Skip to Main Content

Social Work Theories

Guide to locating information on social work theories

Strenghts Perspective

References

Aguilar, M. A. (1996). Promoting the educational achievement of Mexican American young women. Social Work in Education, 18(3), 145-156.

Beder, J. (2000). Training oncology camp volunteers. Cancer Practice, 8(3), 129-134.

Bell, H. (2003). Strengths and secondary trauma in family violence work. Social Work, 48(4), 513-522.

Bendor, S. J. (2008). Strong at the broken places: Diverse voices from the second generation. Journal of Jewish Communal Service, 83(2-3), 243-249.

Bigler, M. O. (2005). Harm reduction as a practice and prevention model for social work. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 10(2), 69-86.

Bordelon, T. D. (2002). Using DAVE as a model to go beyond treatment compliance with persons receiving renal replacement therapy. Social Work in Health Care, 36(2), 35-48.

Brun, C.,Richard C. (2001). Strengths-based case management: Individuals' perspectives on strengths and the case manager relationship. Social Work, 46(3), 278.

Cadell, S., Fletcher, M., Makkappallil-Knowles, E., Caidwell, S., Wong, L., Bodurtha, D., . . . Shoblom, W. (2005). The use of the arts and the strengths perspective: The example of a course assignment. Social Work Education, 24(1), 137-146.

Cassity-Caywood, W., & Huber, R. (2003). Rural older adults at home. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 41(3), 229-245. Chadiha, L. A., Adams, P., Biegel, D. E., Auslander, W., & Gutierrez, L. (2004). Empowering African American women informal caregivers: A literature synthesis and practice strategies. Social Work, 49(1), 97-108.

Cheon, J. W. (2008). Best practices in community-based prevention for youth substance reduction: Towards strengths-based positive development policy. Journal of Community Psychology, 36(6), 761-779.

Colby, I. C. (1997). Transforming human services organizations through empowerment of neighbors. Journal of Community Practice, 4(2), 1-12.

Cowger, C. D. (1994). Assessing client strengths: Clinical assessment for client empowerment. Social Work, 39(3), 262-268.

Crohn, H. M. (2006). Five styles of positive stepmothering from the perspective of young adult stepdaughters. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 46(1), 119-134.

De Jong, P., & Miller, S. D. (1995). How to interview for client strengths. Social Work, 40(6), 729-36.

Delgado, M. (1997). Role of Latina-owned beauty parlors in a Latino community. Social Work, 42(5), 445-453.

Dunlap, E., Golub, A., & Johnson, B. D. (2006). The severely-distressed African American family in the crack era: Empowerment is not enough. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 33(1), 115-139.

Dybicz, P. (2011). Interpreting the strengths perspective through narrative theory. Families in Society, 92(3), 247-253.

 Early, T. J. (2001). Measures for practice with families from a strengths perspective. Families in Society, 82(3), 225-232.

Early, T. J., & GlenMaye, L. F. (2000). Valuing families: Social work practice with families from a strengths perspective. Social Work, 45(2), 118-130.

Freeman, E. M. (2011). Narrative approaches in social work practice: A life span, culturally centered, strengths perspective. Springfield, IL US: Charles C Thomas Publisher.

Gerdes, K. E., & Stromwall, L. K. (2008). Conation: A missing link in the strengths perspective. Social Work, 53(3), 233-242.

Gleason, E. T. (2007). A strengths-based approach to the social developmental study. Children & Schools, 29(1), 51-59.

Graybeal, C. (2001). Strengths-based social work assessment: Transforming the dominant paradigm. Families in Society, 82(3), 233-242.

Hodge, D. R. (2001). Spiritual assessment: A review of major qualitative methods and a new framework for assessing spirituality. Social Work, 46(3), 203-214.

Itzhaky, H., & Bustin, E. (2002). Strengths and pathological perspectives in community social work. Journal of Community Practice, 10(3), 61-73.

Kam-shing Yip. (2003). A strengths perspective in working with an adolescent with dual diagnosis. Clinical Social Work Journal, 31(2), 189-203.

Kam-Shing Yip. (2005). A strengths perspective in understanding and working with clients with psychosis and records of violence. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 45(4), 446-464.

Kelly, B. L., & Gates, T. G. (2010). Using the strengths perspective in the social work interview with young adults who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. Social Work in Mental Health, 8(5), 421-437.

Koenig, T., & Spano, R. (2006). Professional hope in working with older adults. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 33(2), 25-44.

Koenig, T., & Spano, R. (2007). The cultivation of social workers' hope in personal life and professional practice. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work, 26(3), 45-61.

Kurland, R. (2007). Debunking the "blood theory" of social work with groups: Group workers are made and not born. Social Work with Groups, 30(1), 11-24.

Laursen, E. K. (2003). Frontiers in strength-based treatment. Reclaiming Children and Youth: The Journal of Strength-Based Interventions, 12(1), 12-17.

Lawrence-Webb, C., & Okundaye, J. N. (2007). Kinship and spirituality: Utilizing strengths of caregivers. Journal of Health & Social Policy, 22(3), 101-119.

