Chapter 2: Critique of Theory for Use in Social Work Practice

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following theories, models, or perspectives is an example of the diagnostic school?

a. empowerment theory

b. strengths perspective

c. psychodynamic theory

d. trans-theoretical model

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: How Does This Theory Address Growth and Change

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Which of the following theories or models is an example of the functional school?

a. ego psychology

b. strengths perspective

c. psychodynamic theory

d. medical model

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: How Does This Theory Address Growth and Change

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Yelling at a client who is disabled to get her/him to fold towels in a residential facility breaks which core value of the social work profession?

a. importance of relationships

b. self-determination

c. service

d. dignity and worth of each person

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. Which of the following statement about ontology is TRUE?

a. It is concerned with how we know what we know.

b. It involves distinguishing justified belief from mere opinion.

c. It is concerned with the very essence of reality.

d. It privileges certain kinds of knowledge.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: What Does This Theory Say About Human Behavior?

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. What does it mean to say that a social work practice theory is objective?

a. It treats the social world just like the natural world as being real and external to the individual.

b. It views the world as having a more personal quality to it so that individuals can create their own meanings.

c. It is concerned with conflict and coercion as a way of understanding human affairs.

d. It emphasizes integration, the nature of social order and equilibrium.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Does This Theory Say About Human Behavior?

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. What does it mean to say that a social work practice theory is subjective?

a. It treats the social world just like the natural world as being real and external to the individual.

b. It views the world as having more personal quality so that individuals can create their own meanings.

c. It is concerned with conflict and coercion as a way of understanding human affairs.

d. It emphasizes integration, the nature of social order and equilibrium.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Does This Theory Say About Human Behavior?

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. What does it mean to say that a social work practice theory is stable?

a. It treats the social world just like the natural world as being real and external to the individual.

b. It views the world as having more personal quality so that individuals can create their own meanings.

c. It is concerned with conflict and coercion as a way of understanding human affairs.

d. It emphasizes integration, the nature of social order and equilibrium.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Does This Theory Say About Human Behavior?

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. What does it mean to say that a social work practice theory is radical?

a. It treats the social world just like the natural world as being real and external to the individual.

b. It views the world as having more personal quality so that individuals can create their own meanings.

c. It is concerned with conflict and coercion as a way of understanding human affairs.

d. It emphasizes integration, the nature of social order and equilibrium.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Does This Theory Say About Human Behavior?

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. Which of the following questions might we ask about the epistemological assumptions of a theory?

a. Does this theory view reality as tangible, concrete and external to the individual?

b. Does this theory honor the ways in which our clients perceive their reality?

c. Does this theory seek to explain or predict human behavior?

d. How do we manage differences in views of reality between ourselves, our clients, and others?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Subjective – Objective Dimension

Difficulty Level: Hard

10. Which of the following questions might we ask about the ontological assumptions of a theory?

a. Does the theory value subjective knowledge based on personal experience?

b. Does the theory honor the ways in which our clients perceive their reality?

c. Does the theory view clients as having expert knowledge about their own experiences?

d. What kind of knowledge does this theory support, research-based evidence or practice wisdom?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Subjective – Objective Dimension

Difficulty Level: Hard

11. What are the three main epistemological approaches?

a. positivism, social constructionism, and pragmatism

b. perspective, theory, and practice model

c. subjective, objective, and radical approaches

d. psychodynamic, cognitive, and behavioral approaches

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Epistemology

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. Which of the following statements about positivism is TRUE?

a. It believes that we move forward to create the best society we can by humbly acknowledging our fallibility.

b. It views all knowledge and meanings as constructed in our interactions between human beings and their world.

c. It emphasizes unambiguous knowledge of the world grounded in direct experience through speculation.

d. It emphasizes unambiguous knowledge of the world grounded in direct experience through scientific observation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Epistemology

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Which of the following statements about social constructionism is TRUE?

a. It believes that we move forward to create the best society we can by humbly acknowledging our fallibility.

b. It views all knowledge and meanings as constructed in our interactions between human beings and their world.

c. It emphasizes unambiguous knowledge of the world grounded in direct experience through speculation.

d. It emphasizes unambiguous knowledge of the world grounded in direct experience through scientific observation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Epistemology

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Which of the following statements about pragmatism is TRUE?

a. It believes that we move forward to create the best society we can by humbly acknowledging our fallibility.

b. It views all knowledge and meanings as constructed in our interactions between human beings and their world.

c. It emphasizes unambiguous knowledge of the world grounded in direct experience through speculation.

d. It emphasizes unambiguous knowledge of the world grounded in direct experience through scientific observation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Epistemology

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. Holistic thinking is important for social work practice because it helps social workers do which of the following?

a. value their service to the clients above their self-interest

b. acknowledge historical and current inequalities facing their clients

c. engage policy-based advocacy to confront discrimination experienced by their clients

d. recognize the potential of clients to maintain integrity in body, mind and spirit

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: How Holistic Is This Theory?

Difficulty Level: Hard

16. What is TRUE about the diagnostic school of social work practice?

a. It involves the expertise of social workers in assessing, diagnosing and treating client.

b. It believes everyone has a place within them that propels them toward growth and change.

c. It points to the centrality of the practitioner’s belief in the client’s capacity to grow and change.

d. It has been abandoned by contemporary social workers due to its complexity.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: How Does This Theory Address Growth and Change (E.G., For The Individual And Community)?

Difficulty Level: Hard

17. A social worker who holds integrity as a core social work value will do which of the following?

a. promote the responsiveness of communities and other social institutions to meet individual needs

b. behave in a trustworthy manner and ensure his/her practice is consistent with the profession’s Code of Ethics

c. strive to ensure that all members of a society have the same human rights, protections, social benefits, and opportunities

d. be engaged in efforts to address issues of unemployment, access to health care, education and housing, and domestic violence

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: How Consistent Is This Theory With Social Work Values and Ethics?

