The Life Model of Social Work Practice
Advances in Theory and Practice
Alex Gitterman author Carolyn Knight author Carel Germain author
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Columbia University Press
Published:9th Apr '21
Should be back in stock very soon
Originally published in 1980, The Life Model of Social Work Practice was the first textbook to introduce the ecological perspective into social work practice. This fourth edition brings the text up to date by expanding and deepening this perspective. Integrating contemporary theory and research findings with numerous case illustrations drawn from a wide range of practice contexts, this textbook provides students with an invaluable introduction to the real world of social work practice and includes knowledge, methods, and skills for advanced practice.
The authors detail the theoretical foundation of the ecological perspective and the life model’s emphasis on evidence- and ethics-guided practice, culturally competent and diversity-sensitive practice, and the multiple sources of accountability that social workers face. The text features an extensive discussion of the principles of trauma-informed practice and their implications for social work practice. Its discussion of cultural competence and sensitivity to diversity incorporates contemporary concepts such as cultural humility and privilege, intersectionality, and critical race theory and presents their application to practice. The authors integrate current research throughout the text and provide numerous research applications to underscore and model the importance of evidence-guided practice.
The fourth edition reflects the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and the Council on Social Work Education’s most recent set of competency standards, which accredit social work schools and programs. It is accompanied by a teachers guide that provides chapter summaries, recommended teaching methods and skills, questions for discussion, and suggested assignments and identifies where in the text the nine EPAS competencies and their associated practice behaviors are addressed.
Although a lengthy effort with 756 pages, [this fourth edition of The Life Model of Social Work Practice] is an enjoyable book made possible through the authors' treatment practicality and use of many practice vignettes and practical case examples. Social workers in general will find this book useful with an array of client examples, and the social group workers will equally find the book helpful along with the identification of some impediments that the latter practitioners uniquely face. -- Maurice S. Fisher Outpatient Services, P.C., Roanoke, Virginia * Social Work with Groups *
This welcome new edition of The Life Model of Social Work Practice does an excellent job of assessing and sharing recent advances without losing the integrity of the life model approach. The practice examples, dilemmas, and scenarios are highly engaging, drawing readers into the application of key skills and strategies. -- Carol S. Cohen, board member, Council on Social Work Education
The efficacy of The Life Model of Social Work Practice spans generations. In 1999, as a doctoral student, I used it to examine Black gay men’s management of HIV. Today, my MSW students use it to examine oppression, COVID-19, and other impediments to environmental fit. This book is helpful in understanding the human condition. -- Robert Miller, editor of The Qualitative Research in Social Work
The fourth edition of TheLife Model of Social Work Practice, a towering classic in the field, remains highly relevant for contemporary issues facing society and social workers. This text should be required in all schools of social work as it elegantly integrates the levels of practice that distinguish our profession. -- Marion Bogo, author of Social Work Practice: Integrating Concepts, Processes, and Skills
This thoughtfully updated fourth edition of TheLife Model of Social Work Practice provides a transactional bridge between the person and the social environment that honors the profession’s commitment to individual change and social reform. The critically relevant integrated practice model in this text will serve as a much-needed compass for social work in unprecedented and complex times. -- Manny John González, Florida Atlantic University
ISBN: 9780231187480
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
776 pages
fourth edition