Fluent Essays

In this course, you will be asked to select one case study and to use it throughout the entire course. By doing this, you will have the opportunity to see how theories guide your view of a client and the client’s presenting problem. Although the case may be the same, each time you use a different theory, your perspective of the problem changes, which then changes how you go about asking the assessment questions and how you intervene. The first theoretical approach you will use to apply to a case study is systems theory. In other words, your theoretical orientation—your lens—will be systems theory as you analyze a social work case study. Different theories can be used to take a systems approach. For example, Bertalanffy’s General Systems Theory considers how a system is made of smaller subsystems that influence each other and seek homeostasis, whereas Brofennerbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory focuses on how an individual’s experience is influenced by different system levels (micro, meso, exo, macro, and chrono). Systems theory is commonly used to understand the interrelationships of the systems (e.g., family, community, organizations, society) of the client. If you are working with families, communities, and organizations, it is also beneficial to use systems theory to get a holistic picture of all the interrelated parts of the system. To prepare: Select and focus on one of four case studies listed in the Learning Resources. You will use this same case study throughout the course. By Day 7 Focus on the identified client within your chosen case. Analyze the case using a systems approach, taking into consideration both family and community systems. Complete and submit the “Dissecting a Theory and Its Application to a Case Study” worksheet based on your analysis.2 Tiffani Bradley Identifying Data: Tiffani Bradley is a 16-year-old Caucasian female. She was raised in a Christian family in Philadelphia, PA. She is of German descent. Tiffani’s family consists of her father, Robert, 38 years old; her mother, Shondra, 33 years old, and her sister, Diana, 13 years old. Tiffani currently resides in a group home, Teens First, a brand new, court-mandated teen counseling program for adolescent victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Tiffani has been provided room and board in the residential treatment facility for the past 3 months. Tiffani describes herself as heterosexual. Presenting Problem: Tiffani has a history of running away. She has been arrested on three occasions for prostitution in the last 2 years. Tiffani has recently been court ordered to reside in a group home with counseling. She has a continued desire to be reunited with her pimp, Donald. After 3 months at Teens First, Tiffani said that she had a strong desire to see her sister and her mother. She had not seen either of them in over 2 years and missed them very much. Tiffani is confused about the path to follow. She is not sure if she wants to return to her family and sibling or go back to Donald. Family Dynamics: Tiffani indicates that her family worked well together until 8 years ago. She reports that around the age of 8, she remembered being awakened by music and laughter in the early hours of the morning. When she went downstairs to investigate, she saw her parents and her Uncle Nate passing a pipe back and forth between them. She remembered asking them what they were doing and her mother saying, “adult things” and putting her back in bed. Tiffani remembers this happening on several occasions. Tiffani also recalls significant changes in the homes appearance. The home, which was never fancy, was always neat and tidy. During this time, however, dust would gather around the house, dishes would pile up in the sink, dirt would remain on the floor, and clothes would go for long periods of time without being washed. Tiffani began cleaning her own clothes and making meals for herself and her sister. Often there was not enough food to feed everyone, and Tiffani and her sister would go to bed hungry. Tiffani believed she was responsible for helping her mom so that her mom did not get so overwhelmed. She thought that if she took care of the home and her sister, maybe that would help mom return to the person she was before. Sometimes Tiffani and her sister would come downstairs in the morning to find empty beer cans and liquor bottles on the kitchen table along with a crack pipe. Her parents would be in the bedroom, and Tiffani and her sister would leave the house and go to school by themselves. The music and noise downstairs continued for the next 6 years, which escalated to screams and shouting and sounds of people fighting. Tiffani remembers her mom one morning yelling at her daWorksheet: Dissecting a Theory and Its Application to a Case Study Most theories can be dissected and analyzed. All theories will tell you something about their focus or unit of analysis. A theory will identify its major or key concepts. It will also point to the definition of the problem and its cause. This then guides how the social worker assesses and intervenes, because the theory will also articulate the role of the social worker and how change occurs. Basic Assumptions of the Theory Directions: For each section, respond in 2 to 3 sentences to the following prompts. Where relevant, provide citations to support your claims. Name of theory Name of theorist What are the major assumptions of the theory? What are the theory’s key concepts? What is the theory’s focus or unit of analysis? What is the theory’s overall explanation for the cause of problems? Application to a Case Study <insert the name of the client> Directions: For each section, respond to the following prompts. Where relevant, provide citations to support your claims. In 1 to 2 sentences, how does the theory define the client’s presenting problem? In 1 to 2 sentences, how does the theory explain the cause of the client’s presenting problem? In 1 to 2 sentences, how does the theory explain the role of the social worker for this client? In 1 to 2 sentences, what does the theory say about how this client will improve or how change will occur? Using the theory, list 2 to 3 assessment questions to ask this client to explore the client’s goals and how they will get there. According to the theory, identify 2 to 3 specific practice intervention strategies for the client relative to the presenting problem. For each, explain in 1 sentence how it will help meet the client’s goals. Based on the theory, list 2 to 3 outcomes when evaluating whether an intervention is effective. What is one strength and one limitation in using this theory for this client? Questions to Consider When Evaluating the Theory You are not required to answer these questions for this assignment. However, these questions could help stimulate thinking whenever you are asked to evaluate a theory. To what extent does the theory apply widely to diverse situations? Or does it apply narrowly to particular situations? Is the theory ethical? Is it consistent with the NASW Code of Ethics? Is the theory congruent with the professional value base of the social work field? How cost effective would it be to implement interventions based on the theory? To what extent does the theory fit within the organization’s or agency’s philosophy? What do research studies say about how effective the interventions are?