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2. The nature of the person who bears the problem and who seeks or needs help with the problem, in relation to. 3. The nature and purpose of the agency and the kind of help it can offer and/or make available. Process of making diagnosis Shifting the relevant from irrelevant data Organizing the facts and getting them into relatedness Grasping the way in which the factors fit together Preparing the meaning as a whole. Data for Diagnosis 1. Interviews 2. Checklist and Inventories 3. Direct Observation Steps in Diagnosis 1. The worker begins to focus on problematic behaviors. Both functional and dysfunctional behaviors in the client’s environment are surveyed. The client’s personal strength as well as of his environment are evaluated. 2. He specifies the target behaviors. Break down complex behaviors into clear and precise component parts. 3. Baseline data are collected to specify those events that appear to be currently controlling the problematic behaviors. 4. The collected information is summarized in an attempt to anticipate any major problem in treatment and as a way of beginning to establish objectives for treatment. 5. Selecting priorities for treatment is the final step of the diagnosis. III Types of diagnosis 1. Clinical The person is described by the nature of the illness. E.g. schizophrenia, psychopath, typhoid, etc.
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Used in medical practice. Use is minimum in casework practice. - Importance in medical and psychiatry. 2. Etiological Tries to delineate the causes and development of presenting difficulty. History of the person. 3. Dynamic Proper evaluation of the client’s current problem as he is experiencing it now. Role of psychological, biological, social and environmental factors in the causation of the problem. No attempt to dig life history. Case worker and client engage inappropriate corrective action or treatment. These developments may lead to modifications in the goals for treatment IV. Intervention / Treatment/Casework treatment (Problem-solving process): Social Treatment According to Hamilton,-“Social treatment or treatment in case work is the sum total of all activities and services directed towards helping an individual or the client with a problem. The focus is to relieve the immediate problem and, if feasible, modify any basic difficulties which precipitated it.”Strictly speaking, everything that has been discussed so far is part of treatment. Generally, two types of efforts are required for social adjustment environmental modification and or change in behavior modification. Early case work treatment was placed on modification through the environment. Later on the development of ego psychology helped social case workers to use intensive and direct treatment techniques. The interviews in all these process are every important and unless the interviews are conducted properly, it is not possible to expect results. The case worker has, therefore, not only to understand the theory of interview but also have sufficient training and experience in interviewing, if he/she wants to be successful in providing service to the client.