Integrating Narrative Approaches into Clinical Curricula: Addressing Diversity through Understanding

Abstract

Academic programs in clinical social work often focus on either psychodynamic or systemic approaches. Narrative approaches grounded in postmodern theory also merit attention, as they are well suited for the diverse populations served by social workers. In narrative approaches, practitioners help clients to deconstruct and reconstruct their own life stories, and thereby to empower themselves. This paper compares narrative approaches with psychodynamic and systemic approaches, and suggests ways to integrate their coverage into curricula built around the dominant traditional approaches.     

Ethical Decision-Making in the Helping Profession

Abstract

First, we examine several of the more prominent theoretical approaches in ethics (the utilitarian, absolute rule, principle based, and ethics of care approaches) and find the principle-based, common morality approach, and the ethics of care approach to be the two approaches that are most relevant to the types of ethical decisions practitioners characteristically are confronted with in a social work setting. We then propose combining these two approaches, taking into consideration the advantages and drawbacks of each, such that in application these two approaches can be seen to complement one another. We show in two brief hypothetical cases how the combined approach can be used to guide practitioners' ethical decision-making in real life situations.     

Empowering Rural Sociology: Exploring and Linking Alternative Paradigms in Theory and Methodology1

Abstract Theoretical and methodological approaches to rural social change are explored, especially those that give visibility to the range of heterogeneous experiences and perspectives that often are overlooked or ignored. Theoretical developments in postmodern, narrative, and feminist theory are described as are the methodological approaches they imply. Examples of research on rural social change that attempt to integrate theory and methods in ways that respect the complicated, processual nature of social life are discussed. They provide concrete illustrations of how alternative approaches can be fruitfully applied to some of the issues and problems rural sociologists typically study.     

Language attitudes in interaction1

This paper discusses the observation of language attitudes in interaction and argues that these approaches provide invaluable insights for the study of language attitudes. In the first half of the paper, the three different kinds of discourse‐based methods of analysis that scholars have used to analyse language attitudes (content‐based approaches, turn‐internal semantic and pragmatic approaches, and interactional approaches) are discussed. In the second half, then, the third of these approaches is used to illustrate such an analysis with four stretches of conversation in different contexts. In the end, the argument is put forward that discourse‐based approaches in general and interactional approaches in particular should be viewed as at least as fundamental to language attitude research as more commonly used quantitative methods of analysis, since the former can provide the researcher with insights that the latter do not.     

The exchange of nonverbal intimacy: A critical review of dyadic models

This article examines six different theoretical approaches that attempt to explain the exchange of dyadic immediacy, intimacy, or involvement cues. Affiliative conflict or equilibrium theory, two expectancy norm models, an arousal-labeling model, an arousal valence model, a discrepancy-arousal model, and a sequential functional model are summarized. Advantages and limitations of each of these approaches are discussed, and empirical support for each of these approaches is summarized.     

Outreach approaches in the private domain: an international study

The aim of this article is to present the results of an international study on outreach approaches in the private domain in social work with a focus on moral dilemmas. The reason to start the study was to investigate if a trend in Dutch social work toward outreach approaches can be recognized in other European countries and what can be learned from other outreach practices. First, a definition of outreach approaches in the private domain was discussed. Next, data were collected by interviews with social workers in four different countries, executed by social work students and researchers. Although no evidence was found that outreach approaches in other countries than the Netherlands are increasing, many similarities were found in social workers' interpretation of their outreach work. All the interviewees emphasized that outreach approaches are intended for excluded people who are at risk or a risk and who are not in contact with social services. All workers stress the importance of gaining trust and staying in touch. A dilemma is that workers often find themselves between two fires. They tend to give priority to the relation with the client and accept that this can contradict rules of organizations or society.     

Varieties of Sensitivity Training*

Types of sensitivity training groups are distinguished according to their general orientations, practice and aims. Observations are made on the Esalen, Tavistock, and NTL approaches as well as on some sources of the different approaches and suggestions as to their advantages and disadvantages.     

Comparison of methods for positional analysis: Structural and general equivalences

This paper explores the conceptualization and measurement of social position in relational data. It is argued that social positions are evidenced in the interactions among individuals, which are encoded in measured social relations. Given a set of measured relations the task is to reveal social positions which consist of groups of individuals wth similar patterns of relations. Methods based on two alternative approaches are discussed. The first set of approaches is based on structural equivalence, and locates groups of similar individuals based on the extent to which they share identical ties with identical others. A second set of approaches, here called general equivalences, locates groups of similar individuals based on their sharing of “types” of ties with “types” of others. Procedures based on these different approaches are described and applied to actual data and to a constructed example. Results suggest that these different approaches identify different kinds of social groups. It is argued that structural equivalence is an unsuitable basis for analysis of relational data if the goal is detection of social positions.     

Modern and Postmodern Career Theories: The Unnecessary Divorce

Postmodern approaches to career counseling are becoming increasingly popular. Part of the impetus for the postmodern view has involved perceived problems in the assumptions and application of the modern approach. Two points of view have emerged: (a) the modern and postmodern approaches are incompatible, and the postmodern approach is superior to the modern approach and (b) the modern and postmodern approaches are compatible, each with specific benefits and limitations, and individual needs and cost‐effectiveness should govern the decision of which approach to use. Key issues to examine in this discussion are standardized career assessment, aggregate career information, matching, and cost‐effectiveness.     

