• All students will read: Fadiman, A. (1997). The spirit catches you and you fall down. Farrad, Straus and Giroux.
• After reading the text each student will write a 7-9 pages critical reflection.
The following questions may help guide your analysis. Use the below questions to help you analyze the text and organize your paper. PLEASE USE HEADINGS BELOW in APA 7 formatting.
1) Introduction: 1 page
a) Identify the book and major themes that it addresses (micro-, meso-, macro-level: for ex. healthcare and cross-cultural service provision).
b) State a particular problem that you noticed in the care of Lia Lee that will be addressed in the paper and why it is relevant to social work and human behavior in the social environment.
c) Identify and define the particular theory that you will use to better understand the major themes that will be covered in the paper. Cite the textbook.
2) Theoretical Analysis: 1-2 pages
a) Analyze the essential themes of this story using a theoretical perspective on human development and behavior (integrate readings from chapters 1-4 of the lifespan text and a theory). For example, how does Erik Erickson’s theory of the psychosocial stages of development help you understand the needs of Lia Lee?
3) Institutional Impact Upon Well-being: 2-3 pages Explore the impact of meso- and macro-level institutions in the Lee family’s life (i.e. community-nursing organizations, hospitals, public assistance, MediCal, etc).
a) Describe two institutions that impacted the life of the Lee family.
b) Identify at least one strategy that each institution employed to engage the Lee family. For ex.
c) Compare and contrast the strategies: Describe which seemed more helpful and least helpful in supporting Lia and her family’s well-being. Provide evidence from the story.
d) Identify and analyze how at least two of these factors influenced social service provision by the institutions you selected: Race, class, ethnicity, culture, language, gender, spirituality, age, stress of immigration.
4) Social Work and Multidisciplinary Teams: 1-2 pages Reflect on the role of social work depicted in the story. If you were the social worker in Merced Hospital working on the interdisciplinary team, what might you have tried to support Lia and the family’s well-being that wasn’t tried (think of micro-, meso-, and macro-level strategies). *In this section, you can use I-statements (first person narrative voice).
a) Reflect, what might have been difficult for you as a social worker in this situation, based on your own strengths and challenges.
5) Conclusion: Summarize major points and share the key message that you want to remain with the reader.
You MUST connect your analysis to the professional literature (peer-reviewed material) from this semester’s reading (and last semester’s if you wish) and from outside reading which you may need to incorporate to complete this assignment. A reference page with a minimum of three peer-reviewed articles is required.
All written assignments must be typed and double-spaced, with numbered pages and one-inch margins. You must use APA 7 style to cite and reference literature. Please proof-read, number the pages, and upload your paper to Blackboard. 10 points will be deducted for late submissions.
