1
Q
What is a theory?
A
A theory is an explanatory framework that seeks to help us understand human lives and behaviour
2
Q
What are concepts?
A
Building blocks of theory
2 parts: symbol for a word and a definition
3
Q
What is a purist approach?
A
Social workers regularly draw on a theory despite client’s presenting issue.
4
Q
What is an eclectic approach?
A
Social work draws on a range of theories and techniques from different theoretical perspectives
5
Q
What are the strengths of the purist approach?
A
- Clear direction 2. Easy to provide rationale, 3. Helps to establish action plan
6
Q
What challenges are associated with the purist approach?
A
Relevance
7
Q
What factors affect a social worker’s decision to choose a particular theory?
A
- Goals with practice
- Worldview
- Value of theory
- Evidence
- Thinking
8
Q
What are the benefits of the eclectic approach?
A
Theoretical flexibility
9
Q
What challenges are associated with the eclectic approach?
A
Superficial use if one lacks in depth knowledge about a theory, problematic if assumptions are inconsistent
10
Q
What advice does the text provide for those who want to use an eclectic approach?
A
- Transparency, 2. Rationale
11
Q
Why is theoretical analysis important?
A
Need an in depth knowledge of theories in order to be transparent with clients
12
Q
What preliminary factors affect theory selection?
A
- Choice rationale, 2. Benefit, 3. Limitations - name and tame, 4. Alternatives
13
Q
Once preliminary questions are answered, what other factors must be considered?
A
- Human dignity, 2. Diversity’s benefits, 3. Inclusive, 4. Potential, 5. Informed by diverse experiences
14
Q
What factors influence the development of theories?
A
- Social, 2. Historical 3. Geographic, 4. Cultural , 5. Political, 6. Economic
15
Q
What drives theories becoming mainstream?
A
Power and privilege
16
Q
Who authored most SW mainstream theories?
A
White males in Global North
17
Q
Who has historically been excluded from social work theory development?
A
- Women, 2. Indigenous, 3. Racialized, 4. Global South
18
Q
What theories rectified this?
A
- Feminist, 2. Indigenous theories, 3. Critical theories, 4. Postcolonial
19
Q
What is the cost of prioritizing one worldview over another?
A
Blindspots to the experiences of others due to Eurocentric lens.
20
Q
What are ecosystem theories?
A
Focus on the fundamental interactions between people and their social and physical environments
21
Q
What are onion peeling theories?
A
Peel back past experiences to help others gain insight and awareness into what stops them from progressing in their lives.
22
Q
What are faulty engine theories?
A
Focus on present
23
Q
What are storytelling theories?
A
How stories can be reinterpreted for more positive and rewarding outcomes
24
Q
What are mountain moving theories?
A
- Eliminate disadvantage 2. Empower people
25
Who is an important ecosystem theorist?
Mary Richmond
26
Why is Mary Richmond important?
Argued that poverty was caused by systems, including family, personal and neighborhood forces and civic and public relief
27
Who provided the first model of ecosystems theory?
Von Bertalanffy (biological)
28
What is one characteristic of a healthy system?
Dynamic
29
What are the 4 levels of the ecosystem model?
1. Microsystems - person’s experiences, 2. Mesosystem - Interrelations among systems the person actively participates in, 3. Exosystem: one or more systems that the person doesn’t directly participate in, 4. Macrosystem; systems that influence other systems.
30
What is an eco-map?
Person’s interactions to others or systems in their environment represented by a picture.
31
When can ecosystem approaches be used?
1. To make eco-maps, 2. Crisis intervention
32
What are the 4 steps of crisis intervention?
1. Rapid psychosocial assessment, 2. Draw upon client’s strengths, 3. Provide resources, 4. Create strong rapport
33
How do onion peeling theories view behaviour?
Consequence of relationships, drives, personality, conscious and unconscious mind
34
Give 2 examples of onion peeling theories
Psychodynamic, person centred
35
Who founded psychodynamic theory?
