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Book Details
Abstract
Do you struggle to get your head around the application of theory and associated methods of intervention to social work practice? Making sense of theory and its application to social work practice is here to help you with a fresh approach written with the ‘non- theoretician’ in mind.
After exploring the expectations and limits of application of theory to practice, Phil Musson sets about describing theories of explanation and their associated methods of intervention in an accessible way. He follows this by looking at theoretically driven approaches and their associated methods of intervention. One generic case study is used throughout, tweaked slightly but maintaining the same service users and issues so you can see how the theory of explanation or approach and the associated method of intervention is applied. You are also able to sharpen up your critical thinking skills as the author invites you to reflect on the theories of explanation and approaches discussed.
Making Sense of Theory and its Application to Social Work Practice will be immensely valuable to both social work students and practitioners.
Your 'making sense of theory' book is truly wonderful. Honestly - it's just what is needed and it will be top of the reading list for the MA 'theories and methods' module.
Ani Murr, University of Wolverhampton
Phil Musson’s career in social work has been one of continual development from student to skilled practitioner to training officer to snr. lecturer. He readily acknowledges that social work is a demanding occupation at both emotional and intellectual levels. He also acknowledges a sense of privilege in having spent the majority of his working life as a social worker and latterly as a facilitator in the learning and development of others’ who are or wish to become qualified social work practitioners also. It is, he believes incumbent on the practitioner to have a conscious and deliberate understanding of why and how they intervene in the lives of their service users and he hope this book will make a valued contribution toward that understanding.
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover | Cover 1 | ||
| Half-title | i | ||
| Series information | ii | ||
| Title page | iii | ||
| Copyright information | iv | ||
| Dedication | v | ||
| Table of Contents | vii | ||
| Figures | viii | ||
| Meet the author | ix | ||
| Foreword | x | ||
| Acknowledgements | xii | ||
| Introduction | 1 | ||
| Chapter 1 Setting the scene | 3 | ||
| Why apply social science theory to social work practice? | 3 | ||
| Global definition of the social work profession | 3 | ||
| The ethics of applying social science theory to social work practice | 5 | ||
| Expectations of theoretical explanation | 5 | ||
| Unhelpful ideas | 7 | ||
| Dualism | 7 | ||
| Post-modernism as a viable theoretical approach to social work practice | 8 | ||
| A comment on anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice | 10 | ||
| Theories of explanation and approaches and their respective methods of intervention | 11 | ||
| References | 12 | ||
| Chapter 2 What’s going on? Theories of explanation and their application to social work practice | 13 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 13 | ||
| Psycho-dynamic theory | 14 | ||
| Headlines | 14 | ||
| Freud’s theory of psycho-sexual development | 15 | ||
| The main ideas | 15 | ||
| Repression | 16 | ||
| Some personal reflections on Freud’s ideas | 19 | ||
| Erikson’s theory of psycho-social development | 21 | ||
| Some personal reflections on Erikson’s ideas | 22 | ||
| Attachment theory | 24 | ||
| Attachment styles, relationships and parenthood | 27 | ||
| Some personal reflections on attachment theory | 28 | ||
| Promote Resilience And Increase Self-Esteem | 29 | ||
| Some personal reflections on the stage theory of loss or bereavement | 31 | ||
| Application of psycho-dynamic theory to social work practice | 31 | ||
| How far does psycho-dynamic theory explain the presenting issues in the case study? | 32 | ||
| Intervention drawing on ideas from psycho-dynamic theory | 33 | ||
| Some personal reflections on intervention, drawing on ideas from psycho-dynamic theory | 34 | ||
| Behavioural theory | 37 | ||
| Headlines | 37 | ||
| Classical or respondent conditioning | 38 | ||
| Operant or instrumental conditioning | 38 | ||
| Using operant conditioning to modify behaviour | 39 | ||
| Punishment and promoting consequentialism | 40 | ||
| Social learning theory | 44 | ||
| Linking thoughts with behaviour | 45 | ||
| Other ideas that can contribute to self-fulfilling prophecies | 48 | ||
| Application of behaviourist theory to social work practice | 49 | ||
| How far does behaviourist theory explain the presenting issues in the case study? | 50 | ||
