©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Assessing Chapter 10 Social Work Skills Workbook Barry Cournoyer Indiana University School of Social Work Supplements Developed by Patricia Clark, Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Introduction There are four phases of work with a client. –During the first phase, a lot of information about the person-issue-situation is gathered. This is the exploration phase. –During the second phase, the worker and client together try to make sense of the information. This is the assessment phase. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

During the assessment phase, the worker and client: –Analyze how the person and situation influence the issue of concern and vice versa. –Consider how the issue of concern might be addressed, drawing on strengths and resources. –Develop a “theory of the case” and a case formulation that serve as the basis upon which to establish a contract. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Assessment The primary social work skills used in the assessment process are organizing descriptive information and formulating a tentative assessment. –These skills require lifelong learning and critical thinking. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

There are some problems which are so common to clients in all types of social work settings that workers routinely assess for them. –Violence toward self or others –Child physical and sexual abuse –Mental illness –Substance abuse ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

There are tools which can be used in the assessment process: –DSM-IV-TR –Person-in-Environment (PIE) classification system –Rapid Assessment Instruments (RAI) –Transtheoretical Model (TTM) –Peterson and Seligman’s classification of character virtues and strengths ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

The DSM-IV-TR has guidelines to use in identifying: –Substance abuse and substance dependence –Medical conditions which might be influencing psychological and social problems –Psychosocial and environmental problems –Cultural factors –Overall functioning ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

The PIE system allows workers and clients to classify problems within four categories: –Problems in social role functioning –Environmental problems –Mental health problems –Physical or medical conditions ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Rapid assessment instruments (RAIs) of various kinds may complement the assessment process and sometimes serve as potential indicators or measures of goal attainment. Examples include: –CAGE Screening Test for Alcohol Dependence –Drug Abuse Screening Test ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Peterson and Seligman’s classification system. It identifies the following virtues: –Wisdom and knowledge –Courage –Humanity –Justice –Temperance –Transcendence ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

The TTM, which is used to assess motivation, identifies five sequential stages associated with long-term change. The stages are: –Pre-contemplation –Contemplation –Preparation –Action –Maintenance ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

There are many more assessment tools. More than one will probably be used in any assessment process. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Organizing Descriptive Information Even though assessment is an ongoing process, a formal record is required. –The format for the recorded assessment will vary according to the setting. –All formats will include similar categories for basic information. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

The Description, Assessment, and Contract (DAC) format organizes information under three main headings: –Description – information gained during the exploration phase –Assessment - Ideas and hypotheses concerning the person-issue-situation, as well as a tentative assessment –Service contract - Goals and plans that are negotiated ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Regardless of the organizational format used, the worker must: –Distinguish between reported and observed information. –Differentiate opinion and hypothesis from factual data. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Preparing a Tentative Assessment and Case Formulation After organizing the information collected in the exploration phase, a tentative assessment is formulated through analysis and synthesis. –Analysis and synthesis are used to generate hypotheses about factors currently associated with the problem. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

The primary purpose of assessment is to develop a coherent case formulation. –The case formulation involves hypotheses about how to resolve the problem. –These hypotheses are based on a theoretical perspective. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

–Social workers typically use theoretical approaches that are evidence-based. –When there is no evidence-based approach to a problem, develop hypotheses from theories that logically apply to a particular person-issue- situation. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Hypotheses developed during the assessment process –serve to guide the collection of additional information and –help in the identification and implementation of various intervention activities. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Most of the time there are many plausible hypotheses. –The worker’s challenge is to identify those most likely to be relevant and useful for each unique set of circumstances. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Theory of the Case Assessment enables the worker and the client to reach agreement about a theory of the case and how to proceed. –There is an understanding of the risk factors and those forces within the person-and- situation that affect and maintain problems. –Strengths, assets, competencies, resources, and protective factors that could help in resolving the problem are identified. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

–The client’s current motivation and readiness to address particular problems or issues are determined. –A determination is made about which is the primary client-system and other persons or systems that should be involved in the helping process are identified. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

–Potential targets for change are identified as well as potential obstacles or barriers to progress. –The worker and client explore the probable consequences of doing nothing and assess risk to determine how urgently intervention must be undertaken. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

–Potentially applicable intervention approaches, strategies, tasks, activities, and techniques and their probability of success are explored. –A time frame for work and a means for evaluating progress are developed. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

Documentation Results of the assessment have to be organized and documented in whatever format is used by the agency or program. ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing

The DAC documents the assessment process by breaking it down into three main divisions: –Problems and Issues –Contributing Factors –Case Formulation ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing