Applied Psychology for Social Work

Psychology is an important part of the social work syllabus, usually studied as a separate module in the first year, but also integrated within the academic curriculum. This fully-updated second edition will help students understand the concepts of psychology and apply them to their own practice. It shows that, for social workers, it is important for psychology to be studied in the contexts of social care, as it offers potential explanations of complex aspects of human behaviour and development. An overview of the key psychological approaches is given and the author demonstrates how these can be applied to social work practice.

Dr Ewan Ingleby is based in the Education section of the School of Social Sciences and Law at the University of Teesside. Alongside contributing to the University of Teesside's education programmes, he is also a member of the School of Social Science and Law's Social Futures Research Institute. Dr Ingleby has secured funding from the University Research Fund for projects on PCET mentor training and student study skills. Previous publications include sociological analyses of organisations, psychological approaches to social work and applications of social science to Early Years.
Professor Jonathan Parker is Head of Social Work and Learning Disability at Bournemouth University and, with colleagues, has developed the Centre for Social Work and Social Care Research. He is currently vice-chair of the Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee.
Greta Bradley is a senior lecturer in social work at the University of York. Her academic interests are in community care and workforce studies in social work. Her most recent research is on aspects of sustainable practice in social work. She is a former editor of Practice.