Difficulty Level: Hard

18. A social worker who holds social justice as a core social work value will do which of the following?

a. increase his/her professional knowledge and skills and pursue supervision and ongoing training

b. behave in a trustworthy manner and ensure his/her practice is consistent with the profession’s Code of Ethics

c. strive to ensure that all members of a society have the same human rights, protections, social benefits, and opportunities

d. engage people as partners in the helping process and seek to strengthen clients’ relationships with others

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: How Consistent Is This Theory With Social Work Values and Ethics?

Difficulty Level: Hard

19. A social worker who holds the importance of human relationships as a core social work value will do which of the following?

a. increase his/her professional knowledge and skills and pursue supervision and ongoing training

b. behave in a trustworthy manner and ensure his/her practice is consistent with the profession’s Code of Ethics

c. strive to ensure that all members of a society have the same human rights, protections, social benefits, and opportunities

d. engage people as partners in the helping process and seek to strengthen clients’ relationships with others

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: How Consistent Is This Theory With Social Work Values and Ethics?

Difficulty Level: Hard

20. A social worker who holds competence as a core social work value will do which of the following?

a. increase his/her professional knowledge and skills and pursue supervision and ongoing training

b. behave in a trustworthy manner and ensure his/her practice is consistent with the profession’s Code of Ethics

c. strive to ensure that all members of a society have the same human rights, protections, social benefits, and opportunities

d. engage people as partners in the helping process and seek to strengthen clients’ relationships with others

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: How Consistent Is This Theory With Social Work Values and Ethics?

Difficulty Level: Hard

21. Which question should we ask when examining whether a theory is consistent with the social work value of competence?

a. According to this theory, what is the role of the social worker in advocating for clients to have access to needed resources?

b. What does this theory say about how we monitor and adjust our work to ensure we are meeting agreed upon client goals?

c. What is our role in supporting or nurturing clients’ key relationships with family members, friends and other support networks?

d. How does this theory take into account culture, race, age, sexual orientation, gender expression and other forms of diversity?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: How Consistent Is This Theory With Social Work Values and Ethics?

Difficulty Level: Medium

22. Which question should we ask when examining whether a theory is consist with the social work value of dignity and worth of each person?

a. According to this theory, what is the role of the social worker in advocating for clients to have access to needed resources?

b. What does this theory say about how we monitor and adjust our work to ensure we are meeting agreed upon client goals?

c. What is our role in supporting or nurturing clients’ key relationships with family members, friends and other support networks?

d. How does this theory take into account culture, race, age, sexual orientation, gender expression and other forms of diversity?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: How Consistent Is This Theory With Social Work Values And Ethics?

Difficulty Level: Medium

23. Which question should we ask when examining whether a theory is consist with the social work value of service?

a. According to this theory, what is the role of the social worker in advocating for clients to have access to needed resources?

b. What does this theory say about how we monitor and adjust our work to ensure we are meeting agreed upon client goals?

c. What is our role in supporting or nurturing clients’ key relationships with family members, friends and other support networks?

d. How does this theory take into account culture, race, age, sexual orientation, gender expression and other forms of diversity?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: How Consistent Is This Theory With Social Work Values and Ethics?

Difficulty Level: Medium

24. Which question should we ask when examining whether a theory is consist with the social work value of Importance of relationships?

a. According to this theory, what is the role of the social worker in advocating for clients to have access to needed resources?

b. What does this theory say about how we monitor and adjust our work to ensure we are meeting agreed upon client goals?

c. What is our role in supporting or nurturing clients’ key relationships with family members, friends and other support networks?

d. How does this theory take into account culture, race, age, sexual orientation, gender expression and other forms of diversity?

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: How Consistent Is This Theory With Social Work Values and Ethics?

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. Which of the following exemplifies social workers using an evidence-based approach to practice?

a. taking into account the client’s voice and expertise and letting the client take the lead or direct the work

b. identifying and evaluating evidence for intervention strategies that can be used to meet the specific needs of clients

c. respecting the dignity and worth of clients and their self-determination in making decisions that fit best with their life experiences

d. relying on their critical thinking, creativity, hunches, self-reflection and other skills to monitor their practice

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: What Are the Sources of Knowledge That Support This Theory?

Difficulty Level: Hard

True/False

1. Social constructionism is rooted in broader notions of postmodernism and deeply challenges positivist claims to objectivity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Epistemology

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. The functional school emphasized an approach to practice which involved the expertise of the social work professional in assessing, diagnosing and treating clients.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: How Does This Theory Address Growth and Change (e.g., for the individual and community)?

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Social work practitioners should value their service to others above self-interest.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: How Consistent Is This Theory With Social Work Values and Ethics?

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. The diagnostic school is rooted in the belief that everyone has a place within them that propels them toward growth and change.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: How Does This Theory Address Growth and Change (e.g., for the individual and community)?

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. The theoretical model or technique is the largest contributor to the change that occurs in the therapeutic process.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: One Final Note: Common Factors Research

Difficulty Level: Medium

Short Answer

1. What is reason and how does it relate to human activities?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: How Holistic Is This Theory?

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Discuss the three major sources of social work knowledge.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Are The Sources Of Knowledge That Support This Theory?

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Discuss the five common factors that contribute to the change that occurs in the therapeutic process.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Are The Sources Of Knowledge That Support This Theory?

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Give three exemplary questions to explain how service as a social work value can be used to critique a theory.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Service

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Explain why a holistic approach is important for social work practice.

Learning Objective:

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: How Holistic Is This Theory?

Difficulty Level: Medium