Naturalistic Inquiry: An Alternative Model for Social Work Assessment

Rodwell, Mary K.

doi:10.1086/644437

Cited by 40 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…There have been numerous debates in the professional literature about the nature of requisite knowledge for the profession (see, for example, Atherton, 1993;Fischer, 1981;Franklin, 1995;Fraser et al;Gibson & Nurius, 1992;Goldstein, 1992;Harrison, Hudson & Thyer, 1992;Hartman, 1990;Heineman, 1981;Herr, 1995;Hudson, 1982;Imre, 1984;Kirk, 1996;Klein & Bloom, 1995;Kondrat, 1995;Lindsey & Kirk, 1992;Minahan & Pincus, 1977;Reid, 1994;Rein & White, 1981;Rodwell, 1987;Sheldon, 1978;Staller & Kirk, 1998;Tucker, 1996;Weick, 1987;Witkin, 1991;. To date, apart from the general mandates of curricular policies set by the Council on Social Work Education, there is little consensus about essential knowledge for professional practice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, according to Kilty and Meenaghan (1995), the recent focus on empirical verification has, in part, contributed to an incomplete focus on better individual and family outcomes rather than an understanding of the larger issues and societal structures that contribute to risk and maintain social and economic inequality. Citing Abramovitz's (1983) concern about the narrowness of our conceptual frameworks, they propose that the selected use of scientifically based methods has unwittingly obscured the full range of value choices and research that the profession might pursue in its study of people and environments.There have been numerous debates in the professional literature about the nature of requisite knowledge for the profession (see, for example, Atherton, 1993;Fischer, 1981;Franklin, 1995;Fraser et al;Gibson & Nurius, 1992;Goldstein, 1992;Harrison, Hudson & Thyer, 1992;Hartman, 1990;Heineman, 1981;Herr, 1995;Hudson, 1982;Imre, 1984;Kirk, 1996;Klein & Bloom, 1995;Kondrat, 1995;Lindsey & Kirk, 1992;Minahan & Pincus, 1977;Reid, 1994;Rein & White, 1981;Rodwell, 1987;Sheldon, 1978;Staller & Kirk, 1998;Tucker, 1996;Weick, 1987;Witkin, 1991;. To date, apart from the general mandates of curricular policies set by the Council on Social Work Education, there is little consensus about essential knowledge for professional practice.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Ideology, Scientific Theory, and Social Work Practice

Robbins

Chatterjee

Canda

1999

Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Service

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This article discusses the philosophical and ideological nature of theory and examines the ways ideology becomes infused into social work theory and practice. The use of critical thought and specific evaluation criteria based on consistency with social work values are proposed.IN RECENT TIMES, SOCIAL WORK and many of the helping professions have placed a heavy emphasis on practice that is based on scientifically derived theories and knowledge. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics explicitly mandates that professional practice include empirically based knowledge, the evaluation of programs and interventions, and that social workers "critically examine and keep current with emerging knowledge relevant to social work and fully use evaluation and research evidence in their professional practice" (NASW, 1996, p. 4) Thus, in our attempt to shape and mold professional practice, theories of causation, prevention, and intervention are expected to be empirically tested and verified, or, at the very least, lend themselves to empirical verification.With this in mind, it seems important to ask "What is the actual basis of our current professional knowledge?" This is not an insignificant question because, unlike other helping professions, social workers are expected to be experts on not only the biological, psychological, social, cultural, economic, and political aspects of human behavior, but experts on assessment, prevention, and intervention at all levels of social systems as well. It is this very complexity, however, and the mandate that social workers examine both the person and the environment, that contributes to the unique mission of social work practice. However, according to Kilty and Meenaghan (1995), the recent focus on empirical verification has, in part, contributed to an incomplete focus on better individual and family outcomes rather than an understanding of the larger issues and societal structures that contribute to risk and maintain social and economic inequality. Citing Abramovitz's (1983) concern about the narrowness of our conceptual frameworks, they propose that the selected use of scientifically based methods has unwittingly obscured the full range of value choices and research that the profession might pursue in its study of people and environments.There have been numerous debates in the professional literature about the nature of requisite knowledge for the profession (see, for example, Atherton, 1993;Fischer, 1981;Franklin, 1995;Fraser et al;Gibson & Nurius, 1992;Goldstein, 1992;Harrison, Hudson & Thyer, 1992;Hartman, 1990;Heineman, 1981;Herr, 1995;Hudson, 1982;Imre, 1984;Kirk, 1996;Klein & Bloom, 1995;Kondrat, 1995;Lindsey & Kirk, 1992;Minahan & Pincus, 1977;Reid, 1994;Rein & White, 1981;Rodwell, 1987;Sheldon, 1978;Staller & Kirk, 1998;Tucker, 1996;Weick, 1987;Witkin, 1991;. To date, apart from the general mandates of curricular policies set by the Council on Social Work Education, there is little consensus about essential knowledge for professional practice. In...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ideology, Scientific Theory, and Social Work Practice

