Systems Theory: The Case of Esperanza

Abstract

Systems theory calls practitioners to examine the relational dynamics between individuals, and between and within groups, organizations, or communities, as well as mutually influencing factors in the environment. While regularly used in social work, the authors note that this framework can and should be extended to issues of diversity and trauma. This chapter demonstrates how systems theory supports culturally informed clinical practice by highlighting the case of “Esperanza,” a 16-year-old ninth-grade student attracted to teen rite of passage activities while living with the reality of being a single mother who recently migrated to Hartford, Connecticut, after being displaced from her home in Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria. The authors present systems theory as a valuable framework for two social workers supporting Esperanza’s navigation of multiple systems, including migration (with rural/urban and language acquisition complexities), developmental conflicts (being a teen and a parent), and cultural expectations (remaining true to her indigenous Puerto Rican/Latinx culture and the assimilation demands of U.S. culture). This chapter also situates systems theory as a helpful tool for social workers’ resolution of practice conflicts, and reminds social workers to look at the intersections of culture and trauma through a person-in-environment lens.