Psychological Aspects of Aging

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Psychological Aspects of Aging

Theories of successful aging explain factors that support individuals as they grow old, contributing to their ability to function. Increasing your understanding of factors that support successful aging improves your ability to address the needs of elderly clients and their families.

To prepare for this Discussion, review this week’s media. In addition, select a theory of successful aging to apply to Sara’s case.

Parker Family Episode 2 Program Transcript PARKER: Ever since my husband died, there’s been no one to talk to. It’s just, really, no one. And when Stephanie is home, I just feel so alone. FEMALE SPEAKER: What about the day center you go to? Isn’t that helping? PARKER: I don’t like it. What makes me really feel good, though, is when I go shopping, buying things. And my kittens. I love my cats. Oh, have you seen them? I have pictures. Just take a look. Look! These are so cute. My babies. FEMALE SPEAKER: Yes, they’re very cute. And wow, you have a lot of them.  PARKER: Oh, well, it’s their home, too, not just Princess Stephanie’s.  FEMALE SPEAKER: The day program you’re attending, are you seeing a  psychiatrist there?  PARKER: Yes. Dr. Lewin.  FEMALE SPEAKER: May I ask how that’s going?  PARKER: He says that I’m depressed.  FEMALE SPEAKER: In the pictures you showed me, you just talked about the  cats, but I also saw all the things you keep around you, the hoarding. I understand how depressed you been since your husband passed away. How alone you’ve felt. [SIGH] But I would like us to try and set up a plan to begin to address the hoarding. It’s very clear that that’s one of the big issues that’s affecting your relationship with Stephanie and your life together. Can we try that? PARKER: I don’t like it when we fight. She’s still my baby, too. Yes, I want to try.

References to use

 

Clark, E. (2018). Loss and suffering: The role of social work. Retrieved from

http://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/practice/loss-and-suffering-the-role-of-social-work/

Fisher, C. (2018). Counseling connoisseur: Children and grief. Retrieved from

https://ct.counseling.org/2018/11/counseling-connoisseur-children-and-grief/

Zoll, L. (n.d.). A grief trajectory. Retrieved from https://www.socialworktoday.com/news/pp_063017_5.shtml

By Day 3

Post a Discussion in which you:

  • Explain key life events that have influenced Sara’s relationships. Be sure to substantiate what makes them key in your perspective.
  • Explain how you, as Sara’s social worker, might apply a theory of successful aging to her case. Be sure to provide support for your strategy.

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6210 Week 1 Discussion 2 Talia Case

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6210 Week 1 Discussion 2 Talia Case

Discussion 2 – Week 1

Discussion 2: Resiliency

Perhaps you have observed a friend or family member after a tragedy and thought, “I’m not sure how they are managing” or “I wouldn’t be able to function.” Why do some individuals, despite overwhelming hardship, have the capacity to adapt and “bounce back,” whereas others, faced with similar circumstances, do not? The answer is resiliency, also referred to as resilience. Social workers help clients strengthen their resiliency as a protective factor against change and adversity across the life span.

Talia Johnson, whom you met briefly in HBSE I, is a young adult who has experienced a sexual assault. How might the concept of resiliency apply to her? For this Discussion, you explore resiliency and integrate it in social work practice using Talia’s case. As you progress through the course, continue to consider resiliency’s role in well-being across the life span.

To Prepare:

  • Review the Learning Resources      on resiliency.
  • Access the Social Work Case      Studies media and navigate to Talia.
  • As you explore Talia’s case,      imagine that you are her social worker, and consider how you might apply      the concept of resiliency to her case. Also think about how you might apply      the concept to social work practice in general.

APA 7 Edition Format

By Day 12/02/2021
Post a Discussion that includes the following:

  • An explanation of how you, as      Talia’s social worker, might apply the concept of resiliency to Talia and      her situation
  • Examples from Talia’s case      and the resources to support your strategy
  • An explanation of how you      might apply the concept of resiliency more generally to social work      practice

The Johnson Family ( Talia Case )

Talia is a 19-year-old heterosexual Caucasian female, who is a junior majoring in psychology and minoring in English. She has a GPA of 3.89 and has been on the dean’s list several times over the last 3 years. She has written a couple of short articles for the university’s newspaper on current events around campus and is active in her sorority, Kappa Delta. She works part time (10–15 hours a week) at an accessory store. Talia recently moved off campus to an apartment with two close friends from her sorority. She is physically active and runs approximately three miles a day. She also goes to the university’s gym a couple of days a week for strength training. Talia does not use drugs, although she has smoked marijuana a few times in her life. She drinks a few times a week, often going out with friends one day during the week and then again on Friday and Saturday nights. When she is out with friends, Talia usually has about four to six drinks. She prefers to drink beer over hard liquor or wine, but will occasionally have a mixed drink.

Talia has no criminal history. She reports a history of anxiety in her family (on her mother’s side), and on a few occasions has experienced heart palpitations, which her mother told her was due to nervousness. This happened only a handful of times in the past and usually when Talia was “very stressed out,” so Talia had never felt the need to go to the doctor or talk to someone about it until now. Talia is currently not dating anyone. She was in a relationship for years, but it ended a few months ago. She had since been “hooking up” with a guy in one of her English classes, but does not feel it will turn into anything serious and has not seen him in several weeks.

Talia’s parents, Erin (40) and Dave (43), and her siblings, Lila (16) and Nathan (14), live 2 hours away from the university. Erin works at a salon as a hairdresser, and Dave is retired military and works for a home security company. Erin is on a low-dose antidepressant for anxiety, something she has been treated for all of her life.

Talia came to see me at the Rape Counseling Center (RCC) on campus for services after she was sexually assaulted at a fraternity party 3 weeks prior. She told me she had thought she could handle her feelings after the assault, but she had since experienced a number of emotions and behaviors she could no longer ignore. She was not sleeping, she felt sad most days, she had stopped going out with friends, and she had been unable to concentrate on schoolwork. Talia stated that the most significant issues she had faced since the assault had been recurrent anxiety attacks.

