Theories & Methods of Family Intervention Jack Nowicki, LMSW-ACP THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Course Number: SW 393R3 Instructor’s Name: Jack Nowicki, LMSW-ACP Unique Number: 62675 Office Number: SWB 3.130 C Semester: Fall 2002 Office Phone: 892-6888 (PP~message) 328-6860 (W) E - Mail [email protected] Meeting Time/Place: Wednesdays Office Hours: Wednesday, 4:15 –5:30 or 5:30-8:30 by appointment THEORIES AND METHODS OF FAMILY INTERVENTION I. Standardized Course Description This course is designed as a seminar for students in the clinical concentration or for students desiring a basic understanding in models and methods of family intervention. The content will include an overview of several different approaches of family intervention (e.g., strategic, behavioral, and constructivist) with a focus on intervention skills and techniques. II. Standardized Course Objectives By the end of the semester the student should be able to: 1. Compare various theoretical approaches to working with the family as a system, including understanding the impact of the ecological and social environments in which families live. 2. Demonstrate understanding of similarities and differences among theories and their theoretical perspectives, value bases, and gender critiques. 3. Integrate and demonstrate application of procedures, techniques, and methods of differing family intervention models. 4. Understand and integrate research information on effectiveness of empirically-based practice for different family interventions on problems frequently seen in practice such as: chemical dependency, child maltreatment, and severe mental disorders. 5. Demonstrate skill in applying knowledge concerning multi-level policies and their impact on interventions with families of diverse culture, socioeconomic background, race, sexual orientation, and ability. III. Teaching Methods This class provides opportunities for both theory and skill development. Family practice models will be presented through a combination of lectures, demonstrations of the practice interventions in each model, experiential skill-building exercises, and discussions about models and skills. IV. Safety Policy As part of professional social work education, students may have assignments that involve working in agency settings and/or the community. As such, these Page 1Theories & Methods of Family Intervention Jack Nowicki, LMSW-ACP assignments may present some risks. Sound choices and caution may lower risks inherent to the profession. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of and adhere to policies and practice related to agency and/or community safety. Students should also notify instructors regarding any safety concerns. V. Required Texts: • Franklin & Jordan, (1999). Family practice: Brief systems methods for social work. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. • Becvar & Becvar, (1999). Systems theory and family therapy. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. • Course packet of readings available for purchase at the Business School. (MOST READINGS ARE ON-LINE AT: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/ Go to E-Reserves. Pull down menu for Professor and go to Cynthia Franklin’s name. See the course Theories and Methods of Family Intervention. Enter the Password: “Family”) Recommended Texts: • O'Hanlon & Beadle, (1999). A Guide to Possibility Land . New York, NY: W.W. Norton • McGoldrick, et al. (Eds), (1996). Ethnicity and family therapy (2nd ed.) New York: NY: Guilford VI. Course Requirements The grade for the course will be based on the student’s ability to demonstrate knowledge and methods from the major models of family therapy, and effective interventions for solving family problems. Class attendance, participation, and promptness in completing assignments will be considered when assigning the grade. There are three major assignments. 1. Group Demonstration of Techniques from Treatment Model (20% of your grade). The class will divide into groups for preparation and presentation of experiential techniques from a treatment model. The treatments to be selected from are 1) Structural—Minuchin & Aponte, Multisystemic-Henggler; 2) MRI-Brief Therapy—John Weakland and Strategic-Jay Haley; 3) Behavioral Marital—Jacobson and Stuart, etc.; 4) Narrative, Post-modern and Social Construction—Michael White, Freedman & Coombs, Harlene Anderson, Karl Tomm, etc. The instructor will demonstrate the Solution-Focused model. Students will be assigned to groups. Each group will be responsible for demonstrating the treatment techniques for their model to the class. The group’s purpose is to model the specific intervention techniques. Be creative in your presentation. You may ask for audience participation or make use of audio-visual equipment. The use of handouts explaining or demonstrating the techniques is encouraged. The presentation is expected to last approximately one hour and consist of an experiential modeling of the treatment techniques and skills for the model. As the group progresses in developing the presentation, at least one planning session must be held with the instructor. The group is responsible for scheduling this meeting. I suggest the group meet with me early in the development process. Page 2Theories & Methods of Family Intervention Jack Nowicki, LMSW-ACP All group members will be assigned the same grade for their presentation, so it should reflect equal responsibility on all members’ parts. (If all members of the group are not sharing the burden of the work, please notify the instructor.) 2. Literature Review on Family Therapy Model (35% of your grade). Each group representing the differing models will be expected to develop a 20 to 25 page literature review about the model in which they are modeling the techniques. The literature review should concentrate on three main areas: theoretical basis of the model; assessment procedures and treatment techniques used in the model and new research related to, or empirical support for the model. A suggested outline for the literature review is given below. I. Theoretical basis of the model, 4 to 6 pages a) Theory b) Key Constructs c) Major Assumptions II. Procedures and techniques used in the model, 6 to 8 pages a) Operationalize and specify assessment methods b) Operationalize and specify behavior change procedures and processes c) Operationalize and specify techniques utilized III. Research and