Differential treatment in child guidance case work : an analysis of case work treatment methods in work with 40 mothers of pre-school children with behavior problems, Vancouver Child Guidance Clinic, 1950

• Main Author: Moslin, Ralph Sidney
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2012
• Subjects: Child welfare > British Columbia > Vancouver; Charities > British Columbia > Vancouver
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/41123

In this study, emphasis has been placed on the fact that case work treatment with mothers depends upon the mother's personality. The analysis is made from 40 case records of mothers of pre-school children who were, because of problems of one sort or another, treated at the Child Guidance Clinic at Vancouver in 1950. The study analyzes case records for the above group of mothers, and it was noted that the mothers could be classified according to their personality type and a four-way classification is derived. The classification of the four groups is based upon the degree of adequacy of the mothers in terms of such factors as feelings of worth, security, self-confidence and several others. The mothers are described as "better than average", "average", "less than average", and "incomplete information". The latter group represents those mothers who were seen only once, and therefore, insufficient material is available to classify them according to the "adequacy rating" criteria. Mothers who were "better than average" were found to benefit most from treatment. The "less than average" mothers benefitted least. Treatment methods have been described descriptively. This study has employed the classification of treatment methods as derived by Mr. Geoffrey Glover in a previous study of a similar nature. Deviations from Mr. Glover's classification system are noted in the text of the study. Statistics are presented to show with what frequency the individual methods are employed by the social worker. The emphasis of the study is upon the way the mother's personality influences the worker's choice of treatment methods. It is noted that treatment in general falls into different, but over lapping phases. About 90 per cent of the treatment is found to be of a supportive nature, and 10 per cent of a more intensive kind. Mothers received more interviews than children, 58 per cent and 31 per cent respectively. Fathers received only 11 per cent of the interviews. A suggestion is made that additional training may be necessary if workers are to work on more intensive levels and to meet their accepted responsibility in treating very severely disturbed and upset clients. === Arts, Faculty of === Social Work, School of === Graduate