Discusses contributions and difficulties that postmodern feminist thought has to offer for reconceptualization of social work theories and practice. Provides overview of status of feminist theory within social work literature and describes roots and explains concerns of postmodern feminism. Discusses relevance, implications, and challenges of…

Focuses on boundaries clinicians draw between ethical and clinical responses in their work. Focuses particularly on psychodynamic practice in presenting three clinical vignettes. Vignettes highlight worker responses to one client's stealing and feelings of entitlement about it, another client's racism, and another's sexual abuse by previous…

Reviews elements of the respondent, operant, and modeling theories and various principles of the exchange theory that can be combined to facilitate changes in client behavior. Proposes the behavioral exchange model as a framework to help social workers conceptualize clinical phenomena and thus gain power to influence them. (Author/JAC)

Presents metatheoretical framework built on prior conceptualizations regarding nature of social work practice. Framework consists of practice system imbedded in societal metastructure, which is system's suprasystem. Notes that framework comprehensively incorporates specific and diverse practice perspectives and theories and analyzes their place in…

Suggests that social work's dual focus on the individual transacting with the environment has been underdeveloped by the profession. An array of interrelated formulations from social work and elsewhere reinforces, however, the importance of such center-moving ideas. Discusses these formulations and their impact on the profession's future…

Discusses heuristic approach to scientific social work research as philosophy of research that draws from contemporary philosophy of science and cultural, cognitive, and linguistic studies and that endorses research as tool for advocacy. Presents fundamental concepts of heuristic model, emphasizing how new conceptual foundations can facilitate…

Traces evolution of codependency construct. Examines codependency from perspective of researchers who have found little empirical support for constellation of characteristics used to define term and from perspective of feminist analysis. Analyzes assumptions about health and relationships embedded in concept of codependency and contends that…

Notes that Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986, which required that states provide comprehensive family-based programs for at-risk children (ages 0-3) and their families, has opened many professional opportunities for social workers. Contends that infant mental health constitutes practice perspective for social workers who apply…

Identifies and discusses four issues that arise in process of collaborative research conducted by practitioners and researchers: issues of practice, design, measurement, and team development. Includes case example of practitioner and research collaboration to evaluate single-session groups for families of psychiatric inpatients to illustrate…

Proposes model of attributed responsibility for human immunodeficiency virus that classifies social judgments of another person's behavior that take into account extent to which behavior caused situation, person knew or should have known potential consequences of behavior, person intended to engage in behavior, and factors over which person had…

A simplified theory of the borderline-narcissistic personality is outlined as a stable configuration that can be located along a continuum of mental health functioning. Also described is a rating scheme used to test the applicability of this theory to practice. (Author)

Suggests that clinical social work methods will become increasingly problem-oriented in assessment, more active in intervention, more specific in setting treatment goals, briefer in duration, and more amenable to evaluation. Presents clinical-administrative model and discusses implications for social work education and research. (Author/NB)

Contends that for social workers to be prepared to practice in postindustrial society, social work education must teach practice perspectives that view the whole of social problems and that concentrate on the rehabilitation of victims of these problems. Discusses theoretical constructs, values, basic assumptions, practice principles, and…

Presents a comprehensive view of the societal, cultural, familial, and personality factors that form the context of people at risk for incest and associated problems. Summarizes the consequences and the causal context of incest and describes an ecosystems approach to intervention. (Author/LLL)

Suggests a process model of deviance that allows contributions from different perspectives. The need for individual and group problem-solving strategies to negate identification with stereotypes, modifications of agency policy, public education, advocacy, or a combination of these may be indicated at different points in the process. (Author)