Teaching Note—Understanding the Impact of Childhood Adversity on Social Work Students

ABSTRACT

Social work students often come to the profession with their own history of childhood difficulty and adversity. Although these experiences frequently motivate students to become social workers, they can also impede a professional’s ability to practice effectively. This teaching note presents the literature regarding the impact of the attachment category and childhood history of adversity on helping professionals. We describe classroom activities that can be used in educating social work students about the potential impact of their history on social work practice.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rachel Jill Copeland

Rachel Jill Copeland is an assistant professor at Samford University.

Amanda Hiles Howard

Amanda Hiles Howard is an assistant professor at Samford University.

Erin Becker Razuri

Erin Becker Razuri is a research scientist with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University.