| Intervention drawing on ideas from behaviourist theory | 51 | ||
| Some personal reflections on intervention drawing on ideas from behaviourist theory | 52 | ||
| Systems theory | 55 | ||
| Headlines | 55 | ||
| Introduction to systems theory and the difference between biological and ecological models | 56 | ||
| Application of systems theory in social work practice | 60 | ||
| Genograms and ecomaps | 61 | ||
| Family therapy, family group conferences and group work | 61 | ||
| How far does systems theory explain the presenting issues in the case study? | 64 | ||
| Intervention drawing on the ideas from systems theory | 64 | ||
| Some personal reflections drawing on the ideas from systems theory | 68 | ||
| Radical/structural theory | 70 | ||
| Headlines | 70 | ||
| Introductory overview of radical/structural theory | 71 | ||
| Radical/structural theory, and social work | 74 | ||
| Application of radical/structural theory to social work practice | 76 | ||
| Intervention drawing on the ideas from radical/structural theory | 79 | ||
| Some personal reflections on intervention drawing from the ideas of radical/structural theory | 80 | ||
| References and further reading | 80 | ||
| Chapter 3 Theoretically driven approaches to social work intervention | 82 | ||
| Learning outcomes | 83 | ||
| Strengths-based approaches | 84 | ||
| Headlines | 84 | ||
| Introduction to strengths-based approaches | 84 | ||
| The use of language | 86 | ||
| The service user’s narratives and expertise | 88 | ||
| The application of a strengths-based approach to social work practice | 88 | ||
| Some personal reflections on intervention drawing on the ideas of a strengths-based approach. | 92 | ||
| Existential approaches | 94 | ||
| Headlines | 94 | ||
| Introduction to existential approaches | 94 | ||
| The quest for the authentic self | 95 | ||
| ‘Events, dear boy, events…’ | 96 | ||
| The application of existential approaches to social work practice | 97 | ||
| Promoting autonomy | 97 | ||
| Crisis intervention | 99 | ||
| Models of crisis intervention | 100 | ||
| Some personal reflections on intervention drawing on the ideas of existential approaches to social work practice | 103 | ||
| Humanistic approaches | 105 | ||
| Headlines | 105 | ||
| Introduction to humanistic approaches | 105 | ||
| Person-centred counselling | 106 | ||
| Rogers’s core conditions of person-centred counselling | 107 | ||
| The application of humanistic approaches to social work practice | 109 | ||
| Relationship-based social work | 112 | ||
| Some personal reflections on intervention drawing on the ideas from a humanistic approach | 113 | ||
| The upholding of human rights | 114 | ||
| Article 8: Right to respect for private and family life | 114 | ||
| Article 3: Prohibition of torture | 114 | ||
| Problem-solving approaches | 116 | ||
| Headlines | 116 | ||
| Introduction to problem-solving approaches | 116 | ||
| Task-centred practice | 117 | ||
| Phase 1: Establish the rationale for intervention | 118 | ||
| Phase 2: Define the problems to be addressed | 118 | ||
| Phase 3: Identify and apportion tasks to address the problems | 119 | ||
| Phase 3A: Set out what has been agreed in writing and implement it | 120 | ||
| Phase 4: Review and evaluate the intervention | 121 | ||
| The problem with ‘problems’ | 122 | ||
| Solution-focused brief therapy | 123 | ||
| The application of problem-solving approaches to social work practice | 125 | ||
| The application of task-centred practice | 126 | ||
| References and further reading | 129 | ||
| Chapter 4 Pick ‘n’ mix: the integration of theory and approach in holistic practice | 130 | ||
| A quick recap | 130 | ||
| What works for you? What works for your service user? What worked for me? | 131 | ||
| Contributions from psycho-dynamic theory | 131 | ||
| Contributions from behaviourism | 133 | ||
| Contributions from systems theory | 135 | ||
| Contributions from radical theory | 136 | ||
| Contributions from the approaches selected | 137 | ||
| Strengths-based approaches | 137 | ||
| Existential approaches | 138 | ||
| Humanistic approaches | 138 | ||
| Problem-solving approaches | 138 | ||
| And what about the case study…? | 139 | ||
| Can we find the right combination of theory, approach and method of intervention to guarantee successful intervention? | 140 | ||
| Reflection and critical analysis | 141 | ||
| What must be present for reflection and critical analysis to take place? | 142 | ||
| Sources of information for reflection and critical analysis | 142 | ||
| Optimising your use of theories, approaches and their methods of intervention | 142 | ||
| References | 143 | ||
| Chapter 5 Conclusion | 144 | ||
| Well, what did you make of all that? | 144 | ||
| Ready to apply your knowledge and skills? | 145 | ||
| Final thoughts | 147 | ||
| Reference | 147 | ||
| References and further reading | 149 | ||
| Index | 153 |