Sigmund Freud in the 1920s
36
When was psychodynamic theory popular?
1950s
37
When was psychodynamic theory declining?
60s and 70s
38
What do psychodynamic theorists believe?
Inner world influences outer world
39
What are the 3 key themes of psychodynamic theory?
1. Past affects present, 2. Drives and motivations interact with the external. 3.Realizations of the inner self.
40
Describe superego
Conscience
41
Describe ego
Balances I’d and superego
42
Describe I’d
Unconscious
43
What were Freud’s 5 stages of development
1. Oral, 2. Anal, 3. Phallic, 4. Latency, and 5. Genital
44
What do theories of attachment focus on?
Emotions and early childhood development
45
Who is credited for person centred theories?
Carl Rogers
46
What is trauma?
An exposure to an extraordinary experience that presents a physical or psychological threat
47
What is trauma informed care?
Recognize early adversity’s effect on client
48
Describe 5 steps of the therapeutic process
1. Trusting relationship is built, 2. Provide safe space to talk, 3. Allow for interpretive exploration, 4. Containment, 5. Humanistic practice
49
What is transference?
Movement of past experience to the present without conscious awareness
50
What is counter-transference?
Therapist’s emotional reaction to a client that becomes an obstacle during therapy
51
What are the strengths of onion peeling theories?
Powerful and long-standing, success with clients, rich insights
52
What are some drawbacks of onion peeling theories?
Reductionist and determinist, neglects multiple system of oppression, lacks strong evidence, and need long term interventions
53
What other terms refer to faulty engine theories?
Behavioural, cognitive behavioural
54
Who is credited with behavioural approaches?
B.F. Skinner
55
What is behavioural therapy?
A technique to alter maladaptive reactions to stimuli
56
What are 6 types of distorted thinking?
1. Absolutist thinking, 2. Overgeneralization, 3. Selective abstraction, 4. Arbitrary inference, 5. Magnification and minimization, 6. Personalization
57
How does reframing work?
1. Identify cognitions, 2. Assess cognitions, 3. Alter cognitions
58
What are the 4 characteristics of CBT?
1. Structured, 2. Problem solving, 3. Brief, 4. Time limited
59
What are the pros of CBT?
Evidence backed, client’s present concerns, hope
60
What are the cons of CBT?
Hard to change
61
What are the 2 kinds of storytelling theories?
Narrative therapy, solution focused therapy
62
What is narrative therapy?
Stories can be re-authored to make more positive outcomes
63
What are the steps of narrative therapy?
1. ID dominant narratives
2. ID their functions
3. Validate narratives
4. Externalize disempowering ones
5. Build alternative narratives
6. Create and increase validation
64
What are the 5 steps of solution focused therapy?
1. Amplify strengths, 2. Seek exceptions, 3. Explore coping strategies, 4. Scale progress, 5. Identify goals and wishes
65
What is solution focused therapy?
A present and future oriented approach that focuses on goals and capacities
66
How are NT and ST similar?
Language is important. Strength based.
67
How are NT and ST different?
ST believes people have untapped capacities and extracting narratives isn’t necessary
68
What is the goal of mountain moving theories?
Personal connects to political. 2. Eliminate disadvantage and empower people. 3. Challenge hierarchies.
69
Define social location
Affiliation as a member of a group reflecting your position in society
70
What are considerations for SWs?
1. Social location, 2. Client experience of inequality and oppression, 3. Role of power at personal and professional level.
71
What is the key to mountain moving theories?
Empowering client using least intrusive method
72
What are 2 elements of empowerment?
Control and self-actualization
73
Describe participatory practices
Clients represented by user groups that reflect diversity are involved in service design, delivery and development
74
How does partnership work?
Engage and involve client in assessment and decision making
75
Name 5 mountain moving theories
1. Feminist
2. Anti oppressive practice
3. Critical race theory
4. Structural social work
5. Indigenous approaches
76
What are the 6 kinds of feminism?
