The attitudes and implementation of strengths model of case management among social workers on domestic violence

• Main Authors: Yu-Ju Yen, 顏玉如
• Other Authors: Li-Yu Song, Ph.D.
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/00877278857338655492

碩士 === 國立暨南國際大學 === 社會政策與社會工作學系 === 93 === Beginning September 2003, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Committee of the Ministry of Interior commissioned Dr. Li-Yu Song and her team to apply the Strengths Model of Case Management on the victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to seek to understand of social workers’ attitudes towards the Strengths Model of Case Management, and the actual implementation of this model in the field. Moreover, this research also seeks to discuss how the attitudinal differences among social workers would affect its implementation process, the issues that they encountered throughout the process, and how these factors in turn affect and change them individually. Such information may be used for further development of the model on the field of domestic violence in Taiwan. This research used the qualitative method of in-depth interviews; the study subjects included 15 social workers or supervisors who utilized the Strengths Model. Research findings are as follows: I. The attitudinal process towards the Strengths Model: 1) The majority of the social workers agreed with the viewpoints of the Strengths Model as being “positive” and “concrete,” and “identifies the positive attributes of the client.” 2) Attitudinal belief affects social workers’ behavioral intentions and willingness in applying the Strengths Model. Their behavioral intentions and willingness towards the Model can be categorized as being the four groups: “a way of life, active implementation,” “fit my conscience, willing to devote,” “willing to implement, respond with complementary measures,” and lastly, “remains apprehensive and worried, still carefully evaluating.” 3) For the majority of the social workers, their sources of negative emotions tend to originate from their work patterns and self-induced “anxiety” and “worries.” 4) Based on receptiveness and behavioral intentions towards the Strengths Model, four stages of attitudinal process are categorized as the follows: “thought and debate, evaluate carefully,” “gradual adaptation, stable progression and development,” “after accumulating experience, stable developments and progress forward,” and “gladly accepted, and actively participate.” These stages are not affected by social workers’ personal life experience﹘it is in fact a dynamic process. II. During the process of execution, the cognition and strategic usage of the Strengths Model is an illustration of how domestic violence social workers internalize the process. The applications of the strengths assessment and personal planning reflect the Strengths Principles of the Model. Strength Principles are basically the complementary utilization of “mutual efficacy.” III. Domestic violence social workers who are at different stages of attitudinal behavior tend to encounter different obstacles and limitations during the implementation process. However, the most common limitations are related the structural and system factors. IV. The main source of motivation and drive for implementation comes from the support of their supervisors. Strengths oriented supervision could facilitate the actualization of the Model. V. The influence and positive effects on the violence social workers: domestic violence social worker’s service belief system and working methods are influenced by the six strengths principles and expands unlimitedly. Furthermore, the degree and type of influence is contingent upon and changes according to the attitudinal stages. Based on the research findings as illustrated above, the researcher made suggestions for social workers, social work education, social work policy, and future research on this topic and hopes that it would be truly of use to others.