Which model often used in social work focuses on the individual’s strengths and resources?

The Strengths Perspective is fundamentally focused on identifying and leveraging an individual's strengths and resources to aid in their challenges. This approach reframes problems, directing attention not solely on deficits or diagnoses, but rather on what the person can do and has already achieved.

By emphasizing strengths, social workers using this model promote empowerment, resilience, and self-efficacy among their clients, encouraging them to utilize their existing capabilities as they navigate difficulties. This perspective supports a more holistic understanding of clients, viewing them as resourceful individuals rather than as passive recipients of services.

The other models listed do not emphasize individual strengths in the same way. The Problem-Solving Model focuses on identifying problems and systematically working through solutions, often overlooking a person's inherent strengths. The Behavioral Model centers on observable behaviors and the modification of those through reinforcement and consequences, while the Psychodynamic Model examines the influence of the unconscious mind and early life experiences on current behavior, which may not necessarily highlight the individual's strengths.