Application of Role Theory to a Case Study

 

This week, you will use role theory to apply to your chosen case study. In other words, your theoretical orientation—or lens—is role theory as you analyze the case study.

Use the same case study that you chose in Week 2. (Remember, you will be using this same case study throughout the entire course). Use the “Dissecting a Theory and Its Application to a Case Study” worksheet to help you dissect the theory. You do not need to submit this handout. It is a tool for you to use to dissect the theory, and then you can employ the information in the table to complete your assignment.

To prepare:

• Review and focus on the same case study that you used in Week 2.
• Review the websites and guides for developing PowerPoint skills found in the Learning Resources.
• Use Personal Capture to record the PPT slides on your screen and your audio as you present the information. You will then use Kaltura Media to upload this recording to the assignment link.

Submit a narrated PowerPoint presentation using Kaltura Media that includes 11 to 12 slides.

• Each slide should be written using bullet points, meaning no long paragraphs of written text should be in the slides.
• The recorded audio takes the place of any written paragraphs, while the bullet points provide context and cues for the audience to follow along).

Your presentation should address the following:

• Identify the presenting problem for the case study you selected. (Remember the presenting problem has to be framed from the perspective of role theory. For example, the presenting problem can be framed within the context of role functioning).
• Identify all the relevant roles assumed by the client.
• Analyze the social expectations and social and cultural norms revolving around the role, social position, and role scripts of one of the roles assumed by the client.
• Explain the role and social position of the social worker in working with the client in the case study.
• Describe how the role(s) and social position(s) assumed by the social worker will influence the relationship between the social worker and the client.
• Identify three assessment questions that are guided by role theory that you will ask the client to better understand the problem.
• Identify and describe two interventions that are aligned with the presenting problem and role theory.
• Identify one outcome that you would measure if you were to evaluate one of the interventions you would implement to determine if the intervention is effective.
• Evaluate one advantage and one limitation in using role theory in understanding the case.

Be sure to:

• Identify and correctly reference the case study you have chosen.
• Use literature to support your claims.
• Use APA formatting and style.
• Include the reference list on the last slide.

I will complete the recording portion of this assignment

Tiffani Bradley

Identifying Data: Tiffani Bradley is a 16-year-old Caucasian female. She was raised in

a Christian family in Philadelphia, PA. She is of German descent. Tiffani’s family

consists of her father, Robert,

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8 years old; her mother, Shondra, 33 years old, and

her sister, Diana, 13 years old. Tiffani currently resides in a group home, Teens First,

a brand new, court-mandated teen counseling program for adolescent victims of

sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Tiffani has been provided room and board

in the residential treatment facility for the past 3 months. Tiffani describes herself as

heterosexual.

Presenting Problem: Tiffani has a history of running away. She has been arrested on

three occasions for prostitution in the last 2 years. Tiffani has recently been court

ordered to reside in a group home with counseling. She has a continued desire to be

reunited with her pimp,

Donald.

After 3 months at Teens First, Tiffani said that she

had a strong desire to see her sister and her mother. She had not seen either of

them in over 2 years and missed them very much. Tiffani is confused about the path

to follow. She is not sure if she wants to return to her family and sibling or go back to

Donald.

Family Dynamics: Tiffani indicates that her family worked well together until 8 years

ago. She reports that around the age of 8, she remembered being awakened by

music and laughter in the early hours of the morning. When she went downstairs to

investigate, she saw her parents and her Uncle Nate passing a pipe back and forth

between

them.

She remembered asking them what they were doing and her mother

saying, “adult things” and putting her back in bed. Tiffani remembers this happening

on several occasions. Tiffani also recalls significant changes in the home’s

appearance. The home, which was never fancy, was always neat and tidy. During

this time, however, dust would gather around the house, dishes would pile up in the

sink, dirt would remain on the floor, and clothes would go for long periods of time

without being washed. Tiffani began cleaning her own clothes and making meals for

herself and her sister. Often there was not enough food to feed everyone, and Tiffani

and her sister would go to bed hungry. Tiffani believed she was responsible for

helping her mom so that her mom did not get so overwhelmed. She thought that if

she took care of the home and her sister, maybe that would help mom return to the

person she was before.

Sometimes Tiffani and her sister would come downstairs in the morning to find empty

beer cans and liquor bottles on the kitchen table along with a crack pipe. Her parents

would be in the bedroom, and Tiffani and her sister would leave the house and go to

school by themselves. The music and noise downstairs continued for the next 6

years, which escalated to screams and shouting and sounds of people fighting.

Tiffani remembers her mom one morning yelling at her dad to “get up and go to

work.

” Tiffani and Diana saw their dad come out of the bedroom and slap their mom

so hard she was knocked down. Dad then went back into the bedroom. Tiffani

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remembers thinking that her mom was not doing what she was supposed to do in the

house, which is what probably angered her dad.

Shondra and Robert have been separated for a little over a year and have started

dating other people. Diana currently resides with her mother and Anthony, 31 years

old, who is her mother’s new boyfriend.

Educational History: Tiffani attends school at the group home, taking general

education classes for her general education development (GED) credential. Diana

attends Town Middle School and is in the 8th grade.

