Critical Ecological Systems Theory in Social Work Practice

Vocabulary flashcards covering the core concepts of Critical Ecological Systems Theory in social work practice, including ecological niches, person-in-environment balance, categories of resources, response continua, broader societal contexts, and analytical tools like ecomaps.

Roles

Social spaces occupied by an individual that carry with them a set of expectations, prerogatives, rights, and responsibilities.

Dotted Lines (Ecological Model)

A diagrammatic convention symbolizing that individuals and their environments are not isolated entities, but are in continuous communication and mutual influence.

Ecological Niche

The social and physical space an individual occupies and creates, defined by two primary aspects: demands and resources.

Demands

Events or situations in an individual's life requiring attention and adaptive response, ranging from trivial tasks to vital survival challenges.

Resources

Environmental sources of help, tools, skills, and support that individuals rely upon to cope with life's demands.

Emotional Supports

Relationships that offer safe opportunities to discuss vulnerabilities and feelings about life demands while expecting an empathic response.

Information Supports

Sources of knowledge and guidance required to deal effectively with specific demands.

Concrete, Instrumental Supports

Assistance provided in the form of tangible goods and direct services.

Affiliational Supports

Social roles in which an individual feels competent, valued, and experiences a sense of importance and belonging.

Goodness of Fit

The balance achieved when an individual's competencies and available environmental resources equal or exceed the weight of the demands faced.

Continuum of Demands

A range of demands evaluated by what is perceived to be at stake, spanning from basic survival, stability, and safety threats to growth, development, and self-actualization.

Adaptive Responses

Coping behaviors that occur when an individual's competencies and available resources exceed or match the weight of the demands.

Rigid Responses

Constrained coping patterns that emerge when perceived demands begin to outweigh available resources and competencies.

Disorganized Responses

Immobilized or disempowered reactions that occur when the weight of demands heavily outweighs resources, often leading to feeling defeated.

Oppression

Social arrangements and practices, such as racism and sexism, that systematically disadvantage specific groups and impede their ability to lead safe, comfortable, and rewarding lives.

Marginalization

A social reality, also termed disempowerment, in which certain groups are socially defined as powerless and unimportant.

Genogram

A graphic assessment tool used to map nuclear and extended families to identify intergenerational patterns.

Ecomap

A flexible diagramming tool introduced by Hartman that depicts person-in-environment systems by placing a nuclear family genogram within a boundary circle connected to external impinging systems.