Week 5 response 3 449
Sandra Sotelo
Hello Professor and Classmates,
According to Hepworth et al. (2016), A comprehensive assessment of the individual considers a variety of elements, including biophysical, cognitive/perceptual, affective (emotional), behavioral, and motivational factors, and examines the ways that these affect interactions with people and institutions in the individual’s environment.”
I will be assessing Valerie from “Getting back to Shakopee”:
Biophysical functioning:
When assessing biophysical functioning the social worker must consider physical characteristics, health factors, and use of substances (Hepworth et al., 2016). Valerie appears to be dressed appropriately for the setting. She maintains a forward leaning posture with her arms on her legs and interlocks her fingers, fidgeting with her thumbs and sometimes with her feet. Valerie expresses that she has urges to drink again but has been sober for eighteen months however, it is becoming a struggle to do so. She expresses that she is only sleeping four hours a night, and feels tired and worn out during the day. She isn’t eating throughout the day and doesn’t feel like herself.
Cognitive/perceptual:
In order to understand why people behave the way that they do it is essential that we are knowledgeable about how they think as well as what influences them to think the way they do (Hepworth et al., 2016). Each person’s perceptions are uniquely different. Valerie initially presents as guarded and reserved. However, she is cooperative and inquisitive especially in regards to informed consent, mandatory reporting, and the social workers understanding of Native American culture.
Affective (emotional):
Valerie displays a flat affect, not really changing facial expressions, using hand gestures, or changing her tone of voice. She does however, speak to things that have affected her emotionally such as being mad at her boss’s performance review and stresses due to her full house filled with extended family such as her son and his family as well as her own mother who is ill. She describes not feeling like herself being tired and worn out each day. She explains that she no longer dances at Pow Wows which was something she considered fun and felt good in the past.
Behavioral:
Valerie struggles with her interpersonal relationships especially with her co-workers. She states that her boss considered her interpersonal communication with coworkers as unprofessional. In an example she provided, Valerie had a conflict with a coworker who demanded that she do her work for her. Assessments are useful in helping to find client behavioral deficiencies such as lack of certain skills and guide interventions to help the client acquire the skills and behaviors to function more effectively (Hepworth et al., 2016). For example, in this situation, some beneficial skills might include how to express feelings directly, engage in social conversation, listen to others, solve problems, and handle conflict (Hepworth et al., 2016).
Motivational factors:
Valerie has been able to apply for a new position that would be a promotion including better pay which she is happy about as she did not qualify previously. She appears ambitious and states that she feels she deserves it. She feels respected and supported by the supervisor in the department she applied for. She has a friend/sponsor who she is able to confide in. She also mentions her connection to her culture and being able to pray to the Great Spirit and wants her “kids to be connected to their own cultural identity and the community and know who they are” (MindTap – Cengage Learning, n.d.).
It is essential that the case manager interprets the meaning of various client functions when developing a treatment plan as these elements can impact the client’s overall functioning positively or negatively. Ultimately, these functions would help the social worker better understand the client’s problems and what would need to occur in order to improve clients overall wellbeing. For example, they can help direct the treatment such as what interventions, tasks, or skills would be appropriate and useful for the client.
Best,
Sandra
Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom-Godfried, K. (2016). Direct social work practice: Theory and skills (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage. ISBN-13: 9781305833803.
MindTap – Cengage Learning. (n.d.). Getting Back to Shakopee [Video]. MindTap – Cengage Learning. https://ng.cengage.com
