Empowerment Series: Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment

The main objective of social work is to facilitate positive changes in individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The first step in this change process is accurate assessment ― and that's the primary focus of UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT. Focusing on individual behavior within families and other systems, this book will help you understand the underlying reasons why people act the way they do. You'll learn about biological, psychological, and social development at different lifespan stages, as well as about the benefits of strengths and empowerment approaches to social work. To further prepare you for your career, this edition's content aligns with the core competencies and recommended behaviors outlined in the current Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) set by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Charles Zastrow, M.S.W., Ph.D., is professor emeritus in social work at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where he chaired the social work department for six years. He has also been the assistant director and professor in the social work program at George Williams College in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. He has worked as a practitioner in a variety of public and private social welfare agencies and has chaired 28 social work accreditation site visit teams for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Dr. Zastrow has served two terms as a commissioner on the Commission on Accreditation of CSWE. He has also been a board member of the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors, Inc. (BPD). In addition, Dr. Zastrow has chaired the Commission on Educational Policy of CSWE. He is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Wisconsin.

Karen K. Kirst-Ashman, BSW, MSSW, and PhD, was a full professor and a former chairperson in the Social Work Department at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where she taught for 28 years. She is certified as a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Wisconsin and has worked as a practitioner and administrator in child welfare and mental health agencies. She received the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Excellence in Teaching Award in 1986 and its Outstanding Teaching Award in 2007. She has been a member of the board of directors of the Council on Social Work Education in addition to being an accreditation site visitor, and is a current member of BPD and NASW. She has served on the editorial board of Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work, and as a consulting editor for many social work journals, including the Journal of Social Work Education. She is the author of numerous publications, articles, and reviews concerning social work and women's issues. Other books she has authored or coauthored include INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL WELFARE: CRITICAL THINKING PERSPECTIVES (5th ed); HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN THE MACRO SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT: AN EMPOWERMENT APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITIES, ORGANIZATION, AND GROUPS (4th ed); GENERALIST PRACTICE WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES (5th ed); THE MACRO SKILLS WORKBOOK (2nd ed); and UNDERSTANDING GENERALIST PRACTICE (8th ed).

Sarah L. Hessenauer, B.S.W., M.S.W., Ph.D. is a professor in social work at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She has been in the department for 15 years and is currently chair. She earned her B.S.W. degree in 1990 from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, her M.S.W. in 1991 from UW-Milwaukee, and her Ph.D. in 2011 from Loyola University of Chicago. Dr. Hessenauer is a certified licensed clinical social worker in the state of Wisconsin. She has worked as a practitioner and administrator in a variety of mental health and addictions agencies. She is a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) member and accreditation site surveyor. She is also a current member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). In addition to Introduction to SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL WELFARE, Dr. Zastrow and Dr. Hessenauer have written three other social work texts: GENERALIST PRACTICE IN SOCIAL WORK, SOCIAL WORK WITH GROUPS and UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT with Dr. Karen Kirst-Ashman.