Talia learned about the RCC when she went to the hospital after the sexual assault. She went to the hospital to request that a rape kit be completed and also requested the morning-after pill and the HIV prevention protocol (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PEP). At that time, a nurse contacted me through the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) to provide Talia with support and resources. I spent several hours with Talia at the hospital while she went through the examination process. Talia shared bits and pieces of the evening with me, although she said most of the night was a blur. She said a good-looking guy named Eric was flirting with her all night and bringing her drinks. She did not want to seem ungrateful and enjoyed his company, so she drank. She also mentioned that the drinks were made with hard liquor, something that tends to make her drunk faster than beer. She said that at one point she blacked out and has no idea what happened. She woke up naked in a room alone the next morning, and she went straight to the hospital. Once Talia was done at the hospital, I gave her the contact information for RCC. I encouraged her to call if she had any questions or needed to talk with someone.

During our first meeting at the RCC, I provided basic information about our services. I let her know that everything was confidential and that I wanted to help create a safe space for her to talk. I told her that we would move along at a pace that was comfortable for her and that this was her time and we could use it as she felt best. We talked briefly about her experience at the hospital, which she described as cold and demeaning. She told me several times how thankful she was that I had been there. She said one of the reasons she called the RCC was because she felt I supported and believed her. I used the opportunity to validate her feelings and remind her that I did, in fact, believe her and that the assault was not her fault.

We talked briefly about how Talia had been feeling over the last 3 weeks. She was very concerned about her classes because she had missed a couple of assignment deadlines and was fearful of failing. She told me several times this was not like her and she was normally a very good student. I told her I could contact the professors and advocate for extensions without disclosing the specific reason Talia was receiving counseling services and would need additional time to complete her assignments. Talia thanked me and agreed that would be best. I introduced the topic of safety and explained that she might possibly see Eric on campus, something that might cause her emotional distress. We talked about strategies she could use to protect herself, and she agreed to walk with a friend while on campus for the time being. She also agreed she would avoid the gym where she had seen Eric before.

The Johnson Family

Erin Johnson: mother, 40

Dave Johnson: father, 43

Talia Johnson: daughter, 19

Lila Johnson: daughter, 16

Nathan Johnson: son, 14

During our second meeting, Talia seemed very anxious. We talked about how she had been feeling over the last week, and she indicated she was still not sleeping well at night and that she was taking long naps during the day. She had missed days at work, something she had never done before, and was in jeopardy of losing her job. Talia reported experiencing several anxiety attacks as well. She described the attack symptoms as feeling unable to breathe, accompanied by a swelling in her chest, and an overwhelming feeling that she was going to die. She said that this was happening several times a day, although mostly at night. I provided some education about trauma responses to sexual assault and the signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We went over a workbook on trauma reactions to sexual assault and reviewed the signs and symptoms checklist, identifying several that she was experiencing. We practiced breathing exercises to use when she felt anxious, and she reported feeling better. I told her it was important to identify the triggers to her anxiety so that we could find out what exactly was causing her to be anxious in a given moment. I explained that while the assault itself had brought the attacks on, it would be helpful to see what specific things (such as memories, certain times of the day, particular smells, etc.) caused her to have anxiety attacks. I gave Talia an empty journal and asked her to record the times of the episodes over the next week as well as what happened right before them. She agreed.

We met over several sessions and continued to address Talia’s anxiety symptoms and feelings of sadness. She told me she was unable to talk about what happened on the night of the rape because she felt ashamed. She said that it was too difficult for her to verbalize what happened and that the words coming out of her mouth would hurt too much. I reassured her that we would go at her pace and that she could talk about what happened when she felt comfortable. We practiced breathing and reviewed her journal log each week.

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It had become clear that the evenings seemed to be the peak time for her anxiety, which I told her made sense as her assault had occurred at night. I described how sleep is often difficult for survivors of sexual assault because they fear having nightmares about what happened. She looked surprised and said she had not mentioned it, but she kept having dreams about Eric in which he was talking to her at the party. The dreams ended with him holding her hand and walking her away. She said she also thought about this during the day and could actually see it happening in her mind. We talked about the intrusive thoughts that often occur after trauma, and I tried to normalize her experience. I told her that often people try to avoid these intrusions, and I wondered if she felt she was doing anything to avoid them. She told me she had started taking a sleep aid at night. When I asked about her exercise habits, she said that right after the assault she had stopped running and going to the gym. We set a goal that she would run one to two times a week to help her with anxiety and sleeping. I also suggested that now would be a good time to start writing her feelings down because journaling is a very useful way to express feelings when it is difficult to verbalize them. Talia mentioned that she had decided not to go to the police about the sexual assault because she did not want to go through the process. I informed her that if she wanted to, she could address the assault in another way, by bringing it to the campus judicial system. She said she would think about this option.

During another session weeks later, Talia came in distraught. She said she had been feeling better overall since working on her breathing and doing the journaling, but that a few things had happened that were making her more and more anxious and that her attacks were increasing again. Talia said her parents were pushing her to drop out of school and to come home. She said they had been calling and texting her often, something she found annoying but understandable. They were very upset about what had happened, although they were more upset with her that she had waited for weeks to tell them about “it.” Her father threatened to come and beat the guy up, and her mother cried. She avoided talking with them, but they had become relentless with the calls. Her mother had shown up with her sister unannounced the previous weekend and had treated Talia like she had a cold—making chicken soup and rubbing Talia’s feet. The pressure from her parents was weighing on her and upsetting her. Talia was also distressed by a friend who kept pushing her to talk about what happened. When Talia finally relented, her friend asked her why she had gone upstairs with him. Talia said this made her feel terrible, and she started to cry. This friend also told her that Eric had heard she had gone to the hospital and was telling people that she had wanted to have sex. Eric had been telling people she was “all over him” and that she had taken her own pants off. This made Talia very angry and upset.

