Lesson 17: Attitudes, Assumptions, and Boundaries in Case Management

Attention

This social worker from Romania is giving this elderly woman a helping hand.  Working in the helping professions, it can sometimes be difficult to remember that the client owns the challenges at hand.  We are here to manage their case, not take on their problem.  Establishing healthy boundaries empowers clients to act and build confidence in their own abilities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

  • Identify personal cultural beliefs and other factors which may differ greatly from your clients'
  • Reflect on personal situations in which problem ownership was challenging
  • Identify personal ownership of the attitudes and values of the field of Social Work

Teaching

Cultural Competence

  • Our perceptions and attitudes are impacted by our own culture
  • Ethnocentrism
    • In group
    • Out group
  • We need to become acquainted with others' cultures

Culture

  • Norms, values, and expectations
  • Material Culture
  • Sub cultures
  • Racial and ethnic groups

Micro Aggressions

  • Microassault - verbal or non-verbal attacks, name calling, avoidance, etc.
  • Microinsult - communication that conveys rudeness and insensitivity and demean a persons racial heritage or identity
  • Microinvalidation - communication that exclude, negate, or nullify the psychological effects of Micro Aggressions

Individualistic Cultures

  • Freedom
  • Self-fulfillment
  • Individual achievement
  • Goal of individual over the group
  • Extroversion
  • Individual beliefs

Social Work Culture

  • All that is "wrong" in your life is related to the central issue and must be addressed
  • Early experiences in your life contributed to your problems
  • People are motivated to lead productive and healthy lives
  • People want to "get better"
  • Consider perceptions of abuse, neglect, gender, disability, entitlement, work, substance use, etc.

Attitudes

  • Expressions of these cultural perspectives toward others
  • Positive and supportive attitudes
  • Forgiving yourself for your failures
  • Warmth, Genuineness, and Empathy
  • Being judgmental
  • Transference
  • Countertransference
  • Boundaries

Boundaries: Who Owns the Problem

  • Person who owns the problem is the person who needs to come up with a solution
  • The problem is "in the room" (we can only work with the individual who is seeking help from us)
  • We gage our involvement in the solution of the problem
  • We can support the opportunity to grow and learn

Assessment

Lesson 17 Quiz

  1. Based on the course material, describe two different cultural values that you posses that are important to you and may not be necessarily a part of your clients' cultural perspective (you may include the Social Work cultural perspective as well!).
  2. Describe any challenges you might face when dealing with individuals with a very different cultural perspective than you have.

Lesson 17 Discussion

Look specifically at the "Social Work Culture" section in the Lesson. Do you hold any of these values? Where did they come from? If not, what are your alternative values on the same issues?