Non-problematic Situations in Social Workers’ and GPs’ Practice

Abstract

This study aims to describe and analyze written accounts of non-problematic situations by 28 social workers and 24 general practitioners (GPs). The results show that non-problematic situations were connected to professionals’ control of the intervention process. Non-problematic situations were described by social workers as situations where they had control of the relationship with the client either by the use of coercive means or by the client’s active cooperation. GPs referred to non-problematic situations as situations where they had control of the intervention process mainly by the use of professional knowledge. One main conclusion is that the ability to control the intervention process through control of the relationship with the client may be of significance to those professions where a central part of the professional jurisdiction involves changing clients’ behaviors. This conclusion means that professional knowledge is not the only way to control the professional intervention process.