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Canyon College

online Cultural Awareness and Diversity in Social Work Practice course at Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: CULTURAL AWARENESS AND DIVERSITY IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE


Course Title:
Department:
Instructor:
Cultural Awareness and Diversity in Social Work Practice
Social Work
Alice Yick Flanagan, Ph.D., M.S.W. E-Mail - Vita


COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides a preliminary overview of issues of cultural awareness and cultural diversity and how it impacts on social work practice. First, students will be challenged to look within themselves and ask themselves what their cultural assumptions are and how these assumptions affect their worldviews and behavior. Second, the course emphasizes knowledge building. For example, students will examine the influence of race, culture, and ethnicity in shaping values, belief systems, and behavior of our clients and the context in which social workers operate. For example, students will come away with an overview of the different cultural beliefs and value systems of various ethnic minority groups and specific social work skills to ensure cultural competence. Finally, the last part of the course will focus on skills building. In all instances, diversity and multiculturalism are viewed from a strengths perspective.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
COURSE FORMAT
REQUIRED READINGS AND TEXT -- Online Bookstore

** Lum, Doman (1999). Culturally competent practice: A framework for growth and action. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. (ISBN #: 0534356869).

(This book provides a framework for cultural competence for practitioners. Exercises and self- assessments will be assigned from this book).

** Your readings will also consist of different academic articles. Since no one text book captures the rich literature on culture and diversity, I have selected a range of articles that will provide you a taste of the different issues social workers wrestle with when working with clients from multicultural backgrounds.

Therefore, we will be accessing articles from Northernlight.com. This is a very unique database where you can search by topics. It contains articles on web-sites and in academic journals. Articles from academic journals are in their Special Collections, and the cost is very reasonable ($2.95 for a long article). Visit www.northernlight.com. Type in the title of article, and place quotation marks around the title in the search engine. You will have to establish an account by using your credit card. (Of course, you can always go to the library to look up these articles).

** There are also selected articles from non-profit, commercial, and government web-sites. These are free.

SUPPLMENTAL READINGS/TEXTS

These books and/or articles in each unit are not required, but you might find them helpful in your social work practice. In addition, you may find it useful as reference for your final assignment. You will find them in the bookstore. In addition, you will find supplemental readings interspersed throughout the course outline. Again, these readings are not required, but you might find them useful or interesting.

Castillo, Richard J. (1997). Culture and mental illness: A client-centered approach. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole and Wadsworth. ISBN #: 0534345581

Cox, Carole B. and Ephross, Paul H. (1998). Ethnicity and social work practice. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN #: 0195099303

Diller, Jerry V. (1999). Cultural diversity: A primer for the human services. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole and Wadsworth. ISBN #: 0534355846

Green, James W. (1999). Cultural awareness in the human services: A multi-ethnic approach. (3rd edition). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. ISBN #: 0205286321

Harper, Karen V. and Lantz, Jim (1996). Cross-cultural practice: Social work with diverse populations. Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books. ISBN #: 092506520X

Tseng, Wen-Shing and Streltzer, Jon (Eds.)(1997). Culture and pschopathology: A guide to clinical assessment. New York, NY: Brunner/Mazel. ISBN #: 0876308396

COURSE EVALUATIONS

There are a total of 4 assignments for this class. Students will be evaluated using the following criteria:

** Introductions and Social Work Cultural Competencies Self-Assessment (5 points)
** Cultural Autobiography (30 points)
** Reaction Essay (15 points)
** Final Paper (50 points)

There are a total of 100 points for the class. The following points determine the final grade for the class:

97-100 points = A+
96-92 points = A
91-89 points = A-
88-85 points = B+
84-81 points = B
80-74 points = B-
73-70 points = C+
69-65 points = C

DUE DATES FOR ASSIGNMENTS - All the deadlines for each assignment are laid out in the Assignment Guide. Please read through all the assignments and mark the due dates on your calendar.

VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS:

I check my e-mail several times during the day. Therefore, feel free to drop me an e-mail with questions about lectures, questions/exercises in the study guide, or just to say hello. In addition, if you need to speak to me on the telephone, we can arrange for a telephone visit. E-mail me with some convenient times for you, and I will do the same.

