Case Study Analysis: Social Work with Diverse Populations Issues

This assignment presents two case studies in social work, addressing the complexities of working with diverse populations. The first case explores the challenges faced by a social worker counseling a married woman who identifies as lesbian, examining issues of ethical considerations, child custody, and the impact of sexual orientation on family dynamics. The second case focuses on the challenges of a refugee from Afghanistan living in Australia, highlighting issues such as cultural adaptation, trauma, mental health, and social isolation. The solutions provided involve thorough research, counseling approaches, and understanding the psychological and cultural factors impacting the individuals. The assignment emphasizes the importance of empathy, non-judgmental attitudes, and the need for sensitivity in addressing the unique needs of each client, considering their individual circumstances and cultural backgrounds. The analysis also touches on the importance of social support systems and the impact of societal attitudes on the well-being of individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Running head: SOCIAL WORK WITH DIVERSE POPULATION
Social Work with Diverse Population
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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Table of Contents
CASE STUDY 1..............................................................................................................................2
Answer 1).....................................................................................................................................2
Answer 2).....................................................................................................................................3
Answer 3).....................................................................................................................................4
CASE STUDY 2..............................................................................................................................5
Answer 1).....................................................................................................................................5
Answer 2).....................................................................................................................................6
Answer 3).....................................................................................................................................7
References:......................................................................................................................................9

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CASE STUDY 1
Answer 1)
I would prepare myself for my meeting with Michelle by researching on the psychology
and mindset of the homosexual community. Immense care has to be taken to ensure the fact that
at no point in the conservation the feeling of Michelle is hurt. People who are gay and lesbian
have to face the censure of society and they are often ridiculed at large so having a sympathetic
attitude towards them is a must. It has to be explained to Michelle that this crisis is not an
isolated incident and people of different sexual orientations are being recognized in today’s
world. People with different sexual orientations are being accepted by the society and they have
the freedom to live life on their own terms. Different countries are recognizing the need of
homosexuals and they would never find happiness in a normal marriage (Owen-Pugh & Baines,
2014). Their physical urges would not be satisfied in such a case and sooner or later their
marriage would fall apart. I need to have another important thing in mind- concern for Frank
since he is a loving and caring father.
Counselling for Michelle should take into consideration the needs of Frank who has been
branded by Michelle as a doting father. He is however ill-tempered so care has to be taken to
ensure the fact that he does not get angry that might lead to a violent confrontation. An angry
person has to be dealt with carefully and he has to be made understood that Michelle is not
depriving him of anything. He would after a point of time become frustrated after living with
Michelle so for the happiness of both of them, they should live apart. Michelle will allow him to
have contact with their children so that he can fulfill his paternal duty. He has to me made

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understood that he is not being deprived from the love and care of his children. He can continue
to visit them and his children would also visit him from time to time.
Answer 2)
The vital issues that are being raised in this case is whether Michelle is right in deciding
to move together with Charlie inspite of being married to Frank. An important area of discussion
revolves round the fact regarding whether Michelle was aware of her homosexual orientation
before her marriage. She being aware of her sexual orientation before her marriage would raise
another concern about her ethics (Bidell, 2013). Was she right in deceiving her husband then?
Did she know Charlie earlier? Did she start feeling for Charlie after marriage? These are the
different areas that has to be made clear before progressing on this case and offering her advice.
Child custody is another area that has to be delved deep into. The needs of the minor differ from
that of those who are above 18 years of age. Their point of view is also important regarding with
whom they would like to stay. Their desire is of utmost importance and with whom they would
like to spend most of the time. Since the children are minors (one is aged 10 and the other one is
12) they would need their mother mostly (Ojanen, Ratanashevorn & Boonkerd, 2016).
The interest of the children is the pivotal point around which the issue regarding custody
will revolve. The relationship and the ability of the parents to meet the needs of the children is an
area of consideration. Children who are in the age group of 8-12 can talk about how they feel
freely (Thomas, 2016). They can experience a conflict in relation to loyalty and if the conflict in
between parents is of a high stature, they can reject one parent for the other. They sometimes
involve themselves by saying negative things about one to the other. At this age, they have
sporting interest and other social commitments. While making parenting arrangement, due
consideration has to be given to the interest and activity of the children. The child custody should

