Cultural Values When Working With Diverse Groups

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The human brain receives information from its environment constantly, but how does it make sense of all this information? One way is through the use of schemas, which are mental structures that help the mind organize new information and relate it to old information and experiences. By relating information in this way, humans can more quickly process experiences and make judgments and decisions. When you meet someone new, your brain automatically uses these schemas to identify characteristics or behavior that would allow you to classify the person into a group that you may already know. While an adaptive and helpful strategy that the human brain possesses, when taken to an extreme, it could lead to the formation of unhelpful or incorrect stereotypes about groups.  When working with clients from diverse groups, human and social services professionals need to bring conscious thought to their perceptions of people, in addition to the automatic thinking that humans engage in. In other words, use your schemas and acknowledge commonalities, but also research information on groups you work with, take the time to become aware of individual differences, and always seek to bring cultural sensitivity to your understanding of and practice with clients.

For this Discussion, you compare cultural values of three broadly defined groups: African Americans, Asian Americans, and Caucasians. You then consider how you would practice cultural awareness and sensitivity when providing services to members of each group.

To Prepare: •Review this week’s Learning Resources, and consider the cultural values of African American, Asian American, and Caucasian populations. •Perform your own research on values or experiences of these populations that may impact work with them.

By Day 3  Post a comparison of the cultural values of African American, Asian American, and Caucasian populations. On what areas must a human and social services professional focus to ensure that he/she is being culturally aware and sensitive as it pertains to providing services to members of each group? Why?

Required Readings

Diller, J. V. (2015). Cultural diversity: A primer for the human services (5th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.  •Chapter 13, “Working With African American Clients: An Interview With Veronique Thompson” (pp. 283–299) (for review

•Chapter 14, “Working With Asian American Clients: An Interview With Dan Hocoy” (pp. 300–315) (for review)

•Chapter 17, “Working With White, Ethnic Clients: An Interview With the Author” (pp. 349–360)  Para-Mallam, F. J. (2010). Promoting gender equality in the context of Nigerian cultural and religious expression: Beyond increasing female access to education. Compare, 40(4), 459–477.

Describe the client’s assets and resources (in order to understand the client’s resilience).

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It is common for social workers to be presented with a crisis situation brought forth by clients, families, communities, and/or organizations. The ultimate goal is to restore the client to equilibrium. The five stages of the crisis are (1) the hazardous event, (2) the vulnerable stage, (3) the precipitating factor, (4) the state of active crisis, and (5) the reintegration or crisis resolution phase.

There are times when a social worker will use more than one theory to assist in conceptualizing the problem and intervention, particularly if the theories complement each other. For example, resiliency theory can be used alongside crisis theory.

To prepare: Review and focus on the same case study that you chose in Week 2. CASE OF JAKE LEVY

Submit a 1- to 2-page case write-up that addresses the following:

  • Map the client’s crisis using the five stages of the crisis.
  • Describe the client’s assets and resources (in order to understand the client’s resilience).
  • Describe how you, the social worker, will intervene to assist the client to reach the reintegration stage of the crisis. Be sure that the intervention promotes resiliency.
  • Evaluate how using crisis theory and resiliency theory together help in working with a client.

Be sure to:

  • Identify and correctly reference the case study you have chosen.
  • Use literature to support your claims.
  • Use APA formatting and style.
    • Remember to double-space your paper.

In 300-500 words share whether or not you believe the assigned documentary film text has the potential to transform one’s political sensibilities and how the documentary film text compares to the feature-length non-documentary film text that examines the same historical political movement and/or figure.

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Students must watch one of the two documentary films and then choose to write on one of them (student choice between the two):

Cultural Criticism and Transformation featuring bell hooks

OR

White Like Me featuring Tim Wise

Please note that this assignment is to be posted on the Democracy and Difference website.  Complete directions are posted there.  As is the case with all assignments, no late work will be accepted.

 

In this class we have identified as one of our objectives the ability to fully engage, in critical ways, popular culture and its influence upon our political selves, our political sensibilities.  With our focus on “deep differences” we find ourselves examining both documentary and feature-length film texts.  The purpose of this assignment is to compare and contrast the political “story-telling” of both mediums when focused on the same subject or subject matter.

