Theories of narcissism and the practice of clinical social work

This paper presents a synopsis of the current thinking on the metapsychology of narcissism, and narcissistic personality disturbances from a psychoanalytic point of view. This view is contrasted with the traditional concepts from ego psychology. The implications of the newer position for the understanding of psychopathology are discussed and two illustrative vignettes are presented. Applications to the clinical practice of social work are formulated. These applications are quite congenial to techniques used by social workers and help to clarify dynamics not formerly well understood. The new approaches give hope for better results with the wide variety of clients and patients seen in social agencies and clinics.Paper presented to the Illinois Society for Clinical Social Work, February 13, 1975.     

Ethical Dilemmas of Practicing Social Workers Around Psychiatric Medication

Abstract

It is acknowledged that social workers in mental health and other settings routinely experience client-related ethical dilemmas. Further, there is wide recognition of the potential impact of ethical dilemmas on social work practice with clients who use psychotropic medication. Little is know empirically, however, about the experiences of practitioners with these dilemmas. This article describes the results of a national survey of practicing social workers regarding the nature of ethical dilemmas they face related to their work with clients on medication issues. The results make it clear that social workers regularly confront a variety of ethical dilemmas in this type of practice. Many of these dilemmas are related to ambiguities around the knowledge base of practice, appropriate roles of providers, and basic personal and professional values. The authors present implications of these findings for social work practice and further research.     

Existential social work and the quest for existential meaning and well-being: A conceptual framework

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article is to conceptualize “existential social work.” A greater understanding of what existential social work means may enable social workers and those studying social work to see how its practice can reveal “the truth” about human existence and how they, as professionals, can enhance existential meaning and existential well-being among their clients. In such work, existential social workers have at their disposal tools such as the Frankl therapeutic approach to existential analysis (i.e., logotherapy) as well as spiritual-sensitive modalities (prayer and mindfulness). To interpret and understand apparent phenomena in the therapy is the ultimate goal with existential social work practices, thus providing clients with the opportunity to discover the meaning that exists in themselves. In addition, these practices pave the way for existential well-being.     

Bringing Technology to School: An Online Resource Guide for the School Social Worker

SUMMARY

The Internet can assist social workers and other human service professionals to obtain information that may potentially benefit both themselves and their clients. There is little doubt among those who are familiar with the Internet that this electronic medium has revolutionized the way we communicate and access knowledge. This article provides school social workers and other human service professionals with links to resources that can be incorporated into practice by offering specific Web pages related to school social work practice.     

Reflective practice in a process for the re-approval of ASWs: An exploration of some inevitable resistance

In this article a mental health trainer and a group facilitator explore the background to developing a new protocol to manage the re-approval of mental health social workers in an inner London borough. The new procedure involved social workers attending a series of small group sessions in which they were invited to present and reflect on their work with clients. The dynamics of these sessions and particularly some of the transferential material between group members and facilitator are explored here. The significance for mental health social work, post-qualifying learning and the possibilities of reflective practice is considered.     

Perceived Competencies of Social Workers in Adolescent Practice

Abstract

This investigation yielded data on the perceived competencies of social workers in adolescent practice. On average, survey respondents related that their perceived knowledge/skill levels ranged from moderate to high when working with depressed, sexually abused youths, or those with behavioral issues. However, respondents also perceived their knowledge/skill levels as moderate to poor when adolescent clients presented with: chronic physical conditions including HIV+/AIDS, sexual orientation issues, gang involvement, or were youths of color. Survey respondents credited work experience and conferences as the primary sources of their perceived practice knowledge/skill. Greater knowledge/skill levels in adolescent practice were associated with greater years of practice.     

Recognising Strategy and Tactics in Constructing and Working with Involuntary Social Work Clients

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on the author’s academic work on working with involuntary clients, which began with a knowledge exchange project in Scotland. I reflect back on this work and use it as a way to explore subsequent reflections on the field. These move beyond consideration of the skills required to undertake such work through locating the category of involuntary clients within wider, yet contradictory, governmental discourses on client engagement. These are identified as the strategy that sets the context for such work. But the strategy is enacted through the day-to-day tactics of social workers on the ground; such tactics, enacted in everyday encounters, are constitutive of effective but also ineffective engagement with clients. The discussion goes on to problematise the distinction between voluntary and involuntary clients and to suggest that effective social work practice, whatever the nature of that involvement, requires that clients are recognised at an ethical and relational level.

IMPLICATIONS

• The term involuntary client(s) cannot be taken for granted but is constructed and needs to be understood in particular and often contradictory policy and professional contexts.

