Advantage/Disadvantages

Ashley Taylor

AdvanceClinicalSocialWorkGroupProject1.pdf

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Running head: ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE 1

Absent Parental Figure

Theresa Johnson, a 35-yr-old African American and Frank Powe, a 35-yr-old Caucasian

male have four daughters. All have taken the birth name of Theresa Johnson; Natalie, who is 17-

yrs old, Ashley is 16, Jasmine is 14, and Nicole is 13. All four daughters are athletic and hold

honors in their studies. Natalie is taking college prep classes is preparing for college. She also

loves basketball and hopes to play on her college team. Natalie enjoys cheerleading and excels

at basketball. Her other sisters, Nicole, Ashley, and are also involved in other sports such as

track, cheerleading, and volleyball. All four sisters are on the honor roll and are involved in

other organizations such as the NAACP and science club.

Recently, there has been conflict and Theresa are now left to raise the four children alone.

Frank has been until Frank was arrested for using and trafficking illegal drugs. Theresa works

long hours as a supervisor for a local fast-food restaurant and has been struggling to make ends

meet. Theresa does not have a high school and did not obtain her GED due to struggling to raise

her children. The family is currently residing with Natalie’s mom, Joanne who is 53 years old

and is physically disabled. They all share a 4-bedroom government assistant home.

Natalie has been dating a guy named Alex for the past two months. Alex is an 18-year-

old Caucasian male. Alex is one of the star football players at their high school and he has been

offered several scholarships for college. In his spare time, Alex works 15-20 hours as a part-time

associate at a local game store. Alex occasionally uses both marijuana an alcohol. Natalie is

aware of his usage with both, but states that she believes that Alex only uses marijuana and

alcohol as a way to balance work, playing sports, and working part-time. Natalie and Alex

became sexually active the night that they met at a mutual friend’s party and they have been

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE 2

sexually active ever since. Natalie is currently on birth control pills and her and Alex uses

withdrawal as a method of birth control as well.

Natalie’s mother, Theresa and her father, Frank met at the age of the very young age of

13-years-old when Theresa and her family moved to Frank’s neighborhood. The two continued

to date throughout junior high up until they had their last child Nicole. Frank has had a criminal

history from a young age and has used and sold drugs since the age of 15. Theresa and Frank

broke up once they had their last child. Frank has never been involved or helped with the

children, although he and Theresa were still dating. Frank eventually disappeared and Theresa

nor the girls never knew where he was until he was recently arrested.

Recently, Natalie took a pregnancy test and learned that she was approximately 5-weeks

pregnant. Natalie assumed that she may have been pregnant after she her cycle had been a few

weeks late. Natalie knew that there may be a chance that she may be pregnant due she mad

missed a few days of taking her birth control pills accidentally, but thought that Alex had been

extra careful when they were engaging in sexual activities.

During our first meeting Natalie mentioned that she had recently taken a pregnancy test

and learned that she was pregnant. At this time the only persons who knew she was pregnant,

was her boyfriend Alex and her younger sister, Jasmine who is like her best friend. Natalie

mentioned that she was fearful of telling her mother and her grandmother due to feeling that they

would be disappointed and also due to her mother struggling to care for her and younger sisters.

Due Natalie is super nervous about telling her mother and grandmother that she was pregnant,

we discussed some ways that she should inform them and also went over the reactions and

feedback that she would possibly receive. Natalie agreed that when she went home that night

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE 3

that she would let her family know that she pregnant due to her not being able to hold her secret

in any longer.

The next day Natalie came into my office and her face was drowning in tears. She had

expressed that she had told her mother and grandmother that she was pregnant and her mother

was furious and angry. Natalie mentioned that her mother had called her all kinds of horrible

names and informed her that she would not be raising another child. Theresa informed Natalie

tthat she would be getting an abortion and her grandmother agreed. Natalie stated that her

mother had taken her to the doctor earlier this morning and the doctor confirmed that she was

actually 6-weeks pregnant. Theresa demanded that if Natalie did not get abortion that she would

have to move out of her home. Natalie was extremely upset that her mother was making

decisions for her and she believed that out of anyone her mother should understand that even

though she was young she could still be a great mother.

