Shifting the Social Work Practice Paradigm: The Contribution of the Interactional Model

Factors external and internal to social work practice have caused our profession to question its role and identity. The emergence of evidence-based or evidenced informed practices forces the profession to reexamine its unique identity and its historical roots. This article addresses the problems in the dominant paradigm guiding our profession, the medical model, and then suggests that an important shift is taking place toward the adoption of an interactional framework more compatible with our practice knowledge, values, historical mission, and research. Discussion of examples of three research studies that were guided by the interactional model helps to illustrate how an empirical base for a process-oriented social work practice science can be implemented.