Evaluate the sustainability of the ethnic sensitive perspective
for social work intervention. Focus on the purpose, characteristics and
application. Use practical examples to illustrate your answer.
Introduction
This perspective is very important within South Africa
Many clients face problems which stem out of discrimination – history of
Apartheid within South Africa has led to many of these problems.
Will look at….
Purpose of the ethnic sensitive perspective
To ensure that social worker is attentive to ethnic, cultural and religious diversity
among clients
That the problem and effects of discrimination are addressed in practice – for
example, someone who cannot find employment due to their ethnicity, maybe
from another African country (Xenophobia)
Characteristics
Is a conceptual lens – draws attention to the fact that many of the clients served
by social work agencies are members of an ethnic group – thus, social work
and the agencies need to be attuned to that reality
Client’s social class, ethnicity and religious beliefs have significant impact on
help-seeking behaviour – also on whether a particular approach (even a
specific type of service) will be perceived as needed, relevant and useful
Example – a social worker rendering services to a family of higher social class
and economic standing – what they define as a problem is not what you would
define as a problem – need to understand it according to their framework and
background, because to them it is a problem.
Example – Christian social worker rendering services to a Muslim client who is
not being included in any neighbourhood activities due to religion
Effects whether a client sees a particular situation as a problem, which possible
solutions make sense and how the client expects to be treated by the service
system and its service providers
, Example – some African cultures – do not regard eye contact as respectful, and
if a social worker ascribes to this culture, but the client does not, they will need
to adapt their behaviour when working with this client.
Every person is simultaneously part of:
a) a sustaining subsystem – includes powerful influences as those of our
economic, political, legal and educational systems
b) Nurturing subsystem – consists out of a person’s more intimate
relationships, such as those within one’s family, support networks, and
neighbourhood.
Conflict, tension, alienation and deflated self-esteem can result if there is an
incongruence between the values and beliefs represented by a person’s
nurturing system and those of the sustaining system
Example – individual supports ANC, but family supports DA, or any other party
– conflict due to political ideologies
It is becoming increasingly important that social workers become culturally
competent.
Evaluation
Extremely relevant in all service rendering.
Especially in SA
Very sustainable due to most problems arise due to some form of
discrimination.
And will always be relevant within this type of service rendering, which will
always be rendered by all social workers across the globe.
,Cognitive-behavioural theories
Overview
Comes from two related streams of psychological writing – behavioural and cognitive
models
Social learning theory – Bandura – most learning is gained by people’s perceptions
and thinking about what they experience
Cognitive theory – Beck & Ellis – argues that behaviour is affected by perception or
interpretation of the environment during process of learning – inappropriate behaviour
arise from misperception and misinterpretation
Main features of behavioural work:
Focus on specific behaviours that worry client and others
Relies on behavioural principles and learning theory
Factors influencing behaviour is ID by changing factors in the situation and looking for
resulting changes
Intervention based on research as evidence of effectiveness
Progress monitored by using subjective and objective measures
Ideas underlying behaviour therapy
Conditioning – process by which behaviour is learned – connected more or less
permanently with stimulus
Social learning and modelling – discussed below
Process of intervention
1. Assessment
Features – Payne
Emphasis on visible behaviour causing problems, or the absence of expected
or adaptive behaviour
Attributions by people of meaning to stimuli
Present behaviour and thoughts and feelings that go with it
Target sequences of behaviour
Identify controlling conditions
ID people’s labels, but avoid prejudiced attributions
Flexibility in listening leading to hypothesis about behaviour
SEE TABLE 6.1 IN LIT – PAGE 48
, Sequence
Gain description of problem from different viewpoints
Get examples of who is affected and how
Trace beginning of problems, how they changed and what affected them
ID different parts of problems and how they fit together
Assess motivation to change
ID thought patterns and feelings which come before during and after incidents
of the problem behaviour
ID strengths in and around the client
2. Problem demarcation
Problems must be reduced to their component parts
Chart covering antecedents, behaviours and consequences for specific events can be
useful
Should focus on precise descriptions of behaviours, rather than judgements about it
Look at observable and changeable behaviours
Problems need to be put into hierarchies – consider agency priorities, clients’ views,
their capacity and motivation to make one change rather than another, the availability
of mediators and whether goals are fair, feasible and non-discriminatory
3. Aims
Increasing desired behaviours
Decreasing undesired behaviours
Maintaining desired behaviour
Goals should be fair and feasible
Negotiate contract:
Responsibilities of parties involved
Advantages of parties
Consequences if agreed to contract is not adhered to
Ways of monitoring progress
4. Intervention
Find basis for evaluating change
for social work intervention. Focus on the purpose, characteristics and
application. Use practical examples to illustrate your answer.