Natalie’s mother believed that Natalie and Alex were not serious enough to be preparing

to have a baby and believed that a child would ruin their lives. I offered to meet with Natalie and

her mother so that we could all discuss the situation and what the next steps would be. Theresa

agreed to meet with myself and Natalie. When I met with Natalie an her mother Theresa,

Theresa was very emotional and stressed the fact that she was tired and burned out trying to care

for her children and that she was extremely upset that Natalie would put herself and her family

into this situation. Theresa stood by her belief that abortion was the best option for Natalie

because Natalie knows how hard it is to be a single mother and how is extremely hard it is to

grow up without a father figure.

Two days later, Natalie returned to my office and informed me that after our session with

her mother that they went home and was able to have a conversation without any cursing or

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE 4

name calling is involved. Natalie stated that she had also discussed her pregnancy with her

sisters and friends and many believed that she was not ready for a baby and that her mother may

be right. Natalie expressed that she didn’t know what she was going to do at this point. Natalie

mentioned that she did not want to raise a child alone. She feard that she would be struggling to

raise her child like her mother struggles to take care of her and her sisters. She went on to

express how her dad not being present in her life seriously affected her mental health. She

wishes that he was there to see her play sports and see that she’s a good kid. She was still in

belief and distraught that Alex had broken up with her and wanted nothing to do with her or the

baby.

At the end of our session Natalie ask me what were my thoughts regarding what she

should do. I expressed to Natalie that this should be a decision that she makes and not be

influenced by what other people’s opinions. It was best for Natalie to know all of her options so

we went over them together. By the end of our session Natalie stated that she had in mind what

she wanted to do. She stated that she was going to go home and speak with her family and that

she would also inform Alex of her decision although he does not want to be involved.

Identifying Problems

The ultimate goal for a social worker when it comes to working with families is to be

able help them improve their relationships and to be abel to help them cope with difficult

situations similar like the Johnson’s family. Working with the family can present potential

problems especially when families are not on the same page when it comes to making decisions

that will impact them as a whole. Although there may be problems presented, it is always

important and helpful to involve any family member who is connected with or influences a

client’s reason for seeking help (Holosko,). Communication may be a the number one presenting

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE 5

problem when working with this family. The mother, Theresa is set on and determined to make

decisions without involving her daughter who it potentially affects the most.

Introduction

The paper discusses the role of the absent parental figure in the growth and development

of children in society. The case of Johnson Family is interesting considering it focuses on the

topic of discussion. The issue of negligence is a problem, but it may be brought about by the

issues of incarceration and death. The paper looks at the statistics of the absent parental figure

and its relationship to the Johnson family case.

Scope and current Absent Parental Figure in the Society

The issue of absent parental figure in the United States is created by the dramatic increase

in incarceration in the last three decades. The level of incarceration in the country is the reason

for the children and families in different states being affected by the trends. With the increasing

incarceration rates among parents, more families and children tend to suffer parental neglect due

to the absence of their parents. The number of children with fathers in prison and jails in the last

decade has increased from approximately 350,000 to 2.1 million (Sherwood & Kendall, 2013).

This is a representation of 3% of children in the United States with fathers in prisons and jails

since 2000. The Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that close to 57% of those who were

imprisoned in 2007 had minor children (Erola, Jalonen, & Lehti, 2016).

Currently, an estimated 1.7 million children below the 18-years age bracket have a parent

in either federal or state prison (Unicef, 2018). Another significant issue revolves around the

aspect of racial and ethnic disparities among prison populations. They represent the disparate

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE 6

rates associated with parental incarceration. African and Hispanic Americans are seen to

experience more incarceration compared to other racial groups. The situation has increased

poverty among the groups’ families compared to the Caucasians.

Apart from incarceration, another issue revolves around the death of the parents. When a

family loses one of the parents, who is considered to be the breadwinner, it becomes difficult for

the family to fend for their needs. Children may not be able to attend school because of their

failure to meet their school fees (Amato & Christopher, 2014). However, when it comes to

absent parental figure, death is not talked about compared to incarceration. Foster homes care for

most of the children with a background of their parents experiencing incarceration compared to

death. This is a serious issue that needs to be tackled to enhance the positive development of

children in society.

