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LEHMAN COLLEGE

CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK

UNDERGRADUATE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM

 

SWK 311 Social Work Practice I FALL 

 

Theory Summary Assignment

 

Introduction:

Social workers' work is informed by theories of individual, family, group, and community

development. Social workers need to become familiar with the basic theories about human

behavior, which explain how problems develop and change occurs, as theory will inform and

influence the interventions a social worker will use to help their clients. Social work

interventions are planned, purposeful, and goal-directed. Practice theories help a social worker in

understanding how clients cope and adapt to stress and inform and organize a plan of action to

meet their needs. In short, theories provide a lens through which social workers “see” their

client's strengths and weaknesses and inform a way of focusing their helping efforts.

Purpose:

This assignment aims to begin to familiarize students with the different ways of understanding

clients and their needs through primary social work practice theories. The theories that we will

explore in SWK 311 and next semester SWK 312 are psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral,

family systems, and crisis theories. These theories have been chosen because they represent the

primary theoretical foundation for human behavior and social work practice. It is important to

become exposed to these different theories because our clients are unique, and the better versed

social workers are in understanding our clients from diverse vantage points the more effective we

will be in our helping efforts.

Assignment:

1) Students will choose one of the following three theories:

a) Ego Psychology

b) Attachment/Object Relations

c) Cognitive-Behavioral Theory

2) Briefly summarize the theory making sure you explain the nature of how problems

develop, and change occurs.

3) Apply how the theory helps you understand Jason’s needs (per the attached case

scenario) and informs how you as a social worker might intervene to help him.

Students will address these above items in a 3–4-page essay (double spaced, twelve point font,

1” margins, please include cover page with the name of the theory and your name). This

assignment is worth 20% of the course grade and is due 12/5 at 11:59 pm.

 

Case Scenario: Jason

You are a social worker for a community-based multi-service agency that offers counseling,

youth development programs (e.g. job assistance, tutoring, recreational/socialization programs),

case management, and advocacy services. You are contacted by a 38-year-old mother asking for

help for her 16-year-old son, Jason who according to the school is not attending school or doing

homework regularly and appears “unmotivated.” In making contact with the center his mother

described him as being “uncooperative and oppositional” as he erratically complies with his

curfew, and she feels does not listen to her. She has noticed these behaviors for about the past

year and feels they are becoming more evident and is fearful of him possibly dropping out and

losing him “to the streets.” Education and his completing school is very important to her because

she dropped out in high school and struggled until obtaining her GED as a young adult and she

does not want to see him go through the same struggles she did. She has concerns about some of

his social and peer relationships, which she feels he treats with more respect and importance than

she and the family. She feels she and he had a good relationship, which has changed as he has

gotten older and complained that they “don’t seem to talk anymore.”

Jason states, "at least I attend school more regularly than most of my friends, and eventually I

always come home.” He believes his mom expects too much from him and is always on him to

go to school, clean up after himself, let her know where he is, and come home at a decent hour.

This results in arguments between them and he finds that they are yelling at each other more

often (which he does not like) and a few times has led to his mother slapping him when he

cursed at her. He denies ever hitting his mother although he said, “she gets me tight.” He

believes his mother does not trust him and “is constantly in his business” which he states is why

he doesn’t tell her anything. He currently does not have a steady girlfriend but “sees” a couple of

girls with whom he is close and is aware of the need to practice safe sex although he doesn’t

always do so with little concern for the potential consequences. He denied alcohol use as he

prefers to smoke weed which he will do occasionally with his friends.

He lives with his single, unemployed mother, who is in the process of applying for social

security disability because of back pain suffered in a car accident 6 months ago, and a 67-year-

old retired, maternal grandmother who is in good health and is known to the neighborhood senior

center. He reports that he had a good relationship with his grandmother but as he has gotten

older, he feels she has started to take his mother’s side against him. His father has never been

much of a resource for the family as he left when he was about eight years old and neither he nor

his family knows of the father’s whereabouts.