COURSE OUTLINE


Unit 1:







Unit 2:








Unit 3:









































Unit 4:






































Unit 5:



































Unit 6:









































Unit 7:












































Unit 8:
Introductions and Definitions and Framework for Cultural Competence

Required Readings

  • Lum, Chapters 1 and 2


Cultural Awareness and the Practitioner

Required Readings

  • Lum, Chapter 3



Cross-Cultural Knowledge Development: Focus on Demographic Profiles of Ethnic Minorities and Cultural Beliefs

Required Readings

  • Lum, Chapter 4


Go to Statistical Briefs, "African Americans: A Profile" (In PDF)
Go to Related Topics, Other, and click on "We the Americans...Blacks" (In PDF)

Click on A for "Asian and Pacific Islanders"
Go to Statistical Briefs, "Asian and Pacific Islander Americans: A Profile" (In PDF)
Go to Other Related Topics, "Asians" (In PDF)

Click on H for "Hispanics"
Go to Statistical Briefs, "The Nation's Hispanic Population - 1994" (In PDF)
Go to Related Topics "We the Americans...Hispanics" (In PDF)

Click on N for "Native Americans"
Hit "Population" and scroll down to "Related Topics" and access "We the Americans...Native Americans" (In PDF)

  • Rocco A Cimmarusti (1996). Exploring aspects of Filipino-American families. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 22(2), 205. (Available at www.northernlight.com)
  • Josephine Mendez-Negrete (2000). "Dime con quien andas": Notions of Chicano and Mexican American families. Families in Society, 81(1), 42-48. (Available at www.northernlight.com)


Cross-Cultural Knowledge Development: Mental Health and Help-Seeking

Required Readings

  • David W Smart and Julie F Smart (1997). DSM-IV and culturally sensitive diagnosis: Some observations for counselors. Journal of Counseling and Development, 75(5), 392. (Available at www.northernlight.com)
  • Yamashiro, Greg and Matsuoka, Jon K. (1997). Help-seeking among Asian and Pacific Americans: A multiperspective analysis. Social Work, 42(2), 176-187. (Available at www.northernlight.com)
  • Janet Musser-Granski and Dorothy F Carrillo (1997). The use of bilingual, bicultural paraprofessionals in mental health services: Issues for hiring, training, and supervision. Community Mental Health Journal, 33(1), 51. (Available at www.northernlight.com
  • Sushrut Jadhav (1996). The cultural origins of western depression. The International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 42(4), 269. (Available at www.northernlight.com)

Supplemental (Not Required)

  • Ying, Yu-Wen and Zhang, Xiulan (1995). Mental health in rural and urban Chinese families: the role of intergenerational personality discrepancy and family solidarity. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 26(2) 233-247. (Available at www.northernlight.com)
  • Novins, Duoglas K. (1997). The DSM-IV outline for cultural formulations: a critical demonstration with American Indian children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36(9),1244-1252. (Available at www.northernlight.com)
  • Lloyd H Rogler (1996). Framing research on culture in psychiatric diagnosis: The case of the DSM-IV. Psychiatry, 59(2), 145. (Available at www.northernlight.com)
  • Chin, J.L. (2000). Culturally competent health care. Public Health Reports, 115(1), 25. (Available at www.northernlight.com)


Cross-Cultural Knowledge Development: Immigration and Acculturative Stress

Required Readings

  • Ana M Leon and Sophia F Dziegielewski (1999). The psychological impact of migration: Practice considerations in working with Hispanic women. Journal of Social Work Practice, 13 (1), 69. (Available at www.northernlight.com)
  • James, Delores C.S. (1997). Coping with a new society: the unique psychosocial problems of immigrant youth. Journal of School Health, 67(3), 98-103. (Available at www.northernlight.com)
  • Hulewat, Phyllis (1996). Resettlement: a cultural and psychological crisis. Social Work, 41(2), 129-136. (Available at www.northernlight.com)


