Deck 3: Strategies, Activities, and Tasks of Human Service Work

Question 1

Why is the concept of multicausality so central to understanding the human service field?

Answer 1

By realizing that there are many factors that cause social problems and that many people who appear to have the same problem may have it for a slightly different set of reasons, we avoid simplistic analyses. A simplistic analysis can often lead to a waste of time and money organizing a program intervention that is useless, or even makes the problem worse. Understanding multicausality helps us to understand why we need so many different types of agencies and workers in each of the human service networks.

Question 2

Give an example of how ignoring the concept of multicausality might lead to an inadequate program strategy.
Example of an

Answer 2

Example of an answer:
Prohibition is a good example of an intervention that was implemented with a lack of understanding of the complexity of alcohol abuse. Assuming that if alcohol was made illegal, the problem would simply vanish, Congress outlaw its sale. That led to more problems than it solved. There was a great increase in alcohol related crime, the government lost the tax money it previously made on the sale of legal liquor, the quality of alcoholic beverages couldn't be controlled, and drinking the illegal liquor hurt many people. Finally, Congress had to repeal prohibition.
Another example of an answer:
If one thinks that juvenile crime is a simple result of a laxness in punishing those who commit anti-social acts, one might advocate treating young teenagers as adult offenders and building more and tougher prisons. But that could lead to young people being abused in the prisons when mixed with adult offenders. It might also orient them to a life of crime as they learn from the older inmates. It might result in young people missing out on the education and training that would enable them to get jobs later on; thus they have few options but to return to crime.

Question 3

Why is it that although all members of a support group for eating disorders might appear to have the same problem, we cannot utilize a one-size-fits-all intervention to help each member conquer his or her problem? Suggest 2 or 3 causes for eating disorders.

Answer 3

• Each person at the meeting has his or her unique personality and life experiences. Out of these experiences they have felt different pressures and reacted differently to each one.
Some examples of different causes for eating disorders:
• One person in the group is an athlete, cheerleader or ballet dancer and has been starving herself because of the demands of her coach or peers.
• One person has been told all his life that he is too fat and his family started him on the crash dieting that has become a way of life now.
• One person has an undiagnosed physical problem that makes it hard to hold food down or that makes him or her binge eat.
• One person has an undiagnosed mental illness or has gone through a disturbing life experience such as sexual abuse. She or he eats to excess as a form of self-medicating.

Question 4

If you were a town official, what three strategies of intervention would you initiate to try to lessen that problem?

Question 5

List at least three of the principles of multicausality.

Question 6

In order to implement the fourteen strategies, a worker must use the following human service activities and tasks: (List at least 5 of the 7 that are described in the text.)

Question 7

When we do a multicausality analysis, we always leave one or more wedges of the circle empty to represent, for now, unknown causes.

Question 8

Name the two main categories of strategies of interventions.

A) Direct service
B) Systems Change

Question 9

On the college campus described in the interview with the director of the Disability Resource Center, Ruth Bork, all students, even those with learning disabilities, must take the required number of courses.

Question 10

All college campuses employ staff who assist in removing barriers for disabled students primarily because

A) they need the entire enrollment they can get.
B) they believe in the advantages of diversity.
C) it encourages alumni to contribute money.
D) federal law requires them to do so.

Question 11

The kind of intervention performed by home health aides or by counselors in a residence for children is called

A) mobilizing.
B) care giving.
C) brokering.
D) outreaching.
E) consulting.

Question 12

When a worker helps a client to file an appeal for a service he or she was denied, but feels entitled to, that worker is using a(n) intervention.

A) care giving
B) group facilitating
C) planning
D) advocating

Question 13

A worker can begin formulating an action plan only after he or she has

A) gathered data on the background of the problem.
B) decided on the proper counseling theory to use.
C) found out whether the client is telling the truth.
D) all of the above

Question 14

Once a contract is created between the client and the worker it must be adhered to without exception throughout the helping encounter.

Question 15

The primary tool of all effective human service workers is their ability to

A) build a trusting relationship with the client.
B) communicate warmth.
C) show concern.
D) express empathy and knowledge.
E) all of the above

Question 16

An early intervention program

A) provides respite-care to the primary care giver.
B) attempts to deal with a child's problem at the first sign of difficulty.
C) coordinates the academic support services of college students.

Question 17

Case managing is an example of a system-change strategy.

Question 18

A human service worker who spends time visiting churches and health clinics to obtain referrals is doing

A) case managing
B) mobilizing
C) outreaching
D) consulting

Question 19

Human service workers often train peer leaders or mentors to help in the running of drug and alcohol awareness programs.

Question 20

A human service worker who visits the home, classroom or workplace of a client to gain some firsthand insights into his or her strengths and weaknesses is

A) case managing
B) mobilizing
C) data gathering
D) consulting

Question 21

Very few social agencies require that a formal action plan be written and accepted by the client and worker before any services begin.

Question 22

Which of the following is not a direct-service strategy?

A) case managing
B) teaching
C) planning
D) behavior changing

Question 23

Human service workers need to consider the uniqueness of people and their problems in planning an intervention.