Social Work: Assessment and Measurement

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Assessment and measurement are critical processes in social work since they help to define problems, set goals, and track individuals progress. The present case focuses on a high school student who shot and killed his brother as a result of an accident. The student experiences social and emotional challenges that might affect his future life. Seeing a social worker could help him to address his needs and work through the situation, restoring his relationships with himself and others. The present paper seeks to discuss the critical aspects of the case and suggest assessment and measurement tools that social workers could use.

Comprehensive Case Review

Devonte, a 16-year-old student, was taken under the wings of the school social workers. Devonte is a junior at Harper High School, returning after being transferred. Devonte was transferred to another school after he accidentally shot and killed his 14-year-old brother. Now that Devonte is back, he stops into the social workers office 2-3 times a day to visit two social workers. Crystal and Anita work with Devonte to get him to talk about his experience and to help him with the guilt that he feels.

History

The accident that resulted in the death of Devontes brother occurred a year ago. The social worker reports that, before the accident, Devonte had issues with school attendance, aggression, and rude attitudes toward the school staff. One evening last February, he and his 14-year-old brother Damion found an old handgun. The brothers assumed that the firearm was not functional, but when Devonte held it, it went off, shooting Damion in the chest. He died within an hour, and his death was ruled an accident. Devonte has not received proper counseling; instead, he was temporarily transferred to a different school to avoid discussions among students and staff. Having returned to Harper School this year, he works with two school social workers.

Current Circumstances

Based on the information provided, Devonte struggles with guilt and grief following the accident. He still lives at home with his family, but his sister does not speak to him, and the parents never raise the sensitive topic, pretending as if nothing happened. Devonte has managed to improve his grades and has mostly Bs and Cs, except Music. With social workers, Devonte is making slow progress, opening up slightly, but it is still difficult for him to discuss his feelings. He also experiences trouble falling asleep at night unless he takes Nyquil.

Strengths

On the whole, the case shows evidence of Devontes resilience and his willingness to overcome struggles and return to normal life. For example, despite the stress, Devonte does not miss school and has managed to get good grades in most subjects. His grades are now better than they were before the accident. It is also important to note that Devonte is making progress with school social workers and takes the initiative to visit their office several times daily.

Challenges

The most crucial challenge for Devonte is healthily coping with his emotions. There are some indications that the student has not been able to develop positive strategies for processing guilt and grief. He admits sleeping in his late brothers bed and looking at pictures and videos of him before going to bed. He also finds it challenging to talk about his emotions with social workers, which could affect his recovery and future life.

Needs

The case shows clear evidence of unfulfilled social and emotional needs. First of all, Devontes social circle is mostly limited to his family. The accident and the death of Devontes brother disrupted the family in several ways. There is an evident lack of trust between Devonte and his mother, and his sister detached from the boy entirely in the past year. Devonte has some friends outside of school, who are older than him. However, he acknowledges that being in the streets with them is unsafe. The social workers mention that one of Devontes friends was shot recently.

Secondly, due to Devontes current social situation, his emotional needs are not being met. On the one hand, his parents avoid the subject of the accident altogether, which prevents the family from restoring after a loss. Devonte lacks communication with his mother, so she is unaware of his emotional struggles. On the other hand, he does not trust anyone enough to share his emotions. This causes him to refrain from exploring his feelings with school social workers. Based on the analysis, Devonte needs communication, emotional support, and safety.

Analysis of Current Circumstances

Devontes current circumstances are complex, which affects his emotional well-being. It is essential to acknowledge that the entire family is suffering and that the parents lack the tools and techniques to foster supportive, open communication that all family members need. Additionally, the current circumstances affect Devontes safety since he often socializes with older guys in the streets. Social workers can help Devonte and his family to overcome their problems, thus meeting Devontes needs.

Assessment Tools and Measurement

To develop attainable and relevant goals, it is essential to assess Devontes current challenges. Hepworth, Rooney, Rooney, and Strom-Gottried (2017) state that assessments in social work should be focused on intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental factors. Given Devontes current situation, particular attention should be paid to his affective and behavioral functioning, as well as family functioning (Hepworth et al., 2017). A mental status exam would be useful to assess Devontes mental health to determine if any disorders could affect his recoveries, such as depression or anxiety. The empowerment-based positive youth development (EMPYD) brief should then be used to determine Devontes level of well-being and set clear goals for future work. Family functioning can be assessed using the Integrative Model by Level of Need, as it allows for a comprehensive assessment and can help to set goals for the family (Hepworth et al., 2017). The three tools will help to evaluate the current situation in great depth and plan future work with Devonte.

Therapeutic Goals

Therapeutic goals help to clarify ways of fulfilling individuals needs and supporting their growth. Although therapeutic goals are typically based on assessment results, some goals can be set already based on the information provided in the case. First of all, it is essential to improve Devontes perceived level of social support. This would help to meet his need for support, thus improving his emotional well-being and social functioning after the accident. It could also address Devontes safety needs; if Devontes perceived levels of support increase, he will be less likely to make dangerous contacts and suffer from peer pressure. Secondly, it is necessary to help Devonte and his parents to implement techniques used for open, emotional communication. Thirdly, it would be beneficial to improve Devontes knowledge of healthy coping strategies. Achieving both of these goals is crucial to meeting his emotional needs, as well as the need for communication in the family.

Conclusion

Overall, Devontes current situation requires attention from social workers because failure to address his needs could influence his future life and relationships. Devonte has some important strengths, including resilience and motivation for improvement. However, he suffers from disrupted family dynamics and a lack of social support. A needs assessment shows that the three core needs to be met are social support, communication, and safety. A mental status exam, the EMPYD brief, and the Integrative Model by Level of Need should be used to evaluate the current situation and set measurable goals. The initial therapeutic goals were also defined, and they can be clarified or amended based on assessment results.

Reference

Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2017). Direct social work practice: Theory and skills (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

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