Students’ views on expanding contours of social work practice through spirituality

ABSTRACT

This article surveys the views of 15,067 social work students across 12 countries on social work practice and spirituality. Responses were elicited on precoded binary response categories as derived from literature. Results of the logistic regression analyses, as embedded in the original study design, showed that students from Australia, European countries, and the United States; women; postgraduate students; Christians; and those with higher self-reported spirituality scores saw mindfulness-based spiritually–sensitive interventions as the core mode of micro–level work with individuals and groups. Spirituality was seen as philosophically expanding the contours of practice by laying newer ways of assessment, intervention, and change.     

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.     

Spirituality-Based Social Work Values for Empowering Human Service Organizations

Abstract

This paper is based on three premises: (1) Spirituality is seen as an asset from which the client system draws its innate strengths to empower itself, (2) Just as it is important for social work clients to build on individual spiritual strengths to overcome personal challenges, it is equally crucial for human service organizations to implement spirituality-based professional values in organizational contexts, and (3) Spirituality issues need to be examined from the perspective of macro social work education. Based on these premises, the goal of this paper is to construct a conceptual framework that links spirituality-based social work values to empowerment strategies that can be employed in macro social work practice. Adding to the existing dimensions of social work knowledge relating to spirituality, this paper examines spirituality as empowerment issues. Also, the author explores spirituality-centered social work skills, focusing on organizational management and leadership skills.     

Putting ‘glamour’ back into practice thinking: Implications for social and community development work

Abstract

There have been many calls for social work to renew its commitment to practice. This article argues for an old-fashioned, yet curiously postmodern social work practice, based on integrative thinking. Integrative thinking and inquiry are defined and grounded on the premises of reflexive thinking, practice wisdom and humanistic thinking. Characteristics of integrative thinking are discussed. Principles for its application to rural practice and community development work are offered.     

The evolution of spirituality and religion in international social work discourse: Strengths and limitations of the contemporary understanding

ABSTRACT

As the profession’s interest in spirituality and religion has grown, new understandings of these two constructs have emerged. As in other areas of academic discourse, it is important to be informed about diverse understandings. Toward this end, the present article describes the emergence of the contemporary understanding of spirituality and religion in social work discourse and, perhaps more importantly, the strengths and limitations associated with the contemporary perspective. By illuminating some of the diverse arguments in favor of and against contemporary conceptualizations, the profession is better equipped to understand and work with these concepts in a professional and ethical manner.     

Personal Religiosity and Spirituality Associated with Social Work Practitioners' Use of Religious-Based Intervention Practices

Abstract

Social workers (N = 221) in the Southeastern USA responded to survey questions measuring 3 outcome variables, attitude toward religion in social work, the appropriateness of 15 religious-based interventions, utilization of these practices, and 3 dimensions of spirituality: spiritual experiences (spirituality), religious practices (organized religiosity), and religious affiliation. Attitude was generally favorable, and more than half of the interventions were judged appropriate and utilized by over 50% of the respondents. Beyond identifying with no religion, which predicted lower outcome scores, high spirituality strongly predicted attitude and utilization, whereas extrinsic organized religiosity was unimportant. A process model utilizing path analysis suggested that personal spirituality increases utilization resulting in corresponding perceptions of appropriateness and attitude toward religion in practice. More research was recommended on (1) utilization prevalence in other and diverse samples, and (2) the efficacy of religious-based practice.     

Predicting the Use of Spiritually-Derived Interventions in Social Work Practice

Abstract

Although research has grown considerably on spirituality and social work practice in recent years, there has been little investigation of what practitioners actually do with their clients and what influences their practice behaviors. Current findings from a random sample of 204 licensed clinical social workers indicate considerable focus on religion and spirituality in both assessment and intervention, with over two-thirds of the sample reporting that they had utilized 14 different spiritually-derived techniques with clients. In addition, analyses reveal four factors most predictive of the use of such techniques including: practitioner attitudes, the percentage of clients presenting religious/spiritual issues, the percentage of clients for whom religion plays a detrimental role, and the level of practitioner participation in religious or spiritual services.     

Attitudes Toward Advanced Licensing for Macro Social Work Practice

ABSTRACT

Trends in clinical licensing and a renewed energy to strengthen macro practice are raising questions about the appropriateness of licensure for macro social work practice. This article presents findings from an online survey of macro social work educators and macro social work practitioners exploring their attitudes toward an advanced-level macro social work license. Faculty and practitioner responders agreed that there is a role for advanced-licensing of macro social work practice; however, the lack of a collectively strong response reflects a current state of ambivalence toward advanced-level licensing for macro practice. Implications from these findings on contemporary social work are discussed.     

