Assessment and Relationships Issues - Essay Example

? Assessment and Relationship Assessment and Relationship Model of Assessment Mattaini and Kirk (1991) defined assessment as the process of extracting information, which is relevant to a case, from a client (as cited in Dean & Poorvu, 2008, p. 596). It is important to point out that, the client should provide this information to a social worker to enable the social worker develop their case based on the information provided by the client. In this case, a social worker should allow the client to make a decision on the information that they provide in order to develop their case. Biestek (1957) called this principle of self-determination, which underscores the importance of each person to make his or her own decision (as cited in Furlong, 2003, p. 178). In effect, this principle forms the cornerstone of a social worker’s role while carrying out an assessment or formulating a case. Based on Ruthie’s case study, the appropriate model of assessment to use would be the systemic approach. Dean and Poorvu (2008) noted, “A systemic perspective focuses specifically on the systems in a client’s life such as the family, workplace, church, or community” (p. 600). In the case of Ruthie, it is important to focus on her family since the systems in a family can affect the functioning of an individual. In addition, her background indicates that her upbringing and her life as an adult have influenced her ways of life. Therefore, the systematic model is the appropriate assessment model to use in Ruthie’s case. Lowe (2004) noted that the systemic model is crucial in understanding the interactive processes (as cited in Dean & Poorvu, 2008, p. 600). In line with this, a systemic model that focuses on family systems is useful for understanding Ruthie’s case it will enhance the capacity of the social worker to learn about the family systems that led to Ruthie’s behavior by assessing her family. In this regard, the assessment will not only assess Ruthie’s current family life, but it will also investigate her family life over a multiple of generations. Therefore, the assessment will assess her upbringing by focusing on Ruthie’s parents. In addition, the focus on assessment will also shift to another generation of Ruthie’s life, which focuses on her children and marriage. Bisman and Hardcastle (1999) identified the importance of pursuing a theory in order to explain confusions experienced in life (as cited in Bisman, 1999, p. 241). In this case, it is crucial to draw a pattern of Ruthie’s life in order to assess her behavior and provide solutions to her behavior. Bisman (1999) noted the ability of different social workers to assess the same client using various theories and models. In this regard, Ruthie’s case requires the systemic model of assessment since understanding her family’s development and her transitional life cycles will provide an understanding to her behavior. In addition, this model is the most appropriate since a multigenerational genogram will be important in Ruthie’s assessment. In support of a systemic model, Dean and Poorvu (2008) noted that the model focuses on observable and external patterns “as well as articulated stories” (p. 600). In this case, Ruthie’s family patterns and story provides a basis for the use of this model during her assessment. Furthermore, Dean and Poorvu (2008) indicated that the model focuses on a client’s story during the assessment. For Ruthie’s case, her story is crucial in designing a genogram that will help a social worker carry out the assessment. Besides, it is evident that Ruthie’s case is problem-saturated. For this reason, Dean and Poorvu (2008) indicated that a problem-saturated case, like the one for Ruthie, requires assessment by the systemic model since the model helps “the client replace it with stories of strength and resilience” (p. 600). In effect, strength and resilience are two properties that Ruthie requires in order to move her life forward and become more productive at work. Consequently, these two characteristics will also enhance her ability to retain her job since her employer had threatened to sack her if she failed to attend therapy sessions. Knowledge Essential for Developing the Case First, it is crucial to point out “the environment in which clients lived played a part in their difficulties” (Applegate, 2000, p. 144). While this might be common knowledge, developing a case requires this vital knowledge so that the assessment can include all aspects and not just consider the psychological factors in a case. On the other hand, it was important to develop a therapeutic bond with Ruthie in order to ensure that the outcome of the assessment was effective. In line with this, Angus and Kagan (2009) observed that therapeutic empathy contributed to a secure bond that contributes to productive outcomes in therapy. Hence, this knowledge was pertinent since it enabled me create a therapeutic bond with Ruthie that facilitated effective outcomes during therapy. It is important for a social worker to ensure that there was a boundary between them and the client. In effect, this helps the relationship between the two parties to be strictly professional. Barker (1999) identified boundaries as “regions separating two psychological or social system” (as cited in Strom-Gowried, 1999, p. 439). It is important to state that the two systems are the client and the social worker. In addition, it is crucial to indicate that the boundary between these two systems should not be cold or