Relating to the Johnson Family Case

With the statistics provided and the information relating to the issues facing children, the

case of Johnson Family may represent the above-stated issue. In the above case, Frank Powe has

been arrested for drug use and trafficking, which is a huge offense in the United States. The

situation leaves the thirty-five-year-old Theresa Johnson with the heavy burden of raising their

four daughters. She is caught with the dilemma of assisting her mother Joanne Johnson and

caring for the needs of her children. This is a problem for the children growing up because they

sense the absence of their father, who should be present to guide and care for their needs. Despite

the children showing significant improvements in their academic backgrounds and better

performance in their curricular activities, it seems that they may not be able to remain motivated

for a long period. There is a high likelihood of children ending in foster care compared to living

with their struggling mother.

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE 7

The absent parental figure is a problem for many families in the United States and

different parts of the world, mostly due to incarceration and the death of the parent. The Johnson

family, children are extraordinarily good both in their academic and co-curricular backgrounds

despite them being disadvantaged economically. The absenteeism of the father in the case is a

major problem for the development of the children. The children may blame their parents for the

misfortunes that befall them, considering that the criminal background of the father (Frank

Powe) seems to be a neglect of his role as a parent in terms of creating a positive background for

the children.

Assessment of the Johnson Family

Theresa Johnson, a 35-yr-old African American and Frank Powe, a 35-yr-old

Caucasian male have four daughters. All have taken the birth name of Theresa Johnson; Natalie,

who is 17-yrs old, Ashley is 16, Jasmine is 14, and Nicole is 13. All four daughters are athletic

and hold honors in their studies. Natalie is taking college prep classes is preparing for college.

She also loves basketball and hopes to play on her college team. Natalie enjoys cheerleading and

excels at basketball. Her other sisters, Nicole, Ashley, and are also involved in other sports such

as track, cheerleading, and volleyball. All four sisters are on the honor roll and are involved in

other organizations such as the NAACP and science club.

Recently, there is conflict between Theresa and Frank and Theresa is now left to raise the

four children alone. Frank was arrested for using and trafficking illegal drugs. Theresa works

long hours as a supervisor for a local fast-food restaurant and has been struggling to make ends

meet. Theresa does not have a high school diploma and did not obtain her GED due to

struggling to raise her children. The family is currently residing with Theresa’s mother, Joanne,

who is physically disabled. They all share a 4-bedroom government assistant home. Assessment

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE 8

will begin with Theresa, the mother. As her social worker and counselor, I will need to assess

her needs and discuss goals for a successful treatment plan. Theresa is struggling financially and

does not have a home of her own. “Assessment is fundamentally about the construction of the

official story about a family, its needs and strengths; and decisions are usually made about access

to resources, relationship issues, and care of children” (Holosko, Dulmus, & Sowers, 2013, pg.

242). Intensive care will also involve Theresa’s four daughters, ages 17, 16, 14, and 13.

Although they want to remain living with Theresa, it might not be feasible due to economic

hardship.

Finding appropriate resources to help the family stay together will take dedication and

use of community resources or other healthcare professionals involved in the case. One way to

do this is to investigate and collaborate with Theresa and her social network. Can other family

members be incorporated within the treatment plan? It would be important to know if Frank has

a supportive network system as well that could help care for the children. During the assessment

phase, a genogram could be very useful in finding out what other relationships the family has.

Often times, members do not realize the support that may be available for them in difficult times.

“Genograms fit in naturally during the assessment portion of treatment (Genograms for

Psychotherapy, 2019). The genogram may be difficult in the case of Theresa and her family, but

it could also be used as a tool to show progress in new relationships the family may build upon.

Relationships are an important aspect of the assessment process. As the Johnson family’s social

worker, I will need to be aware that micro, mezzo, and macro impact the family systems. one

definition of Social Systems Theory is “The Interconnectedness of the person and environment

on the micro, mezzo and macro levels” (Wenger, J. C., 2014). In the assessment process with

the Johnson family, I will also focus on current coping skills that may need to be developed with

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE 9

dealing with Frank’s incarceration. According to the McMaster Model of Family Functioning,

based on an empirically based research project that began in the 1950’s, the “Carefully crafted

measurement technique pays particular heed to how the family develops and maintains itself

through developing coping skills for dealing with certain necessary tasks” (Goldenberg, &

Goldenberg, 2008, pg. 414-15). The McMaster model pays attention to three functioning areas:

(a) basic task area (how the family deals with problems of providing food, money, transportation,

shelter); (b) developmental task area (how they deal with problems arising as a result of changes

over time, such as first pregnancies or last child leaving home); (c) hazardous task area (how

they handle crisis that arise as a result of illness, accident, loss of income, job change, and such).