Epistemology of the Bottle: The Social Construction of Alcoholism and Alcoholics in Social Work Literature in the United States Between 1950 and 1959

ABSTRACT

This article examines selected social work literature that has been published in mainstream social work journals in the United States from 1950 to 1959 in order to deconstruct how alcoholism and alcoholics have been historically constructed within the social work profession. The theoretical framework employed is that of social constructionism and deconstruction. The methodology is qualitative research, specifically historical analysis. The findings of this article are discussed for their relevance to social work practice and social work education.     

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

SUMMARY

This article is a consideration of the implications for the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology in social work practice as a tool for improved visualization of social and economic inequalities. Along with a brief, general introduction to GIS, overviews are included of the historical uses of geographic mapping, as well as current applications of GIS technology in social work practice, education, and research. Specific illustrative examples of GIS-gener-ated maps are presented.     

Incorporating Spirituality and the Strengths Perspective into Social Work Practice with Addicted Individuals

Abstract

In the last two decades, the social work profession began to confront the professional avoidance of alcoholics and other drug addicts, and discussions of spirituality. While acknowledging the importance of 12-Step Programs of Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous, we also acknowledge that spirituality is a major aspect of addiction and recovery from an addiction. The authors present the Strengths Perspective and apply key concepts to Steps 1-3 of the 12-Steps to increase our understanding of addiction and recovery from alcoholism and other drug addiction. The article concludes that social workers must continue to increase their understanding of the recovery and spiritual issues of alcoholics and other drug addicts.     

Practice experience and social work education

Abstract

This paper examines the arguments that are often put in favour of social work academics having direct practice experience in order to enhance their teaching effectiveness. The paper looks at the number of ways that social work academics can gain up to date knowledge of practice developments and explores what constitutes an effective teacher. It concludes that recent direct practice experience will be of limited use in assisting social work academics to become effective teachers and that there are other ways that academics can become aware of practice developments that are in line with the other professional requirements on academics such as research and knowledge generation.     

Helping People with Learning Difficulties into Paid Employment

Summary

Welfare to work policies have developed partly from policy rhetoric that argues employment as the best way of ensuring social inclusion for marginalised groups. In the United Kingdom, welfare to work policies for disabled people have developed within an enabling rather than a mandatory system, although organisation and practice have lagged behind. This article explores policies that provide this enabling context for facilitating the transition of people with learning difficulties from benefits to paid employment. It also explores the role of social workers, examining the degree to which their practice reflects the empowering rhetoric of the policy framework and of contemporary social work values.     

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.     

‘Building Bridges’

Abstract

‘Building bridges’ is a metaphor we have used to describe a collaborative research process involving social work academic and senior practitioners from government and non-government child protection and family service organizations in Victoria, Australia. The purpose of the research was to develop a ‘practice-generated approach to policy implementation’ in child protection practice. The research sought to explore the appropriateness of social constructionist approaches for child protection practice that might enhance the existing risk paradigm. This article aims to critically evaluate the process of ‘building bridges’ and its outcomes, by focusing on how potential and actual differences between organizational contexts, namely universities and various service-providing organizations, may influence relationships between theory and practice. We critically reflect on our research process comparing it with idealized forms of collaborative research discussed in the literature.     

Graduate Education for Social Change

ABSTRACT

Is it possible to conduct an effective, progressive, and politicized program for graduate students in our contemporary conservative context? This article evaluates the outcomes over seven years of a pioneering program in Political Social Work. Based on survey data of Political Social Work alumni, it addresses four outcome measures: enrollment, satisfaction with curriculum and field opportunities, job and career development, and persistence of political ideology and practice. While being “political” during the past decade is clearly different than it was in the 1960s, the evidence proposes that political content and practice can have a significant place in both social work education and the field. More specifically, the study demonstrates that politicized social workers in the 1990s were able after graduation to secure employment, sustain progressive values, and practice political social work.     

Outcomes of ITV and Face-to-Face Instruction in a Social Work Research Methods Course

ABSTRACT

The heart of social work is relationship. IVT literature implies obstacles to interaction, but overlooks the centrality of relationship and challenges in distance education for teaching and modeling social work relationships. This article addresses how to ensure in the moderately-sized (40 students) IVT classroom that relationship remains integral to effective social work practice.