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ARTICLES S. Tomas & 6 Some Limits of, & Constraints on, Social Role Valorization J. Osburn

R. Hutchinson 23 Richard & His Roles: An A-typical Experience

T. Doody 27 From Cranky to Feisty: Difcult, Lonely Old Lady to Interesting, Engaged Elder

R. Lemay 30 Resetting the Mindset by Choosing “Teories” Tat Help Rather Tan Harm

REVIEWS & MORE

T. Malcomson 52 Book ‘Romania’s Abandoned Children: Deprivation, Brain Development, and the Struggle for Recovery’ by C. Nelson, N. Fox & C. Zeanah

S. Tomas 55 Article ‘Te Case for Reparations’ by T. Coates

COLUMNS

M. Tumeinski 45 On a Role

S. Tomas 59 Social Role Valorization News & Reviews

Te SRV JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD We encourage readers & writers in a variety of roles & Marc Tumeinski, PhD Joe Osburn from a variety of human service backgrounds to subscribe Jane Barken Judith Sandys, PhD & to contribute. We expect that writers who submit items Jo Massarelli will have at least a basic understanding of SRV, gained for example by attendance at a multi-day SRV workshop, by EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD studying relevant resources (see page 5 of this journal), John Armstrong Tom Malcomson, PhD or both. Erica Baker-Tinsley Tomas Neuville, PhD We are particularly interested in receiving submissions Tom Kohler Susan Tomas from family members, friends & servers of devalued people Zana Lutfyya, PhD Ed Wilson who are trying to put the ideas of SRV into practice, even if they do not consider themselves as ‘writers.’ Members of our editorial boards will be available to help contributors with articles accepted for publication.

INFORMATION FOR SUBMISSIONS We welcome well-reasoned, clearly-written submis- STATEMENT OF PURPOSE sions. Language used should be clear & descriptive. We en- We believe that Social Role Valorization (SRV), when courage the use of ordinary grammar & vocabulary that a well applied, has potential to help societally devalued people typical reader would understand. Te Publication Manual to gain greater access to the good things of life & to be of the American Psychological Association is one easily avail- spared at least some negative efects of social devaluation. able general style guide. Academic authors should follow Toward this end, the purposes of this journal include: 1) the standards of their feld. We will not accept items si- disseminating information about SRV; 2) informing read- multaneously submitted elsewhere for publication or previ- ers of the relevance of SRV in addressing the devaluation of ously electronically posted or distributed. people in society generally & in human services particularly; Submissions are reviewed by members of the editorial 3) fostering, extending & deepening dialogue about, & un- board, the editorial advisory board, or external referees. Our derstanding of, SRV; & 4) encouraging the application of double-blind peer review policy is available on request. SRV as well as SRV-related research. Examples of submission topics include but are not lim- We intend the information provided in this journal to ited to: SRV as relevant to a variety of human services; de- be of use to: family, friends, advocates, direct care workers, scriptions & analyses of social devaluation & wounding; managers, trainers, educators, researchers & others in rela- descriptions & analyses of the impact(s) of valued roles; tionship with or serving formally or informally upon deval- illustrations of particular SRV themes; research into & de- ued people in order to provide more valued life conditions velopment of SRV theory & its themes; critique of SRV; as well as more relevant & coherent service. analysis of new developments from an SRV perspective; Te SRV Journal is published under the auspices of the success stories, as well as struggles & lessons learned, in try- SRV Implementation Project (SRVIP). Te mission of the ing to implement SRV; interviews; refection & opinion SRVIP is to: confront social devaluation in all its forms, pieces; news analyses from an SRV perspective; book or including the deathmaking of vulnerable people; support movie reviews & notices from an SRV perspective. positive action consistent with SRV; & promote the work of † the formulator of SRV, Prof. Wolf Wolfensberger. SEND CORRESPONDENCE TO Marc Tumeinski, Editor Phone: 508.752.3670 EDITORIAL POLICY Te SRV Journal Email: [email protected] Informed & open discussions of SRV, & even construc- 74 Elm Street Website: www.srvip.org tive debates about it, help to promote its dissemination & Worcester, MA 01609 US Twitter: @srvtraining application. We encourage people with a range of experi- ence with SRV to submit items for consideration of publica- TYPEFACE tion. We hope those with much experience in teaching or Main text is set in Adobe Garamond Pro & headlines in implementing SRV, as well as those just beginning to learn Myriad Pro, both designed by Robert Slimbach. about it, will contribute to the Journal. A Brief Description of Social Role Valorization

