed by Daniel. The same applies to a bed-ridden ninety-year-old diabetic with considerable mental co-ordination. (E) I. COMPARISON AND CONTRAST OF SOCIAL CASEWORK WITH SYSTEM THEORY (a) Comparison i. Both methods are directed towards the rehabilitation of the service user. ii. Social casework and system theory are both investigative and diagnostic, and both afford the social caseworker profound investigation of the case in question. (b) Contrast i. Social casework can be unilateral in approach, inconsistent with the holistic principles of system theory. II.PROS AND CONS OF SOCIAL CASEWORK VIS-À-VIS SYSTEMS THEORY (a) Pros (i) Systems theory gives the social caseworker greater assurance and a sense of justice in his/her pronouncements and recommendations on and about the service user( Mrs Ngozi neither hesitated nor balked in offering recommendations on behalf of Daniel.) (b) Cons (i) The apparent urgency of a situation can discourage the application of system theory’s elaborate and comprehensive principle of holism ( A chronic diabetic’s pitiable condition can easily compel the social worker to precipitate actions and recommendations, without the consideration of the environmental factors stipulated by system theory.) THE CASE STUDY OF THE ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Eleven-year-old Daniel Kelly’s formative and early childhood years were periods of parental mollycoddling and indulgence. The only child of his parents for six years, he enjoyed their entire attention and solicitude, got the best of dishes, of recreation and schooling. During those years, his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Kelly, were easy-going liberals, without moral strictures or straightjackets-free-thinkers or pagans for all practical purposes, with no real religious affiliations. Daniel’s seventh year, however, saw not only the arrival of his sister, Esther, but a new life -orientation for his parents who became churchly and near-fanatical Christian converts. Strict adherence to churchly tenets of self-denial and offspring discipline became their watchwords. Above these, they experienced a turn-around in fortune which flung them from their well-to-do status to near-indigence. In the course of the years, not only did the bulk of their attention and love shift to little Esther, Daniel’s personal inferiority and weakness of character came to the fore. Therefore, no more indulgences, but only strict demands for obedience to orders and for compliance with instructions, frequently accompanied with unsympathetic whips and lashes. All overnight. Consequent to this sudden harassment from both parents, Daniel’s uncharacteristic harrowed and shadowy looks drew the attention of school teachers and friends. A social caseworker, Mrs. A.A. Ngozi, was invited to intervene. She summoned Daniel to her office, a male and female psychologist on her left and right respectively. The three attend to him with interrogations as follows: Mrs Ngozi: Now, tell me, Daniel, what is the trouble you are always in at home? Daniel (First in tears, he is soothed and re-assured by the female psychologist): Mummy and Daddy have hated me since Esther was born! They have hated me, I have been suffering! All parental care and love have gone to Esther! They are always scolding and flogging me and beating me! Female Psychologist (Gazing into his eyes): Do you do anything to offend daddy or mummy, or both daddy and mummy? Daniel has over the last few years developed this mental complex of association which makes his tremble, stutter and stammer whenever he is interrogated in a way evocative of his parents’ sinister manners. The gaze of the psychologist and her tone remind him of his mother, and he sinks into these nervous mannerisms (trembling, stuttering and stammering). The male psychologist can, from personal and professional hindsight, envisage not only the depths of Daniel’s agony but, conversing with Mrs Ngozi over the relevance of SCT to Daniel’s circumstance, also the possible environmental influences, responses from his parents to his now unwelcome behaviour ( which have made him liable to this display of psychological complex), as well as his personality whose id -drawing from the principles of psychoanalytic theory, again on Mrs Ngozi’s recommendation-has been subjected to a drastic denial of habitual indulgences and to such relative brutality to which his superego is yet to come to terms. The male psychologist recommends an interview with Daniel’s parents next day. The interview confirms Mrs Ngozi’s and his suspicion, and the three came up with the following remedies: 1. Daniel will be separated from his parents for a period of six months, and placed under Childcare Social Welfare services in a welfare home. 2. Daniel’s whims will for a few months be indulged as before. 3. Then he will gradually be led out of the mollycoddling and pampering into an appreciation of reality. 4. The parents will be counselled to moderate their over-disciplinarian approaches to child upbringing. 5. The parents will be monitored over their upbringing of Esther. (Remedies 1 and 4 are clear instances of social casework AOP applications: the oppressive child abuse of Dr and Mrs. Kelly receive considerable restorative and reformative accentuation.). From the above case study, the following two dilemmas, which are characteristic of social casework, emerged: 1. The dilemma of compensating Daniel at the expense of Dr. and Mrs. Kellys parental pride and self-estimation as parents capable of bringing up children aright : it is not uncommon to find social caseworkers struggling to find the golden mean in their attempt to implement their decisions. 