Paper 2 is in the form of a Self-Reflecting Readings Journal. This paper will provide an opportunity to consider the readings in light of your own experiences and should respond to at least three of the readings, from the Social Work Desk Reference or DSM 5 Casebook, in depth. You may consider personal and practice experience as well as current dilemmas you may face in your work.
Length: 6-8 pages.
Throughout the semester we will become more aware of the beliefs and biases that shape our intellectual and emotional responses to work with people who present symptoms of or have been diagnosed with mental illnesses. These beliefs and biases are deeply embedded in our culture’s mythology and ideology regarding:
- Acceptable feelings and behaviors.
- What we define as civilized conduct versus pathological behavior.
- What are appropriate expressions of one’s gender identity, age, familial role, citizenship.
- Illness, disease, and impairment.
- The role of the helper.
- Who may become a client/patient/consumer?
- The long term consequences of being psychiatrically-labeled and treated in the mental health system?
These same biases have influenced the ways in which psychiatry, social work, and psychology have organized systems of diagnosis, treatment, and care-giving. As we read, we will attempt to uncover some fundamental assumptions about normality, “humanness,” and illness/disease that underlie our practices as social workers in mental health care roles and settings, as well as speculate about who these practices may serve or disserve. You may want to use these ideas as ways to approach your own reading and journaling.
In general, answer the following:
a—Which chapters did you read? Describe your personal responses to the readings. What are the central ideas that seems most salient or significant to you? Why? Which are appealing, problematic and/or troubling? (7 points).
b–What questions do the readings pose for you or answer for you? (7points).
c–How do the perspectives described make claims about health or illness that are adequately or inadequately inclusive, stigmatizing, and/or potentially empowering to clients? (6 points)
You will find readings in these sources:
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5th edition, American Psychiatric Association.
- DSM-5 Clinical Cases, John W. Barnhill, M.D.,2013.
- Social Work Desk Reference, Albert R. Roberts, Oxford Press 2015.
Below are the readings which you are able to choose from:
May
DSM 5- Chapter 1
Clinical Cases DSM 5- Chapter 1
May
- Social Work Desk Reference Chapters 1 in Part 1
June
Readings: Social Work Desk Reference:
Part 2 Chapters 2, 3,4, 5 and 6
June
Readings: Cont. Part 2 Social Work Desk Reference, chapter 7, 9, 10
June
DSM 5 pgs. 155-170
DSM 5 Clinical Cases Chapters 3 and 4
SW Desk Reference 11, 12,13
June
DSM 5 Clinical Cases Chapters 5 and 6
SW Desk Reference, chapters 13 and 14
