Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

Journal Article 11.1 Saint-Jacques, M. C., Turcotte, D., & Pouliot, E. (2009). Adopting a strengths perspective in social work practice with families in difficulty: From theory to practice. Families in Society, 90(4): 454-461.

Abstract: There is a growing trend in social work practice to use a strengths perspective with families in difficulty. Beginning with a description of the characteristics of the strengths-based approach, this article then moves on to examine the interventions of practitioners working in Youth Centers (YCs) and in Centres Local de Services Communautaires (Local Community Services Centers, or CLSCs). A qualitative analysis of the practitioners’ personal practice descriptions and a quantitative study, based on a questionnaire measuring professional behaviors of the practitioners’ work with 118 families, were done. Most of the practitioners concentrated on the personal weaknesses of the parents and accorded little or no importance to their strengths. The results also show that the organizational context influences the emphasis put on the parents’ strengths by the practitioners.

Learning Objective: 11.1 Learn about work with families from the family-in-environment perspective.

Journal Article 11.2 Myer, R. A., Williams, C., Haley, M., Brownfield, J. N., McNicols, K. B., & Pribozie, N. (2014). Crisis intervention with families: Assessing changes in family characteristics. The Family Journal, 22(2): 179-185.  

Abstract: This article identifies six characteristics in families that are subject to changing during crisis situations: (a) roles, (b) boundaries, (c) communication, (d) rules/processes, (e) goals, and (f) values. Understanding changes in these characteristics provides valuable information for helping crisis counselors assist families cope with and resolve the crisis. Identification of these characteristics is a step toward development of a theoretical model for helping families in crisis.

Learning Objective: 11.6 Describe crisis intervention, including suicidal ideation, with families.