2. The dilemma of re-orientating Dr.and Mrs. Kelly regarding their fanatical disciplinary approaches( Yes, there is definite need for re-orientation, but from where does one begin with couples who are fossilised Christian fanatics, or who see absolutely no need to change their attitudes and views ?): Social workers often face such problems of re-orienting, dilemmas of how to wean people off their adverse practices. (C) CRITIQUE OF THIS METHOD RESEARCH EVIDENCE Succour and hope obviously came to Daniel through the intervention of Mrs. Ngozi. To the parents, however, it means either denial to implement their religious disciplinarism (a denial whose why and wherefore they might not be able to appreciate), or a shamefacing chastisement for their supposedly inferior parenting. While Daniel’s relief and restoration is justifiable and wholesome on grounds of social justice and human dignity, his separation from his parents needs elucidation: they need an organised, personalised enlightenment process for a better, unacrimonious appreciation of Daniel’s separation from them. Thus the effectiveness of the application of principles in this case is more unilateral than all-inclusive. (D) STRENGTHS OF SOCIAL CASEWORK IN ITS GENERAL PRACTICES From the mechanics of social casework and the case study above, it is obvious that social casework service is religiously involved in the social welfare of the individual as well as of a group. The health social welfare benefits received by an indigent eighty-five-year-old senile woman suffering from arthritis, is a typical example of this concern in the welfare of the citizenry, an instance of the efforts social caseworkers make to ensure that such members of the society as are in genuine need of and have the right to available social welfare benefits, get access to them - according to their specific needs established and determined by the study and investigation by social caseworkers of their very circumstances. Thus, underprivileged children get access to available education social welfare packages , the mentally challenged need not roam the streets dehumanised, where psychiatric hospitals services are incorporated in accessible social welfare packages, and, as in the case of Daniel, child battering and abuse need not continue unchecked. (D) STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF SOCIAL CASEWORK IN ITS ANTIOPPRESSIVE PRACTICES (I)STRENGHTS From the above, the following can be defensibly inferred as strengths of social casework anti-oppressive practices: 1. Social casework’s AOP allows the oppressed the expression of their hidden wishes towards their justice and restoration. 2. It gives them the opportunity to challenge oppressive and unfairly discriminating social stereotypes. 3. Since social casework is biopsychosocial (caring for the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of individuals or groups), its AOP works against the social discrimination against the physically or mentally handicapped. (II) LIMITATIONS One fundamental drawback of social casework practices is the unilateral application of its anti-oppressive principles (AOP). It seems to compromise its principle of restoring the individual or group to social respectability and welfare. The proper application of AOP in the employment of social casework would oblige not only a psychoanalytic diagnosis of Dr. and Mrs. Kelly - since the oppression derives from their new mentality - but also a move to moderate dogmatic churchism in its evidently adverse dimensions. (E) STRENGHTS AND LIMITATIONS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICES IN ITS ANTI- RACIST PRACTICES From the theoretical bases of Social casework practices, the following can de deduced: (I)STRENGHTS 1. Social casework definitely establishes the inexorable interdependability of the races. Daniel could well have been a Caucasian, and Mrs. Ngozi a black African. 2. It seeks justice for the minority who are oppressed on grounds of racism, because the social casework principles are relevant to every situation of social injustice, and seek to restore the minority to dignity and respectability. (II)LIMITATIONS 1. Social workers at times adjust to cultural and societal structures, thus working within the limits of the practices of racism. Instances have been witnessed of the egotistic reluctance of a set of whites to be posted to serve in a community of black Africans. (F) CONCLUSION Social casework in unison with social group work services have proven beneficial not just for the individual but also for the collectivity. However, its laid-down principles bear closer practicalisation; they need to be articulated and interpreted to fit into every matter of social deprivation, inequity and injustice. REFERENCES Adams, R., Dominelli, L and Payne, M (eds) (2002) Critical Practice in Social Work, Palgrave Dorothy A. Whyte (1997) Explorations in Family Nursing, Routledge Dorren Elliot, Nazneen S. Mayadas, Thomas D. Watts (1997) International Handbook on Social Work Theory and Practice. Greenwood Press. P.17 Roberta R. Greene, Aldine de Gruyter (1997) Human Behaviour Theory and Social Work Practice. Greenwood Press. PP15-17 Social Cognitive theory overview. Social Cognitive Theory Stepney, P and Ford D (2000,) Social Work Models, Methods and Theories: a framework for practice, Russell House Publishing John Dixon, Robert P.Scheurell(1995)Social Welfare with Indigenous Peoples. P32. The Psychoanalytic Theory. The Psychoanalytic Theory.< http://www.the-shrink.info/Theory_Psychoanalytic.htm. 4th Dec.2005.> Read More