• Effective but also ineffective ways of working with involuntary clients go beyond the acquisition or demonstration of particular skills but are embodied in the everyday relational practices of social workers.

• Ethical engagement with involuntary clients proceeds from a sense of mutual recognition.

     

Preparing Social Work Graduates for Digital Practice: Ethical Pedagogies for Effective Learning

ABSTRACT

Debate has arisen in social work about the value of online education, with proponents providing examples of innovative approaches to online teaching and those against it citing the need for face-to-face interactions to suitably teach and assess social work skills. At the same time, social workers are increasingly making use of social media, websites, online databases, email, and text messaging services for work with clients. Consequently, social workers must be adequately prepared to make use of online technologies in their practice. Drawing on examples of online interactive activities used at two regional universities and informed by Chi’s conceptual framework of cognitive processes of learning, this article argues that learning via information and communications technology (ICT) helps prepare graduates for emerging digital practice and should be an integral part of social work education. Further, ICT enables educators to monitor the levels and quality of student rehearsal of practice skills and knowledge in interactive learning experiences helping promote competent practice, grounded in social work values.     

Key misconceptions when assessing digital technology for municipal youth social work

ABSTRACT

Municipal youth protection work has become infused with digital technology, and yet there is still limited research on how to assess the impact of digital technology on municipal youth social work. This article reviews a range of misconceptions regarding the assessment of digital technology for youth social work in municipal contexts. This review was generated in connection with the development of an app system for communication between young clients and their municipal social workers in Denmark. The misconceptions relate to: variations in technologies and contexts; the impact of digital technologies on the relationship; social justice; differentiating between the user and the digital technology; digitalization and standardization; stakeholder and functional models of municipal social work. The paper concludes that the relationship between municipal social work and digital technology is complex and that thus complex comprehensions of municipal social work practice are needed if the relationship between technologies and practice is to be grasped adequately. The paper argues that given the complexity of the field and the speed of technological and legal changes, external support with regard to assessing how to use, develop and incorporate digital technology needs to be made available to municipalities and social workers.     

Social Media and Social Work: The Challenges of a New Ethical Space

ABSTRACT

Social media and other online technologies have transformed communication between social workers and service users, with many practitioners engaging and working with clients through social networking sites. While there are numerous ethical issues associated with online practice related to con?dentiality, dual relationships, and boundary crossing, there is lack of clarity about how to deal with such issues. This article uses a case example to develop a nuanced understanding of ethical issues and ethical behaviour in online spaces. We argue that social workers need to link their knowledge of the complex interplay between discourses that underpin daily practice like those related to power, permanency, authorship, audience, embodiment, and professionalism to social media created spaces. In doing this, social workers must retain their commitment to ethical values and critical reflective practice. We conclude with recommendations for education, research, and practice.     

Using a Strengths Perspective for Social Work Practice with Abused Women

ABSTRACT

Recently, a strengths perspective for social work has gained burgeoning interest as an empowering guide for working with clients. While others have led the way in conceptualizing the strengths perspective for social work practice, there is a need to consider its application to different groups. This article describes the significance of using a strengths perspective for social work with women who have been abused by their male partners and how social workers might apply this perspective to multiple levels of intervention with the women.     

Social Work Roles in Drug Treatment with Youth

ABSTRACT

Social workers working with youth, who are prescribed psychotropic medication, are routinely faced with tasks pertaining to psychopharmacologic treatment. Little is known, however, about how these workers contribute to the medication treatment process or the impact of their contributions. The purpose of this national survey of social workers practicing with youth was to explore three areas: (1) the frequency of medication-related functions with adolescent clients; (2) the worker, client, and contextual factors associated with greater involvement; and (3) social workers' perceptions of the effects of greater involvement on treatment processes and outcomes. Our findings suggested that in relation to medication treatment, social workers more frequently interfaced with clients than physicians, and that various treatment context and individual factors are associated with greater involvement. Social workers also perceived their involvement as associated with some desirable treatment processes/outcomes, especially the inclusion of adolescents in decision-making.     

Boundary-Spanning

SUMMARY

A boundary-spanning approach to practice traverses barriers to give social workers greater understanding of context, more latitude in interventions, and increased access to systems. This broad-based approach helps social workers work in large, complex systems of care that demand more creativity and advocacy from practitioners in less time with less support. It draws from direct social work practice, program planning and management, social work administration, and business/organizational management. Spanned boundaries include those restricting knowledge bases and definitions of setting, those separating health from mental health, those that isolate systems of service delivery and levels and modalities of practice.     

