The Conundrum of Human Behavior in the Social Environment

Marvin D Feit, John S Wodarski

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9780789028846
• eBook ISBN: 9781135430016
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Health Care Delivery

Get the new educational standard under the Council of Social Work Education for human behavior and social environment studies!

Critical thinking skills are an indispensable component of any educational program, but especially the HBSE curriculum. The Conundrum of Human Behavior in the Social Environment shows ways to spark those needed skills while providing a comprehensive framework on the social environment impact and human behavior theory crucial for graduate and undergraduate courses. Macro, mezzo, and micro forces are examined in depth, along with considerations for redesigning the content in HBSE curricula in accordance with current educational standards. Noted authorities detail evidence-based practices and present extensive referencing along with offering Web site listings and syllabi for coursework.

The Conundrum of Human Behavior in the Social Environment presents theories of behavioral change that can be facilitated by practitioners to eliminate or modify undesirable behaviors, as well as provides a framework useful for understanding how a macro-system consisting of four societal forces (social justice, social problems, social policy, and the political economy) works to influence a micro-system of community, organizational, and group dynamic. Four types of HB and SE course outlines are presented and discussed with an eye toward strengthening foundation courses, along with an analysis of fourteen frequently used Human Behavior and Social Environment textbooks based on the Council on Social Work Education's 2001 guidelines that also offers a framework for integrating content. The application of the transtheoretical model of behavioral change to the welfare to work transition with public housing residents is presented using both quantitative and qualitative data that has been closely analyzed.

The Conundrum of Human Behavior in the Social Environment provides:

• extensive references
  
• clear and helpful figures and tables of data
  
• numerous appendices of useful detailed outlines and descriptions of textbooks
  
• lists of Web sites
  
• a syllabi and course sequence description for micro/macro/mezzo issues
  
  

The Conundrum of Human Behavior in the Social Environment is valuable reading for students, educators, social workers, health professionals, psychologists, sociologists, and other human services professionals interested in staying on top of the shifts of focus in human behavior and social environmental curriculums.

Social Work Textbooks on Human Behavior and the Social Environment: An Analysis of the Social Environment Component

Sarah Taylor
Elizabeth A. Mulroy
Michael J. Austin

SUMMARY. This analysis of fourteen foundation frequently used Human Behavior and Social Environment (HB&SE) textbooks is based on the Council on Social Work Education's (2001) guidelines for HB&SE and a framework for integrating content related to the social environment. Specific criteria for assessment included how well the textbook reflected the reciprocal nature of human behavior and the social environment, presented a strengths perspective, incorporated diversity content, and covered material related to families, groups, organizations, communities and political economy. Three types of HB&SE textbooks were identified (life cycle, systems, and theory), and results are presented by textbook type. The findings suggest that increased attention to content related to the macro social environment and to the inter-relationships of macro, meso, and micro forces would strengthen HB&SE texts. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <[e-mail]> Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2004 by The Haworth Press, Inc. Alt rights reserved.]

KEYWORDS. Social work textbooks, social environment component, human behavior textbooks, social environment textbooks, HB&SE textbooks

Introduction

As the Human Behavior and Social Environment (HB&SE) content in the social work curriculum has evolved from psychoanalytically focused material taught by faculty outside the social work department to one of five CSWE-required curriculum content areas in accredited schools of social work, there has been a growth in the number of social work textbooks designed specifically to support HB&SE courses. The texts vary widely in focus, scope, and topics covered, much like the diversity of the HB&SE courses (Taylor, Mulroy, & Austin, 2004).

Despite the critical role of HB&SE in the social work curriculum, little research has been done on the required courses or the texts used. This analysis includes a review of fourteen frequently used HB&SE texts published between 1998-2003. In 1969, the CSWE began requiring that HB&SE include content on the social environment as well as on human behavior (Brooks, 1986). By 2001, the CSWE accreditation requirements had expanded to emphasize the integration of content on human behavior and the social environment in the HB&SE curriculum as noted below:

Social work education programs provide content on the reciprocal relationships between human behavior and social environments. Content includes empirically based theories and knowledge that focus on the interactions between and among individuals, groups, societies, and economic systems. It includes theories and knowledge of biological, sociological, cultural, psychological, and spiritual development across the life span; the range of social systems in which people live (individual, family, group, organizational, and community); and the ways social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being. (Council on Social Work Education, 2001, p. 35)

Because of the historical focus on human behavior in HB&SE courses and the evolving CSWE accreditation standards, this analysis includes an emphasis on social environment content as reflected in current textbooks.

