scholarly journals Using a Transdiagnostic Perspective to Disrupt White Supremacist Applications of the DSM

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 750-765
Author(s):  
Michael R. Riquino ◽  
Van L. Nguyen ◽  
Sarah E. Reese ◽  
Jen Molloy
Keyword(s):  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Human Suffering ◽  
White Supremacist ◽  
Field Placements ◽  
Diagnostic Categories ◽  
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽  
Severely Mentally Ill ◽  
Diagnostic Labels ◽  
Racial Biases

White supremacist applications of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) result in the disproportionate labeling of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color as violent or severely mentally ill. Racial diagnostic disparities and misdiagnoses are endemic in social work practice, in part because of the DSM’s categorical classification system, which encourages reductive thinking and reinforces implicit racial biases. While courses on psychopathology are common requirements for clinical field placements, the mental health field’s reliance on the DSM often contradicts antiracist curricula. In an effort to address this paradox, we utilize pedagogical approaches that seek to critique and deconstruct White Supremacist applications of the DSM while simultaneously preparing students to enter a field that relies so heavily on diagnostic labels. This is done in part by teaching students to shirk the DSM’s categorical perspective in favor of a transdiagnostic perspective—identifying symptoms or traits underlying human suffering that occur across diagnostic categories and are informed by macro systems of privilege and oppression. Teaching students to adopt a transdiagnostic perspective may disrupt White Supremacist practices in diagnostics by encouraging an acknowledgement of multisystem factors underlying human suffering without relying on discrete diagnostic categories that are prone to racial interpretations.

scholarly journals Social distancing and social work field placements

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-56
Author(s):  
Prospera Tedam
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
Field Placements ◽  
United Arab Emirates University ◽  
The Impact

The impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on social work practice placements around the world and in the United Arab Emirates is of concern to students, social work educators and service users. In this practice note, I focus on the impact of the interruption to social work practice learning for students at  the United Arab Emirates University and reflect on the introduction of 'social distancing', a health and safety strategy aimed at reducing the likelihood of the spread of the coronavirus. I propose ways in which students in school placements can continue to develop their social work knowledge and skills ‘from a distance’ and while physically absent from their practice learning settings

The Dynamics of the Social Worker-Client Relationship

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Worker ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Social Service Agencies ◽  
Field Placements ◽  
The Social ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Many

While the effectiveness of direct social work practice always requires one’s competence in providing a variety of intervention modalities, outcomes are also dependent on the social worker’s ability to develop and maintain constructive relationships with clients. This book describes in depth the many ways that such relationships can be developed with clients who display a wide range of presenting problems in many types of social service agencies. Each chapter focuses on a particular challenge that social workers may encounter in that process, including the benefits and limitations of theory selection, boundaries, the use of self, the working alliance, relationship ruptures, special issues presented by children and adolescents, terminations and transfers, clients about whom a social worker experiences highly positive or negative feelings, the uses of touch and humor, working with psychotic clients, and the uses of technology. The book is filled with case studies written by students to illustrate how relationships can be formed and challenges can be resolved. The book is targeted to social work students in their field placements, although it can also be useful for practicing professionals.

Incorporating Spirituality into Social Work Practice: A Review of What to Do

1998 ◽  
Vol 79 (5) ◽  
pp. 523-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Cascio
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
General Information ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
Curriculum Policy ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽  
Work Assessment ◽  
Work Education

The importance of spirituality in the lives of many clients has been acknowledged in the most recent curriculum policy statement of the Council on Social Work Education and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association. A number of studies have also appeared in the professional literature advocating for the inclusion of spirituality in both social work practice and education. Despite this legitimacy, social workers are often reluctant to address this issue for a variety of reasons, most notably the lack of knowledge on this subject and its application to practice. To that end, this article presents general information on spirituality and discusses specific ways of incorporating the spiritual dimension into social work assessment and intervention.

scholarly journals Social work bachelor students’ knowledge awareness during field practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-59
Author(s):  
Evelyn Sandøy Ottesen ◽  
Ingunn Tollisen Ellingsen ◽  
Elisabeth Willumsen
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Q Methodology ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Field Placements ◽  
Field Practice ◽  
User Knowledge ◽  
Forms Of Knowledge

Social work has increasingly become a research-based discipline, while at the same time acknowledging the importance of knowledge gained through practical experience and user knowledge. Awareness of various forms of knowledge becomes particularly relevant to practice as it constitutes a framework for understanding and addressing social problems in real-life situations. This article presents findings from a Q methodological study exploring social work bachelor students’ perspectives on knowledge after taking part in research-oriented activities during field practice placement in Norwegian welfare organizations. The aim of the study was to explore how bachelor students of social work understand and find knowledge useful to social work practice. Q methodology aims at revealing shared perspectives, and facilitates comparison between perspectives. Three perspectives on knowledge emerged from the study. The first emphasizes the importance of combining experience-based knowledge and research-based knowledge. The second suggests an orientation towards research-based knowledge as a strategy for innovation, while the third focuses on an active and confident, yet critical, use of research-based knowledge when working with service users. Field placements as arenas for enhancing students’ knowledge awareness, and bridging various forms of knowledge, are discussed in light of these findings.

scholarly journals Community Practice: A Training Ground for Social Work Students

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mylo Jennings
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Community Context ◽  
Community Practice ◽  
Master Of Social Work ◽  
Field Placements ◽  
Social Work History ◽  
Community Concept

Providing services to communities while providing education and training for social work practice in communities is at the core of this paper. These activities are discussed and reviewed in the context of social work in communities. Social work field placements (internships) in communities can provide positive learning experiences for students and excellent services to communities. The Winslow Project, a two-year community-focused placement for two group of first year master of social work (M.S.W.) Students is described and the results of this project are discussed. In order to fulfill a commitment to the community concept, students need a well-defined concept of group and community practice in order to provide the range and quality of services that are required for social work practice in the 21st's century global community paradigm. Providing social work intervention practices in the community is paramount to the further development of social work as a profession. It will also provide support and encouragement for communities to provide these supportive services within the community context. Social work history is rich with the type of models necessary for this to occur.

Juvenile Justice: Juvenile and Family Courts

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Ezell
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Juvenile Justice ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Juvenile Court ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Work Roles ◽  
Family Courts ◽  
Racial Biases ◽  
History Of

This section defines and discusses the jurisdictions of the juvenile and family courts as well as their influences on social work practice. The history of the court, several interpretations of it, as well as various reform efforts are reviewed. Opportunities for social workers to be employed by the numerous agencies affiliated with the court, as well as several nontraditional social work roles, are outlined in this section. The final two parts of the section discuss the major innovations and primary challenges faced by the contemporary court such as gender, class, and racial biases in the system, questions about the effectiveness of the court and associated programs. Finally, proposals to abolish or reinvent the juvenile court are presented.

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