hierarchical, but should promote and preserve a cordial relationship between the client and the social worker. In supporting the creation of boundaries, Fine and Terem (2009) noted the importance of using a Code of Ethics as “the core of professional identity and ethical decision-making in social work practice” (p. 60). Richmond (1917) identified the importance of applying “rules of evidence for arriving at truth, each according to its own special conditions” (as cited in McLaughlin, Rothery, Babins-Wagner, & Barbara Schleifer, 2009, p. 155). In line with this, this knowledge is crucial during the assessment since a social worker attempts to extract information that was factual in order to obtain an effective outcome. In line with this, “Assessment also incorporates the tasks of deciding the data to seek and how to organize it” in order to inform my case assessment (Bisman, 1999, p. 240). Like in any other professional, a social worker may develop professional or personal assumptions while assessing a case. For example, I realized the professional assumption of analyzing the case and forming an opinion about Ruthie’s situation only after the first session. Blundo (2001) noted that most social workers tend to draw conclusions based on a “few pieces of information” (p. 296). In effect, these social workers did not take a holistic perspective on issues and prematurely concluded their assessment. Another assumption that I made while assessing Ruthie’s case was that Ruthie suffered due to her gender. This assumption was a personal assumption, which was based on my gender as a woman who was assessing another woman. However, this assumption is not appropriate since I would make my solutions on the case based on my personal experiences and beliefs, which has its own assets and liabilities (Deans & Rhodes, 1998, p. 255). On the other hand, the knowledge about taking a feministic approach to therapy informed my assessment. Brown (2006) identified the convergence of a feministic approach “with person-centered therapies, around the importance of meeting clients where they are and valuing the client’s voice in the therapeutic discourse” (p. 17). Resources for Idea and Opinion Justification Research knowledge is the main resource that I will use to justify my opinion and ideas in this case. In line with this, I recognize the important role played by assessment in developing the research knowledge that will aid in developing solutions. Therefore, I recognize that assessment does include one aspect of meeting the family in a one-time event and then relying on the information extracted to develop my opinion and ideas. Rather, it is important for me to assess this unique family before, during, and after meeting them so that I can develop enough knowledge about the family in order to form my conclusions. Ricks and Charlesworth (2003) identified the importance of assessment by indicating that it helped a social worker gather, analyze, and formulate knowledge about their clients (as cited in Valois, n.d., p. 66). Therefore, relying on knowledge, as a resource, will help me make conclusions regarding Ruthie and the intervention that will deliver the best outcomes for her unique family. Resources knowledge will not be the only resource used to assess this case. In this case, another important resource that will help in the formation of opinions and views towards Ruthie and her family is the use of a multigenerational genogram. In this regard, the genogram will display Ruthie’s history with her family while pointing out the characteristics of every member of this unique family. In effect, the genogram will help me identify the cause of Ruthie’s behavior. In addition, the genogram will also be crucial in leading me to identify the intervention strategy that I will use on Ruthie and her unique family. Moreover, since the genogram is multigenerational, I will be able to develop the life cycle that contributed to Ruthie’s current behavior. The figure below is the multigenerational genogram that I will use. Ruthie’s Father Ruthie’s 80year old Mother Figure 1. The genogram shown above illustrates the multi-generation family background in Ruthie’s case Intervention Strategies to the Unique Family The best intervention strategy for this family will include the use of family and parent coaching. In this regard, this application will help each family member set its goals in areas that will mutually benefit the family as a unit. In addition, this intervention will help enhance collaboration among these members of this remarkable family. In this regard, collaboration will help the members achieve their individual goals and the family’s common objective aimed at ensuring that they created harmony while living together. Valois (n.d.) defined collaboration as “a purposeful relationship in which all parties philosophically and strategically choose to work together in order to accomplish a shared outcome” (p. 66). In this regard, an initiative that focused on family and parent coaching will help the family become a single unit and work together in achieving the common objective. For Ruthie, the parent coaching intervention strategy will enable her become a better mother and provide the much needed parental guidance to her family. In addition, the intervention strategy will enable her to cope with the pressures of being in a functional family unit for the first time in as many years of her life. in this regard, it is evident that despite the circumstances that lead to the formation of this family