SOWK 5313: Practice I
Exploring & Understanding Strengths Lesson Notes
Guiding Question
How do you best explore the concerns, wants, and needs of all clients including those that
are either referred, mandated, or voluntarily seeking assistance?
Rationale
Although the NASW mission implores social workers to empower the oppressed and
vulnerable members of society, and the profession emphasizes the use of strengths-based
interventions, many of our assessments and interventions are still deficit focused.
Helping professions are often based on a historical medical model of health and well-being.
Many social work practitioners view their roles as to change people, treat them, help them
cope and counsel them. Social workers are often also accountable for quickly helping
people resolve their problems. Further, they must use interventions that are evidencebased, and there is not the same body of empirical evidence based on strengths-based
assessments and interventions. The strengths perspective moves beyond a deficit or
problem approach, to empower individuals and help them to discover the power they
already have.
Objectives
1. Identify key principles involved in assessing problems and strengths.
2. Apply a systematic method for eliciting a strengths-based and solution-focused
practice.
3. Describe perceptions of verbal and non-verbal strengths-based assessment.
4. Discuss how the “Miracle Question” has the potential to influence the nature of family
communication.
5. Identify the strengths at play in a case, given a case scenario.
Key Concepts
Strengths-perspective
Developmental assets
Medical model
Empowerment
Open-ended questions
Solution-focused
Ecology of human
development
Resiliency
Intrapersonal strengths
Intervention plan
Deficit-focused
General Notes
Assessments are considered both a process and a product. Conducting assessments is a
dynamic process between practitioner and client in which information is gathered,
analyzed, and synthesized. Rarely does the actual plan of intervention rely solely upon what
clients present in the initial session. Assessments are impacted by (1) the role of the social
worker; (2) the setting of the social worker position (e.g., school; medical hospital;
substance abuse program; WIC program; CB therapist; EAP) and (3) needs of the client.
Assessments are a written product that can be comprehensive or brief depending on
need. When assessing a client, it is essential that emphasis not be placed upon the
diagnosis, although it may be important.
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SOWK 5313: Practice I
Exploring & Understanding Strengths Lesson Notes
An accurate assessment considers all the possible systems that interact to produce
difficulties or opportunities for a client or family. With an understanding of the role of the
ecological perspective in social work, it is important not to forget internal subsystems. The
key dimensions of assessing intrapersonal systems include biophysical functioning,
cognitive/perceptual functioning, emotional functioning and behavioral functioning.
The Strengths Perspective
Cowger’s framework highlights the importance of investigating internal and external
strengths as much as internal and external deficits. The traditional problem focus is often
concentrated in one quadrant – internal deficits. The more expanded emphasis examines
environmental deficits as well. But, an even more expansive approach examines internal
and external strengths along with deficits.
Cowger’s framework for assessment (as cited in Hepworth et al., 2006)
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SOWK 5313: Practice I
Exploring & Understanding Strengths Lesson Notes
The strengths perspective does not explain human behavior. It offers an alternative
perspective for a look at the individual as they interact with their environment. The goal is
not to exalt the social worker as a reputable scientist and professional, but acknowledge the
strength and humanity in both the client and the social worker. Unlike psychoanalytic,
cognitive, behavioral or task-centered models of therapy, the strengths perspective does
not attempt to examine and magnify the problems and weaknesses of the
individual to “control and excise” this hindrance to health.
The ability to identify strengths with proficiency can be of great help in social work settings.
I often worked with young people who had an extremely hard time identifying their own
strengths. Youth who were in a placement away from family, friends and most of their
treasured possessions often felt it was of their own accord. These young men also often felt
abandoned, as if their parents and friends did not care about them. Many young men felt
they had no real strengths to speak of, given their sense of abandonment and responsibility
for their placement. Many were depressed and some even suicidal. My job was to ensure
that even the most desperate felt that they had something to grab on to, something to build
upon.
The first thing I often did was validate their emotions and their ability to convey to me their
feelings of desperation and hopelessness. The simple fact that they could articulate, to me,
what was going on for them was a tremendous step. To me, this was a coping mechanism
that was more productive than holding it in, picking a fight with a peer, “mouthing off,” or
acting out violently to a counselor in the program. A second common strength I’d often look
for would be skills associated with a hobby or activity of interest that the young men
enjoyed. This might be artwork, music, reading or even a strong work ethic.
A third common strength for most of these young men was resilience – emotional, physical
and social. Some young men were dealing with past physical or psychological abuse, some
were dealing with abandonment, others were dealing with prior substance abuse issues and
many were dealing with grinding poverty. Their ability to manage these challenges and cope
on a daily basis was a tremendous strength, even if coping on some days was less
successful than others.
Developmental Assets and Resilience
Individuals in the most dire straits are not doomed to failure or suffering. The capacity to
overcome significant life obstacles has been repeatedly demonstrated. This resiliency among
children, adolescents, and adults has been important in supporting efforts to work with the
most vulnerable populations. Factors contributing to resiliency have been shown to be
“ordinary” individual or intrapersonal characteristics (internal assets) as well as the
presence of developmental assets within the ecology or environment (external assets).
External Assets
Support
Empowerment
Boundaries and Expectations
Constructive Use of Time
Internal Assets
Commitment to Learning
Positive Values
Social Competencies
Positive Identity
Scales and Leffert (1999)
Search Institute (2008)
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SOWK 5313: Practice I
Exploring & Understanding Strengths Lesson Notes
Developmental assets have been linked to (1) prevention of high-risk behavior (e.g.,
substance use), (2) enhancement of thriving factors (e.g., school success, a proactive
stance toward nutrition and physical activity), and (3) resiliency or the ability to overcome
adversity.
References

Hepworth et al. (2006): Chapter 8

Saleebey (2006): Chapters 1, 2, 6 & 7

Graybeal (2001): “Strengths-based Social Work Assessment: Transforming the
Dominant Paradigm”

Benson (2002): “Adolescent development in social and community context”

Masten (2000): “Ordinary Magic”

Turner and Fain (2006): “Resiliency Assessment Tool for Juveniles”
The above content is affiliated with Texas State University’s SOWK 5313 course. This course
looks at Social Work practice from a generalist perspective, with an emphasis on the micro
and mezzo levels including data collection, assessment, intervention planning, and
evaluation. Students study social work theory and practice methodology applied to problem
solving with individuals, families, and practice methodology applied to problem solving with
individuals, families and groups.
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