SOCW6200 (September 2019) Full Course

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 1 Discussion

DQ1 Minute Video: Environmental Influences

An individual’s environment is composed of several distinct areas, each with its own explicit and implicit rules. Environments include, but are not limited to, family, school, work, community, religious groups, and friends. For children and adolescents, the environment can have a particularly strong impact upon behavior. Understanding the relationship between one’s environment and one’s behavior is essential to becoming an effective social worker. For this Discussion, consider the most influential elements of your social environment.

Record and upload, by Day 3, a 2-minute video that includes the following:

Your name

Your geographic location

An explanation of your current environment

An explanation of two elements in your current social environment that most influence you

A description of how the two most influential elements impact you

DQ2 Why Is HBSE Relevant to Social Work?

The types of issues and concerns that children, and adolescents, present to social workers are as varied as the people themselves. Understanding how individuals behave in their particular environment will shed some light on their current challenges, but this alone is not enough. Social workers must know how to ask the right questions, as the answers will inform decisions about which resources may be most helpful.

For this Discussion, think about the connections between social work and human behavior and consider why it is relevant to social work practice.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 2 Discussion

Parenting and Substance Abuse

As a social worker, you will meet children and adolescents who are in complicated family situations and may require a variety of resources for support. There are many times when these situations involve drug abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, and/or neglect. If these factors are present within a child’s or adolescent’s environment, it will impact their development. As mandated reporters, social workers are legally required to report any suspicion they have of child abuse or neglect to local authorities in an effort to ensure a healthier environment within which they can grow.

For this Discussion, review the case study “Working With Clients With Addictions: The Case of Barbara and Jonah.” Consider this week’s reading in the Learning Resources.

 

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 3 Discussion

Parenting and Child Development

For this Discussion, watch this week’s Sessions episode on the Hernandez Family.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 5 Discussion

Strengths Across Development

Learning about psychological, biological, and social development across the lifespan is essential to competent, ethical practice. To prepare for the final project, in which you write up and analyze a biopsychosocial assessment, begin thinking about how you will apply concepts of human behavior and the social environment that you are learning in this course. This assignment supports that process by asking you to engage in self-reflection and consider how the material you have engaged with in the past 4 weeks applies to you. Using the Kultura Media tool, you will video record your response to the assignment questions.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 6 Discussion

Dalia’s Behavior

Argumentative behavior, engagement in physical altercations, and evidence of mood swings can all indicate that an adolescent is experiencing anger and depression. Self-harming can surface in adolescents, too, as they experience difficult emotions. For this Discussion, read the case study of Dalia and consider what you, as her social worker, would do if you observed self-harm indicators.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 7 Discussion

DQ1 Moral Development Theory and Bullying

Bullying is not a new phenomenon, but social media and communication technologies have introduced a breadth and depth to which public shaming, targeted taunting, and bullying have manifested. For this Discussion, consider how bullying has changed and how it has remained the same in light of modern technology.

DQ2 Bullying: Cycle of Events

Bearing witness to trauma has its own set of consequences. Watching repeated episodes of bullying can evoke strong emotional and behavioral responses from an adolescent. During the impressionable stage of social development in adolescents, these experiences can contribute to a change in perception about the ways people should and do treat each other. Furthermore, ongoing exposure to this behavior can jeopardize an adolescent’s healthy social development. For this Discussion, consider how the act of bullying experienced by one adolescent may change the experience of another who witnesses it.

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 8 Discussion

Application of HBSE to Engagement, Assessment and Intervention

Social workers are expected to apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person?in environment, and other multi-disciplinary theoretical frameworks during stages of engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation when practicing in the field. This discussion is intended to help you demonstrate and develop your critical thought related to these practice behaviors. If you have not already done so, begin working on your final project. The final project asks you to choose a case study on an adolescent from this course (e.g., Dalia, Eboni Logan, or Diane). Decide which case study you plan to use and begin working on Part A of the final project.

For this discussion, you use the Kultura Media tool to video record your response to the assignment questions. Your instructor will provide feedback to help guide your process.

To prepare: Review the instructions for the final project.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 9 Discussion

DQ1 Myths of Sexual Violence

Myths and misinformation surround the topic of sexual violence. For years, these myths have hung around the discourse, further muddying an already difficult topic about which to communicate. Although all myths can be harmful, there are some that may be arguably more harmful. For this Discussion, you identify some of the myths surrounding the topic of sexual abuse and consider why they have remained so prevalent.

