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Theories Comparison Paper

Human Behavior

Dr. Hayton

Florida State University

Julie Johnson

April 11, 2021

Social Work Theory

Social work theory provides a research-based foundation for social workers to choose

interventions to use with their clients. Theories help social workers understand human behavior

and how people interact with their environment. To better serve their clients, social workers need

to be familiar with more than one theory, so they have more options. Clients’ needs vary a great

deal, which is why social workers must collect as much knowledge as they can. This knowledge

enables them to match the best service to their client because client needs should dictate what

methods are utilized in their treatment plans. There are times when just one theory is not

sufficient for a client’s unique needs, so a complex approach must be developed that is

comprised of more than one theory to guide their plan so social workers should learn which

theories can be combined to form the best outcome for their client.

What the Theory Explains about Human Behavior

One social work theory that is part of the person-in-environment set of theories is the

Ecological Theory. This theory attributes human behavior to the complex interactions that occur

between people and psychological, political, social, and economic factors (Pardeck, 1998). This

theory sees the person as having an intricate relationship with the environment which they help

shape with their behavior although the environment also has an impact on the person. The same

environment can have a totally different effect on other people’s behavior and can also have

varying effects on people depending on the person’s behavior in the environment at a given time

(Pardeck, 1998).

In contrast to the ecological theory which focuses on people in their environment, the

Strengths-Based approach works to discover an individual’s strengths which the social worker

aims to use in a positive way for the client (Hammond and Zimmerman, n.d.). These strengths
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can include how much resiliency a person has, talents, skills, and gifts the possess (Gleason,

2007). It also encompasses their support systems, physical abilities, interpersonal skills,

resources, and motivations. (Simmons, et, al, 2016). This theory acknowledges that clients do

experience traumas and negative life events, but they can be considered learning opportunities

where strengths are applied to empower clients with resilience and hope.

Strengths and Limitations of the Theory

When discussing the Ecological Approach there are supporters and critics who both bring up

the open-endedness of this perspective. Supporters embrace the wide focus of a client’s

environment and how the context of their surroundings contributes to the client’s issues as

opposed to many social work theories which view the client as an independent individual not

necessarily connected to their environment (Coady and Lehmann, 2016).

Critics of the open-ended aspect of Ecological approach posit that there are endless avenues

to explore in a client’s environment since they are ever-changing and contain tremendous

amounts of data (Coady and Lehmann, 2016). A social worker would have to find a way to

eliminate extraneous information which could be very time consuming. Additionally, some

people do not agree with the way this approach focuses almost exclusively on the present. Many

social workers find value in connecting a client’s past with their present issues and decisions, but

the Ecological Perspective leans heavily on the client’s present environment which also

eliminates consideration of future possibilities (Coady and Lehmann, 2016)

The Strengths-Based Approach aligns itself with the National Association of Social Workers

tenets of listening to clients to determine their goals, giving clients respect, and encouraging

clients to be active participants in the therapeutic process. It is also applicable to various

populations and problems which makes it practical for use in direct and indirect social work
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(Rice and Girvin, 2010). There is expanding support for the resilience component of the

Strengths-Based Approach which states that all people have traits, virtues, and resources that

people develop or acquire as they move through life and the challenges it presents. The

Strengths-Based Approach encourages social workers to understand that everybody has external

an d internal assets and competencies. People may be aware of these assets and resources or they

may need to work with a social worker to discover them, so they can be applied to overcome

challenges (Saleeby, 2000).

One of the criticisms of the Strengths-Based Approach is that even though there are claims

that the approach has benefits, there is no reliable method of research that has been applied to the

approach. This means there is a void of solid data regarding the validity of the approach. Another

drawback to the approach is that it is often used in conjunction with other interventions, so it is

unclear what merit the approach has as a standalone method (Rice and Girvin, 2010). A third

knock against the Strengths-Based Approach is that the treatment interventions are not clearly

defined. According to Rapp, et. al. (2005), strengths work can be something so simple as being

nice to others or making a list of strengths that a client has. There are no clear guidelines about

what constitutes strengths interventions which can be attributed to a lack of understanding of the

model or unclear boundaries about the interventions that fit with this model (Rapp, et. al., 2005).

How the Theory Addresses Social Privilege and Oppression

One possible downfall of the ecological perspective is the tenuous connection to oppression and

justice. Due to the focus on adapting to surroundings, some critics believe that the ecological

perspective encourages clients to remain in oppressive circumstances with the intent of learning

to live with them (Coady and Lehmann, 2016). When using the ecological perspective, a
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discussion about social injustice and social privilege must be included and how they fit into the

client’s environment to mitigate the tendency to stay in a negative situation.

Since the ecological perspective is not focused on the individual, it lends itself to a

community-based approach. This approach attempts to develop a collaborative relationship

between the professional and community stakeholders (Esposito, et.al., 2015). Social justice is a

failure of multiple systems at multiple levels, so leadership of these systems needs to work

together to determine where the failures occur (Berkovich, 2014). Once leadership has uncovered

the issues, they can develop solutions and actions to take to improve the situation. Those changes

trickle down to individuals who interact within that environment.