Lee, M. (2007). Discovering strengths and competencies in female domestic violence survivors: An application of Roberts' continuum of the duration and severity of woman battering. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 7(2), 102-114.

Lietz, C. A. (2007). Strengths-based group practice: Three case studies. Social Work with Groups, 30(2), 73-87

Lietz, C. A., Andereck, K. L., & Knopf, R. C. (2010). The breakthrough series collaborative on service integration: A mixed methods study of a strengths-based initiative. Advances in Social Work, 11(2), 248-266.

MacArthur, J., Rawana, E. P., & Brownlee, K. (2011). Implementation of a strengths-based approach in the practice of child and youth care. Relational Child & Youth Care Practice, 24(3), 6-16.

MacFarlane, C. D. (2006). My strength: A look outside the box at the strengths perspective. Social Work, 51(2), 175-176.

Mahoney, A. M., & Daniel, C. A. (2006). Bridging the power gap. Prison Journal, 86(1), 75-88.

McMillen, J. C. (1999). Better for it: How people benefit from adversity. Social Work, 44(5), 455-468.

Min, T. (2011). The client-centered integrative strengths-based approach: Ending longstanding conflict between social work values and practice. Canadian Social Science, 7(2), 15-22.

Norman, J. (2000). Constructive narrative in arresting the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder. Clinical Social Work Journal, 28(3), 303-319.

Oko, J. (2006). Evaluating alternative approaches to social work: A critical review of the strengths perspective. Families in Society, 87(4), 601-611.

Palmer, N. (1997). Resilience in adult children of alcoholics: A nonpathological approach to social work practice. Health & Social Work, 22(3), 201-209.

Pavlek, M. (2001). Getting ready to talk: The treatment of a mildly retarded selectively mute adult. Clinical Social Work Journal, 29(2), 159-169.

Perkins, K., & Tice, C. (1999). Family treatment of older adults who misuse alcohol: A strengths perspective. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 31(3), 169-185.

Rapp, R. C. (2007). The strengths perspective: Proving 'my strengths' and 'it works'. Social Work, 52(2), 185-186.

Redko, C., Rapp, R. C., Elms, C., Snyder, M., & Carlson, R. G. (2007). Understanding the working alliance between persons with substance abuse problems and strengths-based case managers. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 39(3), 241-250.

Reese, D. J., Ahern, R. E., Nair, S., O'Farie, J. D., & Warren, C. (1999). Hospice access and use by African Americans: Addressing cultural and institutional.. Social Work, 44(6), 549-559.

Saleebey, D. (2008). Commentary on the strengths perspective and potential applications in school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 12(2), 68-75.

Schatz, M. S., & Flagler, M. N. (2004). Examining how professionals describe the strengths perspective in their practice. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 9(2), 63-77.

Smith, D. C., & Hall, J. A. (2007). Strengths-oriented referrals for teens (SORT): Giving balanced feedback to teens and families. Health & Social Work, 32(1), 69-72.

Sousa, L., Ribeiro, C., & Rodrigues, S. (2006). Intervention with Multiproblem poor clients: Towards a Strengthsfocused perspective. Journal of Social Work Practice, 20(2), 189-204.

The strengths perspective in social work practice. (1993). Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 20(2), 155-155.

Sullivan, K. A., & Wodarski, J. S. (2006). Life and social skills: Aiding abuse survivors from closed systems. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 3(2), 67-89.

Thomas, C. J. (2002). The context of religiosity, social support and health locus of control: Implications for the health-related quality of life of African-American hemodialysis patients. Journal of Health & Social Policy, 16(1), 43-54.

Tice, C. (1994). A community's response to supported employment: Implications for social work practice. Social Work, 39(6), 728-736.

Tice, C. J., & Harnek Hall, D. M. (2008). Sexuality education and adolescents with developmental disabilities: Assessment, policy, and advocacy. Journal of Social Work in Disability & Rehabilitation, 7(1), 47-62.

Voss, R. W., Douville, V., Soldier, A. L., & Twiss, G. (1999). Tribal and shamanic-based social work practice: A Lakota perspective. Social Work, 44(3), 228-241.

Weber, Z., & Bugarszki, Z. (2007). Some reflections on social workers' perspectives on mental health services in two cities—Sydney, Australia and Budapest, Hungary. International Social Work, 50(2), 145-155.

Wei-he Guo, & Ming-sum Tsui. (2010). From resilience to resistance: A reconstruction of the strengths perspective in social work practice. International Social Work, 53(2), 233-245.

Wilson, S. Z. (2006). Field education: Linking self-efficacy theory and the strengths perspective. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 12(1), 261-274.

Yip, K. (2006). A strengths perspective in working with an adolescent with self-cutting behaviors. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 23(2), 134-146.

Zakour, M. (2007). When their world falls apart: Helping families and children manage the effects of disasters. Social Work, 52(2), 187-187.

Zeman, L. D., & Buila, S. (2006). Practice wisdom on custodial parenting with mental illness: A strengths view. Journal of Family Social Work, 10(3), 51-65.