The Life Model of Social Work Practice: Advances in Theory and Practice

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.

Table of Contents:
Preface Note to Instructors Acknowledgments Part I. Overview 1. Social Work Practice and Its Historical Traditions 2. The Ecological Perspective 3. The Life Model of Social Work Practice: An Overview 4. Culturally Competent and Diversity-Sensitive Practice and Cultural Humility 5. Assessment, Evidence-Guided Practice, and Practice Evaluation Part II. The Helping Process in Life-Modeled Practice Initial Phase 6. Preparation: Settings, Modalities, Methods, and Skills 7. Beginnings: Settings, Modalities, Methods, and Skills Ongoing Phase 8. Helping Individuals, Families, and Groups with Stressful Life Transitions and Traumatic Events 9. Helping Individuals, Families, and Groups with Environmental Stressors 10. Helping Family Members with Maladaptive Communication and Relationship Patterns 11. Helping Group Members with Maladaptive Communication and Relationship Patterns 12. Helping with Maladaptive Relationship and Communication Patterns between Social Workers and Clients Ending Phase 13. Endings: Settings, Modalities, Methods, and Skills Part III. Life-Modeled Practice at the Community, Organizational, and Political Levels 14. Influencing Community and Neighborhood Life 15. Influencing the Practitioner’s Organization 16. Influencing Legislation, Regulations, and Electoral Politics Appendix A: Individual, Family, and Group Assessments Appendix B: Practice Monitoring—Records of Service Appendix C: Practice Monitoring—Critical Incidents Appendix D: Force Field Analysis Notes References Index

About the Author :
Alex Gitterman is professor of social work at the University of Connecticut. His Columbia University Press books include Mutual Aid Groups, Vulnerable and Resilient Populations, and the Life Cycle, third edition (2005) and Handbook of Social Work Practice with Vulnerable Populations, third edition (2014). He is also the coeditor of The Encyclopedia of Social Work with Groups (2009) and Mental Health and Social Problems: A Social Work Perspective (2010). Carolyn Knight is professor emerita of social work at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is coeditor of Trauma-Informed Supervision in a Global Context (2019) and Group Work with Populations at Risk, fourth edition (2016) and the author of Introduction to Working with Adult Survivors of Childhood Trauma (2009). Carel B. Germain (1916–1995) was professor emerita of social work at the University of Connecticut. Her books include Human Behavior in the Social Environment: An Ecological View, second edition (Columbia, 1999).

Review :
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. 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. 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. The fourth edition of The Life 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. This thoughtfully updated fourth edition of The Life 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.