The social worker as psychoanalyst

This paper examines the development of social workers as psychoanalysts to determine whether psychoanalysis is a legitimate function of social work. Historically, social work has found psychoanalytic theory helpful. However, it is generally understood that for the caseworker to competently practice psychoanalytic psychotherapy, advanced training is necessary. Although many social workers have availed themselves of this opportunity, the profession continues to believe that the practice of psychoanalysis is incompatible with social work. This is based upon an inaccurate conception of psychoanalysis. Since the social work psychoanalyst is concerned with the client's adaptation to the environment, his or her practice can easily be defined as clinical social work.     

Preparation,support, and satisfaction of adoptive families in agency and independent adoptions

Information gathered from over 1000 adoptions in the fourth year of a prospective study of adoptions finds satisfaction levels to be quite high, with those families adopting through private agencies to feel best prepared and satisfied. Differences by adoption auspice are detailed and discussed.The senior authors are Co-Principal Investigators of the California Long-range Adoption Study. This research was supported by the Child Welfare Research Center, Family Welfare Research Group, University of California at Berkeley, through a grant from the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. The authors wish to thank the families for their participation. Please address correspondence to Mary Berry at the Center for Child Welfare, UTA School of Social Work, P.O. Box 19129, Arlington, Texas 76019.     

Social workers in private practice: What are they really doing?

At one level, private practice may represent a fairly evolved manifestation of the expanded professional growth and sophistication of the individual social worker who embarks upon this highly individualized proprietary enterprise. However, on a larger scale, this widespread shift toward private practice may indicate a collective disenchantment with agency practice per se and represent a concerted attempt to redefine the fundamental aims and values of social work practice.     

Unlocking the family secret in family play therapy

Family play therapy combines play therapy with family systems therapy. When family secrets are revealed in a family setting, with play to cushion the family's anxiety, families have the opportunity to resolve long-standing intrapsychic and interpersonal difficulties that impede the psychological well-being of both children and parents. Family play therapy effectively reduces symptomatic behavior in children in an age-appropriate manner—an advantage over family therapy that may be geared to adult cognitive levels. It also gradually shifts the family to a systems perspective of its problems in a non-threatening way, thereby facilitating the child's connection to his or her primary caretakers.Ms. Eaker is a psychotherapist in private practice in Family Systems Theory, and therapist for the United Federation Teachers' Stress Management Program and various Employee Assistance Programs, and a PhD candidate.     

The Psychodynamics of Consensual Sadomasochistic and Dominant-Submissive Sexual Games

The author examines a case from a qualitative research study exploring repetition-compulsion and repair in consensual sadomasochistic/dominant-submissive (SMDS) sexual play. The study attempts to bridge the epistemological divide between clinically derived psychoanalytic theories about perversion and nonclinical research on consensual SMDS subcultures. The case addresses research questions about the presence of, and possibilities for, working through childhood developmental conflicts in consensual SMDS (as theoretically differentiated from its nonconsensual counterparts).

This study, along with those theories that uproot classical notions of sexuality and the “oedipal divide,” lends support for the view that the diversity of lived and practiced sexualities defies facile categorization and that, if categorization is to be attempted, it must take into account individual meanings and relational/larger social contexts.     

Interactive Videodiscs: A Linkage Tool for Social Work Education

Abstract

The merging of videodiscs and computers now makes possible a variety of exciting instructional strategies in education. This article highlights the ways in which videodiscs can be utilized to individualize the pace of student learning and to enhance the transfer of new learning from the classroom to beginning professional encounters. Ranging from concept learning to simulations of client-worker interactions, the application of videodisc technology to classroom instruction enables the blending of theory and practice so valued by social work educators.     

Conceptual Model and Map of Psychological Abuse of Older Adults

Psychological abuse of older adults is a hidden and pervasive problem that is not well conceptualized nor well measured. Goals. The goals were to (a) conceptualize psychological abuse using three-dimensional concept maps, and (b) develop theoretical models. Methods. Statements describing the construct were generated by local and national panels. These were sorted and rated using Concept Systems software whereby the concepts were depicted as a map. Results. The concept maps guided development of theoretical hierarchies. Significance. Theoretical models may help to develop measures to estimate prevalence better and may enable more precise screening for triage into appropriate interventions.