 

In 300-500 words share whether or not you believe the assigned documentary film text has the potential to transform one’s political sensibilities and how the documentary film text compares to the feature-length non-documentary film text that examines the same historical political movement and/or figure.   And, if you believe that your personal political sensibilities have been (re)shaped or transformed by a particular film and/or style of film, say so.   Again, the objective here is to share your thoughts pertaining to the major thesis presented in Democracy and Difference.

Describe the pathophysiology of the influenza virus.      Outline the properties of influenza A antigens that allow them to exert      their effects in the host. 

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  1. Make sure all of the topics in the case study have been      addressed.
  2. Cite at least three sources; journal articles,      textbooks or evidenced-based websites to support the content.
  3. All sources must be within 5 years.
  4. Do not use .com, Wikipedia, or up-to-date, etc., for      your sources.

Case Study 1

Structure and Function of the Respiratory System

Brad is 45 years old and has been working as a coal cutter in a mine for the last 25 years. He likes the job because it pays well and the same mine had employed his father. Like many of his colleagues, Brad has had problems with a chronic cough. He has avoided his annual checkups for fear that he will be told he has “black lung,” or coal worker’s pneumoconiosis. The disease causes fibrosis, decreased diffusing capacity, and permanent small airway dilation. In later stages, pulmonary capillaries, alveoli, and airways are destroyed.

  1. How can the disease described above create a mismatch      between ventilation and perfusion? Use your understanding of alveolar dead      space and physiologic shunt to explain your answer.
  2. Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease      have more difficulty exhaling than inhaling. Why is this so?
  3. In general terms, what mechanisms in lung disease can      affect diffusing capacity across alveolar membranes? Use the Fick law to      explain your answer.

Case Study 2

Respiratory Tract Infections, Neoplasms, and Childhood Disorders

Patricia was called at work by a woman at the local daycare center. She told Patricia to come and pick up her son because he was not feeling well. Her son, three-and-a-half-year-old Marshall, had been feeling tired and achy when he woke up. While at daycare, his cheeks had become red and he was warm to touch. He did not want to play with his friends, and by the time Patricia arrived, he was crying. Later that afternoon, Marshall’s condition worsened. He had fever, chills, a sore throat, runny nose, and a dry hacking cough. Suspecting Marshall had influenza, Patricia wrapped him up and took him to the community health care clinic.

  1. Why did Marshall’s presentation lead Patricia to think      he had influenza and not a cold? Why is it important to medically evaluate      and diagnose a potential influenza infection?
  2. Describe the pathophysiology of the influenza virus.      Outline the properties of influenza A antigens that allow them to exert      their effects in the host.
  3. Marshall may be at risk at contracting secondary      bacterial pneumonia. Why is this so? Explain why cyanosis may be a feature      associated with pneumonia.

Case Study 3

Disorders of Ventilation and Gas Exchange

Emmanuel and his mother live in an urban community housing complex. The building is worn down and dirty from the urban dust, cockroaches, and mold. Emmanuel is five years of age and has suffered from asthma for the last two years. One evening, his mother poured him some milk and put him to bed. Shortly afterward, Emmanuel woke up wheezing and coughing. As he gasped for air, he became more and more anxious. His mother ran for his inhaler, but he was too upset and restless to use it. Emmanuel’s skin became moist with sweat, and as he began to tire, his wheezing became quieter. His mother called 911 and waited anxiously for the ambulance to arrive.

  1. Emmanuel uses a corticosteroid inhaler for the      management of his asthma. What is the mechanism of action of this drug?      How is its action different from the β2-agonist inhalants?
  2. Why does someone with severe asthma become physically      fatigued during a prolonged attack? What are the physiological events that      occur during an attack?
  3. One of the complications of respiratory fatigue is the      development of hypercapnia. How does the body compensate for an increase      in CO2? What are the effects of hypercapnia on the central nervous system?

To view the Grading Rubric for this Assignment, please visit the Grading Rubrics section of the Course Home.