ABSTRACT
Over time novice social workers decide on and adopt preferred theories of change. Unfortunately, the Council on Social Work Education's (2008) recent Educational policy and accreditation standards document is silent about worker tasks related to articulating and using theories of change. Each theoretical framework offers a conceptualization of the process of change. The theory of change helps the practitioner answer various questions important to accurate assessment and effective intervention. Fay, a critical theorist, offers a different theory of change. His theory focuses on both micro and macro levels of the social environment. Theoretical frameworks vary in their conception or theory of change. Some identify external events as the major triggers of change. Some identify internal events or processes as the major triggers. In the multi-theoretical social work approach, the practitioner assembles systematically multiple theories of change and creates an integrative logic model informed by these theories.
