The Importance of
Addressing the Affective
Domain in Child Welfare
Training
Maureen Braun Scalera MSW, LCSW
NSDTA Presentation 10.6.2015
Objectives
By the end of the session, participants will:
• Define Affective Learning and discuss steps used to designing
instruction that moves through five levels of affective learning;
• Explore the continuum of boundaries in personal and professional
relationships;
• Describe reaction to loss and trauma, and how easily persons can be
triggered to re-experience the impact of trauma in their lives;
• Observe stress reactions (“triggers”) and ways workers get triggered.
Discuss how worker stress might affect the work environment,
worker performance and case outcomes; and
• Describe use of one or more coping strategies on the job, and create
a stress resiliency plan for use on and off the job.
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The NJ Child Welfare Training Partnership
Rutgers University School of Social Work ,
in collaboration with the NJ Department of
Children and Families’ Training Academy, has
been the lead agency in the New Jersey Child
Welfare Training Partnership since 2007.
Responsibilities
• Development of curriculum and delivery of training to
enhance case practice and planning with youth,
children & their families
• Creation of over 100 training curriculums to meet the
changing needs of the workforce
• Specialized training on critical issues influencing child
welfare such as domestic violence, substance abuse
and mental health issues
• Infusion of culturally relevant coursework that raises
cultural competence of staff
• Ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness and impact
of training, and transfer of learning opportunities.
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Quality Assurance & Evaluation
•
•
•
Strong commitment to outcome-focused training
Specific learning objectives for each curriculum
Pre-/post-test questionnaires document baseline
understanding and knowledge gains
• Tests demonstrate increase in knowledge gained for ALL courses
• Average increases in scores range from 7 to 49 point increases
•
Course satisfaction surveys evaluate trainer capacity,
assess utilization of knowledge, and collect qualitative
feedback
• Course completion emails facilitate transfer of learning
• Monthly, quarterly and annual reports capture
enrollment, monitor fiscal expenditures, and report
evaluation data
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Two Aspects of Affective Learning
• Learner’s attitude, motivation, and feelings
about the learning environment, the
material, and the instructor (conditions
external to the learning)
• Learner’s feelings, attitudes, and values that
are identified, explored, and modified in
some way because of the learning
experience (internal to the learner)
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Affective Learning
“Affective learning is consistent with
social work principles of
conscience use of self,
recognitions of the art and science
of social work practice,
the importance of therapeutic
relationships, and
the integration of values in the
profession.”
Allen, K. N. and Friedman, B.D. (2010).
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Neuman’s Stages of Affective Learning
Important implications for lesson design:
1. Identification – Names, recognizes
2. Clarification – Describes, sources
3. Exploration – Implications, inconsistencies,
alternatives
4. Modification – Alters, modifies, accommodates
or assimilates
5. Characterization – Identification, affective,
cognitive and behavioral consistency
Neuman, K. & Friedman, B. (2008, October).
Helping Workers Deal with their “Stuff”

A series of workshops designed to impact the
Affective Domain of learning (as opposed to
Knowledge & Skills).

Workers are encouraged to become more aware of
the “person inside the professional”.

Titles include:
o Managing Personal & Professional Boundaries
o Vicarious Trauma & Building Resiliency
o Managing Personal Stress Reactions
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Managing Boundaries
• Personal boundaries are defined &
explored. Personal boundaries influence
our professional boundaries.
• Boundaries can be too loose or too rigid.
• Workshop invites self-reflection of current
state of boundaries and invites use of
healthier and more appropriate
boundaries, especially in the workplace
and with families.
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Boundary Continuum
OK
Not OK
Vicarious Trauma
• Identify the signs and symptoms of
vicarious traumatization and
recommendations how to build
resiliency.
• Trauma Exercise
Personal Stress Reactions
• Helps workers to recognize their
personal stress triggers and to
recognize the sequence from event(s)
to action.
• Maxine’s Triggers as an example
• Explores and Encourages use of
Coping Strategies and Relaxation
Techniques
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The Affective Domain involves
References
• Allen, K. N. and Friedman, B.D.(2010). Affective learning: a
taxonomy for teaching social work values. Journal of Social
Work Values and Ethics, 7(2).
• Anderson, L.W. & Krathwohl, D. (eds). (2001). Taxonomy for
learning, teaching and assessing: a revision of bloom’s
taxonomy of educational objectives. NY: Longman.
• Neuman, K. & Friedman, B. (2008, October). The art of
effectively facilitating professional socialization in students
through affective learning. Paper present at the Annual Program
Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education. Philadelphia,
PA.
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For more information contact:
Maureen Braun Scalera MSW, LCSW
Director, Office of Child Welfare Initiatives
Rutgers University School of Social Work
Institute for Families
[email protected]