Key to Acronyms

HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

PEP: Post-Exposure Prophylaxis

PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

RCC: Rape Counseling Center

SART: Sexual Assault Response Team

We talked about how there are certain myths in society around sexual assault and that the victim is often blamed. We also talked about how the perpetrator often blames his or her victim to make himself or herself feel better. Talia said she has felt some sense of blame for what happened and that she should not have drunk so much. She started to cry. I gently reminded her that she was not at fault for Eric’s actions, and her drinking was not an invitation to have sex. I reminded her that he should have seen how incapacitated she was and that she could not have consented to sex. Talia continued to cry. She clearly had a number of emotions she wanted to express but was having difficulty sharing them, so I offered her some clay and asked her to use it to mold representations of different areas in her life and how she felt about them. We spent the rest of the session talking about the shapes she made and how she felt. Toward the end of the session she told me she had decided to put in a complaint with the campus judicial system about the assault. She worried that Eric would assault another woman and she would feel responsible if she did not alert the university. I offered my support and told her I would be there for her through the process.

References

Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Johnson family: Episode 5 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader]. The Johnson Family (pp. 11–13).

Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Initial Posting: Content

14.85 (49.5%) – 16.5 (55%)

Initial posting thoroughly responds to all parts of the Discussion prompt. Posting demonstrates excellent understanding of the material presented in the Learning Resources, as well as ability to apply the material. Posting demonstrates exemplary critical thinking and reflection, as well as analysis of the weekly Learning Resources. Specific and relevant examples and evidence from at least two of the Learning Resources and other scholarly sources are used to substantiate the argument or viewpoint.

Readability of Postings

5.4 (18%) – 6 (20%)

Initial and response posts are clear and coherent. Few if any (less than 2) writing errors are made. Student writes with exemplary grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation to convey their message.

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The Complexity of Eating Disorder Recovery in the Digital Age

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The Complexity of Eating Disorder Recovery in the Digital Age

Post a 300- to 500-word response in which you address the following:

  • Provide the full DSM-5 diagnosis for the client. Remember, a full diagnosis should include the name of the disorder, ICD-10-CM code, specifiers, severity, and the Z codes (other conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention). Keep in mind a diagnosis covers the most recent 12 months.
  • Explain the diagnosis by matching the symptoms identified in the case to the specific criteria for the diagnosis.
  • Explain why it is important to use an interprofessional approach in treatment. Identity specific professionals you would recommend for the team, and describe how you might best utilize or focus their services.
  • Explain how you would use the client’s family to support recovery. Include specific behavioral examples.
  • Select and explain an evidence-based, focused treatment approach that you might use in your part of the overall treatment plan.
  • Explain how culture and diversity influence these disorders. Consider how gender, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and/or ethnicity/race affect the experience of living with an eating disorder.

The Case of Diamond

Intake Date: August 2019

DEMOGRAPHIC DATA: This was a voluntary intake for this 28-years-old single African American female. Diamond lives with a 24-years-old female roommate in New York City. She has a bachelor’s degree in Art History and is employed by a major New York museum. Diamond was born and raised in Virginia and moved to New York 4 years ago for employment.

CHIEF COMPLAINT: “My roommate suggested I go to therapy.  I do not agree. I can handle my life, but she threatened to move out and I cannot afford the apartment by myself.”

HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS:  Diamond admitted to purging and frequent use of laxatives to try and keep her weight down.  Diamond reported her weight was being monitored by a nutritionist and she had lab work done to be sure she remained healthy. Diamond reports that she was much heavier as a teenager and wants to confirm she doesn’t get like that again.

Diamond reported that she has a very stressful job. She stated that approximately one month ago she started to have difficulty concentrating at work.  She had several altercations with coworkers as well. Several weeks ago Diamond reported that a coworker “said something nasty and I lost it.” Diamond reported that she was angry and “hit everything I knew I could—but that did not help.” Diamond also reported being under stress due to applying for her master’s degree in art history and difficulties with her boyfriend.

Diamond complained of depression with insomnia and sleeping only a few hours per night, feeling confused, decreased concentration, irritability, anger, and frustration. She admitted to suicidal ideation. She complained of feeling paranoid over the past few weeks and believed the police were after her and that she heard them outside her door. This was another reason her roommate wanted her to seek treatment.  Diamond reported she was emotionally abused as a child and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, but she denied a history of flashbacks or nightmares or any avoidance of the person who she says emotionally abused her.

Diamond noted that at times over the past year she has very strange experiences of being overwhelmed with fear.  At these times she begins sweating, has chest pains and chills, and thinks she is going crazy.  It concerns her terribly that these may happen at inappropriate times.   Reluctantly, Diamond admitted to bingeing several times per month since she was 17-years-old.

PAST PSYCHIATRIC HISTORY:  Diamond denies any history of psychiatric problems in the past.  Diamond admits to using alcohol periodically but rarely to excess.

MEDICAL HISTORY: Diamond is allergic to penicillin and has a lactose intolerance. She wears glasses for reading.

PSYCHOSOCIAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY: Diamond’s parents were married when her mother was 19-years-old, and Diamond was born the following year. Two years later, Diamond’s sister was born.  Diamond reports her mother stated Diamond’s personality changed; she became stubborn and difficult. Diamond’s mother said that Diamond began biting, having temper tantrums, and has been moody since then. Diamond states she “adores her father” because he was never the disciplinarian. When Diamond was 12-years-old, her parents separated for 2 weeks. Diamond reported her mother quit college after Diamond’s birth and returned to college after her sister’s birth. She said her father worked all the time, and there was a housekeeper who cared for the children.