Robbins

Chatterjee

Canda

1999

Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Service

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“…Thus, the practitioner becomes the main tool of data generation during an assessment, which arguably contributes to a much deeper understanding of the service user's situation (Powell, 2002;White, 2001). Hence, the objectivist notion that assessments are fact-finding missions that can be undertaken as neutral and detached, technical activities is flawed (Rodwell, 1987;Fook, 2012). This type of reflexivity challenges the instrumental accountability inherent in evidence-based practice protocols and guidelines.…”

Section: Reflexivity and Social Work Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Critical Reflexivity and Social Work Practice

Morley

2015

International Encyclopedia of the Social &Amp; Behavioral Sciences

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“…Rather, the assessment process involves a successive framing and re-framing of the client's problem or need until coherent, shared meanings are achieved (Schon, 1983). Rodwell (1987) proposes a naturalistic model of assessment. Drawing on the ideas of Lincoln and Guba (1985), she describes assessment as the process of learning the "culture" of the client and understanding his or her perception of reality.…”

Section: The Search For Focusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…ThereDownloaded by [University of Sydney] at 14:16 02 January 2015 fore, less emphasis is placed on classification, prediction, or generalization. Although the social worker uses professional knowledge and forms professional judgements about how to intervene, these are always developed within the framework of the client's perceptions with whom they are shared and validated (Rodwell, 1987).…”

Section: The Search For Focusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re‐assessing assessment in clinical social work practice

Mailick¹

1991

Smith College Studies in Social Work

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Changes in client populations, agency services, and treatment technologies encourage a re-examination of the assessment process in clinical social work. Postmodern theory raises additional challenges to ideas about the existence of truth in the context of ambiguity. Assessments of clients are influenced by the nature and scope of agency service, the theoretical and value orientation of the social work practitioner, and the unit of attention. Assessments in three practice settings illustrate both the similarities and differences in applying values and belief systems, theories drawn from other disciplines, and social work practice in a search for understanding the distinctive qualities of the human situation.A universally accepted principle in clinical social work practice is that it is important to gather some data about clients and their situations in order to provide service. However, there is less unanimity about the Rurpose, scope, and method of gaining this information. This reflects differences in behavioral theories and treatment philosophies; agency settings; changing views of the nature of science; and ethical, legal and societal considerations.The purpose of this article is to re-examine the assessment process in the light of the current dialogue in social work research and practice about the nature of knowing in the context of ambiguous data. A proposal for differential assessment is offered based upon how the nature and scope of agency service, theoretical and value orientation, and the unit of attention affect the assessment process.An assessment is an attempt to understand or explain a part of what is known of the world of the client in order to provide a service or fulfill a need. In essence, it is a series of definitions of a situation as viewed by the client and the worker as participants in a process, each of whom may attach specific and perhaps different meanings to what is "known" in order to fit it into a schema or paradigm. For the client this might take the form of shaping an historical narrative so that it leads up to or "makes sense" out of the current situation. For the practitioner it

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Naturalistic Inquiry: An Alternative Model for Social Work Assessment

Cited by 40 publications

References 13 publications

Ideology, Scientific Theory, and Social Work Practice

Ideology, Scientific Theory, and Social Work Practice

Critical Reflexivity and Social Work Practice

Re‐assessing assessment in clinical social work practice

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