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not have adverse impact on their day to day life. The child should be kept in custody with such a
parent that will not hinder their activities that is vital at this stage of life (Sabri, Owoyemi &
Mangsor, 2014).
Answer 3)
Being homosexual carries with it a lot of emotional challenges along with concerns. They have
to undergo a change in their social status. Added to this factor, if they are getting separated
financial constraint will be another arena that has to be dealt with. First and foremost, Michelle
has to be made to understand that it is not a crime to be lesbian. A non-judgemental environment
should be provided to Michelle during the counseling session that will enable her to come out of
the shell and reveal her problems clearly. Her husband being short-tempered poses a problem as
she cannot divulge her problems carefully. In addition to this, he is conservative that makes
Michelle feel that he will never understand her problems. A therapeutic relationship has to be
built between me and the client. As long as Michelle would feel that she is different from the
rest, she will continue to feel guilty and repressed so it is necessary to make her understand that
she is perfectly normal that will enable her to confront her husband about her condition.
Moreover, it is the fear lurking within her that is causing her to hide about her sexual orientation
from her husband (Bidell, 2016).
Comparison with the thoughts and beliefs of others is often a yardstick in the society in
order to determine the normalcy of a person. Society has evolved to a great extent and rebelling
against the thoughts of one will not yield any positive results. I will make her understand that a
conciliation can be reached between both the parties that will leave no party injured. I will make
Michelle understand that this will serve the happiness of Michelle, Frank, Charlie and even the
children. Everyone needs to be happy for a perfect balanced society (Meek, 2015). I will impart

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the knowledge that all kinds of differences give rise to a harmonious society where everyone can
realize their full potential.
CASE STUDY 2
Answer 1)
Asif has gone through a lot of hardships in his life. He has faced terrible circumstances
that makes him feel lonely and secluded. I will investigate into the work climate and social
support system of Asif as a preliminary before the counseling session of Asif. He must be facing
“culture shock” since he has to live alone in Australia completely away from his friends, family
and his familiar society (Slewa-Younan et al.,2014). He wants his family to come to him but the
procedure is lengthy and he has to tolerate the torture of separation. The death of his 15 year old
son who lost his life when shot by the Taliban continues to haunt him. I will like to know about
the neighborhood of Asif and the kind of life they lead. Then I can give him valuable advice
regarding how he can accommodate himself into the culture of the place. Man cannot live
without society and he will never be happy unless he makes friends.
A thorough study of the psychological setup of a refugee will help reveal the solution of
Asif’s problem. Adaptation in a new country is unique for every individual. His life situation has
to be dealt with meticulously and adaptation cycle will highlight the difficulties that an
immigrant can possibly be going through (Kane et al., 2014). I have to take note of his
childhood experiences that can have a great impact on the overall life of an individual. They can
throw a great amount of light on the psychology and mental framework of an individual.
Background variables has also to be considered in understanding his problem, symptom and
influence (Berthold et al., 2014). I will have to engage myself in understanding the socio-

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economic condition of the place of Australia. Transition-related factors has also to be studied.
His traumatic experience that continues to plague his soul has to be dealt with carefully and with
a lot of compassion. “Self” is created on account of interactions with the society and that we
think of ourselves in terms of how others perceive us. He should be enquired about the way other
people is behaving with him in order to get a glimpse of the reason of his depression.
Answer 2)
The issues in this case have been raised by the life circumstances of Asif who had to face
terrible consequences. He is living in a single room within a boarding house that is making him
feel isolated and depressed. He cannot accommodate himself into the culture of the new place
thus making it all the more difficult for his delicate psychological set up. He wants his family to
come to him in Australia but legal processes are leading to delays and he cannot have his family
beside him to provide solace to his soul. A part of his family has moved to Iran but he has not
heard from them since. He does not even know whether they are alive. This is another issue that
is ripping him apart. Knowledge about their death would have added some iota of peace to his
soul but he has to live and suffer the torment of all these mental burdens. The Talibans caught
Asif and his 15 year old son and his son got shot. He lost his life and since then Asif has to live
with the painful memory of the death of his son. His son died in his arms and he saw his son
slowly moving into the other world. All these incidents have shaken Asif completely and he has
to live his life with the troublesome memories of the circumstances and situations of his life.
A single bad incident can be tolerated but when so many bad incidents weigh down on
the life of an individual he is bound to feel frustrated. He will feel completely shattered and he
needs the support of clinical support to help him get over this crisis. Social identity can have a
great impact on the well-being of an individual (Alemi et al., 2017). Self is created on account