From the Editor

In every issue we print a few brief descriptions of SRV. Journal/La Revue Internationale de la Valorisation des Rôles Tis by no means replaces more thorough explanations of Sociaux, 5(1&2), p. 85. SRV, but does set a helpful framework for the content of this journal. SRV is a systematic way of dealing with the facts of Te following is from: Wolfensberger, W. (2013). A brief social perception and evaluation, so as to enhance introduction to Social Role Valorization: A high-order concept the roles of people who are apt to be devalued, by for addressing the plight of societally devalued people, and for upgrading their competencies and social image in structuring human services (4th ed.). Plantagenet, ON: Valor the eyes of others. Press, p. 81. Te following is from: Wolfensberger, W. (2000). A brief ... in order for people to be treated well by others, overview of Social Role Valorization. Mental Retardation, it is very important that they be seen as occupying 38(2), p. 105. valued roles, because otherwise, things are apt to go ill with them. Further, the greater the number of Te key premise of SRV is that people’s welfare de- valued roles a person, group or class occupies, or the pends extensively on the social roles they occupy: more valued the roles that such a party occupies, the People who fll roles that are positively valued by more likely it is that the party will be accorded those others will generally be aforded by the latter the good things of life that others are in a position to ac- good things of life, but people who fll roles that are cord, or to withhold. devalued by others will typically get badly treated by them. Tis implies that in the case of people Te following is from: SRV Council [North American So- whose life situations are very bad, and whose bad cial Role Valorization Development, Training & Safeguard- situations are bound up with occupancy of devalued ing Council] (2004). A proposed defnition of Social Role roles, then if the social roles they are seen as occupy- Valorization, with various background materials and elabo- ing can somehow be upgraded in the eyes of perceiv- rations. SRV-VRS: Te International Social Role Valorization ers, their life conditions will usually improve, and often dramatically so.

If you know someone who would be interested in reading Te SRV Journal, send us their name & address & we’ll mail them a complimentary issue. 4 The SRV JOURNAL

A Brief Introduction to Social Role Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of societally devalued people, and for structuring human services (4th expanded edition) by Wolf Wolfensberger, PhD

“A long-held rationale of those of us who teach SRV Teory is that the material helps students to see the world from the perspectives of those who receive services and supports, rather than the service pro- vider. Time and again, we hear students describe this as the single most important aspect of taking an SRV Teory course. Tey talk about how they now have new, or diferent, eyes with which to see and understand their world. Many describe the realization that they frst had to change in order for them to address the issues and problems of the people they were assigned to teach or help. When they changed their perceptions of another person, they then changed their expectations of this person, along with their ideas of what the person actually needs and how to efectively ad- dress these needs” (from the foreword by Zana Marie Lutfyya, PhD and Tomas Neuville, PhD). Author: Wolf Wolfensberger, PhD, 1934-2011 Publisher: Valor Press (Plantagenet, ON–Canada) Language: English ISBN: 978-0-9868040-7-6 Copyright ©: 2013, Valor Press Price: 41$ cdn + shipping & handling Special Hardcover edition: 73$ + S & H To purchase, call 613.673.3583 Resources to Learn about Social Role Valorization

From the Editor t
A brief introduction to Social Role Valorization, 4th expanded ed. Wolf Wolfensberger. (2013). (Available from the Valor Institute at 613.673.3583) t PASSING: A tool for analyzing service quality according to Social Role Valorization criteria. Ratings manual, 3rd (rev.) ed. Wolf Wolfensberger & Susan Tomas. (2007). (Available from the Valor Institute at 613.673.3583) t
A quarter-century of normalization and Social Role Valorization: Evolution and impact. Ed. by R. Flynn & R. Lemay. (1999). Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press. (Available from the Training Institute at 315.443.5257) t
A brief overview of Social Role Valorization. Wolf Wolfensberger. (2000). Mental Retardation, 38(2), 105- 123. (Available from the Training Institute at 315.443.5257) t
An overview of Social Role Valorization theory. Joe Osburn. (2006). Te SRV Journal, 1(1), 4-13. (Available at http://srvip.org/about_articles.php) t
Some of the universal ‘good things of life’ which the implementation of Social Role Valorization can be expected to make more accessible to devalued people. Wolf Wolfensberger, Susan Tomas & Guy Caruso. (1996). SRV/VRS: Te International Social Role Valorization Journal/La Revue Internationale de la Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux, 2(2), 12-14. (Available at http://srvip.org/about_articles.php) t
Social Role Valorization and the English experience. David Race. (1999). London: Whiting & Birch. t Te SRV Implementation Project website, including a training calendar www.srvip.org t
SRVIP Google calendar http://www.srvip.org/workshops_schedule.php# t
Blog of Te SRV Implementation Project blog.srvip.org t
Twitter feed @srvtraining t
Abstracts of major articles published in Te SRV Journal https://srvjournalabstracts.wordpress.com/ t
Social Role Valorization web page (Australia) http://www.socialrolevalorization.com/ t
SRV in Action newsletter (published by Values in Action Association) (Australia) [email protected] t
Southern Ontario Training Group (Canada) http://www.srv-sotg.ca/ t
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A ‘History of Human Services’ course taught by W. Wolfensberger & S. Tomas (DVD set) purchase online at http://wolfwolfensberger.com/ or call the Training Institute at 315.443.5257 t
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QBZ http://disabilities.temple.edu/ media/ds/ Some Limitations of, & Constraints on, Social Role Valorization