Piloting different approaches to personalised offender management in the English criminal justice system

Various approaches to personalisation are well-established in the UK social care sector and are now starting to ‘travel’ to other sectors. In this paper we report findings from an evaluation of a pilot to test elements of personalisation in the management of offenders in probation services within the English criminal justice system. Following a review of evidence from social care, three different approaches to personalised-practice were developed and tested on a small-scale in three separate sites. The evaluation finds that all three approaches were implemented reasonably successfully, but challenges were identified including that personalised approaches are more time-consuming, that staff need support to exercise professional discretion and that balancing greater choice with managing criminogenic risk requires new ways of conceptualising the relationship between case manager and service user. Overall, ‘deeper’ approaches to personalisation, such as co-production, will take time to emerge. This paper makes two important contributions to the debate on personalisation in public services. First, it addresses the question of how transferable the concept of personalisation is from the social care sector to other sectors in the UK, in this case the criminal justice system. Secondly, it outlines a methodology for developing and evaluating personalisation pilots, prior to a wider roll-out.     

Mediation: a Family Therapy Technique?

Family mediation dovetails with family therapy approaches, in particular the brief, solution-based family therapies, such that these two interventive approaches may be considered to be notionally quite similar. Comparisons are made, and the implications of moving from mediation to therapy are explored, for both workers and clients.     

Representations for homomorphisms

Five different solutions to the problem of finding empirical meanings for the algebraically useful technique of homomorphisms in blockmodeling are described. They are the Lorrain-White, Pattison, Wu, modified Wu, and Bonacich approaches. All of them are designed to give meaning to a homomorphism in terms of characteristics of the relational matrices producing a semigroup, but they emphasize different aspects of the data. The Lorrain-White approach assumes that sets of relations are alternative expressions of an “underlying” relation. The Pattison and Bonacich approaches assume an underlying “clique” structure of structurally equivalent individuals. The Wu approaches assume that there is an “elite” set of individuals whose relational patterns define the homomorphism.     

Approaches to caring, essential elements for a quality service and cost-effectiveness in South Africa

By 2010 there will be close to two million orphans in South Africa, mainly as a result of HIV/AIDS. This paper assesses different approaches to the care and support of children orphaned by AIDS and other vulnerable children, as well as the cost-effectiveness of each approach. Using a typology of care and essential elements of care, six approaches are evaluated: informal, non-statutory foster care; community-based support; home-based care; unregistered residential care; statutory adoption and fostering; and statutory residential care. A cost-effectiveness analysis assessed actual programs and the costs of providing a minimum standard of care for the six approaches. High costs are associated with formal models of care. Informal approaches may lack the resources to meet children's rights. Resources should be largely allocated to the more cost-effective, informal, community-based structures, but formal models will still be needed for those children who cannot be placed elsewhere.     

Quantity and quality in evaluation research: A divergent view

Many researchers in evaluation and related fields are now attempting to synthesize quantitative and qualitative approaches. Certainly such efforts appear to carry great promise. However, there is reason to believe that the subtleties and genuine incompatibilities of these approaches are being overlooked. I illustrate some of these differences and subtleties and their implications for social inquiry.     

Qualitative computing: Approaches and issues

This paper reviews three approaches to using computers to perform qualitative analysis. These approaches are distinguished by the way they represent knowledge in the computer—as text, things, or concepts—and the operations they permit on that knowledge. These approaches are compared and the advantages and disadvantages of each are identified based on the way they perform basic tasks of qualitative research. Finally, fundamental issues and problems likely to influence qualitative computing for years to come are discussed.This research was conducted while the author was on sabbatical leave from the University of Missouri and a post-doctorate fellow on NIH grant LM 07006 from the National Library of Medicine. This paper has benefited greatly from the comments of Peter Hall.     

Practices of Engagement: Comparing and Integrating Deliberation and Organizing

The purpose of this article is to provide a comparison of institution-based community organizing and deliberative practices and to demonstrate how these are complementary approaches for civic engagement. In contrast to older typologies describing these two approaches oppositionally, we seek to reveal a shared democratic ethos and propose greater collaboration between action-oriented organizers and deliberative advocates. The article also identifies where deliberative and organizing practices diverge and proposes a model for how the two approaches can be integrated for mutual benefit.     

Constructions and Creations: idealism, materialism and disability theory

This paper suggests that a proper understanding of disability theory requires more than a distinction between individual and social model approaches. It is also helpful to distinguish between materialist and idealist explanations. These two dimensions are used to generate a four-fold typology which highlights important differences between the main approaches. Social models are distinguished as those premised upon commonality. However, it is argued that recent discourses of 'difference' do not detract from social model theory. Social model approaches are examined in more detail and the paper concludes that although social constructionist accounts have been useful they do not provide a sufficient level of explanation. Disabling social values reflect material relations of power and may be better explained as 'ideology'.     

Mixing Apples and Oranges and Other Methodological Problems with a Meta-Analysis of Long Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Current trends in mental health practice indicate that mental health practitioners, including clinical social workers, are tending to move away from psychodynamic approaches and are favoring short-term empirically supported approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Recently, the presumption that long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LTPP) approaches lack empirical support has been challenged, however, with the publication in major peer reviewed journals of meta-analyses that are claimed to demonstrate its equality to or superiority over empirically supported short-term therapies for some conditions. The present article examines the methodology employed in one particular meta-analysis which compared LTPP to short term therapies and the studies upon which the analysis was based. We found that major methodological and statistical flaws with the meta-analysis and with the individual studies preclude drawing any conclusions regarding the efficacy of LTPP.