1. Liberal
2. Marxist
3. Socialist
4. Radical
5. Black
6. Post-modern
77
What do liberal feminists believe?
Men and women are equal at work and home
78
What do Marxist feminists believe?
Women are oppressed due to unequal distribution of power. Collective focus
79
What do socialist feminists believe?
Interpersonal and relationship aspects of women’s oppression, including identity and sexuality.
80
What do radical feminists believe?
Equality will occur if patriarchy is non-existent.
Early adopters of patriarchy
81
What does patriarchy mean?
Social system characterized by male power and privilege
82
What do Black feminists believe?
Diversity is important
Black women have family experience in slavery and historic family and social patterns from Africa and other regioma
83
What do post modern feminists believe?
Social relations are complex. Focus on how discourse shapes how women are treated.
84
What are the 4 areas of feminist social work?
1. Women’s conditions
2. Women’s centred practice
3. Women’s different voice
4. Women with diversity
85
List 9 considerations for feminist social work practice
1. Combat exaggeration of feminist gain
2. Avoid gender stereotypes
3. Engage men in caring
4. Debate role of men where women and children have been oppressed
5. ID and analyze men’s privilege
6. Avoid gender dichotomies
7. Alternate family structures aren’t inadequate
8. Women are partners
9. Challenge assumptions of man’s violent nature
86
What is the goal of anti-oppressive practice?
Acknowledge the existence of oppression and intersectionality of identity
87
What are 10 conditions of AOP?
1. Macro and micro social relations generate oppression
2. Everyday experience shaped by multiple oppressions
3. Social work is a highly contested and politicized practice
4. SW is an active political process
5. Social justice oriented SW helps people while trying to transform society
6. SW needs to build allyship with social causes and movements
7. SW theoretical and practical development needs to be connected to oppressed and marginalized struggles and needs
8. Participatory approaches is necessary
9. Self reflexive practice and ongoing justice analysis is necessary
10. Multi-faceted approach to SJ
88
How does AOP differ from mainstream practice?
1. Mainstream views social and economic systems as neutral
2. See bigger impact of oppressive policy (AOP)
3. AOP views labels as destructive
89
What caused CRT development?
Civil rights movement -> problematize laws and policies that perpetuate racism
90
What is critical race theory (CRT)?
Interdisciplinary theory that aims to deconstruct race and power
91
9 tenets of CRT and importance
1. Whiteness = normative non-racial
2. Silence of marginalized narratives
3. Liberal principles of neutrality, fairness and meritocracy
4. Color blindness
5. Recognize race, power and privilege
6. A critique of whiteness
7. Anti-racist discourse in social work
8. Legitimize race scholarship
9. Globalized understanding of race
92
What is intersectionality
Systems of oppression intersect with one another
93
Why does intersectionality matter?
1. Bring awareness of how different categories can create injustice.
2. Analytic approach
94
Who founded structural social work?
Maurice Moreau
95
What is structural social work?
Focus on impact of social structures on personal problems
96
What are the 3 themes of structural social work?
1. Role of the state
2. Relationship between individual and structures
3. Nature and role of social work
97
Why do Indigenius approaches to SW approach?
European influences displaced traditional helpers
Created Indian social welfare system
This created residential schools, 60s scoop, overrepresentation of Indigenous kids in CW and justice systems
98
What are 4 key principles of Indigenous approaches to SW?
1. Recognize Indigenous worldviews
2. Develop Indigenous consciousness
3. Emphasis on importance of cultural knowledge
4. Indigenous empowerment and self determination
99
What does the Indigenous approach need?
Broad, grounded, contextual understanding of Indigenous histories and cultures
100
What are the strengths of MM theories?
1. Analysis of social issues
2. Respond to concerns about oppressive practice
101
What are the cons of MM theories?
May neglect immediate personal need of an individual
Assumptions
No way to empirically test claims
Social work 240
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