Introduction
This perspective is very important within South Africa
Many clients face problems which stem out of discrimination – history of
Apartheid within South Africa has led to many of these problems.
Will look at….
Purpose of the ethnic sensitive perspective
To ensure that social worker is attentive to ethnic, cultural and religious diversity
among clients
That the problem and effects of discrimination are addressed in practice – for
example, someone who cannot find employment due to their ethnicity, maybe
from another African country (Xenophobia)
Characteristics
Is a conceptual lens – draws attention to the fact that many of the clients served
by social work agencies are members of an ethnic group – thus, social work
and the agencies need to be attuned to that reality
Client’s social class, ethnicity and religious beliefs have significant impact on
help-seeking behaviour – also on whether a particular approach (even a
specific type of service) will be perceived as needed, relevant and useful
Example – a social worker rendering services to a family of higher social class
and economic standing – what they define as a problem is not what you would
define as a problem – need to understand it according to their framework and
background, because to them it is a problem.
Example – Christian social worker rendering services to a Muslim client who is
not being included in any neighbourhood activities due to religion
Effects whether a client sees a particular situation as a problem, which possible
solutions make sense and how the client expects to be treated by the service
system and its service providers
, Example – some African cultures – do not regard eye contact as respectful, and
if a social worker ascribes to this culture, but the client does not, they will need
to adapt their behaviour when working with this client.
Every person is simultaneously part of:
a) a sustaining subsystem – includes powerful influences as those of our
economic, political, legal and educational systems
b) Nurturing subsystem – consists out of a person’s more intimate
relationships, such as those within one’s family, support networks, and
neighbourhood.
Conflict, tension, alienation and deflated self-esteem can result if there is an
incongruence between the values and beliefs represented by a person’s
nurturing system and those of the sustaining system
Example – individual supports ANC, but family supports DA, or any other party
– conflict due to political ideologies
It is becoming increasingly important that social workers become culturally
competent.
Evaluation
Extremely relevant in all service rendering.
Especially in SA
Very sustainable due to most problems arise due to some form of
discrimination.
And will always be relevant within this type of service rendering, which will
always be rendered by all social workers across the globe.
,Cognitive-behavioural theories
Overview
Comes from two related streams of psychological writing – behavioural and cognitive
models
Social learning theory – Bandura – most learning is gained by people’s perceptions
and thinking about what they experience
Cognitive theory – Beck & Ellis – argues that behaviour is affected by perception or
interpretation of the environment during process of learning – inappropriate behaviour
arise from misperception and misinterpretation
Main features of behavioural work:
Focus on specific behaviours that worry client and others
Relies on behavioural principles and learning theory
Factors influencing behaviour is ID by changing factors in the situation and looking for
resulting changes
Intervention based on research as evidence of effectiveness
Progress monitored by using subjective and objective measures
Ideas underlying behaviour therapy
Conditioning – process by which behaviour is learned – connected more or less
permanently with stimulus
Social learning and modelling – discussed below
Process of intervention
1. Assessment
Features – Payne
Emphasis on visible behaviour causing problems, or the absence of expected
or adaptive behaviour
Attributions by people of meaning to stimuli
Present behaviour and thoughts and feelings that go with it
Target sequences of behaviour
Identify controlling conditions
ID people’s labels, but avoid prejudiced attributions
Flexibility in listening leading to hypothesis about behaviour
SEE TABLE 6.1 IN LIT – PAGE 48
, Sequence
Gain description of problem from different viewpoints
Get examples of who is affected and how
Trace beginning of problems, how they changed and what affected them
ID different parts of problems and how they fit together
Assess motivation to change
ID thought patterns and feelings which come before during and after incidents
of the problem behaviour
ID strengths in and around the client
2. Problem demarcation
Problems must be reduced to their component parts
Chart covering antecedents, behaviours and consequences for specific events can be
useful
Should focus on precise descriptions of behaviours, rather than judgements about it
Look at observable and changeable behaviours
Problems need to be put into hierarchies – consider agency priorities, clients’ views,
their capacity and motivation to make one change rather than another, the availability
of mediators and whether goals are fair, feasible and non-discriminatory
3. Aims
Increasing desired behaviours
Decreasing undesired behaviours
Maintaining desired behaviour
Goals should be fair and feasible
Negotiate contract:
Responsibilities of parties involved
Advantages of parties
Consequences if agreed to contract is not adhered to
Ways of monitoring progress
4. Intervention
Find basis for evaluating change
