Social Work Intorduction

1. Foundational Theories
and Perspectives of
Social Work
Presenters:
Jessa Austria Sendito
Bjieangrace Joy Bambo Villas

2. What is theory?

3. Theory
• A general statement about the
real world whose essential truth
can be supported by evidence
obtained through the scientific
method.

4. Why do we need THEORIES in
social work?
• Social workers feel more safe
and more competent in their
practice, reduces feelings of
helplessness and fear of
unknown.
• In order to see the beauty of one
theory, it’s important to learn
about many theories. This is how
we can prevent making an
ideology out of one theory.

5. Why do we need THEORIES in
social work?
• For social workers, theory is important
because it teaches social workers how
to perceive people through their
resources, not to classify them
according to their problems…it’s a shift
from CONTROL to HELP.
• The more social workers use theories,
less they use intuition, it makes social
work practice more professional and
efficient.

6. THEORIES

7. A. General Systems Theory
This theory highlights
the interdependence of
things forming a
system.

8. General Systems Theory
Macro Systems
Communities and
Organizations
Mezzo Systems
Groups and
Networks
Microsystem
Individual or
Family
System - is an organized whole made up of components
that interact in a way distinct from their interaction with
other entities and which endures over some period of
time. Compton, B.R. and Gallaway, B. (2005)

9. General Systems Theory
• Systems are characterized
by stability thus change is
always accompanied by as
degree of disequilibrium
or imbalance. …

10. General Systems Theory
• It has been developed further
to explain specific dynamics
like that family systems.
• The Genogram is a helpful tool
in assessing the family
structure, boundaries, rules
and family interaction patterns.
McGoldrick, M., Gerson, R. &
Shellenberg, S. (1999).

11. B. Ecological Systems Theory
• This theory focuses on the
interplay between
intrapersonal, interpersonal,
and environmental systems
– their geographic space,
socio-cultural environment or
situation.

12. Assumptions of ecosystems
perspective:(Pillari, V. (2002)
• There is an underlying general order in the world.
• Social ordering is a constant and dynamic process.
• All human social behavior is purposive.
• All forms of organizations are greater than the sum of
their parts.
• Well-being is the natural state of all human social
organization.
• All forms of social organization can be characterized
and studied as social systems.
• The social relationship is the fundamental unit of all
social systems.
• The helping process seen in professional social work is
the formalization of a natural social process.

13. C. Cognitive Theories
• Considered the broader category of
human development theories.
• state that people can be taught to do
so. This is because they are capable of
rational thought which guides their
actions.
• They can develop patterns of thinking
and behavior through habit, but these
can be adjusted as people acquire new
information.

14. D. BEHAVIORAL THEORIES
• Covers ideas how human
actions and emotions
developed, are sustained,
and are extinguished
through principles of
learning. Walsh (2010).

15. The basic principles and assumptions of
behavior theory (Gambrill (1994), Wilson (2000) and
Wodarski & Bagarozzsi (1979) as cited in Brandell (2011) and Walsh
(2010):
• Behavior is what a person does,
thinks, or feels that can be
observed.
• People are motivated by nature
to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
They are likely to behave in ways
that produce encouraging
responses or positive
reinforcement

16. The basic principles and assumptions of
behavior theory:
• People behave based on their
learning, by direct environmental
feedback, and also by watching
others behave and interact.
• Behavior is amenable to change.
• Intervention should focus on
influencing reinforcements or
punishment for client behaviors.
Consistent and immediate
reinforcements produces change
most rapidly.

17. The basic principles and assumptions of
behavior theory:
• Thoughts and feelings are
behaviors subject to reinforcement
principles.
• The simplest explanations for
behavior are preferred.

18. E. Attachment Theory
• Is a psychological, evolutionary and
ethological theory concerning
relationships between humans. The
most important tenet is that young
children need to develop a
relationship with at least one primary
caregiver for normal social and
emotional development.

19. E. Attachment Theory
• This relevance of the attachment
theory is clearly seen in disaster
situations where the grief and loss
experienced by the person is
proportional to the degree of
attachment she has to the people or
things she has lost. (Brandell, 2011)

20. The basic concepts regarding
“attachment” are the following (8
Bowlby (1980) in Walsh (2010) and Brandell (2011):
• Attachment is an enduring
affectional relations or bond
associated with significant
objects.
• It resulted from the human need
for safety and security that are
both required to support physical
and psychological development.

21. The basic concepts regarding
“attachment” are the following:
• People generally develop
attachment (thus want to be
close) to those who show
concern for them
• When attachment is threatened
or lost, intense feeling of distress
result. These include anger,
protest, depression, anxiety, and
eventual detachment.

22. Regarding LOSS -
• Loss is experienced in all stages of the
individual and family cycles.
• Loss is understood and resolved in many
different ways, dependent of many factors such
as personality, age and life stage, social
support, previous loss experience, and
circumstances related to the loss will influence
the mourner’s experience.
• The nature of the loss like loss, its symbolic
meaning to the mourner, whether it is expected
or unexpected, normative or non-normative, are
important factors contributing to the loss
experiences. (Smith & Segal (2011) and Smead (1994) as cited in
Walsh (2010) and Brandell (2011)

23. Regarding LOSS -
• The resolution of a loss can
occur once the person – (i) is
able to modify his or her internal
world (ii) concedes that external
world has changed, and (iii)
redirects attachment behavior to
others in the environment. (Bowlby
(1980) as cited in Walsh (2010) and Brandell (2011)

24. F. Sikolohiyang Pilipino
• Is concerned with both the science
and art of psychology which
embodies the systematic and
scientific study, appreciation and
application of indigenous
knowledge for, of and by the
Filipinos of their own psychological
make-up, society and culture, rooted
in their historical past, ethnic
diversity an the dynamic interaction.

