Reference no: EM132467936

Intervention With Families

• Families are complicated systems that continually evolve. The structure of the family system can change due to circumstances that occur within the family or in a social environment. When a family is exposed to a traumatic event, whether it is a spouse returning home from war or a tragedy within the community, each family member is affected. The more members in the family system, the more factors the clinical social worker has to take into account. Finding an intervention that meets the needs of the individual members and the family as a whole can be challenging. No one intervention will fit all families. It is crucial that the intervention is appropriate for that particular family and that it addresses their specific issues.

Learning Objectives
Students will:

Point 1: Analyze evidence-based interventions for families

Point 2: Identify behaviors related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Point 3: Analyze PTSD interventions for families

Point 4: Analyze group process skills

Learning Resources

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.
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Discussion: Trauma and Loss
With seemingly never-ending violence, natural disasters, and soldiers returning home from wars growing numbers of people are suffering long lasting mental health crises. It is imperative for clinical social workers to implement effective interventions that address trauma and loss within families.

Quetsion 1: Post a description of the how the trauma related behaviors evident in the Levy video affect family interactions and the family system. Identify the problems in this case and explain whether these problems would best be addressed through individual treatment, family treatment, or a combination of both. Review the literature and recommend an evidence-based family intervention that might help Jake and Sheri and their sons.

Quetsion 2: Describe how the intervention is implemented and its underlying theory. Explain how this intervention might help the Levy family and ameliorate the presenting problems. Finally, describe why you chose this intervention. Use this week's resources or the literature to support your conclusions.

• Respond to a colleague's intervention choice that differs from yours. Contrast the underlying theories of the two interventions. Explain whether you agree or disagree with your colleague's identification of the problem and recommendation to address the problem through individual and/or family treatment.

Assignment 1: Group Wiki Project Summary

• Many types of groups can facilitate a successful social work practice. Peer groups, for example, can be very valuable to clinical social workers. In clinical practice, it is helpful to participate in a group with colleagues, to discuss a case or just to seek professional and emotional support. Understanding the roles, communication methods, and goals when working with your colleagues is important for the functioning of the group.

• For this project, you will work with colleagues to submit a one-page timeline of your group's plan to develop a Wiki on a family issue.