Social Work Theories

Week 1: What Are Social Work Theories?

Discussion 1: Are Theories Necessary?

Your classmates are also your colleagues and a social support system. Similarly, the other social workers you may work with in your agency will become colleagues and a social support system.

As colleagues, you may discuss sometimes controversial issues in the field of social work. Remember, you can agree to disagree with respect—which is key as you discuss and debate. As evidenced by Drs. Simon and Thyer, even the role of theories in social work can lead to disagreements.

In this Discussion, you take this opportunity to get to know one another and learn about topics upon which you may agree or disagree.

For this graded Discussion, record a 2- to 3-minute video introducing yourself to your colleagues. Your video should include responses to the following:

•        Your name
•        Your geographic location and what you did for fieldwork
•        A brief reaction to Dr. Barbara Simon’s article about theories being necessary in social work as you think about her position in relation to your fieldwork experience
•        A brief reaction to Dr. Bruce Thyer’s article about theories not being necessary in social work as you think about his position in relation to your fieldwork experience
•        Do you tend to agree with Dr. Simon or Dr. Thyer? Why?

Discussion 2: Sources of Knowledge

Social workers make decisions in practice settings based on different sources of knowledge, including their intuition, personal experiences, tradition, authority, and theories and research evidence. These sources of knowledge can be used together to contribute to decisions. Which source(s) of knowledge do you rely on? What are the strengths and limitations of each source of knowledge, and how will they affect your social work practice? For example, think about the sources of knowledge you used when you made decisions in your field experience. In this Discussion, you consider the sources of knowledge that inform your practice decisions.

To prepare: Complete the “Situations 1 and 2: Making Decisions About Interventions” handout. (Note: You do not need to upload the handout to the Discussion forum. The handout is intended to assist you in writing your Discussion post.)

Post

•        Explain how and why your choices differed in Situations 1 and 2.
•        Evaluate when using intuition or personal experiences is advantageous in making clinical decisions. Provide an illustration of this from your fieldwork experience.
•        Analyze when using theories and research evidence is advantageous in making clinical decisions. Provide an illustration of this from your fieldwork experience

Example.

Social work theories are important because they help social workers analyze cases, comprehend clients, design interventions, and anticipate interventions and potential outcomes. Social workers looking into the factors that lead to behaviors can use these theories as a point of reference, which makes them crucial. A social work theory addresses the client's issues through a research-based lens. It directs a social worker in applying evidence-based theory other than their attitudes, reactions, and moods when working with the client. Having a solid understanding of a theory enables a social worker to have a sense of direction, purpose, and control by utilizing research-based evidence in theory. Concerning the theories, the social worker can comprehend complex human behaviors and social environments that could have led to the client's problem. Choosing a theory to solve a client's problem is one of the social workers' biggest obstacles. Cognitive and psychodynamic theories are two examples of theories that a social worker can employ when working with people with mental illnesses.