DQ2 Bystander Intervention

Separating fact from fiction is imperative when learning how to recognize and respond appropriately, and effectively, to victim/survivors, and bystanders/witnesses, of sexual violence. Although a large majority of sexual assaults do not happen in public settings, in some cases, they do. This is when it is important to understand the experience of the bystander. Bystander intervention can help to explain how, when, and where these kinds of assaults take place; at times, it may even prevent the assault from happening. For this week’s Discussion, watch the video case study of Talia. Locate research on bystander intervention by Victoria L. Banyard and/or Sarah McMahon.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 10 Discussion

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression

Think about the moment in which you became aware of your sexual orientation.  Do you recall making a conscious choice to be gay or straight? Some believe that gender identity and sexual expression is a choice, or more likely, that “people choose to be gay.” The counter to that belief is that one does not “choose” his or her sexual orientation; it simply is. This week you consider how people’s reactions to someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation impacts his or her environment and experience.When adolescents question their sexual orientation or gender identity, they encounter various reactions from individuals in their environment. For this Discussion, consider how people’s reactions to someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation may impact his or her environment and experience.

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 11 Discussion

Indicators of Suicide

Increased stress levels, feeling hopeless and alone, being bullied, or experiencing repeated physical or sexual abuse could all be reasons why some adolescents consider suicide. Adolescent suicide has far-reaching consequences on families, friends, communities, and schools. For this Discussion, use the Parker Family case study to consider the indicators of suicide. While Stephanie is now an adult talking about her experience as a youth, image how you would have responded to her at the time she tried to kill herself in adolescence. Also think about how you might react to students in this situation if you were a social worker in a school.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 2 Assignment

Abortion Laws and Ethical Considerations

For social workers, the potential conflict between personal and professional ethics can be a source of great contention. Abortion is a highly politicized and contested topic. It is also one that reflects great diversity in terms of opinion, personal and professional ethics, and legal stances varying from state to state. For this Assignment, consider the topic of abortion, the laws of abortion that exist in the state or country in which you reside, and your own opinions on the topic. Also consider the relationship between your personal and professional ethical stance on the topic and how that may affect your interactions with clients.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 3 Assignment

Analysis of Development Theories

Competent social workers are able to construct a strong foundation upon which to build skills by understanding theories from a variety of disciplines. The disciplines of psychology, education, and sociology offer a number of development theories that can easily be applied to the practice of social work. For this Assignment, consider how a theory from another discipline may shed light on social work practice with children and adolescents.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 4 Assignment

Child Abuse and Neglect

Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse can have a devastating impact on a child and his or her family members. Social workers need to understand how to recognize and respond to cases of abuse expertly and efficiently. With an empathetic and helpful social worker, victims/survivors of abuse can take their first step onto the long road toward healing. For this Assignment, read the case study Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma: The Case of Brandon and then consider what you would do if you were a social worker and had to report a parent of suspected child abuse.

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 5 Assignment

Eating Disorders

Cultures idealizing thinness, pressure from peers to fit in, and constant images of bodily perfection shown by mass media, along with additional physiological and psychological factors, can combine to create the perfect storm for adolescents struggling with eating disorders. For this Assignment, choose one peer-reviewed research study about eating disorders that focuses on a minority group of adolescents. Consider connections between physiological development, adolescence, and eating disorders.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 6 Assignment

Recognizing and Responding to Those Who Self-Harm

For some adolescents, experiencing physical pain becomes a regular practice for managing psychological pain. Whether used as a coping mechanism, a way to express anger, or to deal with intense emotional pain, self-harming is often a call for help.

In school settings, faculty and staff are charged with protecting students, but how can they protect those students who choose to harm themselves? The importance of educators understanding the circumstances, causes, and effects of self-harming behavior so they can respond quickly and effectively cannot be overstated. For this Assignment, consider your role as a social worker and think about how you would raise awareness for educators to respond to this increasing maladaptive coping mechanism.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 8 Assignment

Connecting Knowledge and Research

In order to provide the appropriate intervention, social workers first need to have conducted a thorough assessment. Having a comprehensive understanding of a client and their social environment, including the influence of racism and ethnocentrism, allows a social worker to accurately identify the presenting problems and help the client develop goals to address their needs. Not completing a full assessment may result in inaccurately identifying the presenting problem and pushing goals on the client to which they do not agree. A good assessment is the best foundation for treatment planning.

In addition, evidence based practice requires social workers to use the best available evidence to inform their practice decisions. This assignment helps you prepare for the final project by beginning to identify the presenting problem and possible goals, as well as beginning the research process to inform your treatment recommendations when working with the identified client in a case study.

To prepare: Conduct research in the library to locate at least 1 peer-reviewed scholarly resource(s) that could inform your assessment or intervention with the case you plan to use in your final project.

 

SOCW 6200 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

Module 10 Project

Bio-Psycho-Social Assessment

Assessing a client’s biological, psychological, and social history is a holistic approach that is an essential aspect of social work practice. Since one area often affects the other two, it is important to get as accurate an assessment as possible when working with a client. Social workers use the bio-psycho-social tool to communicate specific information, and possible conclusions, about a client to other professionals. It is, at once, a summary of current issues and problems; a listing of past factors that may be relevant to the current situation; and a description of potential issues that may have an effect on the client in the future. In addition to describing the client’s challenges and problems, the assessment identifies strengths and assets that are available to provide support. For this Project you create a bio-psycho-social assessment.