An Introduction to Family Social Work

by Collins, Donald; Jordan, Catheleen; Coleman, Heather

• ISBN13: 9780875814247
• ISBN10: 0875814247
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-01-01
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

This text provides beginning students with the knowledge and skills necessary for family social work. Not a family therapy text, it is intended for students who will work with families, but who will not necessarily undertake advanced training in family therapy. Chapters 1 and 2 present a philosophical perspective and provide an understanding of family functions. Chapters 3 and 4 treat family assessment, and Chapters 5 through 10 lead students through the actual process of working with families. The concluding chapters discuss gender and culturally sensitive practice and cover special situations that family social workers may encounter in working with children and adults.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
The Field of Family Social Work	1	(19)
What Is Family Social Work?	2	(2)
Historical Background of Family Social Work	4	(2)
Family Social Work and Family Therapy	6	(1)
Realities of Family Social Work Practice	7	(1)
Roles and Objectives of the Family Social Worker	8	(3)
Assumptions of Family Social Work	11	(8)
Home-Based Support for Families	11	(2)
Family-Centered Philosophy	13	(1)
The Importance of Crisis Intervention	14	(1)
``Teachability'' of Families	15	(1)
Ecological Approach	16	(3)
Chapter Summary	19	(1)
Diverse Family Strucutres	20	(19)
What Is a Family?	20	(1)
Myths About the Nuclear Family	21	(2)
Family Variations in the 1990s and Beyond	23	(1)
An Inclusive Definition of Family	24	(2)
Graphing Family Composition: The Genogram	26	(3)
How to Draw a Genogram	28	(1)
Charting a Family's Relationships with the Ecosystem: The Ecomap	29	(3)
How to Draw an Ecomap	30	(2)
Other Visual Techniques	32	(1)
Beliefs About Families	32	(3)
Principles That Guide Family Social Work	35	(3)
Chapter Summary	38	(1)
Family Systems	39	(22)
What Is a Family System?	39	(1)
Key Assumptions About Family Systems	40	(12)
The Family As a Whole Is More than the Sum of Its Parts	40	(1)
Families Try to Balance Change and Stability	41	(3)
A Change in One Family Member Affects All of the Family Members	44	(1)
Family Members' Behaviors Are Best Explained by Circular Causality	44	(3)
A Family Belongs to a Larger Social System and Encompasses Many Subsystems	47	(4)
A Family Operates According to Established Rules	51	(1)
Criteria for Assessing Family Functioning	52	(7)
Problem Solving	52	(1)
Affective Responsiveness	53	(1)
Affective Involvement	53	(1)
Communication	53	(1)
Role Behavior	54	(1)
Autonomy	55	(1)
Modes of Behavioral Control	55	(1)
General Functioning: Integrative Skills Assessment Protocol	56	(3)
Chapter Summary	59	(2)
Family Developmental Perspective	61	(20)
Developmental Stages	61	(13)
Marriage/Partnering	65	(1)
Birth of the First Child	66	(2)
Families with Preschool Children	68	(1)
Families with School-Aged Children	68	(2)
Families with Teenagers	70	(2)
Families with Young People Leaving Home	72	(1)
Issues for Older Parents	73	(1)
Variations Affecting the Family Life Cycle	74	(6)
Separation and Divorce	74	(2)
Death of a Parent	76	(1)
Single Parenting	77	(1)
Remarriage, Stepparenting, and Blended Families	78	(1)
Parenting by Grandparents	79	(1)
Cultural Variations	80	(1)
Chapter Summary	80	(1)
