Cognitive and Feminist Theory in Social Work: A Case Study on Anxiety Disorder in Pregnant Women

This case study explores how social workers use cognitive and feminist theory to treat anxiety disorder in pregnant women. It discusses the effectiveness of modernist theory and the role of social work in creating social change. The study also highlights the importance of addressing gender bias and stereotyping problems that pregnant women face in society.

R AD RUNNING HE E : Case study in social work
Case study in social work
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R AD RUNNING HE E : Case study in social work
Social work
Modernist theory cognitive
This approach involves social workers in a particular hospital setting in teaching new
approaches important in the effective management of thoughts and emotions to reduce
anxiety related disorders during pregnancy.This enables them to solve their personal and
social challenges. Their behaviour is modified making them interact freely with each other
and accept their social ability both on personal and communal grounds.
The medical team practitioners and social workers work together directly and closely to help
women in the society to change their behaviours and reduce anxiety. They help them
appreciate their situation and role in the society as they are fully aware that women have
maximum risks for development of various symptoms of anxiety and depression during
pregnancy (Banks 2012,p.54).However, the pregnant women have rare equal chances of the
developing the anxiety disorders during that particular period. In February 2015 various
researcher institutions critically assessed the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy
and other modern feminist therapeutic approaches as a vital treatment for pregnancy related
anxiety disorder. According to significant results, proper use of the cognitive behavioural
approach can substantially decrease the negative effects or impacts of the anxiety disorder in
pregnant women and also the impacts of depression. The social work professionals create
awareness and educate women in giving them knowledge on how to work directly with others
to interact and reduce anxiety. They are thus able to create social policies that enhance
community growth and initiate social change on a larger scale.
The CBT model is aimed improving the mental health of families and groups in the society .It
mainly focuses on problematic and rapidly changing cognitive distortions like attitudes,
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R AD RUNNING HE E : Case study in social work
behaviours beliefs in overall improvement of emotional regulation. It enables the patient to
develop personal coping strategic approaches to solve the anxiety problem at hand. This
model is a clear combination of behavioural and cognitive psychological principles .As a
first’s wave therapy it is basically problem focused and action oriented (Garbarino 2017,
p.11).
Typically the anxiety disorders are conditions that involve broad dysfunctional levels of fear
and increased social anxiety disorder in women.
Fig 1.1 Working process to solve behaviour and personal challenges of individuals in the
society
Professional therapist’s plays a key role in assisting the patients to find and practice based on
the key belief that distorting thoughts and acquiring adaptive behaviours contribute highly in
developing and maintaining psychological anxiety behaviours. It leads in improvements of
significant social and community behaviour. They lower the symptoms and associated
distress by teaching new coping techniques or mechanism and by also enabling the pregnant
women learn new information-processing skills. That work of distributing such information
in the community enhances social and world change.
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R AD RUNNING HE E : Case study in social work
Fig 1.2 Role of social work in the society
The mainstream CBT modernist theory helps the pregnant women to replace with non-coping
skills, emotions and behavioural characteristics with the most adaptive mechanisms. This is
done by constantly challenging the patient ‘thinking and their reaction manner with certain
habitual behaviours during pregnancy (Houston 2010, p.74).It enables the pregnant women to
develop significant behavioural elements for example exposure and skills training in order to
handle the anxiety related disorders even in the future pregnancy. This is done to solve such
problems in a group of women as part of the social work process.
In social work approach, cognitive behavioural approach is aimed at conducting various
assessments that develop the aspect of solving both social and personal challenges in order to
create a social change in the society. It is usually designed to perform several things or task.
In the first stages, the medical practitioner of this particular therapy aids the patients in
clearly understanding why and how their prospective emotional conditions, thoughts and
probable actions lead to dysfunctional or contribute to the damaging reactions in a quite
stressful situation during the entire pregnancy period. A CBT practitioner then helps the
client learn important aspects of recognizing distinct examples of destructive emotions,
thoughts and actions (Jones & Truell 2012, p.454) The CBT practitioner in charge enhances
the improvement of the patient’s ability to develop m new emotions, thoughts and actions
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R AD RUNNING HE E : Case study in social work
that do not specifically help dysfunctional or destructive stressful reactions during that period
of pregnancy. This makes the social workers in the hospital setting to instil change in the
community by helping women who are pregnant to cope up with anxiety and thus solve their
personal problems ( Miley,O'Melia & DuBois, p.13).
Feminist theory
This theory incorporates feminist therapy by focusing on societal cause and offer solutions to
issues faced by women in the world of sex, mainstream gender and age. Feminist indicate
that many challenges arising are because of disempowering social forces (Rubin & Babbie,
2016,p.22).He must make the patient understand that she is her won rescuer and the pregnant
women expectations and social roles must be explored equally. The therapist is aware that
with every anxiety symptoms the client has, there exist strength. This theory focuses on
concerns regarding gender bias and stereotyping problems that pregnant women face in the
social setting . It is also aimed at solving anxiety disorders brought about by sexual abuse,
physical and mental anguish and also the current relationship nature of the pregnant women
in their marriage and society.
In this case, therapist help pregnant women to explore their gender roles in their emotional
lives and their consequential relationships with their husbands or loved couple It enables
patients to explore more on their individual identity and strengths to make pregnant women
feel good about themselves (Swank & Raiz 2010, p.19). Therapist uses techniques like role-
playing and assertiveness training in order to make the women build their own identity and
self-esteem. This makes them have a high degree to behave freely, interact freely with other
individuals in the society and not conform to gender roles thus reducing their anxiety
problems.Ity addresses the struggling emotions of the love that women face in a particular
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R AD RUNNING HE E : Case study in social work
scommunity thus solving their personal needs Swank & Raiz 2010, p.26).Feminist theory
approach in treating anxiety disorder in pregnant women give them a golden change to share
and express their own personal stories and problems thus making them feel more
comfortable. It enables patients to identify skills, recognize and embrace their own power as a
female. It reframes the women challenges in the vital context of societal views.
The professional feminist groups involves themselves in social work by creating awareness,
educating women on their important social roles that will help them avoid various problems.
This theory aligns with my social values since it puts an emphasis on the emotional effects
that pregnant women face as a result of rape. Constant exposure to Degrading images and
language about women results to anxiety and depression experiences. Bad societal values
brings about such trauma in pregnant women. While working in this field, I get values and
feelings that are important in accepting and understanding the anxiety and social trauma that
women face during pregnancy (Urquhart & Yeoman, 2010, p.121).
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R AD RUNNING HE E : Case study in social work
References
Banks, S., 2012. Ethics and values in social work. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Garbarino, J., 2017. Children and Families in the Social Environment: Modern Applications
of Social Work. Routledge.
Houston, S., 2010. Prising open the black box: Critical realism, action research and social
work. Qualitative Social Work, 9(1), pp.73-91.
Jones, D.N. and Truell, R., 2012. The Global Agenda for Social Work and Social
Development: A place to link together and be effective in a globalized world. International
Social Work, 55(4), pp.454-472.
Miley, K.K., O'Melia, M.W. and DuBois, B.L., 2016. Generalist social work practice: An
empowering approach. Pearson.
Rubin, A. and Babbie, E.R., 2016. Empowerment series: Research methods for social work.
Cengage Learning.
Swank, E. and Raiz, L., 2010. Attitudes toward gays and lesbians among undergraduate
social work students. Affilia, 25(1), pp.19-29.
Urquhart, C. and Yeoman, A., 2010. Information behaviour of women: theoretical
perspectives on gender. Journal of Documentation, 66(1), pp.113-139.
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