Ch. 9 assessment

1. SWK 501
Ch. 9 – The Assessment Process

2. Overview of Assessment
Synthesize material collected through the assessment
process.
Assessment involves gathering information and synthesizing
the information to develop a comprehensive picture of the
client and his or her circumstances. It is the assessment
process that sets the stage for all future work, including
planning, contracting, interventions, evaluation, and
termination.

3. Sources of Information to Guide
Assessment
 1) the source of the material, such as client self-reporting and
self-monitoring;
 2) collateral contacts, such as a family member, a teacher, a
physician, or a neighbor (with a signed release of information);
 3) tools and measurement instruments, such as the Beck's
Depression Inventory (Beck, 1996), the Index of Self-Esteem
(Hudson, 2000), or the Substance Abuse Audit (World Health
Organization, 2001);
 4) the professional experiences of social workers, including
their practice wisdom and knowledge accumulated over time.

4. The Multidimensional Assessment
 Understanding all aspects of the client's life is central to completing a
thorough assessment.
 Strengths-Based Assessment
Box 9.2 - Tips for Doing a Strengths-Based Assessment
 Believe in the client and his or her understanding of the facts
 Offer support and a shared vision of what is possible.
 Look for personal and environmental strengths, such as where the problems occur
and how they are managed.
 Etc.

5. Person-In-Their-Environment Assessment
 Looking at a client's functioning within their environment
calls attention to difficulties as well as strengths. It
focuses on function and dysfunction or balance and
imbalance between persons and their environment. Social
functioning is identified and described in terms of social
role performance. Social role performance is understood
as one's ability to fulfill role expectations across the
multiple roles of a client's life,

6. Person-In-Their-Environment Assessment
Box 9.3 - Tips for Doing a Person-in-Their-Environment Assessment
 What to look for when assessing a client's environment:
 Is there a goodness of fit between the client and the environment?
 What are the client's unique needs in relationship to what the environment
can offer (Hepworth et al., 2013)?
 Where does the client live, and with whom?
 Is it a stable living arrangement?
 Determine the affordability of housing
 Etc.

7. Physical Functioning and Well-Being
Assessment
Box 9.4 - Tips for Doing a Physical Functioning and Well-Being Assessment
 What to look for when considering the client's physical health and well-being
functioning:
 Determine the age and life stage of the client.
 Describe the client's general health, including any known illnesses, diseases,
substance abuse issues, physical abuse, and prescription and over-the-counter
medications.
 What is the cost of medication, and can the client pay?
 What is the client's history of hospitalizations, including medical and
psychiatric? What is the date of the last physical exam?
 Etc.

8. Cognitive Functioning
Box 9.5 - Tips for Doing a Cognitive Assessment
 What to look for when considering the client's cognitive (and intellectual)
functioning:
 What is the client's thinking and understanding of the world?
 What is the client's level of schooling? Is the client meeting the grade-level
expectations?
 What is the client's employment performance and history?
 Does the client have the necessary skills and abilities to meet the expectations of
an employer?
 Does the client experience a sense of self-worth and confidence?

9. Spirituality and Religious Functioning
Box 9.7 - Tips for Doing a Spiritual-Religion–Focused Assessment
 By asking these questions, you may determine your client's main spiritual
concerns and practices:
 Would you say you are spiritual or religious in any way?
 What is your faith or belief?
 Do you practice a religion currently?
 Do you believe in God Allah, Buddha, or a higher power?
 What sustains you and how?
 What keeps you going in difficult times?
 Etc.

10. Emotional Functioning
Box 9.9 - Tips for Doing an Emotional Assessment
 What to look for when considering the client's emotional functioning:
 Does the client's nonverbal response match his or her verbal response? Pay
attention to the client's bodily reactions.
 Does the client experience some relief once he or she has shared his or her
emotional reactions?
 Does the client seem embarrassed about the "presenting problem"?
 Is this a problem the client can discuss without shame or fear of being judged?
 How does the client identify his or her feeling?
 Etc.

11. Behavioral Functioning
Box 9.10 - Tips for Doing a Behavioral Assessment
 What to look for when assessing a client's behavioral functioning:
 Does the client's behavior match his or her emotional response? For example,
consider a client who is angry about a recent breakup with his girlfriend. Does the
client react by threatening to hurt her? Does he follow her by sitting outside the
apartment waiting for her to come home? Does he follow her to work and leave
insulting messages on her voice mail? Are the client's actions liable to get him
arrested for stalking?
 What is the client's cultural and religious background? How a client behaves can be
directly related to his or her upbringing and family norms.
 Are there any learned behaviors that could also be unlearned?
 What are the client's personal habits, such as cleanliness, dress, personal traits,
and communication patterns (Hepworth et al., 2013)? Etc…

12. Family and Social Support Functioning
Box 9.11 - Tips for Doing a Family and Social Support Assessment
 Consider the following when assessing the client's blending of family and
social support functioning:
 What is the client's affiliation and role with family, friends, employer, school,
teammates, religious community, and so on? Always consider the client's place
within the cultural context of his or her world.
 Is the client able to demonstrate empathy toward others?
 Does the client have a sense of belonging? Is there intimacy between family
members? between members of the client's social circle?
 Assess the boundaries within the family. Are they open, enmeshed, or fluid?
How do family members communicate with each other?
 Etc.

13. Crisis Intervention and Suicide Assessment
Box 9.12 - Tips for Doing a Suicide Assessment
 What are the triggers that might cause the client to feel suicidal? Possible triggers include the
loss of a job or a loved one, a psychiatric disorder, a newly diagnosed health problem or a
worsening condition, or a childhood trauma. Has there been a severe conflict with a loved
one?
 Is the client threatening to hurt or kill himself or herself?
 Is there a specific plan? Is the client looking for ways to kill himself or herself, such as
seeking access to pills, weapons, or other means? Is the plan realistic, and can it be
implemented?
 Is the client displaying impulsivity, poor self-control, or poor decision making?
 Is the client talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide?
 Is the client feeling hopeless, as if there is no reason for living or no sense of purpose in life?
 Etc.