Human Behaviour and Development

SOWK2303

Assignment #1

The Case of Cain…

Cain is a 40 year old male who grew up in Texas. He has been a mechanic by profession

for the past ten years, ever since he decided to start his own business. Before this he was a

banker for nine years, a job he started right after graduating from college up until he got laid off

due to cutbacks at the bank. Two years after he started working at the bank, he met Sara and two

years later they got married and they have maintained their union ever since. Sara is two years

his junior and they have three children from their union, John, 14, Steph, 12 and Sash, 5. Cain is

a member of the South Dale Praise Church and he goes to church regularly and has a good

relationship with members of the congregation. There are even a few Sundays where he is asked

to preach. He is an active member of his community and he has recently cleared out a section of

his mechanic shop to turn it into a gym for persons who cannot afford an official gym

membership. This decision was prompted after he was encouraged by his doctor to start

maintaining a better lifestyle as he was recently diagnosed with hypertension, a disease that has

plagued his family for at least four generations.

Cain has recently found himself in a situation. He had an affair with Jane and she got

pregnant. He did not want to break up his marriage so he convinced Jane to get an abortion and

she did. This was against his Christian beliefs and as such it started to affect him deeply. He has

started drinking, something he vowed he would never do because he lost his father due to drug

use. Up to the time of his substance abuse, Cain had a good relationship with his wife and

children but his behaviour due to his drinking has caused a strain on their relationship. Sara still

1
does not know about the affair but is concerned about the changes in Cain’s behaviour and has

reached out for some help from the pastor who then referred him to the social worker.

As the Social Worker:

a) Write up a Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Assessment for Cain, using the outline provided

(below) paying special attention to the Assessment and the Recommendations / Proposed

Intervention sections.

b) Create an Ecomap for Cain.

Please do additional research on how to write a Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Assessment.

Ensure you use appropriate references where needed.

Rubric
Sections Marks
Identifying Information 5 marks
Presenting Problem 3 marks
Background History 5 marks
Assessment 10 marks
Recommendations/Proposed Interventions 5 marks
APA formatting 2 marks
Organization/Presentation 2 marks
Grammar, mechanics and spelling 3 marks
TOTAL 35 marks

2
 BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL-SPIRITUAL ASSESSMENT FORMAT
1. IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
a. Demographic information: age, sex, ethnic group, current employment, marital status,
physical environment/housing (nature of living circumstances – apartment, group home
or other shared living arrangement, homeless), neighbourhood etc.
b. Referral information: referral source (self, medical staff, other), reason for referral. Other
professionals or indigenous helpers currently involved.
c. Data sources used in writing this assessment: interviews with others involved (list dates
and persons), tests performed, other data used.
2. PRESENTING PROBLEM
a. Description of the problem and situation for which help is sought as presented by the
client. Use the Client’s words. What precipitated the current difficulty? What feelings and
thoughts have been aroused? How has the client coped so far?
b. Who else is involved in the problem? How are they involved? How do they view the
problem? How have they reacted? How have they contributed to the problem or solution?
c. Past experiences related to current difficulty. Has something like this ever happened
before? If so, how was it handled then? What were the consequences?
3. BACKGROUND HISTORY
a. Developmental history: from early life to present (if obtainable).
b. Family background: description of family of origin and current family. Extent of support.
Family perspective on client and client’s perspective on family. Family communication
patterns. Family’s influence on client and intergenerational factors.
c. Intimate relationship history.
d. Educational and/or vocational training.
e. Employment history
f. Military history (if applicable)
g. Use and abuse of alcohol or drugs, self and family
h. Medical history: birth information, illnesses, accidents, surgery, allergies, disabilities,
health problems in family, nutrition, exercise, sleep problems etc.
i. Mental health history: previous mental health problems and treatment, hospitalizations,
outcome of treatment, family mental health issues.

3
 j. Nodal events: deaths of significant others, serious losses or traumas, significant life
achievements etc.
k. Cultural background: race/ethnicity, primary language/other languages spoken,
significance of cultural identity, cultural strengths, experiences of discrimination or
oppression, migration experience and impact of migration on individual and family life
cycle.
l. Religion: denomination, church membership, extent of involvement, spiritual perspective,
special observances.
4. ASSESSMENT
a. What is the key issue or problem from the client’s perspective? From the worker’s
perspective?
b. How effectively is the client functioning?
c. What factors, including thoughts, behaviours, personality issues, environmental
circumstances, stressors, vulnerabilities and needs seem to be contributing to the problem
(s)? Please use Systems Theory with the Ecological perspective as a framework when
identifying these factors.
d. Identifying the strengths, sources of meaning, coping ability and resources that can be
mobilized to help the client.
e. Assess client’s motivation and potential to benefit from intervention.
5. RECOMMENDATIONS/PROPOSED INTERVENTION
a. Tentative Goals (with measurable objectives and tasks)
i. Goals are long term
ii. Objectives/ tasks are short term
b. Units of attention
c. Possible obstacles and tentative approach to obstacles