• Discuss how you would use the data collected by your colleague to guide the next step in the planned change process or to inform future work with clients.

A Case Where Employing Resiliency Theory Would Have Been Beneficial

Utilizing resiliency theory would have benefited DW, a nine-year-old boy struggling with unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder. Two years ago, DW witnessed the death of his younger brother when he accidentally shot himself with an unsecured firearm, resulting in a brief foster home placement.

The Presenting Problem

DW arrived at the program with the presenting problem of behavioral concerns, such as shutting down and isolating himself when presented with minor issues.

An Intervention to Promote Resiliency

Turner (2017) recognized that social workers can promote resiliency in clients by acknowledging their participation in productive activities. Moreover, Turner (2017) identified that social workers can encourage clients to engage in activities likely to enhance resiliency, potentially revealing a new interest or hobby. When DW was in the program, he showed an interest in fishing, and the staff designed a plan to take DW fishing when he completed a week of goals. By integrating DW's enthusiasm for fishing into his care plan, DW left the program with a brighter affect and enhanced emotion regulation.

An Instrument from Smith-Osborne and Whitehill Bolton for Intervention Evaluation

Smith-Osborne and Whitehill Bolton (2013) indicated that the Resilience Scale for Children and Adolescents (RSCA) is a preemptive screening tool that measures the client's Sense of Mastery, Sense of Relatedness, and Emotional Reactivity. RSCA measures the client's Sense of Mastery in the domains of hope, confidence, and flexibility (Smith-Osborne & Bolton, 2013). RSCA rates the client's Sense of Relatedness in seeking support from others, their judgment of retrieval for support, and their ability to accept differences in others (Smith-Osborne & Bolton, 2013). Lastly, the RSCA gauges the client's Emotional Reactivity based on the responsiveness and vigor of their reaction, the length of time it takes to recuperate, and the level of detrimental impact when they are upset (Smith-Osborne & Bolton, 2013).

Explanation of Using the Instrument

I chose the RSCA mainly because it applies to children and the prevalence of a single stressor that initiated DW's presenting problem. Smith-Osborne and Bolton (2013) identified that the RSCA is appropriate for individuals who have experienced a singular stressor or event. In contrast, some other resiliency instruments are more equipped to measure chronic experiences of adversity (Smith-Osborne & Bolton, 2013). DW witnessed the fatal event of his brother shooting himself with an unsecured firearm, presumably resulting in his isolating behaviors. Based on the time-specific stressor, I felt the RSCA was the most appropriate resiliency instrument for DW. Additionally, the RSCA incorporates resilient actions in the context of personality and interpersonal relationships, emphasizing the person-in-environment perspective (Smith-Osborne & Bolton, 2013). The emphasis on the person-in-environment view is crucial when considering the various influential aspects of a person's resiliency, such as religion, social support, personal characteristics, and worldview (Turner, 2017).