Psychosocial Evaluations

Psychosocial evaluations are assessments used on clients that obtain general information such as employment background, financial information, family history, medical history, etc. Larue Carter utilizes the psychosocial evaluation and it is the responsibility of the social work to complete the assessment. In my opinion, the psychosocial evaluation is a useless tool because it barely goes beyond the surface and merely is repetive in nature.

The psychosocial evaluation isn't beneficial in a number of ways. It does obtain a general background of the patient's life, but doesn't go in depth enough to give needed information. Furthermore, the psychosocial evaluation merely repeats what other assessments have already stated and seems to be an unnecessary task. The psychosocial evaluation does have a section for the social worker to write in strengths of the patient but doesn't guide the social worker in identifying strengths. Thus, the psychosocial evaluation isn't strengths focused.

I feel that there could be a better use of the social worker's time. The psychosocial evaluation asks information that has already been obtained by other professionals, and therefore is pointless. Moreover, I feel that a strengths assessment would be more beneficial to the patient's treatment and recovery. I feel as though the social worker has a lot more to offer in the ways of strengths assessing.