Social Work with Individuals Sociology

Sociology: Social Work with Individuals

Part 1

One of the barriers to change is burnout that is an obstacle concerning my field experience. Since social workers offer practical and emotional support to their clients, they suffer from compassion fatigue that hinders their achievements (Hussein, 2018). I managed this barrier by engaging in relaxing activities such as listening to music whenever I was free, taking a nap, and writing my experiences in the fieldwork.

Managing this barrier was not possible alone; my supervisors and high-level staff provided huge support since they knew that social workers were already giving their best services and should be cared for. They gave me rest time when I felt exhausted as they understood well the importance of social worker health and the client’s health they are serving. Also, support was provided by my colleagues in the form of taking over my place when I was off to rest or take a nap. They never refused to help me whenever I was in need. 

The challenges that I faced when I experienced burnout included getting easily irritated, feeling aggressive at certain times, and lacking patience that directly affected my work. Since my work requires great patience, losing patience is the highest obstacle in my achievement and could easily cost my job. Two of my clients were uncomfortable working with me, and my supervisor discussed this matter with me. I soon realized my mistake, and the next day, I had to apologize to my clients. Fortunately, they understood and saved me from further disappointment, losing productivity, and low job performance. 

I have a question about burnout: what could be the early signs that could be quickly identified if a social worker is on the verge of burnout? How could they be handled there and then for avoiding further distress on the job? 

Part 2

The client progress and intervention efficacy were evaluated at my field site by direct observation and surveys. Direct observation is the most natural method of collecting data about the clients of what they say and what they do. Within the natural settings, the clients can display themselves comfortably, and hence, the evaluation of their actions becomes more convenient. However, in fieldwork, this direct observation is done systematically to understand the client and his behaviors step-by-step. Sometimes, videos were recorded in the sessions by first gaining consent and permission from the clients. These recordings were kept as a record for further assessments and evaluations in the future so that the collected observational data could provide a source of systematic observation in a structured manner (Vonk, Tripodi & Epstein, 2007). 

Client surveys were also used to evaluate the program’s success and their perceptions of the intervention efficacy. These surveys reflected the client’s satisfaction with his progress and the intervention so that the formal evaluation procedure could be conducted with accurate responses. 

It was interpreted that a combination of both of these methods gave more precise evaluation results since one type of collected information was corroborated with the results of another one. The results of one method helped give strength to the collected data from another method so that evaluation could be deemed authentic. The initial outcomes set at the beginning of the intervention were matched with the direct observation and survey results to comprehend better whether those goals have been met and whether the particular intervention has been effective for the client. 

Part 3

The evaluation plan based on the goals and treatment plan that have been drafted throughout the course about the client is presented in the table below:

Prompt

Responses

Citation to Support

What will be evaluated?

The client’s ability to take better control of her temper and her corresponding academic performance. Her social skills and grade were to be improved, which were set as goals after listening to her story.

 Social skills are important in improving one’s academic grades since these skills help in giving an individual an acceptable way to interact with people and socialize (Sharma, Goswami & Gupta, 2016). Healthy socializing positively influences one’s cognitive abilities, enhancing academically and better adjustment within the school social circle.

How do indicators align with the identified client goals and interventions?

 Since the client has low self-esteem when interacting with others as she gets easily irritated and angry, the intervention focused on determining her self-defeating perceptions. With the help of chosen intervention, the client’s goals of better social skills could be improved once the self-defeating constructions are identified, and she can overcome them. If this step is done, new productive constructions in her behavior would positively change her social skills, contributing directly and naturally to her academic performance.

 The client’s resources and strengths are detected with the help of Solution-Focused Brief Treatment (SFBT) as they provide a source of empowerment, creating an improvement in scales (Reddy et al., 2015). With only a few sessions, the set goals could be achieved easily, especially for moderate problems. There has even been evidence about the efficacy of this very intervention in improving the client’s academic performance by reducing his moderate depression.

Through what methods would evaluation take place?

 SFBT is a type of evaluation method with scores about the client’s behavioral changes and any recorded improvements. The scales would be recorded with direct observation and a client survey to note her overview of the intervention. Also, her personal growth and change would be reported with the help of a survey so that her perceptions and self-assessment of her behavior changes could be evaluated along with her satisfaction.

 The clarity and delivery of accurate information about the client’s progress are critical to scaling SFBT and correct evaluation (Irwin & McGlade, 2011). Personal bias should be avoided so that direct observation could be utilized effectively to record pure and natural client observations. Moreover, client surveys should be done with anonymity and critical care for obtaining unerring results since it reflects the accountability of the social work practice (Huisamen & Weyers, 2014).