unit, each member of the family is seeking to achieve their own objectives in life despite their willingness to attain the main objective of living together as a family. In effect, it is important for Ruthie to take the leadership role in the family in order for each member to attain their objectives. Hence, the parent and family coaching intervention will help her learn the roles that she will play in providing the necessary leadership to the family. Role of Content, Reflection, and Discourse in the Case’s Current Perspective The coursework's content has been crucial in influencing my perspective in this case scenario. Over my coursework, I have come to learn about the different ways that an individual should carry out a case assessment. In addition, I have discovered that each case is different from the other, and this effectively implies that a social caseworker should develop a case depending on the assessment model as dictated by the dynamics in the case. On the other hand, let me point out that the content of the case study has also been influential in developing the perspective and intervention in the case. In fact, developing the content for the case has been influenced by the content in my coursework. In this regard, it is crucial to have a background to an issue in order for a social caseworker to decide the assessment procedure to follow while assessing a case. In addition, the social caseworker should develop an effective intervention strategy that will enable the family achieve the expected outcomes. However, an effective intervention strategy and assessment procedure cannot be developed without a proper analysis of the case. On the other hand, a proper analysis of the case requires enormous information related to the case under analysis. In addition, the content of the case provides information that generates data for a long time, as evidenced by the creation of the multigenerational genogram. In this case, the content establishes a foundation for developing the assessment perspective and the consequent intervention strategy to use while developing the case study. The personal reflections, throughout the course, have also played an impact on the current perspective on this case. In this regard, my reflections of the approaches to conduct therapy during my coursework and I realized that no one owns therapy. In this case, this helped in developing my perspective for the case since I did not expect a scenario whereby Ruthie and Deidre will leave together as a family. In fact, the original situation, whereby Ruthie lived alone, did not conclude as should have been expected. Along the way, various factors came into play, and it was incumbent upon me, as the social caseworker, to develop strategies that conformed to the case dynamics as they changed. On the other hand, personal reflections throughout the course helped me learn the approach to developing a close relationship with a case on a professional manner. Through understanding each member of the family in the case, I was able to develop a perspective on the case that guided the formation of my opinion and views regarding each member. Finally, the various discourses through class discussions and discussions via the forums provided by blogs have helped me shape the perspective on this case scenario. Through these different forums, I have come to learn about the various approaches that a social caseworker should take while identifying the model to use in assessing the case or developing interventions to a case scenario. In addition, the discourses have also been instrumental in providing the requisite knowledge for conducting therapy. As such, these discourses have guided my approach to this current case scenario. References Angus, L. E. & Kagan, F. (2009). Therapist empathy and client anxiety reduction in motivational interviewing: “She carries with me, the experience.” Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, 65(11), 1156-1167. Applegate, J. S. (2000). Theory as story: A postmodern tale. Clinical Social Work Journal, 28(2), 141-155. Bisman, C. D. (1999). Social work assessment: Case theory construction. Families in Society, 80(3), 240-246. Blundo, R. (2001). Learning strengths-based practice: Challenging our personal and professional frames. Families in Society, 82(3), 296-304. Brown, L. S. (2006). Still subversive after all these years: The relevance of feminist therapy in the age of evidence-based practice. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 30, 15-24. Dean, R. G. & Rhodes, M. L. (1998). Social constructionism and ethics: What makes a better story? Families in Society, 79(3), 254-262. Dean, R. G. & Poorvu, N. L. (2008). Assessment and formulation: A contemporary social work perspective. Families in Society, 89(4), 596-604. Fine, M. & Teram, E. (2009). Believers and skeptics: Where social workers situate themselves regarding the code of ethics. Ethics & Behavior, 19(1), 60-78. Furlong, M. A. (2003). Self-determination and a critical perspective in casework. Qualitative Social Work, 2(2), 177-183. McLaughlin, A. M., Rothery, M., Babins-Wagner, R., & Schleifer, B. (2010). Decision-making and evidence in direct practice. Clinical Social Work Journal, 38, 155-163. Strom-Gottfried, K. (1999). Professional boundaries: An analysis of violations by social workers. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 80(5), 439–449. Valois, T. (n.d.). Working with families: A child and youth care case example. Relational Child and Youth Care Practice, 22(2), 64-69. Read More