Practical Aspects of Family Social Work	81	(19)
Scheduling Family Meetings	81	(3)
Setting Up the First Appointment	82	(1)
Allowing for Travel Time	82	(1)
Accommodating Family Preferences	83	(1)
Preparation and Care of Materials	84	(1)
What to Wear	85	(1)
Inclusion of Children in Meetings	85	(2)
Handling Disruptions and Maintaining Contact	87	(1)
Telephone Follow-Up	88	(1)
Safety Considerations	88	(3)
The First Meeting: Assessing Clients' Needs	91	(3)
Building a Relationship with Clients	94	(2)
Orienting Clients to Family Social Work	96	(1)
Protecting Clients' Confidentiality	97	(2)
Guidelines for Protecting Clients' Confidentality	98	(1)
Chapter Summary	99	(1)
The Beginning Phase	100	(22)
Tasks for the Beginning Phase: Engagement and Assessment	100	(4)
Basic Interviewing Skills Needed by Family Social Workers	104	(1)
Guidelines for Effective Interviews	105	(3)
Principles of Effective Communication	108	(6)
The Communication Process	109	(1)
Influence of Culutral Background	110	(1)
Methods of Providing Information	111	(1)
Attending Behaviors	112	(1)
Self-Awareness	113	(1)
Core Qualities Needed by Family Social Workers	114	(7)
Empathy	114	(4)
Nonpossessive Warmth	118	(1)
Genuineness	119	(2)
Dysfunctional Behaviors to Avoid in Family Social Work	121	(1)
Chapter Summary	121	(1)
The Assessment Phase	122	(21)
What Kinds of Information Are Needed?	123	(1)
Assessment Methods	124	(5)
Assessment by Interviewing	125	(3)
Assessment by Observation	128	(1)
Assessment Tools	129	(1)
Techniques for Interviewing Families	130	(7)
Attentive Listening	130	(1)
Formulating Questions	131	(6)
Probing and Prompting	137	(1)
Assessing Parenting Skills	137	(3)
Assessment of Child Development	138	(1)
Assessment of Parent-Child Relationship	139	(1)
Goal Setting	140	(1)
Contracting	141	(1)
Chapter Summary	142	(1)
The Intervention Phase	143	(20)
Guidelines for Effective Intervention	143	(3)
Focus on the Family's Needs	143	(1)
Respect Clients' Autonomy	144	(1)
Avoid Fostering Dependency	144	(1)
Reassess Clients' Resistance	145	(1)
Maintain Professional Distance	146	(1)
Set Reasonable Expectations	146	(1)
Intervention Techniques	146	(5)
Use of Examples	147	(1)
Confrontation	147	(3)
Reframing	150	(1)
Enactment	150	(1)
Externalizing the Problem	150	(1)
Use of Metaphor	151	(1)
Contracting	151	(1)
Ecological Intervention	151	(1)
Crisis Intervention	152	(1)
Systemic Intervention	153	(4)
How to Teach Problem-Solving Skills	153	(1)
Stages of Problem Solving	154	(1)
How to Teach Communication Skills	155	(1)
How to Explain Circular Causality	156	(1)
Working with Enmeshed or Disengaged Families	157	(2)
Establishing Boundaries	157	(1)
Dealing with Dysfunctionsl Family Alliances	158	(1)
Working with Family Rules	158	(1)
Gender-Sensitive Intervention	159	(2)
Problem Solving Within a Gender-Sensitive Intervention	161	(1)
Chapter Summary	161	(2)
Promoting Behavioral Change	163	(22)
Advantages of a Behavioral Focus	163	(1)
Application of Behavioral Techniques	164	(1)
Basic Premises of Behavioral Intervention	165	(1)
Principles of Behavioral Change	166	(2)
Teaching As an Intervention Technique	168	(6)
Sharing Information	168	(2)
Modeling	170	(1)
Contingency Management	171	(3)
Assisting Parents in Setting Rules	174	(2)
Additional Behavioral Techniques	176	(6)
Extinction	176	(1)
Time-Out	176	(1)
Role-Playing	177	(1)
Self-Control Training	178	(1)
Assertiveness Training	178	(1)
Parent Training	178	(2)
Contingency Contracting	180	(1)
