Systems Theory

Systems theory provides a framework for understanding why a person

behaves in a certain way. Social workers can investigate all the factors that
impact or have been impacted by a client, and by understanding all these
systems, they can put together a picture of what drives a client’s behavior and
choices.

For example, systems theory provides an understanding of adolescent risk-

taking behavior. Researchers who studied Swiss teenagers reported in 2021
that teenage boys were more likely to engage in risky behavior because their
drive for sensation seeking outpaced their drive for self-regulation.

Systems theory

Systems theory proposes that people are products of complex systems, rather

than individuals who act in isolation. In this theory, behavior is influenced by a
variety of factors that work together as a system. These factors include family,
friends, social settings, religious structure, economic class and home
environment, which can all influence how individuals act and think.

Systems theory can be used to treat issues like eating disorders, depression,

bipolar disorder, anxiety, school trauma and risky behavior. In ecological
systems theory, individuals are observed in multiple environments so that
behavior is fully understood. Family systems theory examines the family as a
social system influencing behavior and thoughts.

Social workers using systems theory will work to understand how their clients
are influenced by the systems they’re a part of. Social workers then identify
where systemic breakdowns are affecting behavior.

Theoretical Approaches in Social

Work: Systems Theory
Social work involves taking into account many factors of an individual’s life.
While there are many theories in social work, systems theory is a unique way
of addressing human behavior in terms of these multi-layered relationships
and environments. The theory is premised on the idea that an effective
system is based on individual needs, rewards, expectations, and attributes of
the people living in the system.

What is Systems Theory in Social Work?

Systems theory in social work is based on the idea that behavior is
influenced by a variety of factors that work together as a system. These
factors include family, friends, social settings, economic class, and the
environment at home. The theory posits that these and other factors influence
how individuals think and actExternal link:open_in_new, and therefore
examining these social structures to find ways to correct ineffective parts or
adapt for missing elements of a given system can positively impact behavior.
The fields of psychology, communication theory and psychiatry influence
modern social work systems theory.

In this particular theoretical approach to social work, professionals observe

and analyze the many systems that contribute to the subject’s behavior and
welfare. They then work to improve those systems according to the
individual’s unique situation.

Systems theory assumes that human behavior is the result of a larger

system comprised of several elements, including the relationships between
these elements, as well as external factors like their environment. These
factors could involve a person's family, peers, school, work, or community.
Sociologists have identified many different types of systems, including
microsystems, mesosystems, exosystems, and macrosystems.

Social work professionals examine how the systems in which their clients
live affect their behaviors. For instance, living in a system of poverty can
have a significant impact on how a person makes decisions. Social workers
can devise strategies based on these systems in order to provide a more
concise treatment plan for their client.

Social Work Careers

A career in social work can take you into diverse corners of the community.
Social workers comprise an essential element of almost every social
institution, providing critical support, resources and advocacy to those who
need it most. In our guide to social work careers, we’ll unpack the range of
roles you can aspire to should you undertake a degree in social work.

