FNDH 620 Exam 1 Study Guide
Questions with correct answers
Social work has three thrusts - correct answer-1. Social workers can help people solve their problems
and cope with their situations
2. Social workers can work with systems, such as social agencies, organizations, communities, and
government bureaucracies, so that people can have better access to the resources and services they
need
3. Social workers can "link people with systems" so that clients themselves have access to resources and
opportunities
Bartlett calls for a common base for social work practice (Lecture Material; not in the textbook): -
correct answer-1. Values - The belief that individuals have the right to decide what services are
appropriate for them; they know what they want to do for themselves; Person-Centered Plan (PCP).
2. Common Skills - Social workers need to know how to conduct an interview, assist individuals identify
their problems and evaluate their situation.
3. Social workers need a common base of knowledge - they must be educated in the basic knowledge of
human behavior before any skills can be applied.
The Process of Social Work: The Importance of Assessment (p. 6) - correct answer-1. Accurate
assessment is a critically important step in the social work process; information about the problem or
situation needs to be gathered, analyzed, and interpreted.
2. Assessment also involves basic knowledge and assumptions about human behavior; there are always
reasons why people behave the way they do.
Highlight 1.1 - Generalist Social Work Practice (p. 7) - correct answer-Social workers today are
generalists - view a problem situation from multiple perspectives in the context of the entire social
environment - they look at everything that may be impacting the situation (old definition); (new
definition with 10th edition) generalist practitioner is one who uses a wide range of knowledge & skills
to help people with an extensive array of problems and issues.....includes anything from "individualized
personal issues" to "problems that affect whole communities. The amount of time spent at these levels
varies, but every worker will, at time, work at each of these levels and therefore needs training in all of
them.
,In working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, social workers use a
problem-solving approach. The process can be described in a variety of ways but includes these steps:
(p. 7)
Basic steps in the social work process are (Lecture Material): - correct answer-1. Assessment - Relevant
information about the problems is gathered and analyzed, it involves basic knowledge and assumptions
about human behavior.
Example: working with clients whose racial & ethnic background differ from you own; it is important to
have at least general information about clients' cultural values & roles; working with migrant families -
need to address husbands/fathers (male authority figure) first
2. Planning - generate possible alternative solutions, actual goals are identified; a specific plan of action
is developed
3. Implement the plan through Intervention - what is it going to take to assist the clients to meet their
goals; could be therapy, case management, linking/coordinating, advocating, referring to other
providers, working with a large organization to change its policies to better accommodate its clients'
needs
4. Evaluation - Evaluate the intervention's effectiveness. Need to evaluate the situation; are the goals
being met? If not, what needs to change? What needs to happen in order for consumers to receive the
needed services? Do the goals have to be redefined?
5. Termination - terminate the process; ending the intervention & identifying what has been
accomplished
Describe Important Concepts for Understanding Human Behavior (pp. 11 - 23) - correct answer-Highlight
1.7 - Application of Values and Ethics to Bio-Psycho-Social Assessments (pp. 21 - 22) (Lecture Material)
A. Employing Conceptual Frameworks for Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment: A
Person-in-Environment Perspective (pp. 22 - 23)
System - correct answer-A set of elements that are orderly and interrelated to make a functional whole
Boundaries - correct answer-The borders or margins that separate one entity from another
,Subsystem: - correct answer-A secondary or subordinate system that is a component of a larger system
Homeostasis: - correct answer-The tendency for a system to maintain a relatively stable, constant state
of balance
Role: - correct answer-The culturally established social behavior and conduct expected of a person in
any designated interpersonal relationship
Relationship: - correct answer-A reciprocal, dynamic interpersonal connection characterized by patterns
of emotional exchange, communication, and behavioral interaction
Input: - correct answer-The energy, information, or communication flow received from other systems
Output: - correct answer-The response of a system, after receiving and processing input, that affects
other systems in the environment
Feedback: - correct answer-A special form of input in which a system receives information about its own
performance (either negative or positive)
Interface: - correct answer-The point where two systems of any size come into contact with each other
or communicate
Differentiation: - correct answer-A system's tendency to move from a simpler to a more complex
existence
Entropy: - correct answer-The tendency of a system to progress toward disorganization, depletion, and
death
Negative Entropy: - correct answer-The process of a system toward growth and development
Equifinality: - correct answer-The fact that there are many different means to an end
, Exercise: Case Example Involving Child Abuse: Jimmy - correct answer-a. What is the presenting
problem?
The neighbor heard a father yell and hit his child.
b. How did parental history, current living situation, and support systems contribute to the abusive
situation?
The family's output was surpassing its input. Their poverty and unemployment were affecting the
family's homeostasis or stability and ability to function effectively. Moving so often made it hard to get
involved and make friends in any neighborhood. They had no support system.
c. What were the physical and behavioral indicators of abuse?
Slash-like bruises were apparent on their arms and legs, Jimmy was appeared afraid of being disciplined
and so maintained a very low profile in order to avoid being hurt, and his sister, Sherry, assumed an
aggressive, attention-getting approach. Jimmy was also a small child for his age and was having difficulty
in school - lag in development.
d. Systems involved: employment, family, friends, community, education
Social Environment: - correct answer-The conditions, circumstances, and human interactions that
encompass human beings
Transactions: - correct answer-The means by which people communicate and interact with others in the
environment
Energy: - correct answer-The natural power of active involvement between people and their
environments
Interface: - correct answer-The exact point at which the interaction between a individual and the
environment takes place
Adaptation: - correct answer-The capacity to adjust to surrounding environmental conditions