Diamond reports that when she was in high school, her maternal aunt, who was dying of cancer, came to live with the family and this was very stressful for the family. During those years, Diamond told the school counselor that her mother was abusive, and school officials visited the family. During the visit, Diamond had a temper tantrum and there was no further investigation.

Diamond reports she was always an above-average student who rarely studied. She said she was always hyperactive and had difficulty sitting in school. Diamond stated that in college she had a 3.8 GPA and was on the Dean’s list. Diamond is currently applying for admission to graduate school and has taken some courses toward her master’s degree.

Currently, Diamond is friendly with her roommate but does not have many other friends. “I don’t trust anybody.” Diamond states that when she lived in Connecticut during college, she had many friends.

Diamond worked during summer vacation while in high school. She baby sat during college and worked as a graduate assistant. Since graduating from college, Diamond has been employed by a museum. Diamond reports she currently has financial problems due to living in New York.

MENTAL STATUS EXAMINATION: Diamond presented as a slightly overweight, somewhat disheveled, African-American female. She was relaxed but very restless during the interview. Her facial expression was mobile. Her affect during the initial interview was constricted and her mood dysphoric. Diamond’s  speech was pressured, and she spoke in a loud voice. At times, her thinking was logical; and at other times, it was illogical. Diamond denied hallucinations but complained of hearing policemen outside her sometimes. She denied homicidal ideation. She initially admitted to suicidal ideation but then denied it.

Diamond was oriented to person, place, and time. Her fund of knowledge was excellent. Diamond was able to calculate serial sevens easily and accurately. Diamond repeated 7 digits forward and 3 in reverse. Her recent and remote memory was intact, and she recalled 3 items after five minutes. Diamond was able to give appropriate interpretations for 3 of 3 proverbs. Her social and personal judgment was appropriate. Diamond’s three wishes were: “To be skinny, to have a big house where I can take in all the stray cats, and for a million more wishes.” When asked how she sees herself in 5 years, Diamond replied, “Hopefully graduating from graduate school.” If Diamond could change something about herself, she would “make myself thin.”

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media and sexism

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media and sexism

Many marketing efforts perpetuate the gender stereotypes that are steeped in our culture. Two examples at attempts to maintain these stereotypes through advertising are the Bic Critsal For Her and the Easy Bake Oven. These two conceivably innocuous items triggered a flood of articles, petitions, and videos, denouncing their perceived underlying messages.

The first controversy that erupted surrounded the Bic Cristal For Her pen. This pen was created and packaged specifically for women to use. Several groups lashed out at Bic, calling their attempt to target women with “lady pens” sexist and demeaning. Its detractors felt the campaign was degrading and fed into stereotypes by highlighting the thin design and the use of pastel colors. The negative press was overwhelming, although the pens have remained on the market.

Consumers also targeted those responsible for marketing the Easy Bake Oven by sending a petition asking its parent company Hasbro to make the ovens in colors other than pink and purple. Thousands of individuals signed the petition asking for alternative oven colors after a teenage girl from New Jersey was angered that her younger brother would have no other option but to use an oven in the colors that are considered stereotypically female. It was argued that the colors supported the stereotypical view that only young girls would want to bake. The signers of the petition felt that young boys who might want to use the toy would be more likely to practice their baking skills if the color of the oven was gender neutral.

Consider these two stories and think about your own reactions to the responses to the advertising and merchandising of these items.

To prepare: View the assigned resources and reflect on your experience with gender.

Turn in by Sunday 9/15/19

Submit a 2- to 4- page paper, in which you: Please include all questions below in APA. From required readings  Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castaneda, C., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H. W,… Zuniga, X. (Eds.). (2018). Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge Press.

  • Identify specific messages about gender presented in the mass media.
  • Discuss messages about gender you have received from your family or cultural group.
  • Analyze how these messages have influenced your experience with gender.
  • Explain how you might address issues related to sexism in the mass media and diverse cultural beliefs about gender and gender roles in your social work practice.

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Medical Social Work in Chronic Illness Care and Management

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Medical Social Work in Chronic Illness Care and Management

Advances in medical technology have altered the trajectory of illness in our society. Many illnesses that were once considered acute or terminal are now considered chronic. The trajectory of advanced chronic illness, thus, has shifted from a brief period of time to longer periods with impaired quality of life. Patients and/or families living with chronic illnesses are often forced to adjust their aspirations and lifestyle. They also are vulnerable to protracted distress and developing psychiatric illness.

Optimal care and management of chronic illness is significant because it is likely to minimize distress, prevent psychiatric illness, and improve health outcomes and quality of life (Wagner, 2000). A professional team including a medical social worker can deliver optimal care for chronic illness (Wagner, 2013).

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review this week’s resources. Consider a chronic illness that is of interest to you. Think about how the following medical social work practice skills might apply to the illness you chose:

· Assessment

· Crisis intervention

· Case management

· Education and counseling

· Advocacy

· Team collaboration

· Community-level intervention

Assignment

Post a brief description of the illness you selected and the psychosocial effects of the illness on patients and families. Analyze the issues and concerns surrounding the care and management of the illness. Choose three medical social work practice skills, and explain how a medical social worker might implement them to improve the care and management of the illness. Explain challenges that might arise for families or caregivers caring for a patient with your chosen illness. Explain how you as a medical social worker might address the struggles or challenges experienced by families or caregivers.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the resources and the current literature using appropriate APA format and style.

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Discussion Response week 7 for 6200 and 6051

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Discussion Response week 7 for 6200 and 6051

SOCW 6051: Diversity, Human Rights, and Social Justice

Respond to at least two colleagues with recommendations of what skills social workers might employ to separate and/or reconcile personal values with professional responsibilities in the scenario presented. Discuss how the barriers to services identified by your colleagues can be overcome by a professional social worker working with LGBTQ clients.

