Theories Of Clinical Social Work Practice
THE RELEVANCE OF THEORY FOR CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK PRACTISE IN BOTSWANA AND AFRICA
INTRODUCTION
The below assay is aimed at critically appraising the relevance of theory for clinical social work practise in Botswana and African context. First in the article there will be definition of the key terms of the question; relevance, theory and clinical social work respectively. The definition of terms will henceafter be followed by a discussion about what social work is, its history in Botswana, what theories are and why they are needed in clinical social work practice. Examples from Botswana and Africa will be used for arguments’ sake in relation to clinical social work and its importance in our different societies across Africa.
DEFINITION OF TERMS:
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The word ‘need’ here emphasizes the fact that social workers must know these theories so as to be able to be actively involved in the practice of clinical social work. These theories include such as;
a. Developmental theories; Piagets theory of development, Eric Ericksons psychosocial theories and so on. These theories help direct social worker practitioners to comprehend why someone may be doing something at a particular stage in life. For example, why male babies are jealous of their fathers and want their mother’s attention all to themselves.
b. Personality theories; they explain human behaviour or why certain persons may not act like the others. For example, why someone may be outspoken whilst the other is
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Human behaviour is way too complex to understand, for example; why people are suicidal, why others are serial killers, rapists and so on. It is for this reason that clinical social workers need theories for them to act as a lens that can be used to narrow down the complexity of human behaviour. Moreover, theories in clinical social work are a way to make sense out of confusing experiences and behaviours such as xenophobia in South Africa. Walsh (2009) views that, “everyone operates from a theoretical perspective whether they are aware of it or now”. He continues to add that it is vital for clinical social workers to learn about theories because in the midst of it all, they also learn about their own beliefs, their own assumptions about different people and how predicaments that are faced by people develop and how they can be
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System Theory In Social Work
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Importance Of Dignity In Social Work
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