6210 Week 11 Discussion

Discussion - Week 11

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Discussion: Systems Perspective and Social Change

As a social worker, when you address the needs of an individual client, you must also take into account the systems with which the client interacts. Obtaining information about these systems helps you better assess your client's situation. These systems may provide support to the client, or they may contribute to the client's presenting problem. Consider the example of a workplace; a client may get great satisfaction and sense of purpose from a career but the interpersonal relationships at the workplace itself are toxic. This system could be contributing both positively and negatively to the client’s well-being.

For this Discussion, you examine the systems perspective and its relevance and application to practice, in light of all you have learned about human behavior and the social environment.

To Prepare:

· Review the Learning Resources on the systems perspective.

· Access the Social Work Case Studies media and navigate to Lester.

· As you explore Lester’s case, consider the systems with which Lester interacts. Think about ways you might apply a systems perspective to his case. Also consider the significance of the systems perspective for social work in general.

By Day 02/09/2022 Post an explanation of how multiple systems within the social environment interact to impact individuals across the life span. Use Lester’s case as an example. Then explain how you as a social worker might apply a systems perspective to your work with Lester. Finally, explain how you might apply a systems perspective to social work practice in general.

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Required Readings

Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.

· Review Chapter 1, "Introduction to Human Behavior and the Social Environment" (pp. 1–44)

Wickrama, K. A. S., O’Neal, C. W., & Lee, T. K. (2020). Aging together in enduring couple relationships: A life course systems perspective. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 12(2), 238–263. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12369

Required Media

Walden University, LLC. (2021). Social work case studies [Interactive media]. https://class.waldenu.edu

· Navigate to Lester.

Follow Rubric

Initial Posting: Content

14.85 (49.5%) - 16.5 (55%)

Initial posting thoroughly responds to all parts of the Discussion prompt. Posting demonstrates excellent understanding of the material presented in the Learning Resources, as well as ability to apply the material. Posting demonstrates exemplary critical thinking and reflection, as well as analysis of the weekly Learning Resources. Specific and relevant examples and evidence from at least two of the Learning Resources and other scholarly sources are used to substantiate the argument or viewpoint.

Readability of Postings

5.4 (18%) - 6 (20%)

Initial and response posts are clear and coherent. Few if any (less than 2) writing errors are made. Student writes with exemplary grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation to convey their message.

Chapter 1 Summary The following summarizes this chapter’s content as it relates to the learning objectives presented at the beginning of the chapter. Chapter content will help prepare students to do the following:

LO 1 Explain the importance of foundation knowledge for social work with an emphasis on assessment. This book provides a knowledge base in preparation for social work practice. Social workers need knowledge in order to understand the dynamics of human behavior and conduct client assessments. The social work pro-cess then involves helping clients identify and evaluate available alternatives to select the best plan of action. LO 2 Review the organization of this book that emphasizes lifespan development. This book is organized using a lifespan approach. The lifespan is divided into four phases: infancy and childhood, adolescence, young and middle adult-hood, and later adulthood. Chapters on biological, psychological, and social (bio-psycho-social) aspects of development portray common life events, normal developmental milestones, and relevant issues for each life phase. LO 3 Describe important concepts for understand-ing human behavior (that are stressed throughout the book and include human diversity, cultural competency, oppression, populations-at-risk, em-powerment, the strengths perspective, resiliency, human rights, and critical thinking about ethical issues). Human diversity is the vast range of human differ-ences among groups, including those related to “age, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, political ideology, race, reli-gion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status” (CSWE, 2015). Chapter Summary The following summarizes this chapter’s content as it relates to the learning objectives presented at the beginning of the chapter. Chapter content will help prepare students to do the following: LO 1 Explain the importance of foundation knowledge for social work with an emphasis on assessment. This book provides a knowledge base in preparation for social work practice. Social workers need knowledge in order to understand the dynamics of human behavior and conduct client assessments. The social work pro-cess then involves helping clients identify and evaluate available alternatives to select the best plan of action. LO 2 Review the organization of this book that emphasizes lifespan development. This book is organized using a lifespan approach. The lifespan is divided into four phases: infancy and childhood, adolescence, young and middle adult-hood, and later adulthood. Chapters on biological, psychological, and social (bio-psycho-social) aspects of development portray common life events, normal developmental milestones, and relevant issues for each life phase. LO 3 Describe important concepts for understand-ing human behavior (that are stressed throughout the book and include human diversity, cultural competency, oppression, populations-at-risk, em-powerment, the strengths perspective, resiliency, human rights, and critical thinking about ethical issues). Human diversity is the vast range of human differ-ences among groups, including those related to “age, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, political ideology, race, reli-gion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status” (CSWE, 2015). One major goal of social work education is to facilitate students’ attainment of the EPAS-designated nine core competencies and their 31 related behaviors so that students develop into competent practitioners. Students require knowledge in order to develop skills and become competent. Our intent here is to specify what chapter content and knowledge coincides with the development of specific competencies and behaviors.

first cites the various Educational Policy (EP) core competencies and their related behaviors (which are alphabetized beneath competencies) that are relevant to chapter content. Note that most of the listing follows the order that competencies and behaviors are cited in the EPAS. We have established (See the Special Notes section at the end of this chapter) that “helping hands” icons such as that illustrated in this paragraph are interspersed throughout the chapter indicating where relevant accompanying content is located. Page numbers noted below indicate where icons are placed in the chapter. Following the icon’s page number is a brief explanation of how the content accompanying the icon relates to the specified competency or practice behavior. EP1 Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior (pp. 2, 46) Ethical questions are posed. EP6a. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with clients and constituencies; EP7b. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of assessment data from clients and constituencies; EP8b. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in interventions with clients and constituencies (all of this chapter). Material on concepts and theories about human behavior and the social environment are presented throughout this chapter. EP1a through EP 9d: All the competencies and behaviors of 2015 EPAS (pp. 57–61). This section reprints the knowledge, skills, values, and cognitive and affective processes needed for social work practice, as stated in 2015 EPAS. WEB RESOURCES