The Relationship Between the Psychiatrist and Psychiatric Social Worker in Child Guidance Clinics: Selected Professional Literature, 1934–1948, Utilized as Major Source for Study
Abstract
Background of the Study. A brief historical sketch of the development into professional status of the psychiatrist and social worker will serve to begin to clarify the functional relationship between the psychiatrist and social worker in child guidance clinics, the subject of this study. Society since primitive times has utilized the services of certain of its members to insure its perpetuation, its growth, and its improvement. Truly, each member has his or her share of responsibility in contributing to these objectives, but to some there has been delegated by virtue of their talents or opportunities greater responsibilities in terms of numbers of people dependent upon them and in terms of the quantity and quality of services called upon for rendition. To illustrate this, one need only recall the structure of a more or less typical, primitive societal group such as a clan or a tribe. The hunters, the workers of the soil, the warriors, and the homekeepers made important contributions to the strength and welfare of the group. But it remained for the primitive priest, the "medicine man," the leader, and the healer to provide the elements of morale, health, and guidance which helped significantly to insure the cohesiveness and the advancement of the group. Despite the relative simplicity of the interrelationships and the responsibilities of the three levels of a primitive society: the individual member, the family, and the tribe, a simplicity, which might be thought conducive to a peaceful state of existence, many uncertainties and fears due to the "unknown," the disasters of nature, illnesses both mental and physical, and the sudden onslaughts of hostile tribes beset the individual person. He or she had to be assured, comforted, and relieved of worry by the stronger and wiser among them. They correspond to our community leaders, priests, physicians, social workers, nurses, and teachers The psychiatrists and psychiatric social workers of today. The psychiatrists and are physicians and social workers, respectively, who work with psychiatric patients.
Subject Area
Social work|Social research|Mental health|Clinical psychology
Recommended Citation
Rosenbloom, David, "The Relationship Between the Psychiatrist and Psychiatric Social Worker in Child Guidance Clinics: Selected Professional Literature, 1934–1948, Utilized as Major Source for Study" (1950). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI30724980.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI30724980
