A psychosocial assessment framework for cancer patients and their families

This article describes four areas of knowledge for social work assessments that cover the ecological system of the patient and psychodynamics. In addition, it addresses the area of dis-synchrony, which causes stress for many patients. The author focuses on the area of dis-synchrony because she believes that social workers must be clear about the differences between reactions of pathological patients and strong reactions of psychologically normal patients to extraordinary circumstances. The literature on stress has begun to look at this aspect but is still open to a pathology bias. The social work profession needs to evolve new ways of thinking about normal people and their environments. The unique access that social workers have to the range of patients in a variety of settings creates the opportunity for them to make a significant contribution to the understanding of the full range of human experiences. Moreover, the sharing of knowledge between workers in mental health settings and those in medical settings is relevant not only in the provision of direct service, but also in the development of hospital policies and national policies regarding health care for individuals and their families.