"A conceptual and practical presentation of the strengths perspective in social work." Part of Advancing Core Competencies Series, a unique series that helps students taking advanced social work courses apply CSWE's core competencies and practice behaviors examples to specialized fields of practice. The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice, 6/e, presents both conceptual and practical elements of the strengths perspective - from learning about and practicing the strengths perspective to using the strengths perspective with older adults, the chronically ill, and substance abusers. Many of the chapters- address recent events --from the tragic shooting in Tucson to the uprisings in the Middle East. Each chapter begins with a section from an expert in the field. Teaching & Learning Experience

• "Personalize Learning "-- MySocialWorkLab delivers proven results in helping students succeed, provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals.
• "Improve Critical Thinking "-- Each chapter contains four critical thinking questions and two short essay questions that require the reader to apply key concepts.
• "Engage Students "-- Extensive case examples keep students interested and help them see a connection between theory and practice.
• "Explore Current Issues "-- Three new chapters have been added to reflect the most current knowledge in the field.
• "Apply CSWE Core Competencies "-- The text integrates the 2008 CSWE EPAS, with critical thinking questions and practice tests to assess student understanding and development of competencies and practice behaviors.
• "Support Instructors "-- PowerPoint presentations are available with this text.

Note: MySocialWorkLab does not come automatically packaged with this text. To purchase MySocialWorkLab, please visit: www.mysocialworklab.com or you can purchase a valuepack of the text + MySocialWorkLab (at no additional cost): ValuePack ISBN-10: 0205042449 / ValuePack ISBN-13: 9780205042449

Human behavior is a subject so vast that it would seem to defy one's ability to comfortably and confidently grasp its varieties, nuances, shapes, and dynamics. But in this wide-ranging and comprehensive survey of the contexts of human behavior, Dennis Saleebey examines the different social science approaches to understanding the way humans react to and are affected by their environment.

Using a biopsychosocial perspective, this book demonstrates that there are many paths of knowledge, many methods of inquiry, and many perspectives that can guide one's understanding of human behavior. Resilience (how we cope with trauma) and meaning-making (how we see and make sense of the world around us) provide the conceptual framework of the book. Saleebey examines a number of specific theories relevant to the biopsychosocial approach: part/whole analysis, psychodynamic theory, ecological theory, cognitive theory, and radical/critical theory. Human development is presented as a continuing interaction between individual, family, community, social institutions, and culture. Pedagogical devices to aid the student include chapter overviews, case studies, and meaning-making dialogues at the end of each chapter that pose questions for further thought.