SOCW 6200: Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Discussion 1: Moral Development Theory and Bullying

Respond to a colleague’s post by offering an additional development theory and explaining its connection to the act of bullying. Please use the Learning Resources to support your answer.

Discussion 2: Bullying: Cycle of Events

Respond to a colleague’s post by expanding on how the act of bullying can affect the psychological development of both victim and observer. Then offer an additional social work intervention, skill, or practice that might change this cycle of events. Please use the Learning Resources to support your answer.

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SOCW 6051: Diversity, Human Rights, and Social Justice

 

Respond to at least two colleagues with recommendations of what skills social workers might employ to separate and/or reconcile personal values with professional responsibilities in the scenario presented. Discuss how the barriers to services identified by your colleagues can be overcome by a professional social worker working with LGBTQ clients.

 

Colleague Respond:  Diana Thorne 

RE: Discussion – Week 7

Top of Form

My scenario deals with a social worker, named Crystal, who works at a community agency that assists disadvantaged teens. The social worker is a devoted senior member of her Baptist church. Crystal is a teacher in her church’s teen ministry. Crystal and her husband of 25 years, Tom, who is a deacon in the church has two children both in college. One day while Crystal is working at the teen community agency, she interviews a new client. The new client, “Sharon”, is 17 years old female and 3 months pregnant. While interviewing the client, the social worker finds out that the client has a partner who is also female. The social worker has determined that Sharon is either lesbian or bi-sexual. The social worker is very religious and believes that any type of relationship that is not heterosexual is deviant and sinful. Crystal’s personal, ethical, and moral values clearly do not agree with her new client, Sharon’s personal, ethical, and moral values.

 

Social work is not a faith-based profession founded on any one religious tradition, and there are times when social work professional expectations differ from the personal beliefs of religious social work professionals (Dessel et al. 2017). Social workers are entitled and have the right to have their own personal beliefs and ethical values regarding sexual orientation. However, social workers have a professional responsibility to address their personal biases with cultural sensitivity and competence. In this scenario, Crystal, as a social worker is professionally bound by the NASW Code of Ethics which calls for culturally competent and non-discriminatory social work practice regardless of “sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (Dessel et al. 2017).

 

Prejudice and bias might create barriers to fulfilling a social worker’s professional responsibility to the LGBTQ community. Social workers can fail to consider the client’s sexual orientation or gender identity and their world experiences. As a result, failing to provide professional guidance can lead to harmful and discriminatory practices based on person personal biases related to their sexuality and gender identity rather than informed, evidence-based policies and guidelines (Ryan, 2019). A social worker’s personal beliefs and values can cause tensions and negatively influence their ethical decision-making and practice if they do not practice self-reflection and cultural competence (Dessel et al. 2017).

 

References

 

Dessel, A. B., Jacobsen, J., Levy, D. L., McCarty-Caplan, D., Lewis, T. O., & Kaplan, L. E.

 

(2017). LGBTQ Topics and Christianity in Social Work: Tackling the Tough

 

Questions. Social Work & Christianity, 44(1/2), 11–30.

 

Ryan, C. (2009). Supportive families, healthy children: Helping families with lesbian, gay,

bisexual & transgender children. San Francisco, CA: Family Acceptance Project,

Marian Wright Edelman Institute, San Francisco State University. Retrieved from

http://familyproject.sfsu.edu/publications.

Bottom of Form

 

Colleague Respond:  Ja’Sharee Bush 

RE: Discussion – Week 7

Top of Form

Kathy is a 32-year-old bisexual female, she classifies as a Baptist, and her family is considered old school; they believe same-sex relationships and marriages are against the Bible and should be outlawed. Kathy believes that individuals should be able to express themselves and love whomever they choose. Kathy may encounter individuals like her family and be reluctant to receiving care.

 

These individuals will attempt to portray their beliefs on Kathy without knowledge of her preference and support for the LGBTQ community. Kathy will be placed in situations where she must place her beliefs aside to assist clients who are against her way of living. She will find individuals willing to change and she will provide information to broaden their perspectives.

 

The difference between professional ethics and values versus personal is when in a professional setting a social worker must understand they are there to provide a service, they are to prevent harm and understand diversity and oppression (Dessel et al., 2017). Personal ethics and values are the social worker’s limitations, and what they believe is right or wrong. In the scenario Kathy will have to distinguish between the two when working with clients, when working with those who oppose what she feels, she must put her professional ethics and values into place.

 

There will be individuals that feel supporting the LGBTQ community is wrong and will fight against progress. Prejudice and Bias will make individuals find a rebuttal towards efforts made for the LGBTQ but as a social worker, I must find a way to overcome their objectives to fulfill my role.

 

Dessel, A. B., Jacobsen, J., Levy, D. L., McCarty-Caplan, D., Lewis, T. O., & Kaplan, L. E. (2017). LGBTQ Topics and Christianity in Social Work: Tackling the Tough Questions. Social Work & Christianity, 44(1/2), 11–30.

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Follow Rubric

 

Responsiveness to Directions

8.1 (27%) – 9 (30%)

Discussion posting fully addresses all instruction prompts, including responding to the required number of peer posts.

 

Discussion Posting Content

8.1 (27%) – 9 (30%)

Discussion posting demonstrates an excellent understanding of all of the concepts and key points presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources. Posting provides significant detail including multiple relevant examples, evidence from the readings and other scholarly sources, and discerning ideas.

 

Competency Demonstrate Professional and Ethical Behavior-Values

1.35 (4.5%) – 1.5 (5%)

Student demonstrates an excellent understanding of social work values and ethical standards. Student demonstrates expert ability to apply professional value framework when working with a specific population.