Brief Literature Review

A review of research on graduate social work curriculum from 1975-1995 revealed only two empirical studies on HB&SE courses (Wodarski, Feit, & Green, 1995). Both studies were limited to very specific questions within the HB&SE curriculum. The Sutton (1981) study evaluated the effectiveness of using interactive versus didactic methods for teaching behavior theory with a two group pre-test, post-test design. The second study, Spero (1982), featured a one group pre-test, post-test design to determine how well students learned ego psychology (Wodarski et al., 1995). The authors of the review comment that, "... the field of teaching HB&SE content is ripe for further research" (p. 119).

The lack of research on HB&SE courses and texts is surprising given the perceived centrality of HB&SE in BSW curricula. In a survey of 147 BSW program directors, respondents ranked twenty-four of thirty HB&SE content items with an importance score of four or higher on a scale of five (Griffin & Eure, 1985). Further evidence of the value of HB&SE in BSW programs can be found in the shift from offering HBSE courses in education, psychology, or sociology courses outside of social work to courses offered inside the social work program. For example, Gibbs (1986) found that nearly 90% of HB&SE courses in BSW programs were being taught within the social work department (Gibbs, 1986). Gibbs notes that this is a major change from the early 1970s when a study by Stamm (1972) found that over 70% of social work departments did not teach their own HBSE courses (Gibbs, 1986).

There is some conflicting data about the effectiveness of HB&SE courses taught in social work departments versus HB&SE taught outside social work departments. A 1979 study comparing BSW students who took HB&SE in social work departments and students who took HB&SE through outside departments found no statistically significant differences between the students taking HBSE in or out of the department in terms of number of theoretical constructs taught, ability to apply theory to practice, or adoption of social work values (Sze, Keller, & Keller, 1979). However, a more recent study that compared MSW students taking HBSE in social work departments with graduate students in education taking HB&SE courses in education departments found that the students taking HB&SE in the social work department increased in their ability to perceive strengths in populations-at-risk while students taking HB&SE courses in the education department did not increase (Johnson & Rhodes, 2001). Clearly, further research on the effectiveness of HB&SE courses is required, particularly in light of evolving research on the nature of human behavior and the changing social environment.

Similar to the limited research on HB&SE, there has also been limited analysis of social work textbooks. A study of fourteen introductory social work texts of the 1970s that focused on social work as a profession and the field in general indicates that texts do express ideological content in implicit and explicit ways (Ephross & Reisch, 1982). The authors identified three ideological positions endorsed by the textbooks. Politically left of center texts located social problems in society and recommended social action to address these issues. "Centrist" texts either recognized social problems, but did not advocate for social change, or recognized social problems only to the extent that these problems affected social work with individuals and families. Politically right of center texts attributed social problems to individual flaws (Ephross & Reisch, 1982).

Though ideological content is not the focus of this analysis of textbooks, scholars commenting on HB&SE continue to debate how much attention should be given to human behavior and development in contrast to the constructs of the social environment. Whether or not textbook authors openly state their views on the HB vs. SE controversy, the organization, structure, and tone of their texts are likely to influence students' awareness and understanding of the social environment.

The specific questions we sought to answer through our analysis included:

• How are the texts structured?
• How is content on the social environment presented?
• How do the texts make the connection between theory and practice?
• How well do the texts fit with current CSWE curriculum standards?

Method of Analysis

Taylor, Austin, and Mulroy (2004) gathered 117 HB&SE course outlines for MSW classes from 60 schools of social work. Based on a scan of the outlines, a list of the most frequently cited texts was compiled. Fourteen texts were reviewed and are listed in Note 1.

The content analysis of each text included particular attention to the table of contents, preface, and content on the social environment, A fifteen-item assessment form was developed and applied to each text to guide the analysis and ensure consistency of data collected. Development of the form was based on the CSWE guidelines stated above as well as the Mulroy and Austin (2004) social environment framework discussed later in this article. The form included questions related to four areas:

1. General content including the structure of the text, audience, major themes, theory for practice emphasis.
2. General social environment content including the textbook's definition of the social environment and which structures of the social environment are discussed.
3. The extent of focus on social justice and social problems.
4. Specific social environment content including definitions of families, groups, organizations, and communities and amount of content on these concepts.

In order to document the breadth and depth of content on families, groups, organizations, and communities in the textbooks, we developed a list of sub-topics commonly covered for each construct of the social environment. For example, the family sub-topics list included: Functions of the family; families as systems; stages of family development; non-developmental crises (i.e., illness); family violence; racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity; gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender families; single-parent families; divorce; working with families; poverty...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• About the Editors
• A Curriculum for Human Behavior in the Social Environment
• Towards a Comprehensive Framework for Understanding the Social Environment: In Search of Theory for Practice
• Evaluating the Social Environment Component of Social Work Courses on Human Behavior and the Social Environment
• Social Work Textbooks on Human Behavior and the Social Environment: An Analysis of the Social Environment Component
• Reflecting on the Social Environment Dimensions of HB&SE: An HB&SE Faculty Member as Discussant
• Index