Models of Social Work Practice Flashcards

A social worker is meeting with a high school student who is feeling overwhelmed by college applications. Instead of dwelling on the student's anxiety, the social worker asks, "Suppose you woke up tomorrow and the problem was solved. What would be the first small sign that things are better?" This line of questioning is characteristic of which practice model?

Answer: Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

This question uses the 'miracle question,' a hallmark technique of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). [1, 9, 16] SFBT concentrates on helping clients envision a future without the problem and identify concrete, small steps towards achieving that future, rather than analyzing the history of the problem itself. [21, 24]

Which of the following is a fundamental principle of the Strengths-Based Perspective in social work?

Answer: Every individual, group, and community has strengths.

The Strengths-Based Perspective is founded on the core belief that all clients possess inherent strengths and resources that can be mobilized for change. [11, 12, 23] The focus is on what is working well and what clients are capable of, rather than concentrating on deficits or pathologies. [22]

A client wants to improve their relationship with their teenage son. The social worker and client agree on the specific goal of 'having one positive conversation per day.' They then break this down into smaller steps and set a timeline of two weeks to implement these steps. This approach is MOST indicative of which practice model?

Answer: Task-Centered Practice

Task-Centered Practice is a brief, structured model focused on helping clients solve specific, client-acknowledged problems by completing a series of clearly defined tasks within a set timeframe. [3, 5, 18] The scenario describes the key elements of this model: problem specification, goal setting, task development, and a time limit. [8, 13]

A social worker using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) would most likely focus on which of the following with a client experiencing social anxiety?

Answer: Identifying and challenging the client's automatic negative thoughts about social situations.

The core of CBT is addressing the connection between thoughts (cognitions), feelings, and behaviors. [4] A primary technique for social anxiety is cognitive restructuring, which involves helping clients identify, evaluate, and change distorted or unhelpful thinking patterns (automatic negative thoughts) that contribute to their emotional distress. [14, 27]

A client repeatedly describes themself as 'a failure' because they lost their job. The social worker helps the client examine times in their life when they have been resilient and successful, reframing the job loss as a single chapter in a much larger life story of perseverance. This technique of separating the person from their problem is central to which model?

Answer: Narrative Therapy

Narrative Therapy involves helping clients deconstruct problem-saturated stories and re-author new, more empowering ones. A key technique is 'externalizing the problem,' which involves separating the client's identity from the issue they are facing (i.e., 'the person is not the problem; the problem is the problem'). [2, 10, 17, 19]

The Psychosocial Model of social work, heavily influenced by the work of Florence Hollis, primarily emphasizes the importance of understanding the client in the context of their:

Answer: Interactions between their internal psychological state and external social environment.

The Psychosocial Model is foundational to social work and is built on the person-in-environment perspective. [6, 31] It involves a comprehensive assessment of a client's psychological factors (feelings, thoughts, personality) and their social factors (family, work, community, culture) and how these two realms interact to shape the client's situation. [28, 30]