Frustration theory: a source of unifying concepts for generalist practice

Abstract

Clayton T. Shorkey, Ph.D., is Associ ate Professor, School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin. Salena Bell Crocker, MSW, is Clinical Social Worker, Lincoln Community Health Center, Durham, North Carolina. The notion of generalist social v/ork practice to set a foundation for gener practice has gained increased attention alist This framework empha in profession since late 1960s, sizes both interaction between indi Several developments in evolution viduals and their environment and of profession evoked a commitment interaction among traditional methods to identify common unifying concepts of social work practice.3 As a founda for The Common Base of tion for generalist practice, it provides Social Work Practice by Bartlett exclearly defined terms to describe exmplifies this commitment and prosystems involved in intervention, in vides guidelines to evaluate possible eluding client, target, change agent, unifying concepts. Concepts for pracand action systems. The client system tice, according to Bartlett, diincludes individuals or groups of indi rect worker's attention to inviduals who request service, expect teraction between people's opportuniservices to be provided, agree on ties for growth and obstacles to growth goals to be pursued, and actively par from environment. In addition, ticipate in intervention process. Bartlett believes that broader and The target system consists of individu more positive terms are needed to deais or groups of individuals whose be scribe social work practice. In her havior must be changed to meet opinion, the initiative, potential, and goals agreed on by client and independence of persons to be change agent systems. The change served require greater recognition. agent system includes social worker She also emphasizes importance of as well as other staff members em development of and ployed at an agency. The action system values of profession, which should consists of members of change be given priority over interventive acagent and client systems and any other tion.1 people working together to achieve Two other events contributed to goals agreed on with client system, growth of notion of generalist pracMajor tasks of change agents include tice. In 1969, members of National assessing problems, setting goals, Association of Social Workers voted to solving problems, and forming and grant graduates of undergraduate social maintaining action systems. Action work programs regular membership in systems are developed to pursue professional association. Then, in agreed-on goals through exercise of 1970, Council on Social Work Eduinterpersonal influence and pro cation approved accreditation stanvision of resources, dards for undergraduate social work Minahan, in her article on generalists programs. These standards intensified and specialists in social work, views effort of profession to identify a generalist as common base for educating and train ing baccalaureate social workers for person with broad view who beginning-level direct The can determine when specialists are Council on Social Work Education needed, what specialists are needed, maintained that such a practice would and who can coordinate knowl require knowledge and understanding ec'8e and skills of many specialists.4 of people as individuals, as members of families and other groups, and as memOther social workers have also ex bers of organizations and compressed a similar view of generalist munities.2 Most undergraduate propractitioners, as next three exam grams in social work now emphasize pies demonstrate. After comparing preparation of generalists. And a generalists to specialists in social work, generalist program for first-year graduNelsen concluded that the generalist ate students often precedes a specialist worker is trained to see widest pos program for second-year graduate stusibilities for intervention.5 Brieland, dents. Costin, and Atherton have described Many undergraduate and first-year ability of generalist to use graduate programs adopted Pincus and effectively and range of Minahan's systems framework for client systems generalist serves: