Cultural Diversity: Impact on Social Worker-Client Communication - Intentionality is Key - Essay Sample

How does diversity impact communication between social workers and clients? Explain and give an example.

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Communication is important in any relationship, whether personal or professional. Communication skills vary from person-to-person. It can become much more strained when cultural diversity plays a factor in communication between social workers and clients. When communicating, one must be intentional, judicious, and match the communication to the client’s needs (Garthwait, 2017). Being intentional means that you are focused on the task at hand. Intention is very important when helping clients, regardless of their cultural background. Being judicious means that you practice good judgment in all aspects of the helping process. Matching communication to the client’s needs is one that can be challenging at times. For example, working with clients who are incapacitated or cannot carry on a normal conversation as they once were able to can pose several issues. Miscommunication and misunderstandings can occur in any conversation, but when you add the element of diversity, special attention must be given to understand and respect the client. One way that I plan to practice this in my fieldwork is by practicing active-listening and reflective-listening skills. This way I can listen to understand and process the meaning behind client statements.

How can you combine the theoretical concept of cultural competency and effective communication skills to build rapport with clients? Be specific in identifying skills and how you can apply them. Cite the textbook or other course materials or other resources to support your ideas.

Building rapport with clients is important for trust to build between social work professionals and clients. Trust allows for a once closed-minded individual to open up to the possibilities and resources of what a social worker could offer them. In building rapport with clients, it is important first to respect the client. Respect allows for a better understanding of differing viewpoints and positions. Self-awareness is also important for social workers to practice in the communication process. Self-awareness allows an individual to reduce the chances of misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Finally, fostering dialogue with clients is an important and effective skill for communication. Fostering dialogue helps assure the client that you are there for them, and desire to understand their point of view. It also helps both viewpoints to be heard among the professional and client (Garthwait, 2017).

Provide an example of an opportunity you have at your field agency to use at least two communication skills (from Table 5.1) to engage, assess, or intervene with a client or family, and explain when, why and how that skill could be effective.

In working with clients in the admission, planning, and discharge process of my fieldwork; I will have opportunities to practice several skills that will be effective in engaging clients. First, I will need to check for accuracy. Often brain injury patients are confused or unable to remember the details of their lives with accuracy. They may believe that what they are telling you is true, but they may not have the capacity to state facts. Checking for accuracy may look like speaking to other care staff, their family members, or their support system to gain insight into the accuracy of what is being said by the client (Garthwait, 2017). Next, I will have the opportunity to practice managing my emotions. As I have mentioned previously, there will be many difficult conversations that will need to take place between myself and the client’s family or support system. I may need to tell a family member that their loved one is not progressing in their healing as they had hoped. There will be other various emotional challenges faced by both the client and their families. Being prepared with how to manage difficult moments and communicate effectively during those times will prove beneficial to my work at Cardinal Hill (Garthwait, 2017).

Identify 2 items from table 5.2 in Chapter 5, “Ineffective Interpersonal Communication Skills” that you struggle with and describe what you can do to improve these during your practicum experience.

I struggle with both assuming and using closed-ended questions. Making assumptions about a person or situation is very damaging. However, I often do this in a subconscious manner and without realizing that I am doing so. Assuming something about a person or situation “closes off genuine inquiry” (Garthwait, 2017, pg. 55). Learning to practice active listening and respect will assist in helping me correct my instinct to assume. I also struggle with using closed-ended questions. Closed-ended questions make learning more about a person or situation more difficult. To avoid asking closed-ended questions when unnecessary, I must begin consciously using open-ended questions. Open-ended questions deepen the conversation and help explore more detailed responses. I will have opportunities to practice correcting these behaviors while working directly with clients.

Discussion

Social workers have the task of assuring precise understanding and satisfaction to their clients. It is from the existing difficulty and fact that they can not be able to be knowledgeable of all the various cultures. Such is a problem that can impact how they provide services to clients from different backgrounds, which is unavoidable. Such arises the need for social workers to consider the importance of assuring that they are culturally competent. In this line of work, the absence of this consequently relates to instances of dissatisfaction with clients. A social worker’s personal desire to learn and understand more cultural backgrounds increases the chances of eliminating any instances of misunderstanding.

During communication, all parties should prioritize on maximizing on their levels of attentiveness. It is by considering that every argument made has a legitimate basis until proven otherwise. It is by allocating every participant of a conversation a chance to express themselves and legitimize their ideas. As such, one should ensure that they fully engage in the conversation and request clarifications where needed. Such avoids poor delivery of services or not attaining the specific baselines suggested by the client. Attempt to establish the major concerns that a client may have developed from their previous encounters. Assure of their availability for any consultations or requests during the periods that the client desires to receive desired services.

Reference

Garthwait, C. L. (2017). The social work practicum: A guide and workbook for students (7th ed). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.