The Impact of Psychology („Psychologisation“) on Social Work

„Psihologizacija“ socijalnog rada tema je koja se povremeno pojavljuje u raspravama o sadržaju, a posebno o metodama socijalnog rada. Dominacija psiholoških metoda u nekim segmentima ili nekim oblicima djelatnosti u socijalnom radu, prema temeljnom poslanstvu socijalnog rada, sasvim se sigurno odnosi kao njegov ograničavajući ili sužavajući element. Međutim, ona je i proces koji je nužan odgovor socijalnog rada na neke pojave u socijalnoj realnosti, bilo da su one, kao u slučaju Hrvatske rat, ili odnosi na tržištu, kao u SAD, čiji se primjer ovdje posebno analizira.The issue of the impact of psychology on social work (often referred to as „psychologisation“ of social work) is a topic that is from time to time present in the discussion on the content and in particular on the methods of social work. The domination of psychological methods in some segments or forms of activities in social work, according to its basic mission, most certainly has a limiting effect. The author presents some basic theoretical concepts of social work as a profession by trying to correlate them with the use of „psychological“ techniques. By analyzing the movements on the market of services in the USA, he points to the changes in the privatization of certain personal services that lead to the application of some purely psychological techniques. The author also describes some elements of the application of psychological techniques in the Republic of Croatia. In the conclusion, the author stated how the process of introducing some psychological techniques does not necessarily present a deviation from the basic mission of social work. On the contrary, it can enrich the social work practice, particularly through some new learning’s that social workers acquire. There is still some bout, however, whether the process is of any advantage to some highly sophisticated psychological techniques