25. An Analytical Framework: Indigenous Philippine Values
Structure and Correlated Behavior Patterns at Surface,
Core, and Societal Level
Colonial
Accommodative
Surface Value
Hiya
(propriety/dignity)
Utang na loob
(gratitude/solidarity)
Pakikisama
(companionship/est
eem)
Associated
Behavior Pattern
Biro (Joke) Lambing
(Sweetness)
Tampo
(affective/disappoin
tment)
Confrontative
Surface Values
Bahala Na
(Determination)
Lakas ng loob
(guts/resentment)
Pakikibaka
(resistance)
Pivotal
Interpersonal
Value
Pakiramdam
(Pakikipagkapwa
tao) (Shared inner
perceptions)
Core Value Kapwa (Pagkatao)
(Shared Identity)
Linking socio
personal value
Kagandahang loob
(Pagkamakatao)
(Shared humanity)
Associated
societal values
Karangalan
(Dignity)
Katarungan (Justice) Kalayaan
(Freedom)
Reductionist/Funct
ional Interpretation
Social Acceptance Social Equity Social Mobility

26. F. Sikolohiyang Pilipino
• According to Enriquez, Sikolohiyang
Pilipino takes into the account the
study of emotions and experienced
knowledge (kalooban at
kamalayan), awareness of one’s
surroundings (ulirat), information
and understanding (isip), habits and
behavior (diwa), and the soul
(kaluluwa) which is the way to
learning about people’s conscience.

27. As an aspiring social workers, we
must understand its limitations:
• Recognize that no single
theory can explain everything.
When a person engages in an
action (or inaction), the reason
for their behavior can be
rooted in a range of causes or
motives.

28. As an aspiring social workers, we
must understand its limitations:
• Related to the first point,
recognize that some
theoretical approaches just
don’t work with some people.
For other people, it leaves
them cold.

29. As an aspiring social workers, we
must understand its limitations:
• Always apply the value base to
theory – much of the theory used in
social care practice and social work
is drawn from outside the profession.
Theory may have its roots in
education, psychology, and
management. As such, it may not
incorporate social work values, and
you should take responsibility for
applying these.

30. Never be intimidated
by THEORY. You use
it everyday.

31. What is perspectives?

32. A. Right-based Perspectives
• The perspective is rooted in the idea
that the human rights are
universal, inherent, and
inalienable to all people
regardless of their age, socio-
economic class, gender, ethnicity,
and other affiliations. This being so,
people have a claim to certain
standards pertaining to the quality
of their life.

33. A. Right-based Perspectives
• Social workers frame the problem
not in terms of the personal
deficiencies of the client or her
situation (thereby “worthy” of
intervention), rather in terms of
rights that are not being fulfilled
in the person’s situation. That a
human right is violated, thus,
already justification for
intervention.

34. A. Right-based Perspectives
• Example: For Children’s rights -
UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child, R.A. 9231 Prohibition
Against the Worst Form of
Child Labor, R. A. 9344
Juvenile Justice and Welfare
Act, R. A. 9262 Anti-Violence
against Women and Children
Act

35. A. Right-based Perspectives
• 1987 Philippine
Constitution contain the
bills of rights which applies
to all people in the country.

36. B. Strength-based Perspectives
• Clients are viewed to possess
inherent strengths and resources
which can help them resolve their
issues. These strengths and
resources include broad range of the
things that can motivate the clients
and move them to action of
healing such as material’s assets,
client’s support networks, disposition
and attitudes, and aspirations.

37. B. Strength-based Perspectives
• The possibilities and
capacity of clients for
change and develop
themselves are also part
of their strengths.

38. B. Strength-based Perspectives
• The strength-based
perspective reflects respect for
the inherent worth and dignity
of clients.
• Similar to the right-based
perspective, it also moves
away from regarding clients as
objects of charity, or
someone to be pitied.

39. B. Strength-based Perspectives
• In emphasizing client
strengths, the social work
process empowers people to
take confidence in themselves so
that they take an active role in
assessing and planning for the
assistance they need, rather
than becoming passive
consumers of services being
offered.

40. C. Gender-based Perspectives
• It highlights the diversity of
people’s identities as gender, as
well as how gender shape
people’s social environment.
• Gender-based perspectives are
particularly helpful in assessing
the differential access of female
and males to resources and
power in their families or in
society.

41. C. Gender-based Perspectives
• It is generally held that females
more than males experience
gender-based discrimination and
violence because they are regarded
as the “weaker” sex, thus being
female is considered a risk factor
especially in disaster situations
characterized by wide-scale
breakdown of social structures and
norms.

42. C. Gender-based Perspectives
• Gender-based
discrimination can also
happen even in well-
meaning interventions
when helping agencies
assume that the needs of
family members are the
same.

43. C. Gender-based Perspectives
• For example, the commonly
omitted sanitary packs in relief.
Menstruation is a biological
function specific to adolescent
girls and women. Sanitary packs
are important as they address an
essential biological need of
women and girls, in as much as
food and water also address a
basic need of people in general.