 

Competency Demonstrate Professional and Ethical Behavior-Cognitive and Affective Processes

1.35 (4.5%) – 1.5 (5%)

Student demonstrates a high level of critical thought related to application of social work values and ethics. Critical thought may be demonstrated through the ability to consider multiple perspectives, ability to recognize personal values, and ability make the distinction between personal and professional values.

 

Peer Feedback and Interaction

5.4 (18%) – 6 (20%)

The feedback postings and responses to questions are excellent and fully contribute to the quality of interaction by offering constructive critique, suggestions, in-depth questions, additional resources, and stimulating thoughts and/or probes.

 

Writing

2.7 (9%) – 3 (10%)

Postings are well organized, use scholarly tone, contain original writing and proper paraphrasing, follow APA style, contain very few or no writing and/or spelling errors, and are fully consistent with graduate level writing style.

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Intervention Treatment Plan

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Intervention Treatment Plan

According to the Counsel on Social Work Education, Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice:

Social workers understand quantitative and qualitative research methods and their respective roles in advancing a science of social work and in evaluating their practice. Social workers know the principles of logic, scientific inquiry, and culturally informed and ethical approaches to building knowledge. Social workers understand that evidence that informs practice derives from multi-disciplinary sources and multiple ways of knowing. They also understand the processes for translating research findings into effective practice.

The MSW program expects students in their specialization year to be able to:

· Critically evaluate evidence based and “best practice” treatment interventions.

· Compose clinical intervention plans that are grounded research-based knowledge

This assignment is intended to help students demonstrate the behavioral components of this competency in their field education.

To Prepare: Review the agency’s intervention/treatment plan used to engage clients. After reviewing the agency’s intervention/treatment plan, consult the literature and conduct extensive research, with the goal of finding best practices that supports or adds to the agency’s current intervention/treatment plan. The purpose of this assignment is to find research that supports or adds to the agency’s current intervention/treatment approach.

Assignment

Submit a 1-2-page paper in which you:

1. Briefly describe the agency’s intervention/treatment plan (Student agency is a short term inpatient mental health/substance abuse hospital. On the treatment plan the agency assess client strengths and deficits. The agency sets goals and interventions for each client’s treatment plan).

2. Briefly discuss best practices about interventions identified in the literature

3. Briefly discuss how the agency can incorporate those best practices into the current intervention/treatment plan

4. Provide a brief summary of the similarities and differences between the intervention/treatment plan used at the agency and the suggested practices in the literature

Note: If no formal process is used in the agency, discuss the agency’s current process and compare it to the suggestions in the literature. You are expected to present and discuss this assignment with your agency Field Instructor. Your field instructor will be evaluating your ability to demonstrate this competency in the field evaluation. 

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Planning a Needs Assessment II

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Planning a Needs Assessment II

One of the many reasons social workers conduct needs assessment is to provide support for new programs. Social workers have many methods available to collect necessary data for a need’s assessment.

Social workers can use existing data from a wide range of sources, including local and national reports by government and nonprofit agencies, as well as computerized mapping resources. Social workers can gather new data through interviews and surveys with individuals and focus groups. This data can provide the evidence that supports the need for the program.

To prepare for this Assignment, review the needs assessment plans that you and your classmates generated for this week’s Discussion. Also, review the logic models that you created in Week 7 (problems affecting young mothers such as; depression)

and any literature on needs of caregivers that you used to generate them. Consider the following to stimulate your thinking:

  • Getting      information about the needs of the target population:
    • Who       would informants be?
    • What       is your purpose for interacting with them?
    • What       questions would you ask?
    • What       method would you use (interview, focus group, questionnaire)?
  • Finding      potential clients:
    • Who       would informants be?
    • What       is your purpose for interacting with them?
    • What       questions would you ask?
    • What       method would you use?
  • Interacting      with the target population:
    • Who       would informants be?
    • What       is your purpose for interacting with them?
    • What       questions would you ask?
    • What       method would you use?

Assignment

Submit a 2- to 3-page paper outlining a hypothetical needs assessment related to the support group program for caregivers. Include the following:

  • The      resources needed to operate this service
  • The      program activities
  • The      desired outcomes
  • A      plan for gathering information about the population served
  • Justifications      for your plans and decisions
  • A      one-paragraph conclusion describing how you might conduct a follow-up to      the need’s assessment at the implementation stage of the program evaluation
  • Resource

Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.

  • (For review) Chapter 6, “Needs Assessment” (pp. 107–142)
  • Chapter 7, “Crafting Goals and Objectives” (pp. 144–164)
  • Also see attached resources

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Week7: Developing a Logic Model Outline Handout

 

Complete the tables below to develop both a practice-level logic model and a program-level logic model to address the needs of Helen in the Petrakis case history.

 

Practice-Level Logic Model Outline

 

Problem Needs Underlying Causes Intervention Activities  

Outcomes
         

 

Program-Level Logic Model Outline

 

Problem Needs Underlying Causes Intervention Activities  

Outcomes
         

 

Introduction to Research Proposals

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Introduction to Research Proposals

Just because you thought of an interesting research question and have a desire to conduct research does not mean that your research will automatically be supported by faculty or funded by an organization. In order to gain stakeholder approval, you must submit a research proposal. Much like an outline of a paper or a treatment of a movie script, the research proposal contains several parts that begin with a research question and end with a literature review. For this Assignment, you compile a research proposal that includes a research problem, research question, and a literature review.

For this Assignment, choose between the case studies entitled “Social Work Research: Couple Counseling” and “Social Work Research: Using Multiple Assessments.” Consider how you might select among the issues presented to formulate a research proposal.

Be sure to consult the outline in Chapter 14 the Yegidis et al. text for content suggestions for the sections of a research proposal. As you review existing research studies, notice how the authors identify a problem, focus the research question, and summarize relevant literature. These can provide you with a model for your research proposal.