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of the process of social interaction and self-concepts refer to the evaluation of other people. This
aspect is both created by the individual along with that of the society. The individual’s social
identity in his original country as well as that of the new one should be dealt with carefully in
order to provide solution to his psychological distress.
Answer 3)
There are various definitions in relation to culture. For some people, culture comprises of values
and motives whereas for others culture is inclusive of the institutions within the framework of
which human beings live. The manner of thinking and feeling gives rise to culture. There are
other people who focus on the genetic influence in relation to cultural traits. Culture consists of
socially transmitted mental abilities hence it becomes difficult for a person to assimilate into a
new place. It is extremely important to create the element of tolerance and avoid resentment so
that conflict does not arise in relation to different social groups (Yaser et al., 2016). One may
face difficulties in relation to learning a new language and that can complicate the process of
assimilation into the foreign culture. Language influences to a great extent the thought and
culture. Without this, one will not be able to understand the verbal or non-verbal interpersonal
communication. Learning the language fluently can also help in the process of assimilation
(Pollard et al., 2014).
Longitudinal cohort study revolving around the Afghans who are newly settled could
prove to be effective in the identification of the social and economic factors that are related to
cases of trauma and depression. Studies have shown that learning the new language of the place
can prove to be an effective tool in dealing with crisis (Pour et al., 2014). Language is an
important indicator of acculturation. It can prove to be protective factor as against the impact of

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negative mental health outcome in relation to particular sub-groups that are receptive of such
kind of strategy.

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References:
Alemi, Q., Weller, S. C., Montgomery, S., & James, S. (2017). Afghan refugee explanatory
models of depression: Exploring core cultural beliefs and gender variations. Medical
anthropology quarterly, 31(2), 177-197.
Berthold, S. M., Kong, S., Mollica, R. F., Kuoch, T., Scully, M., & Franke, T. (2014). Comorbid
mental and physical health and health access in Cambodian refugees in the US. Journal
of community health, 39(6), 1045-1052.
Bidell, M. P. (2013). Addressing disparities: The impact of a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender graduate counselling course. Counselling and Psychotherapy
Research, 13(4), 300-307.
Bidell, M. P. (2016). TREATING TRANSGRESSORS: MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS
AND LGBT ISSUES. Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology
Reflections, 7.
Birman, D., Simon, C. D., Chan, W. Y., & Tran, N. (2014). A life domains perspective on
acculturation and psychological adjustment: A study of refugees from the former Soviet
Union. American Journal of Community Psychology, 53(1-2), 60-72.
Kane, J. C., Ventevogel, P., Spiegel, P., Bass, J. K., Van Ommeren, M., & Tol, W. A. (2014).
Mental, neurological, and substance use problems among refugees in primary health care:
analysis of the Health Information System in 90 refugee camps. BMC medicine, 12(1),
228.

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Meek, J. (2015). The Scottish Minorities Group. In Queer Voices in Post-War Scotland (pp. 89-
116). Palgrave Macmillan UK.
Ojanen, T. T., Ratanashevorn, R., & Boonkerd, S. (2016). Gaps in responses to LGBT issues in
Thailand: Mental health research, services, and policies. The British Psychological
Society Psychology of Sexualities Review, 7(1), 41-59.
Owen-Pugh, V., & Baines, L. (2014). Exploring the clinical experiences of novice counsellors
working with LGBT clients: Implications for training. Counselling and Psychotherapy
Research, 14(1), 19-28.
Pollard Jr, R. Q., Betts, W. R., Carroll, J. K., Waxmonsky, J. A., Barnett, S., deGruy III, F. V., ...
& Kellar-Guenther, Y. (2014). Integrating primary care and behavioral health with four
special populations: Children with special needs, people with serious mental illness,
refugees, and deaf people. American Psychologist, 69(4), 377.
Pour, M. S., Kumble, S., Hanieh, S., & Biggs, B. A. (2014). Prevalence of dyslipidaemia and
micronutrient deficiencies among newly arrived Afghan refugees in rural Australia: a
cross-sectional study. BMC public health, 14(1), 896.
Sabri, A. Z. S. A., Owoyemi, M. Y., & Mangsor, F. (2014). Leading by example: Causes and
treatment by an experienced LGBT counsellor. International Journal of Innovation and
Scientific Research, 10(2), 255-261.
Slewa-Younan, S., Mond, J., Bussion, E., Mohammad, Y., Guajardo, M. G. U., Smith, M., ... &
Jorm, A. F. (2014). Mental health literacy of resettled Iraqi refugees in Australia:

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knowledge about posttraumatic stress disorder and beliefs about helpfulness of
interventions. BMC psychiatry, 14(1), 320.
Slewa-Younan, S., Yaser, A., Guajardo, M. G. U., Mannan, H., Smith, C. A., & Mond, J. M.
(2017). The mental health and help-seeking behaviour of resettled Afghan refugees in
Australia. International journal of mental health systems, 11(1), 49.
Thomas, C. H. (2016). How well does bereavement counselling in the UK provide for the
particular needs of trans people and for their friends and families?. Self & Society, 44(3),
257-268.
Yaser, A., Slewa-Younan, S., Smith, C. A., Olson, R. E., Guajardo, M. G. U., & Mond, J.
(2016). Beliefs and knowledge about post-traumatic stress disorder amongst resettled
Afghan refugees in Australia. International journal of mental health systems, 10(1), 31.