These four areas will have to be addressed with Theresa and her four daughters in the assessment

process in order to continue and great a successful intervention plan (Goldberg & Goldberg,

2008). The McMaster model is an attempt to assess where each family member is in an attempt

to determine the level of intervention that may be needed for the family or each family member.

Review of Literature Evidence-Based Interventions

Statistics have shown that there are approximately 19.7 million children in the United

States and more than 1 in 4, live without a father in the home (The Proof Is In: Father Absence

Harms Children, 2016). There have been an increase over time indicating the rise of woman-

headed single parent families. There are more and more children who are growing up without a

father being a resident in their homes. Daughters who were raised by teenage mothers presents a

risk factor regarding the likelihood of of having early, unprotected sexual intercourse and of

falling pregnant (Margherita, Troisi, Tessitore, & Gargiulo, 2017). Children who grow up in

homes with an absent parental figure are more likely to result in bad behavior. The impact of an

absent parental figure can be very negative within a child’s life, but the impact of an absent

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE

father and father figures can be very detrimental. The goal of this literature review is to provide

the best interventions for families who have been impacted by an absent parental figure.

Understanding family history and characteristics is highly recommended and valued

within the social work field when it comes to providing interventions for families. When

working with families and not individuals, the view of how presenting problems are viewed must

be shifted. There are several of intervention models that have been well explored and are

effective in accomplishing position outcomes, such as reduced behavior problems and improved

family interactions (Holosko et al., 2013). Evidence based interventions that have been proven

to have an impact on family issues such as the Johnson Family Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

(SFBT) and Structural therapy. This literature review will discuss how Solution-Focused Brief

Therapy and Structural Therapy could be useful when it comes to working with families who

have been impacted by an absent parental figure.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) was developed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo

Kim Berg and some of their colleagues in the 1970’s (What is Solution-Focused Therapy?,

2019). The purpose of this therapy is for it to be goal-directed, and to assist families with

forming solutions to their problems that have ultimately landed them in therapy. This would be a

great intervention for the Johnson family so that they can address their family’s goals and form

solutions to the impacts that the absent parental figure has caused to the family and it can also

address any future problems that may arise due to Natalie’s pregnancy and her possibly raising

her own child with a parent figure being absent.

ABSENT PARENTAL FIGURE

With Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), the approach automatically assumes that

that the client or the clients have some knowledge of what would make their lives better, even

though they may need assistance with the details (What is Solution-Focused Therapy?, 2019). It

is very important when completing this type of therapy families that miracle and scaling

questions are being asked. Asking the correct questions are extremely important and vital to

facilitating change with families as well as bring them hope. This method with this type of

intervention has been known to have positive outcomes for families (Solution Focused Brief

Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Summary of Process Research., 2017).

Franklin, Bolton and Guz (2019) took a look at the impacts and the outcomes of how

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) for families within therapy. The ultimate goal of this

type of therapy is for familes to be able to help familes imagine a different futue. These family

who are introduced to this type of therapy needs guidance and in order to create realistic steps

that will get them there. Franklin, Bolton and Guz (2019) realized that in order for this type of

therapy to be successful there are several of factors that must go into it. In order for clients to be

able to find solutions to their problems there must be ablet to utilize collaborative

communication (Franklin, Bolton , & Guz, 2019). The listener must be able to not only hear the

speaker but must be able to process what they are saying (Franklin, Bolton , & Guz, 2019).

Structural Therapy

Structural Therapy has also been proven to be a great intervention for families. Structural

Therapy is a theory that was created by Salvador Minuchin in the 1960’s. This particular type of

therapy focuses on and address problems functioning within families (Structural Family Therapy,

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2019). Families who do not address issues or problems when they happen are more likely to

have the same presenting problem to repeat itself throughout their family generations.