By Day 7

Submit a 5- to 6-page research proposal stating both a research problem and a broad research question (may be either qualitative or quantitative). Use 6–10 of the most relevant literature resources to support the need for the study, define concepts, and define variables relevant to the question. Include a literature review explaining what previous research has found in relation to your problem and question. The literature review should also include a description of methods used by previous researchers. Finally, be sure to explain how your proposed study addresses a gap in existing knowledge.

Cite from resources below

 

Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018). Research methods for social workers (8th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.

  • Review Chapter 4, “Conducting the Literature Review and Developing Research Hypothesis” (pp. 71-99)

 

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].

  • Social Work Research: Couples Counseling
  • Social Work Research: Couples Counseling Social Work Research: Using Multiple Assessments

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  1. Social Work Research: Couples Counseling

Kathleen is a 37-year-old, Caucasian female of Irish descent, and her partner, Lisa, is a 38-year-old, Caucasian female with a Hungarian ethnic background. Kathleen reports that she has a long family history of substance use but has never used alcohol or drugs herself. She does not have a criminal history and utilized counseling services 10 years ago for family issues regarding her father’s alcohol use. Kathleen works as a nurse in a local hospital on the cardiac floor where she has been employed for 8 years.

 

Lisa reports experimenting with substances during college. She currently drinks wine on occasion. Lisa does not have a criminal history. Lisa has had many jobs and stated that she was unable to find her niche until recently when she took out a loan and opened a small Hungarian restaurant serving her grandmother’s recipes. Her restaurant has been open 1 year. Lisa reports that while she enjoys the work and has found her niche, she must work constantly to be successful, and she is worried the business might fail.

 

Kathleen and Lisa have been together for over 15 years. They have a close group of friends and see their families on major holidays. They came to outpatient counseling at a nonprofit agency to examine the possibility of starting a family together. They were both feeling ambivalent about it, and it had been the source of more than a few arguments, so they decided to come to counseling to address their concerns in a more productive way. They said they chose this agency because it was recognized as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) friendly. They asked about my sexual orientation and my history because they were concerned about my level of experience working with the issues they were presenting.

 

I thanked Kathleen and Lisa for sharing this concern, and I informed them of various programs I had worked in within the agency, including supportive services for LGBT youth in schools and in the community. I also shared our agency philosophy and mission, which includes outcome measures and engaging clients in feedback to evaluate practice.

 

I explained the tools we used to measure outcomes. The first form measures how each of them are feeling with regard to their life and current circumstances. There are four different scales to measure aspects of their lives, such as social, family, emotional health, etc. I also provided the chart on which I score the scales and track progress. I explained that the purpose was to see where they began to demonstrate progress with the work we were doing.

 

The second form measures how well I am providing treatment. I demonstrated the four scales that measure if the client feels heard and understood and if we addressed in session what they wanted to. I explained that this should address their concern about my ability to assist them. Because we would be evaluating both how they felt and how the sessions were going each week, we could make adjustments on treatment and delivery style.

 

I informed Kathleen and Lisa that both measurement tools were obtained from the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. We use these tools in the agency to assess the experience of the client and whether the goals of treatment are being achieved. Lisa questioned how the information would be used, and I told them that this information would be shared with them weekly and would only be in their chart.

 

Lisa and Kathleen came every week for 15 weeks. In that time, we charted each week using both tools. The chart demonstrated significant progress and then began to level off. During that time, Kathleen and Lisa worked on effective communication strategies to discuss the presenting issues. The arguments had become less frequent and shorter in duration as both Kathleen and Lisa learned to appreciate the other’s perspective. They expressed that some members of their families of origin were not supportive of their sexual orientation, and this was the main challenge for them as a couple. They were able to identify their strengths and not let family or societal opinions inform how they wanted to live. They were able to see that this was their decision.

 

During treatment there were times when the measurement tool indicated that they felt we were not connecting on certain issues. As I could pinpoint when that was and the topic we discussed, we were able to address it in the next session to clarify and get back on track.

 

  1. Social Work Research: Using Multiple Assessments

Lucille is a 68-year-old, Caucasian female. Her husband of 43 years passed away 4 years ago after a long and debilitating illness during which Lucille was his primary caregiver. During their marriage, he worked at the sanitation department, and she was a homemaker. She continues to live in the house where she and her husband raised their three children. Lucille receives a limited income of approximately $2,100/month from her husband’s retirement pension and Social Security; she owns her home and has no major outstanding debts. She receives Medicare to cover her major medical expenses and a small supplemental health plan to cover any outstanding medical costs. Her physical health is good, and she has not had any major illnesses or surgeries, although she has not had a complete physical in over two years. Her favorite hobbies are gardening and cooking. Lucille has two sons and one daughter, each living away from home with their own families. Lucille’s daughter and one son reside in the local area; her other son lives in another state.

 

Lucille’s major concern is about her daughter, Alice (33), who has battled substance abuse and alcoholism since adolescence. At present, Alice is not employed and has had several encounters with law enforcement for drug possession and intent to sell illegal substances. Alice has admitted that she has used cocaine as well as other substances in the past. She has made several attempts to go into drug rehabilitation, but she has never completed a program. Her siblings have essentially disowned her. Alice has three children, Michael (6), Rachael (4), and Randy (18 months), who was recently diagnosed with fetal alcohol effects (FAE). Lucille is not certain who is the father of her grandchildren; it is a subject Alice refuses to discuss. Alice has repeatedly left her children alone for several hours in their tiny apartment, and once she was gone for several days. Child Welfare has interceded, but Alice continues to have custody of her children. Whenever Lucille visits her daughter and grandchildren, the living conditions are filthy, there is little food in the house, and there is talk of constant “visitors” to the house well into the night. Because of Alice’s instability, Lucille has taken physical custody of her grandchildren without any redress from Alice. Lucille’s family members are not aware of the stress Lucille is feeling about possibly having to spend the rest of her life raising her grandchildren, including one with a disability. This causes Lucille to often feel “down in the dumps,” resulting in overeating because, as she stated, “comfort food makes me feel better.” Within 2 months, she gained 15 pounds.

