A Metatheoretical Framework for Social Work Practice

Abstract

This article presents a metatheoretical framework built on prior conceptualizations regarding the nature of social work practice. The framework consists of a practice system imbedded in a societal metastructure, which is the system's suprasystem. The constructual components, or subsystems, of the practice system are social work's ideology, teleology, epistemology, and technology. Metastructural elements affecting the nature of the practice system are the suprasystem's metaphysical, empirical, dialectical, and ecological components, or supra-subsystems. Together the system and suprasystem interact dynamically to define social work's philosophy, values, purpose, knowledge, methods, and practice effectiveness. The framework comprehensively incorporates specific and diverse practice perspectives and theories and analyzes their place in and contribution to a multidimensional practice gestalt.