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3: Sociological Interventions

  • Page ID
    43037
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    Learning Objectives

    At the end of the module, you will be able to:

    1. explain the sociological process of intervention.
    2. describe the six approaches to solving social issues.
    3. recognize and apply macro, meso, and micro levels of intervention.
    4. explain the sociological practitioner's role and approach in solving social problems.
    5. identify issues requiring a multilevel, multifactor problem solving approach.

    Social issues impair social functioning and negatively impact the lives of individuals, groups, and organizations (Bruhn and Rebach 2007). People effected by a particular social issue may face a variety of obstacles and challenges associated with the problem including labeling, stigma, discrimination, and isolation. Sociological practitioners work to address the problem by changing the social setting, arrangement, norms, and behaviors surrounding the issue and the people involved. A sociological practitioner may serve as the facilitator of this social change, a broker by acting on the behalf of others for change, or a clinician by providing direct services or help to change the situation of individuals and families.

    • 3.1: Interventions and Problem Solving
      This page discusses how social issues impact individuals and communities, highlighting the challenges of stigma and discrimination. It outlines the structured intervention process used by sociological practitioners, which includes assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation phases. Each phase focuses on identifying problems, setting objectives, executing plans, and assessing outcomes.
    • 3.2: Problem Solving Approaches and Interventions
      This page outlines six distinct problem-solving approaches in social work. These include the social systems approach for analyzing group dynamics, the human ecology approach for individual roles in ecosystems, the life cycle approach focusing on development stages, the clinical approach for health assessment, the social norms approach leveraging peer influence, and the community-based approach emphasizing local engagement.
    • 3.3: Commonalities of Approaches
      This page discusses four key themes in problem-solving approaches aimed at creating change through targeted interventions, including Social Systems, Human Ecology, and Community-Based strategies. It emphasizes the importance of thorough problem assessment for effective intervention planning.
    • 3.4: References, Key Terms and Concepts
      This page provides an overview of essential texts and concepts in applied sociology, focusing on social interventions and change. Key terms like assessment, baseline data, and evaluation types are discussed, alongside intervention strategies that span clinical to community-based approaches. The importance of comprehensive intervention and continual improvement is emphasized, outlining a framework for effectively addressing social issues through informed practices and evaluations.

    Thumbnail: This image "Man Leaning on Table" by Jopwell is licensed under CC BY 4.0


    This page titled 3: Sociological Interventions is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Vera Kennedy.