Asian Americans with Disabilities: Influence of the Disability Rights Movement on Culturally Competent Social Work Practice

Main Article Content

Christine N. Langworthy
Evaon C. Wong-Kim

Keywords

social work, culturally relevant approach, Asian Americans with disabilities

Abstract

This article discusses the implications for culturally relevant social work practice with Asian Americans with disabilities based on the goals and philosophy of the disability rights movement.  Standards of practice within the social work profession, especially in the health care and rehabilitation settings, have included changes in conceptual framework and practice roles in response to the disability rights movement.  Using a case study as an example, the article focuses on the cultural values of Asian Americans with disabilities to identify obstacles to incorporating mutually shared premises into social work practice.  Some of the concepts of the disability rights movement need to be redefined in a culturally competent way so that social workers can respond appropriately to the needs of Asian Americans with disabilities.  The implications are that social work practice must integrate and apply cultural values with support of the full functioning of people with disabilities.
Abstract 608 | PDF Downloads 300 Word Downloads 151 Text Downloads 163

References

Ad Hoc Committee on Health Literacy for the Council on Scientific Affairs. (1999). American Journal Association: Health Literacy: Report of the Council on Scientific Affairs. JAMA, 281, 552-557.

Beaulaurier, R. L., & Taylor, S. H. (2001). Social Work practice with people with disabilities in the era of disability rights. Social Work in Health Care, 32(4), 67-91.

Bradley, V. J. (2000, August). Changes in services and supports for people with developmental disabilities: New challenges to established practice. Health and Social Work, 25(3), 191-200.

Brown, C., & Ringma, C. (1989, December). The myth of consumer participation in disability services: some issues for Social Workers. Australian Social Work, 42(4), 35-40.

Brown, S. E. (1994). Independent living: Theory and practice. Retrieved from 4/1/03 http://hometown.aol.com/sbrown8912/page9.html

Freedman, R. I., & Capobianco Boyer, N. (2000, February). The power to choose: Supports for families caring for individuals with developmental disabilities. Health and Social Work, 25(1), 59-68.

Gilson, S. F., Bricout, J. C., & Baskind, F. R. (1998, March/April). Listening to the voices of individuals with disabilities. Families in Society, 79(2), 188-96.

Gilson, S. F., & DePoy, E. (2002, Winter). Theoretical approaches to disability content in Social Work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 38(1), 153-165

Hiayama, H., & Cetingok, M. (1988). Empowerment: A Social Work approach for Asian immigrants. Social Casework, 69(1), 41-47.

Howoritz, J. J. (1959). Education for social workers in the rehabilitation of the handicapped. New York, NY: Wolff Book Manufacturing Co., Inc.

Hsu, F. L. K. (1985). The self in cross-cultural perspective. In A. Manella, G. Devos, and F. Hsu (Eds.), Culture and self (pp. 24-55). New York, NY: Travistock.

Kaplan, R. M. (1999). Shared medical decision-making: A new paradigm for behavioral medicine. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 21(1), 3-11.

Mackelprang, R. W., & Salsgiver, R. O. (1996, January). People with disabilities and Social Work: Historical and contemporary issues. Social Work, 41(1), 7-14.

McCallion, P., & Toseland, R. W. (1993, December). Empowering families of adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities. Families in Society, 74(10), 579-89.

Meinert, R., & de Loyola, S. (2002). The national protection and advocacy system: What Social Workers need to know. Journal of Social Work in Disability and Rehabilitation, 1(1), 15-26.

National Association of Social Workers (1996). NASW code of ethics. Washington D.C.: Author.

Pillari, V. (2002). Social Work practice theories and skills. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon Spearson Education Company.

Quinn, P. (1995). Social Work and disability management policy: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Social Work in Health Care, 20(3), 67-82.

Quinn, P. (1995). Social Work education and disability: Benefiting from the impact of ADA. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 12(2), 55-71.

Russo, R. J. (1999, January/February). Applying a strengths-based practice approach in working with people with developmental disabilities and their families. Families in Society, 80(1), 25-33.

Soloman, B. B. (1976). Black empowerment social work in oppressed communities. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.

Stainton, T. (2002, September). Taking rights structurally: Disability, rights and Social Worker responses to direct payments. The British-Journal of Social Work, 32(6), 751-763.

Triandis, H. C., Bontempo, R., Villareal, M. J., Asai, M., & Lucca, N. (1988). Individualism and collectivism: Cross-cultural perspective on self-intergroup relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(20), 323-338.

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. (2000, March). The foreign-born population in the United States. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Winter, J. A. (2003, Winter). The development of the Disability Rights Movement as a social problem solver. Disability Studies Quarterly, 23(1), 33-61.

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.