Susan Thomas & Joe Osburn

Editor’s Note: Te following article of necessity dis- SRV is Constrained by the Constructs on cusses some things that go above and beyond SRV, be- Which It Depends cause they constitute limits or constraints upon SRV SRV Can Never be Complete or Free of implementation, and therefore need consideration. Contradictions, and Some Role-Val- Any analysis of the limits of a theory must look above orizing Measures May Confict with that theory. Many of the meta-SRV issues noted in Each Other this article refect material from two workshops orig- SRV Raises Supra-Empirical (“Religious”) inally developed by Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger; namely, Questions, but Cannot Answer Tem, ‘How to function with personal moral coherency in a and It Demands Values for Its Application disfunctional world’ and ‘Crafting a coherent stance SRV is a Complex and Multi-Faceted Scheme, on the sanctity of all human life.’ Te authors of this and is Not Easy to Fully Grasp and Implement article make clear distinctions between these various Te Relationship Between SRV Measures and domains. However, as Tomas and Osburn point Predicted Outcomes is Only Probabilistic out: “[T]here is no need to agree with our judgment SRV is Only Relevant Where Tere is a Social about the current state of values in Western societ- Context, i.e., Other People ies in order to see that SRV implementers have to Teoretically Attainable SRV Benefts Are make judgments about how they value the values of Both Linked to, but Also Constrained by, a particular reference culture, and how–if at all–to What is Valued in the Social Context of the capitalize on these.” I strongly encourage readers to Reference Culture take such distinctions and judgments seriously, and Limitations or Constraints Tat Are Not Inherent to think through for themselves fundamental ques- in SRV, but Are Created by Factors Outside It tions raised by the authors. Measures Tat Are Role-Valorizing for One Party May Clash with the Interests, Welfare, Article Outline and/or “Rights” of Another Party Introduction and Background Any Social Context is Only Able to Convey Limitations or Constraints Inherent in SRV Itself What It Has to Convey Certain Limitations Tat SRV Shares With All SRV Measures Will Efect Societal Change, Teories or Schemes Tat Are Empirical/Sci- but Other Measures Are Also Needed to entifc in Nature Change Society SRV Can Only Be as Good as Its (Empiri- Tere May be Practical Obstacles Tat Limit cal) Knowledge Base What SRV Can Do July 2015 7

Limitations or Constraints Tat Are a Mixture Specifcally, at the end of the standard three- of Inherent in SRV Itself, and Contributed to by and four-day Introductory SRV workshop Circumstances Outside of SRV (Wolfensberger & Tomas, 2005), some of these No Scheme Will Ever Overcome All Adversity, limitations of SRV are presented very briefy and or All Human Failings summarily. Also, at an Advanced SRV workshop Some People’s Wounds Will Defeat All SRV that was given only once (Wolfensberger, 1999), Eforts there was a longer presentation of some of these Conclusion limitations. For both the introductory and ad- References vanced presentation modules, the senior author of this article contributed to the teaching materi- Introduction and Background al, along with Dr. Wolfensberger, with whom she ocial Role Valorization, or SRV, is a also conducted the workshops. However, since human service approach that is universally 1999 we have re-thought and re-organized the applicable and of a very high-level. Still, teaching material, and it has been over a decade SSRV has limitations and constraints–as do all since there has been any substantial presentation ideas or schemes or approaches to address any of it. Terefore, we have decided to write an ar- problem. We might even say that in a certain ticle reviewing 14 limits or constraints of SRV at sense, especially those schemes that attempt to greater length. For this article, we have drawn on address the problems of human beings living the teaching overheads that are briefy shown in with one another have limitations, and the em- the standard Introductory SRV workshop, as well piricism of history provides much testimony to as the notes that were used to present the ma- this assertion. terial at the Advanced SRV workshop; however, In a very brief article in the December 2010 we have also revised, added to, and elaborated on issue of Te SRV Journal, entitled “Some Fur- those source materials. ther Toughts on the Limits and Capabilities Our purpose in presenting the limitations and of Social Role Valorization,” Professor Wolf constraints of SRV is not to discourage people Wolfensberger responded to a critique leveled from implementing SRV, and from trying to at SRV–that SRV does nothing to ameliorate wring from it all that they can in terms of the certain painful afictions that a party may good things of life for a devalued or at-risk party. have–by listing fve points, namely: (1) that the Rather, it is to prevent false hopes or illusions developmental model is very powerful to alle- about what SRV can accomplish–and for that viate some afictions; (2) that many wounds, matter, about what any scheme can accomplish. which SRV does address, are more harmful than As well, we hope to demonstrate being analytic, any impairment; (3) that positive imaging of a and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of party makes it easier to address that party’s af- any scheme, or service measure, or treatment, fictions; (4) that occupying valued roles can ac- etc.–a discipline that we believe is one of the most cess some good things of life that make irreduc- important for human service leaders to possess ible sufering more bearable; and (5) that some and practice. good things of life that come with some valued We have organized our coverage into three cat- roles, such as joy, comfort and reconciliation, egories: those limitations and constraints that are may alleviate at least people’s mental afictions. inherent in SRV and its very nature, those that are Wolfensberger also referenced some coverage of created by things beyond SRV, and those few that the limitations of SRV that is given in training are a combination of both. We will look frst at workshops on SRV. the inherent ones. 8 The SRV JOURNAL

