Language Acquisition and Language

Role theory and social role theory are flexible sociological frameworks that can be used to better understand clients. When applied to young clients like Joe Henry from the film Joe the King, role theory helps social workers and counselors understand the systemic and contextual variables impacting Joe’s identity development, and behavior. Incorporating role theory into social work when counseling clients like Joe will help guide the processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation.

Although not an exclusive, comprehensive, or self-contained theory, role theory nevertheless shows how a person cannot be understood in isolation of cultural, family, and normative variables. Gender, race, class, family background, values, belief systems, and worldviews all impact Joe’s identity development and behavioral outcomes. Without taking into account the importance of social roles in personal and social identity construction, social workers might not be able to overcome their own biases when working with clients like Joe. Similarly, social roles guide solution-focused approaches to counseling.
Experimental research demonstrates the efficacy of social role theory. For example, Koenig & Eagly (2014) found evidence for application of social role theory to account for a “wide range of stereotypes,” (p. 371). Beliefs related to a person’s gender, age, social class status, and other features reinforce stereotypes, and yet stereotypes can be dramatically changed via a series of cognitive interventions (Koenig & Eagly, 2014). Therefore, social workers and counselors can capitalize on the proven strengths of role theory to help clients in similar positions as Joe. Role theory does not imply that social workers would only focus on role conflict in Joe’s life, or the stereotypes other people project onto Joe. On the contrary, role theory can show how social workers can help Joe to create a better future for himself by envisioning himself in different roles.
The film Joe the King shows how the ability of a person to extricate themselves from a restrictive or unhealthy situation depends on creating and filling new roles and positions. In the film, Joe is presented primarily as the son of an abusive father and a codependent, neglectful mother. He is also presented as the disenfranchised young person in public school, linking labeling theory to social role theory. Because Joe has been labeled as delinquent, he has trouble escaping the biases and beliefs others have towards him. To prevent Joe from blindly following a self-fulfilling prophecy that could lead him towards conforming to the roles established by his dysfunctional parents, a social worker needs to offer Joe alternative options. Joe does not to be in the role of a victim, but as someone who can transform adversity into a source of strength.
Social role theory guides social work practice both with individuals and families. Even when Joe alone is the client and the social worker does not have the additional benefit of providing family counseling, role theory can be directly applied towards identifying solution-focused treatment interventions. As Turner (2017) also points out, role theory “may help guide treatment under conditions where complex role functioning interacts with complex social situations, and where social integration of roles is expected,” (p. 467). Joe is in middle adolescence, at a critical time for developing coping skills and stress management tools he can call upon throughout his life. Rather than succumb to the roles others have established for him, Joe can learn to carve out his own path and identity. Whaley’s (1999) film Joe the King reveals some of the pitfalls of a counseling practice that does not integrate the principles of role theory when helping clients like Joe. For instance, school counselor Leonard Cole fails to provide Joe with effective coping skills because he views Joe’s social roles as immutable.
Joe’s situation might be complex, but it is not unusual. Role theory shows how each person may fulfill several different roles at once, and how their attachment to their roles might hinder their social and psychological growth. Social workers will encounter clients like Joe, who are being pulled in multiple directions by their family, their peers, and their perceptions of social norms and values. Moreover, role theory helps social workers and psychologists identify, acknowledge, accept, and overcome their own biases with regards to working with clients from diverse backgrounds. Social role theory is noted for its ability to “sensitize social workers who provide social work treatment...to attend to risk, harm, needs, and injustices,” (Turner, 2017, p. 454). Social workers need to understand how Joe’s behavior and belief systems are shaped by contextual variables without judging or jumping to conclusions about Joe based solely on those external elements in his life.
Finally, social role theory will be particularly effective with clients like Joe because it can be integrated with social identity theory. Role theory shows how personal and social identities are constructed via interactions with others; self-concept is socially constructed too (Hogg, 2016). Adolescents are actively constructing their identities via-a-vis the roles they perceive available for themselves. Clients like Joe have limited role options in their field of vision; a social worker can help Joe transcend the limitations of his external situation to envision a future in which he can truly thrive. As Koenig & Eagly (2014) point out, cognitive and behavioral mechanisms precipitate role and identity changes. A social worker will be instrumental in aiding clients like Joe to understand what roles serve them, what roles do not, and how to embrace or create roles that maximize social and psychological wellbeing.

References

Koenig, A.M. & Eagly, A.H. (2014). Evidence for the social role theory of stereotype content: observations of groups' roles shape stereotypes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 107(3): 371-392.
Hogg, M.A. (2016). Social identity theory. Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory, pp. 3-17.
Turner, F.J. (2017). Social Work Treatment. Oxford University Press.
Whaley, F. (1999). Joe the King. [Feature Film].