Ethical and competent social work practice is contingent on sound theoretical constructs and empirical data derived from research across many fields – social sciences, psychology, biology, medicine, education, etc. We use findings from relevant research to develop assessment and intervention strategies that are most effective. In recent years, advances made in the field of neuroscience have provided new insights into physiological and brain functioning, neuroplasticity, and the impact of adverse experiences on the brain. As professional social workers, it is our ethical duty to be aware of these advances in research and how such findings can be integrated into our practice to best help our clients.
Instructions
Write a 2–3-page paper that outlines the following:
1. Briefly describe the field of neuroscience and how is it relevant to social work practice.
2. How can recent findings related to neural plasticity, memory and cognition, and the impact of stress and trauma be integrated into the biopsychosocial approach to assessment?
3. Briefly discuss the future implications for social work practice and give recommendations for integrating advances in neuroscience at the mezzo level (family, group, neighborhood) and macro-level (society, media, culture, policy).
Guidelines
o Papers should be written in APA style format, which includes a title page and reference page. It is recommended that you use the text and at least one peer-reviewed journal article as references.