The relationship between human behavior and the social environment (HBSE) is usually complex. Social workers should be able to apply various theories and knowledge and use conceptual frameworks and models. The HBSE idea is that people’s actions are more predetermined and defined by external factors than internal changes, and attention to outside sources must be paid. In social work, cooperation with clients is developed through three main stages, including engagement, assessment, and intervention, and may be facilitated by using the HBSE approach.
To provide people of different ages, races, and genders with effective help, social workers have to be aware of the nature of human behaviors and changes to undergo at various stages of development. In this case, Dalia is a 14-year-old girl who demonstrates self-harming behavior because of the lack of communication with her family and poor parental attention. When it is necessary to engage with the client, a social worker is responsible for investigating common beliefs and cultural aspects inherent to her race. Stereotypes are useful in terms of the possibility to predict the client’s behavior and expectations from counseling (Zastrow et al., 2019). It is expected but not always possible for parents to discuss race issues at an early age (Cristol & Gimbert, 2008). In this case, Dalia’a parents do not have time to communicate with her child, and knowledge about racial characteristics, the social environment, and potential behaviors is crucial at the engagement stage. The use of empathy skills, agreement, and understanding is preferable.
The next step in the case is the assessment of an individual, a family, and a community. The task of a social worker is to collect and interpret available data. It will help to understand what opportunities and limitations may be observed in the client’s life. Racial discrimination and the inability to report on current problems result in multiple negative behaviors, and Priest et al. (2013) mention alcohol and drug use as one of the outcomes among adolescents under 16 years. This knowledge has to be applied to evaluate the client and her decision not to focus on studying but drinking and having inappropriate sexual relationships. The discussion of expectations and the selection of interventions are the critical steps at the assessment stage.
As soon as the goals and resources for social work are identified, it is high time for a counselor to initiate actions and enhance the client’s behaviors through effective interventions. Many African-American children develop prejudiced behaviors toward other groups (Cristol & Gimbert, 2008). The task of a social worker is to identify if there are any reasons for biases and wrong judgments and recommend changes. In this family, parents have already raised two children, and Dalia is the youngest child who does not experience enough attention and care. Negotiations should be developed within the whole family, not only the client herself. A social worker needs to prove that the girl is exposed to a variety of concerns and social problems, and her family is the only regular source of motivation and support.
In general, the use of HBSE knowledge during the engagement, assessment, and intervention is a chance for a social worker to understand what kind of work is required for a particular client. Racial differences, personal concerns, and parental contributions to child development vary in families, and the challenge is to find information and combine facts. The interpretation of personal experiences and the social environment is never easy, but the awareness of general thoughts, cultural interests, and traditions facilitates social work practice.
References
Cristol, D., & Gimbert, B. (2008). Racial perceptions of young children: A review of literature post-1999. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(2), 201–207.
Priest, N., Paradies, Y., Trenerry, B., Truong, M., Karlsen, S., & Kelly, Y. (2013). A systematic review of studies examining the relationship between reported racism and health and wellbeing for children and young people. Social Science & Medicine, 95, 115–127.
Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.