Employment History: Tiffani reports that her father was employed as a welding

apprentice and was waiting for the opportunity to join the union. Eight years ago, he

was laid off due to financial constraints at the company. He would pick up odd jobs

for the next 8 years but never had steady work after that. Her mother works as a

home health aide. Her work is part-time, and she has been unable to secure full-time

work.

Social History: Over the past 2 years, Tiffani has had limited contact with her family

members and has not been attending school. Tiffani did contact her sister Diana a

few times over the 2-year period and stated that she missed her very much. Tiffani

views Donald as her “husband” (although they were never married) and her only

friend. Previously, Donald sold Tiffani to a pimp, “John T.” Tiffani reports that she was

very upset Donald did this and that she wants to be reunited with him, missing him

very much. Tiffani indicates that she knows she can be a better “wife” to him. She

has tried to make contact with him by sending messages through other people, as

John T. did not allow her access to a phone. It appears that over the last 2 years,

Tiffani has had neither outside support nor interactions with anyone beyond Donald,

John T., and some other young women who were prostituting.

Mental Health History: On many occasions Tiffani recalls that when her mother was

not around, Uncle Nate would ask her to sit on his lap. Her father would sometimes

ask her to show them the dance that she had learned at school. When she danced,

her father and Nate would laugh and offer her pocket change. Sometimes, their

friend Jimmy joined them. One night, Tiffani was awakened by her uncle Nate and his

friend Jimmy. Her parents were apparently out, and they were the only adults in the

home. They asked her if she wanted to come downstairs and show them the new

dances she learned at school. Once downstairs Nate and Jimmy put some music on

and started to dance. They asked Tiffani to start dancing with them, which she did.

While they were dancing, Jimmy spilled some beer on her. Nate said she had to go to

the bathroom to clean up. Nate, Jimmy, and Tiffani all went to the bathroom. Nate

asked Tiffani to take her clothes off and get in the bath. Tiffani hesitated to do this,

but Nate insisted it was OK since he and Jimmy were family. Tiffani eventually

relented and began to wash up. Nate would tell her that she missed a spot and would

scrub the area with his hands. Incidents like this continued to occur with increasing

levels of molestation each time.

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The last time it happened, when Tiffani was 14, she pretended to be willing to dance

for them, but when she got downstairs, she ran out the front door of the house. Tiffani

vividly remembers the fear she felt the nights Nate and Jimmy touched her, and she

was convinced they would have raped her if she stayed in the house.

About halfway down the block, a car stopped. The man introduced himself as Donald,

and he indicated that he would take care of her and keep her safe when these things

happened. He then offered to be her boyfriend and took Tiffani to his apartment.

Donald insisted Tiffani drink beer. When Tiffani was drunk, Donald began kissing her,

and they had sex. Tiffani was also afraid that if she did not have sex, Donald would

not let her stay— she had nowhere else to go. For the next 3 days, Donald brought

her food and beer and had sex with her several more times. Donald told Tiffani that

she was not allowed to do anything without his permission. This included watching

TV, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, and eating and drinking. A few weeks

later, Donald bought Tiffani a dress, explaining to her that she was going to “find a

date” and get men to pay her to have sex. When Tiffani said she did not want to do

that, Donald hit her several times. Donald explained that if she didn’t do it, he would

get her sister Diana and make her do it instead. Out of fear for her sister, Tiffani

relented and did what Donald told her to do. She thought at this point her only

purpose in life was to be a sex object, listen, and obey—and then she would be able

to keep the relationships and love she so desired.

Legal History: Tiffani has been arrested three times for prostitution. Right before the

most recent charge, a new state policy was enacted to protect youth 16 years and

younger from prosecution and jail time for prostitution. The Safe Harbor for Exploited

Children Act allows the state to define Tiffani as a sexually exploited youth, and

therefore the state will not imprison her for prostitution. She was mandated to

services at the Teens First agency, unlike her prior arrests when she had been sent

to detention.

Alcohol and Drug Use History: Tiffani’s parents were social drinkers until about 8

years ago. At that time Uncle Nate introduced them to crack cocaine. Tiffani reports

using alcohol when Donald wanted her to since she wanted to please him, and she

thought this was the way she would be a good “wife.” She denies any other drug use.

Medical History: During intake, it was noted that Tiffani had multiple bruises and burn

marks on her legs and arms. She reported that Donald had slapped her when he felt

she did not behave and that John T. burned her with cigarettes. She had realized that

she did some things that would make them mad, and she tried her hardest to keep

them pleased even though she did not want to be with John T. Tiffani has been

treated for several sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at local clinics and is

currently on an antibiotic for a kidney infection. Although she was given condoms by

Donald and John T. for her “dates,” there were several “Johns” who refused to use

them.

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Strengths: Tiffani is resilient in learning how to survive the negative relationships she

has been involved with. She has as sense of protection for her sister and will sacrifice

herself to keep her sister safe.

Robert Bradley: father, 38 years old

Shondra Bradley: mother, 33 years old

Nate Bradley: uncle, 36 years old

Tiffani Bradley: daughter, 16 years old

Diana Bradley: daughter, 13 years old

Donald: Tiffani’s self-described husband and her former pimp

Anthony: Shondra’s live-in partner, 31 years old

John T.: Tiffani’s most recent pimp