17 Types of Social Work Career Fields  

 Case Manager: Social work case managers work in many settings, from
aging to immigrant and refugee support services across all sectors. Case
managers plan and monitor a variety of services on behalf of clients,
parallel with ongoing advocacy.
 Child Welfare Social Worker: Social workers focusing on child welfare
ensure children’s well-being and permanency and work to strengthen
families. Often working with child welfare agencies, social workers in this
field advocate for children on economic and social levels, incorporating
relationships with teachers, law enforcement, medical professionals and
others to keep children safe.
 Clinical Social Worker: Clinical social workers, or sometimes referred to
as licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) focus on assessments,
diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illnesses and emotional and
behavioral issues.
 Community Social Worker: Community social workers work at micro,
mezzo and macro levels in the community. Community social workers are
sometimes employed at a state or local government level, and other times
are contracted by nonprofits or grassroots organizations. 
 Corrections Social Worker: Social workers in corrections work to reduce
recidivism by holding programs and classes for inmates in a rehabilitation
setting or addressing their mental health and behavioral concerns.
 Disability Social Worker: Social workers who focus on disabilities know
the legal rights of clients with disabilities and help families, clients and
communities find services that enable independence.
 Forensic Social Worker: Social workers in forensic settings are familiar
with law and legal systems, acting as the mediator and educator between
clients and justice systems, lawmakers and members of the public.
 Geriatric Social Worker: Gerontological social workers understand the
issues older clients experience as they age. They are knowledgeable
about legislation and social programs that impact the older adult population
so they can advocate for care, address mental health issues and perform
case management.
 Medical Social Worker: Providing support to patients and their families,
medical social workers assist with the care of those in medical settings.
Medical social workers may provide psychosocial assessments, education,
crisis intervention, and help patients and their families understand
treatment and available resources.
 Mental Health Social Worker: Spending their time assessing, diagnosing,
treating and preventing mental, behavioral and emotional issues, mental
health social workers play a critical role in improving overall well-being and
mental health in our society. 
 International Social Worker: Bringing their humanitarian work overseas,
international social workers are familiar with many cultures, languages and
domestic social work approaches.
 Military Social Worker: Working with active-duty and reserve military and
veterans and their families, military social workers understand the military
culture and provide services to address mental or behavioral issues. They
also provide support during deployments.
 Psychiatric Social Worker: These social workers support patients who
suffer from depression, severe anxiety, psychotic or substance-related
disorders and other conditions.
 Public Health Social Worker: Bridging the gap between public health and
social work, these professionals use their clinical and community
knowledge to support public health.
 School Social Worker: A school social worker advocates on behalf of
students. They work with students, parents and teachers to set students up
for success in the classroom and at home.
 Substance Abuse Social Worker: These social workers are trained to
help people experiencing problems with their mental health and addiction.
Common modalities they use include individual and group therapy and
crisis intervention.
 Trauma Social Worker: Some social workers choose to focus on trauma-
informed practice, working with all types of populations by intervening at
the micro and mezzo level.
Systems Theory

Systems Theory states behavior is influenced by a result of factors that work

together as a system and are interconnected – each part plays an important
role in the function of the whole, and the whole in turn supports and sustains
the parts. A person’s family, friends, school, work, economic class, home
environment, and other factors all influence how a person thinks and acts. A
social worker must observe and assess all of the systems a person
experiences, as they contribute to their behavior and well-being, and work to
strengthen those systems as they are connected and influence one another.
This is used to develop a holistic view of individuals within their environment,
which is then used to lead to the most appropriate practice intervention.

Within Systems Theory we will also explore roles (routine tasks and behaviors
of people within a system). We all have roles and engage in them whether we
recognize it or not. Some examples of roles are leader, caretaker, parent,
child, sibling, enabler, scapegoat, citizen, spouse, and worker. Many people
feel their roles identify them. This may reinforce behaviors when positive
feelings or experiences are associated with the role(s) or maybe a motivator
for change when the role(s) are connected to more negative feelings or
experiences. Knowing what roles a person is engaged in, and how they
perceive each role, will support your work in understanding their experiences
and what needs are presenting.

Dynamic systems theory addresses the process of change

and development, rather than developmental outcomes; in
dynamic systems terms, there is no end point of development
(Thelen & Ulrich, 1991). Moreover, with its central focus on
change and change in the rate of change, dynamic systems
theory points to questions about both (a) change from one
time point to the next; and (b) overall patterns of change. Chief
among the contributions of dynamic systems theory is a set of
concepts facilitating examination of overall patterns of change.
Such patterns include stabilization, destabilization, and self-
regulation.
In a ground-breaking application of dynamic systems theory to
the field of developmental psychology, Thelen and Ulrich
(1991) described motor development as the process of
repeated cycles of stabilizing and destabilizing behavior
patterns. In terms of social development, relationships may
develop partly as a function of stabilizing and destabilizing
behavior patterns of family members. For example, when
parents repeatedly respond sensitively, their infants develop
stable views of their parents as dependable. Moreover, family
relationships may be self-regulating, with tendencies to return
to baseline levels of functioning. As an illustration, a mother
and her adolescent might have a fairly close relationship, but
there may be periods of more or less closeness; that is, the
system may oscillate back and forth past its baseline level of
closeness. Thus, dynamic systems principles and methods
afford opportunities to deepen conceptualization and
empirically based knowledge of family influence processes.
However, dynamic systems methods rely on mathematics-
intensive procedures, and relatively little research has utilized
this approach.

Structural systems theory deals with parametric systems where

parameters might be unknown and, therefore, addresses the study of
systems properties that depend only on the system's structure (or topology)
described by the inter-dependencies between state variables

Structural social work is a moral theory. It suggests that the underlying

causes for social problems are the “differential control of resources and
political power” inherent in capitalistic societies (Mullaly, 1997, p. 119).
The system is viewed as faulty.