 

Lucille heard about a counseling program at the local community center for grandparents raising grandchildren. The program provides support, group meetings, parenting classes, individual counseling sessions with a social worker, and referrals for other supporting services. At first, Lucille was skeptical about attending the program. She was embarrassed to tell others about her family circumstances; she was particularly fearful that others would blame her for her daughter’s lifestyle and wonder how she could now care for her grandchildren if she could not raise her daughter properly. She already blamed herself for her daughter’s actions, which made her bouts of depression more frequent and difficult to overcome.

 

Eventually, Lucille came to the community center after some encouragement from her neighbor. Lucille is quite concerned about the fate of her daughter. Fearing the worst, she is constantly worried she will get a late night phone call that her daughter was found dead somewhere from a drug overdose or something related to her drug life. She once believed caring for her grandchildren was a temporary arrangement but more recently believes this will become permanent. Although Lucille loves her grandchildren, she is afraid that she will have to raise them alone and is angry with her daughter for putting her in this position. She does not know if she can do it at her age. Her youngest grandchild will need many resources over the years, and she does not even know where to begin to access them. She admits feeling overwhelmed and depressed frequently, but she does not have a wide circle of family or friends to talk to about her concerns. She spoke to her church minister once about her family circumstances but did not feel she got much out of it. “He just did not seem to understand what I was talking about,” she stated, “so I never went back.” She stated she was feeling unable to manage her family needs and that “I just want to get control of the ship again.”

 

After a thorough psychological assessment, the agency psychiatrist determined that medication was not necessary for her bouts of depression. After our initial talk, I administered a series of baseline measures on her emotional and physical functioning, specifically the Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depressed Mood Scale (CES-D), Family Resource Scale, Family Support Scale, and the Medical Outcome Survey, SF-12v2. Our plan is to administer these measures at 3-month intervals for 1 year to assess her emotional functioning and social progress. Using a strengths-based approach to problem solving, I collaborated with Lucille on a biweekly basis to define personal goals that focused on helping her address feelings of depression and broaden her support network for managing family challenges. She attended monthly support group meetings with other grandparents who discussed their challenges and celebrated their triumphs. Lucille never missed a meeting. I made two home visits per month to observe Lucille in her home environment. Our individual sessions included assessing strengths, defining/redefining needs, targeting problems and goals, identifying resources to address needs, and monitoring goal progress. A nutritionist also conducted two home visits to help her with food options for herself and her grandchildren. Lucille is an excellent cook, and the nutritionist showed her how to reduce calories without sacrificing taste. Within four weeks, Lucille was able to make small changes in her everyday life. She began walking her grandchildren to the local park for playtime, preparing her front yard for spring flowers, and preparing Sunday dinners to reengage her family. She also visited her family physician and learned that she has high blood pressure, which can be controlled with proper diet and exercise, and she has asked her son and daughter-in-law for respite once per month so she can have some “down time.”

 

After 6 months, I facilitated a family group conference with Lucille and her sons and their wives. The focus of the meeting was to plan how the family would support Lucille as the primary caregiver for her grandchildren and to define the role other family members would play in assisting in raising Alice’s children. There was family agreement that it was in the children’s best interest for Lucille to seek legal counsel so she could establish temporary custody for her grandchildren, as well as learn the options for a more permanent relationship, such as adoption. She also applied for disability benefits for her youngest grandchild. Later, the family would meet to conduct permanency planning for the grandchildren. After 9 months, Lucille’s emotional health improved, and we decided to suspend individual counseling, but she continues to participate in the weekly support group meetings where she can have her blood pressure checked by the program nurse. After 12 months in the program, Lucille has a positive perception of her support network, including her family; familiarity with community resources and how to access them; a positive emotional state; and she has lost 10 pounds and her blood pressure is normal. Lucille has even initiated a grandparent mentoring service for new custodial grandparents who want to partner with a “seasoned” grandparent caregiver. Last week, Lucille found out her daughter Alice, who she has not seen in nearly a year, is 6 months pregnant.

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Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression

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Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression

Think about the moment in which you became aware of your sexual orientation. Do you recall making a conscious choice to be gay or straight? Some believe that gender identity and sexual expression is a choice, or more likely, that “people choose to be gay.” The counter to that belief is that one does not “choose” his or her sexual orientation; it simply is. This week you consider how people’s reactions to someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation impacts his or her environment and experience.

When adolescents question their sexual orientation or gender identity, they encounter various reactions from individuals in their environment. For this Discussion, consider how people’s reactions to someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation may impact his or her environment and experience.

By Day 3

Post your answer to the following question:

  • How might potential reactions to an adolescent’s questioning of their sexual identity, or gender role, impact their social environment, behavior and self-esteem?
  • As social workers, what role can we play in assuring the best outcomes for these adolescents?

 

Required Readings

Melchert, T. P. (2015). Treatment. In Biopsychosocial practice: A science-based framework for behavioral health (pp. 211-233). Washington, District of Columbia: American Psychological Association.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Goldbach, J. T., & Gibbs, J. (2015). Strategies employed by sexual minority adolescents to cope with minority stress. Psychology Of Sexual Orientation And Gender Diversity, 2(3), 297-306.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Giga, N. M., Villenas, C., Danischewski, D. J., & Gay, L. (2016). The 2015 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation’s Schools. Executive Summary.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Steensma, T. D., Kreukels, B. C., de Vries, A. C., & Cohen-Kettenis, P. T. (2013). Gender identity development in adolescence. Hormones And Behavior, 64(2), 288-297.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

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