Strengths-Based Theory can be applied to many different settings to address social justice and

inequalities in society. This approach is based on empowering individuals, families, and

communities recognize their barriers and issues and utilize their capabilities, resources, and

talents to address them (Saleeby, 2000). Empowerment enables people to have the confidence to

work toward solutions either on the individual level or on the community level. According to

Saleeby (2000), the Strengths-Based Approach’s purpose is to discover, celebrate, and

implement people’s talents and skills to enable change to take place which could be on a micro,

macro, or mezzo level. People who are empowered are more willing to take on issues of

inequality and injustice because they feel they are in a position to make a difference and have the

confidence to participate in the process of taking up such a fight. They are also able to look

outside of themselves to focus on problems other people have rather than solely being inwardly

focused on their own issues which is the attitude of people who are not empowered.
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Theory and Social Work Practice

The Ecological-Based Approach encourages people to develop a balance between demands

and resources (Coady and Lehmann, 2016). It is easy to use this approach when working toward

social justice. This would lend itself to be utilized with an individual or group that is fighting to

make changes in their local community or even on a more global scale. Ecological-Based

Approach does not provide specific interventions to get clients from one point to another, but

rather it acts as a guide or map for people to find their way using the context of their

environment to do so (Coady and Lehmann, 2016).

Some of the questions that social workers could ask clients to elicit the information they need

from them to fit into the Ecological Perspective are, “How has this issue affected you on a

personal level?” “What things in your environment cause you to be stressed?” “What changes do

you think need to be made to improve things?” “How do you think you can contribute to the

changes that need to be made?” “What resources do you possess that could help you address this

issue?” These questions keep the client connected to their environment and what influence the

environment has on them and how they can make changes to their environment to make it better.

This approach could be used with a juvenile who is in foster care. These children have been

exposed to traumatic environments in most cases and when they are removed they are sometimes

subjected to more chaos with instability of placements. The environment they live in would have

a significant impact on them and not always in a good way, but they may have little control over

where they are placed. It would be beneficial to explore the affect the environment has on them

and how they could change how they interact with it even if they are somewhere they do not

want to be or they are in a place that is not positive.

For social workers, there are a variety of applications for the Strengths-Based Approach since

it is versatile, client-centered, and collaborative. One thing about this approach that appeals to

social workers is that clients are active participants in naming positive aspects about themselves

and identifying resources they have at their disposal. This assists clients to work toward their

goals because this approach externalizes problems which are addressed by empowered clients

who have identified their abilities and resources (Hammond and Zimmerman, n.d.).

This approach can be used with a variety of populations. For example, it has been used with

people who are suffering from severe mental illness, elderly, students in schools, people living in

poverty, and at-risk youth (Saleeby, 2000). Due to the flexibility of the approach, it would be

relatively easy to implement with most populations. One practical application of this approach is

to use it with the kids and families who are involved in juvenile justice. This population has

rarely achieved goals or had success in school or other areas of their life. Since they generally

feel like failures, it would be beneficial for them to realize they have positive qualities and

strengths that they may not be aware of. This can also help them learn to celebrate small victories

which will build their self-esteem in small increments but it gives them a foundation to build on.

One component of discovering strengths is conducting assessments to determine what is

specific to each client. To delve into finding what skills or assets a client has, the social worker

could ask the client, “What do you think your strengths are and why?” Another question would

be, “What have you done in your life that has made you feel good or proud of yourself?” The

social worker could also ask, “When you have a problem in your life, how do you handle it?

Who do you turn to? What has worked in helping you overcome challenges?” Answering these

questions can start the process of helping the client see that they have intrinsic value and worth

even if others do not see it or they do not feel it based on mistakes they have made.
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References

Berkovich, I. (2014). A socio-ecological framework of social justice leadership in education. Journal of

Educational Administration, 2014, 52(3), 282 – 309. http://www.izhakber.com/PDF/Socio-

ecological.pdf.

Coady, M., Lehmann, P. (2016). Theoretical Perspectives for Direct Social Work Practice: A Generalist-

Eclectic Approach. Springer Publishing Company.

Esposito, F., Ornelas, J., Arcidiacono, C. (2015). Migration-related detention centers: the

challenges of an ecological perspective with a focus on justice. BMC International Health and

Human Rights (2015) 15:13. DOI 10.1186/s12914-015-0052-0

Gleason, E. (2007). A Strengths-Based Approach to the Social Developmental Study. Children &

Schools, Volume 29, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 51–59, https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/29.1.51

Hammond, W., Zimmerman, R. (n.d.). A Strengths-Based Perspective.

http://www.esd.ca/Programs/Resiliency/Documents/RSL_STRENGTH_BASED_PERSPECTIV

E.pdf.

Pardeck, J. (1998). An Ecological Approach for Social Work Practice. The Journal of Sociology and

Social Welfare. Volume 15. Issue 2 June. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi?

article=1855&context=jssw

Rapp, C., Saleeby, D., Sullivan, W. (2005). The Future of Strengths-Based Social Work. Advances in

Social Work. Volume 6. No. 1. Spring 2005. p. 79-90. https://books.google.com/books?

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Rice, K., Girvin, H., (2010). Using a Strengths-Based Perspective to Change Perceptions: An

Exploratory Study. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work. July 1, 2010.

http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?

vid=6&sid=1bd4c941-229d-476b-acb4-dfd7cecacedb%40sdc-v-sessmgr02.

Saleeby, D. (2000). Power in the People: Strength and Hope. Advances in Social Work. Vol. 1

No. 2. Fall 2000. 127-136.Indiana University School of Social Work.

http://134.68.190.31/index.php/advancesinsocialwork/article/view/18/14.

Simmons, C., Shapiro, V., Accomazzo, S., & Manthey, T.J. (2016). Strengths-Based Social Work: A

Meta-Theory to Guide Social Work Research and Practice. Springer Publishing Company.