Relaxation Techniques	180	(1)
Giving Homework	181	(1)
Avoiding Pitfalls in Behavioral Interventions	182	(1)
Tips for Producing Behavioral Change	183	(1)
Chapter Summary	183	(2)
The Termination Phase	185	(15)
Planning for Termination	186	(1)
Possible Reactions to Termination	187	(1)
Steps in Terminating	188	(5)
Timing of Termination	193	(2)
Premature Terminators and Dropouts	193	(2)
Tasks for Family Social Workers During Termination	195	(1)
Dysfunctional Behaviors to Avoid	195	(1)
How and When to Refer Clients to Other Professionals	195	(2)
Evaluating Results of Family Social Work	197	(1)
Chapter Summary	198	(2)
Gender-Sensitive Practice	200	(13)
Gender-Sensitive Practice Versus Traditional Family Therapy	201	(2)
The Ecological Orientation of Gender-Sensitive Practice	203	(1)
Social Values That Perpetuate Family Problems	203	(2)
Family Privacy	203	(1)
Family Stability	204	(1)
Conjugal and Parental Rights	205	(1)
Power Imbalances in Family Relationships	205	(2)
Socialization and Gender roles	207	(1)
Division of Labor in Families	208	(2)
Recommendations for Gender-Sensitive Family Social Work	210	(2)
Chapter Summary	212	(1)
Culturally Sensitive Practice	213	(16)
Characteristics Shared by People of Color	213	(1)
African Americans	214	(1)
History	214	(1)
Beliefs About Family	215	(1)
Hispanic Americans	215	(1)
History	215	(1)
Beliefs About Family	215	(1)
Asian Americans	216	(1)
History	216	(1)
Beliefs About Family	216	(1)
Native Americans	216	(2)
History	217	(1)
Beliefs About Family	217	(1)
Guidelines for Assessing Minority Families	218	(1)
Assessment Issues for African American Families	218	(1)
Assessment Issues for Hispanic American Families	218	(1)
Assessment Issues for Asian American Families	219	(1)
Assessment Issues for Native American Families	219	(1)
Guidelines for Intervention with Minority Families	219	(4)
Intervention with African American Families	221	(1)
Intervention with Hispanic American Families	222	(1)
Intervention with Asian American Families	222	(1)
Intervention with Native American Families	223	(1)
Special Issues in Working with Minority Children	223	(4)
Psychosocial Adjustment	224	(1)
Relationships with Family Members	224	(1)
School Adjustment and Achievement	225	(1)
Peer Relationships	226	(1)
Adaptation to the Community	226	(1)
Chapter Summary	227	(2)
Family Social Work with Children	229	(18)
Physical Abuse and Neglect	230	(5)
Factors Contributing to Child Abuse and Neglect	232	(2)
Intervention with Families in Which Children Are Abused or Neglected	234	(1)
Child Sexual Abuse	235	(5)
Validation of Sexual Abuse Allegations	236	(1)
Factors Contributing to Sexual Abuse	236	(3)
Intervention with Families in Which Children Have Been Sexually Abused	239	(1)
Suicidal Adolescents	240	(4)
Factors Contributing to Suicide Risk Among Adolescents	241	(1)
Intervention with Families of Suicidal Adolescents	241	(3)
Behavior Problems and Parent-Child Conflict	244	(1)
Chapter Summary	245	(2)
Special Situations in Family Social Work	247	(20)
Abusive Relationships	247	(7)
Factors Contributing to Domestic Violence	248	(1)
Intervention in Families Suffering from Domestic Violence	249	(5)
Substance Abuse	254	(8)
Interventions with Children of Substance Abusers	256	(3)
Intervention in Families with Substance Abusers	259	(1)
Roles of the Family Social Worker	260	(2)
Working with Involuntary Clients	262	(2)
Chapter Summary	264	(3)
References	267	(12)
Name Index	279	(3)
Subject Index	282