Complementary Practices and Herbal Healing

Abstract

As a means of achieving increased levels of health and Wellness, complementary methods such as alternative approaches and medicinal preparations are being utilized to supplement or replace what has been viewed as traditional health care practice. To promote effective, efficient, and comprehensive helping relationships, social workers need to be cognizant that clients are using these methods and products, and how this use can affect the health care services they receive. This article identifies and discusses some of the basic types of alternative practices, herbal preparations, essential oils, and flower essences; as well as, the problems that can result from inadequate knowledge of the use or misuse of these products. In conclusion, emphasis is placed on increasing social work awareness and education in this area.     

A comparative analysis of Norwegian and American social workers’ views about inclusion of religion and spirituality in social work

ABSTRACT

This article presents results from a comparative analysis of national surveys of Norwegian and American social workers’ views and practice with regard to inclusion of religion and spirituality in their professional work with clients. Findings include views about professional values, educational preparation, raising the topics of religion and spirituality with clients experiencing oppression, and use of related interventions. Overall, American social workers are more likely to address religion and spirituality than Norwegians. International comparative statistical and conceptual analyses consider influences of differences in practice settings, respondents’ age and length of experience, and cultural contexts.     

Responsibilisation,social work and inclusive social security in Finland

ABSTRACT

In this article responsibilisation in social work is studied by analysing two Finnish state-level policy documents (called final report and research report) which concern a current activation initiative called inclusive social security (ISS). It is asked how social workers and clients are constructed as responsible subjects in these documents. Responsibilisation refers to the advanced liberal mode of governmentality, which aims to strengthen citizens’ abilities to self-governance through various techniques that include the intertwined elements of surveillance and empowerment. It is demonstrated that the policy documents construct the social workers’ and the clients’ responsibilities partly in different ways. The final report leads activation to be based on shared responsibility and social work to be more community-based, whereas the research report strengthens more individual-based responsibility of clients and social workers. For the clients, the interpretation of ISS based on shared responsibility would probably be less stigmatising and paternalistic than the one based on individual responsibilities, i.e. approaching long-term unemployed citizens as being personally ‘at risk’ and thus a justified target group of individualised techniques for activation. For social workers and clients, future activation appears to be a wide mix of different techniques, moral expectations and possible ways of being a responsible subject.     

Untapped Sources for Recruiting Minority BSW Students

Abstract

Social agencies and social services units currently are experiencing a personnel crisis. Many agency employees who provide direct services to clients lack professional education. Decreasing commitment to traditional social work practice with the most vulnerable populations and increasing interest in psychotherapeutic services may account for the shortage of professionally trained social workers.     

Dual Relationships: The Challenges for Social Workers in Recovery

ABSTRACT

Over the last ten years there is increasing focus in social work literature about non-sexual dual relationships. This has included consideration of different types of dual relationships that occur primarily during or after the establishment of professional social worker-client relationship. However, the specific concerns facing social workers who are themselves in recovery from substance use disorders remain absent from these discussions. This article identifies challenges facing social workers in recovery from substance use disorders who also work with clients dealing with these disorders. Recommended actions and policies that can assist professionals and agencies in balancing personal and practice issues are presented.     

Legal capacity and the mental health social worker role: an international comparison

ABSTRACT

New capacity laws have been introduced to many jurisdictions over the last decade. These laws have substantially changed the way in which mental health social workers and other professionals approach decisions about, and for, clients. Most notably, there is now an expectation that mental health social workers engage more in supported decision-making to prevent the need for substitute decision-making. This article describes the legal and policy drivers that have led to these changes in practice, with a particular emphasis on the significance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the UNCRPD) and the importance of recovery approaches in mental health services. It then uses selected literature to explore the efficacy of the laws and decision-making in this area. The second part of the article identifies the role that mental health social workers can play in supporting legal capacity, drawing from the authors’ experience and knowledge of mental health social work and law in four jurisdictions: Victoria, Australia; Ontario, Canada; England and Wales; and Northern Ireland. It is concluded that mental health and other social workers need to refine skills, knowledge and values to accommodate this paradigm shift in law, policy and practice.     

The post-seebohm depression

Abstract

The collective depression now afflicting social workers is attributed to profound frustration in all aspects of their work. Since Seebohm, social workers have been trapped in an industrial style management framework, which is utterly unsuited to their motivation and to the nature of their professional task. Meeting the needs of disturbed clients imposes severe stresses on social workers-even those whose own personality difficulties are no greater than average.