Social Work Terms Flashcards
Ego Strengths
The individuals capacity for logical thinking, intelligence, perspective, and self-control over impulses to achieve immediate gratification
Privilege
The premise and understanding between client and therapist that the information revealed by the client will not be divulged to others without express permission; Courts often honor this unless there is a risk of public danger or threat to the public good.
Reflective Listening
A technique in which the social work clarifies and shows the client what his or her feelings are in the moment and encourages further expression and understanding of those feelings (often through paraphrasing)
Consultation
A problem-solving process in which advice and other helping activity is offered to an individual, group, organization, or community that is faced with a problem
Ego syntonic
Traits of personality, thought, behavior, and values that are incorporated by the individual who considers them acceptable and consistent with his or her overall “true” self
Countertransference
A set of conscious or unconscious emotional reactions to a client experienced by a therapist; these feelings usually originate in the therapist’s own developmental conflicts or past.
Tardive Dyskinesia
A medication-induced movement disorder that includes uncontrollable physical movements, especially in the face, lips, and tongue, and sometimes repetitive movements of the head, hands, and feet.
Gender Roles
The behaviors and personality characteristics that are attached to people because of their sex, often inaccurately
Negative reinforcement
In behavior modification, the strengthening of a response through the removal of an adverse stimuli
Empathy
The act of perceiving, understanding, experiencing, and responding to the emotional state and ideas of another person
Prejudice
An opinion about an individual, group, or phenomenon that is developed without proof or systematic evidence (usually negative)
Advocacy
Championing the rights of individuals or communities through direct intervention or through empowerment; this is a basic obligation of the social work profession
Extinction
In behavior modification, the elimination or weakening of a conditioned response by discontinuing the reinforcement after the response occurs
Transference
A concept that refers to emotional reactions that are assigned to current relationships but originated in earlier experiences (often the feelings a client has toward a therapist)
Reinforcement
In behavior modification, a procedure that strengthens the tendency of a response to recur
Informed consent
The granting of permission by the client to the therapist or agency to use specific interventions, including diagnosis, treatment, follow up, and research: this must be based on full disclosure of the facts needed to make the decision, including risks, benefits, and alternatives
Punishment
A penalty imposed for misbehavior; in behavior modification, the presentation of an unpleasant or undesired event following behavior
Projection
A defense mechanism in which unacceptable aspects of ones own personality are rejected or attributed to another person or entity
Positive reinforcement
Strengthening a desired behavior or response by presenting a desired stimulus contingent on performance of the response
Scapegoating
A phenomenon in groups in which members settle on a particular person to target or blame, though that person is often innocent; prevents true group cohesion and districts from the actual group purpose
Supervision
An administrative and educational process used to help someone further develop and refine their skills, enhance staff morale, and provide quality assurance for clients
Empowerment
The process of helping individuals, families, groups, and communities increase their strengths and develop influence toward improving their circumstances
Ego Dystonic
Traits of personality, behavior, thought, or orientation considered to be unacceptable, repugnant, or inconsistent with the individuals perceptions - conscious or unconscious - of himself or herself
Triangulation
The process in which one individual who feels pressured, distressed, or powerless in relationship to another individual brings into the relationship a third person to act as an ally or a distractor
Enmeshment
A relationship pattern in which role boundaries between individuals are so vague or diffuse that there is little opportunity for independent functioning