Supplemental (Not Required)

  • David Lackland Sam (2000). Psychological adaptation of adolescents with immigrant backgrounds. Journal of Social Psychology, 140(1), 5. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Hovey, Joseph D. and King, Cheryl A. (1996). Acculturative stress, depression, and suicidal ideation among immigrant and second-generation Latino adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35(9), 1183-1193. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Johanna Shapiro (1999). Generational differences in psychosocial adaptation and predictors of psychological distress in a population of recent Vietnamese immigrants. Journal of Community Health, 24(2), 95. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Tribe, Rachel (1999). Therapeutic work with refugees living in exile: Observations on clinical practice. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 12(3), 233-243. (Available at www.northernlight.com).


Cross-Cultural Skills Development: Assessments and Interventions

Required Readings

  • Lum,Chapter 5
  • Salvendy, John T. (1999). Ethnocultural considerations in group psychotherapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 49(4), 429. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Voss, Richard W (1999). Tribal and Shamanic-based social work practice: A Lakota perspective. Social Work, 44(3), 228. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Schiele, Jerome H. (1996). Afrocentricity: an emerging paradigm in social work practice. Social Work, 41(3), 284-295. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Dana, Richard H. (2000). The cultural self as locus for assessment and intervention with American Indians/Alaska natives. Journal of Multicultural Counseling & Development, 28(2), 66. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Terry Soo-Hoo (1999). Brief strategic family therapy with Chinese Americans. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 27(2), 163. (Available at www.northernlight.com).


Supplemental (Not Required)
  • Steven M. Ino and Morley D Glicken (1999). Treating Asian American clients in crisis: A collectivist approach. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 69(3), 525. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Kamya, Hugo A. (1997). African immigrants in the United States: the challenge for research and practice Social Work, 42(2), 154-166. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Greene, Gilbert J.; Jensen, Carla; and Jones, Dorothy Halper (1996). A constructive perspective on clinical social work practice with ethnically diverse clients. Social Work, 41 (2),172-181. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Ruth Davidhizar; Robyn Havens; and Gregory A. Bechtel (1999). Assessing culturally diverse pediatric clients. Pediatric Nursing, 25(4), 371. (Available at www.northernlight.com).


Cross-Cultural Skills Development: Special Populations and Issues

No Lecture

Select a minimum of three articles based upon your interests.
  • Mercer, Susan O. (1996). Navajo elderly people in a reservation nursing home: Admission predictors and culture care practices. Social Work, 41(2), 181-190. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Waldman, Fanny (1999). Violence or discipline? Working with multicultural court-ordered clients. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy, 25(4), 503-515. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Maio De La Rosa; Rodolfo Vega; and Matthew A Radisch (2000). The role of acculturation in the substance abuse behavior of African-American and Latino adolescents: Advances, issues, and recommendations, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 32(1), 33. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Terry A Cross; Kathleen A Earle; and David Simmons (2000). Child abuse and neglect in Indian country: Policy issues. Families in Society, 81(1), 49-58. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Kopelowicz, Alex (1998). Adapting social skills training for Latinos with schizophrenia. International Review of Psychiatry, 10(1),47. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Mui, Ada (1996). Depression among elderly Chinese immigrants: an exploratory study. Social Work, 41(6), 633-646. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Swigonski, Mary E. (1996). Privilege permeates the social structure of the United States and the daily lives of its inhabitants. Social Work, 41(2), 153-162. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Alean Al-Krenawi; John R. Graham (2000). Culturally sensitive social work practice with Arab clients in mental health settings. Health and Social Work, 25(1), 9. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Mohamed A Sayed; Dean T Collins; and Tetsuro Takahashi (1998). West meets East: Cross- cultural issues in inpatient treatment. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 62(4), 439. (Available at www.northernlight.com).
  • Lauren Y Finley (1998). The cultural context: Families coping with severe mental illness. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 21(3), 230. (Available at www.northernlight.com).


Inductive Learning - Cross-Cultural Awareness: An Ongoing Process

Required Readings

  • Lum, Chapter 6 and 7