Ch. 5 Generalist Practice in Social Work

These flashcards cover key concepts, processes, and methodologies involved in generalist practice within the field of social work.

Generalist Practice

Both a process and a method which seeks to improve, restore, maintain, or enhance the client’s social functioning.

Key components of generalist philosophy

Face-to-face relationship with client, emphasis on an orderly process, democratic decision-making, belief in the dignity, worth, and value of the client system.

Social Study

Obtaining relevant information about the client system including perspective, past efforts, strengths, and weaknesses.

Assessment

Making tentative judgments about the meaning of the information derived from the social study; a dynamic process.

Goal Setting

The process where client and practitioner explore and decide on intervention options addressing the client’s needs.

Contracting

An agreement between the helper and client on the intervention goals that specifies who will do what.

Intervention

Implementation of actions based on social study and assessment to achieve goals.

Evaluation

The process of reviewing intervention activities and assessing their impact on the client’s needs and situations.

Professional Competencies

Conceptual skills allowing the understanding of interrelationships of various dimensions of the client’s life for establishing intervention goals.

Interviewing Skills

Goal-directed activities used to assist clients, emphasizing empathy.

Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches

Focus on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and assist clients in identifying and changing irrational patterns.

Reality Therapy

Emphasizes the client's responsibility for behavior and encourages choosing effective behaviors.

Task-Centered Method

A short-term therapeutic approach focusing on specific tasks to be accomplished within a limited time.

Solution Focused

Starts with the solution and aids the client in establishing steps to reach that solution.

Stages of Group Development

The phases that a group goes through including beginning, norm development, conflict phase, relationship phase, and termination.