Limitations or Constraints SRV is a high-level scheme that is within the Inherent in SRV Itself realm of empirical science. It states how the social e can identify eight limits of SRV roles that a party occupies are likely to infuence that derive from itself–we might say, or even determine what other people will do to from the nature of the thing that SRV is. or for that role-occupying party, and it bases its W claims on the evidence of much empiricism. SRV Certain Limitations That SRV Shares With All does not fall into the category of supra-empirical Theories or Schemes That Are Empirical/ religions (e.g., see Wolfensberger, 1995, reprinted Scientifc in Nature in 2013). There are four limitations that SRV shares Assuming that this distinction is understood, with all empirical/scientifc or logical schemes. we will now look at four limitations of SRV that But in order to appreciate them, we have to un- have to do with its nature as an empirical scien- derstand that all schemes or systems to address tifc human service approach. human problems (of which SRV is one) can be of two types: (a) ones that are at least potentially SRV Can Only Be as Good as Its within the scope of the methods of empiricism (Empirical) Knowledge Base to evaluate and support or refute, and (b) ones SRV is, and can only be, as solid as the empirical that can never even potentially be resolved by the knowledge and hypotheses on which it is based. methods of empiricism. As to the frst type (a), (Again, this is true of any scheme in the empirical empirical or scientifc methods usually involve domain.) If the empiricism on which it is based is observation and experimentation (which may weak, or even incorrect, then so will be SRV–or involve manipulations) done in such a way that at least, so will be those claims and predictions it they can be repeated by others, and the fndings makes based on that fawed empiricism. Happily, or conclusions thereby either verifed or shown to there is a very big body of pretty well-established be false. Te approaches of the second type are facts about individual and collective human be- above or beyond empiricism, and we sometimes havior–primarily from the realm of the social sci- classify them all as forms of “religion,” meaning ences–that do support SRV, including the claims they are high-order beliefs whose assumptions SRV makes for what is likely to contribute to and claims are beyond the scope of empirical people receiving the bad things of life and what methods to prove, or even disprove or falsify. Re- is likely to contribute to their receiving the good ligion thusly defned includes all sorts of ideolo- things of life. While there is always room for more gies, belief systems and worldviews, including evidence and even research, it is unlikely that any materialism, Marxism, constructivism (also called would yield great surprises for SRV, though re- constructionism), and many, many more–almost search could help to refne the theory and nuance anything that ends in the syllable -ism–including it. Terefore, where further empirical observa- of course systems that people usually understand tion and investigation lend support for SRV, this narrowly by the term “religion” (Judaism, Islam, should be noted, and where they challenge some Christianity, Buddhism, etc.). One way of distin- assertion of SRV, this should be also be noted, and guishing the frst category from the second is that the teaching of SRV corrected or at least nuanced. empiricism describes, whereas religions prescribe; (People who are interested in learning more about or, empiricism says what is, but religions say what the wide range of bodies of empirical/scientifc should be. knowledge that SRV draws upon are referred to Tis distinction is important because, as SRV the chart on pp. 91-94 of Wolfensberger, 2012a, teaching and writing have tried to emphasize, that lists 18 separate felds of inquiry). July 2015 9

However, so that the point does not get lost, is obvious to anyone in contemporary societies, there will always be limits to empirical knowl- namely, that the very constructs of personhood, edge, and therefore SRV will always be limited by humanness, and soul are seriously contested these the limits of its empirical bases. days. Many parties deny that there is anything such as an immaterial spiritual dimension to the SRV is Constrained by the Constructs human (and souls, if they exist, are immaterial); on Which It Depends many deny that certain creatures born of human Related to the fact that SRV can only be as good mothers are human; and many deny that certain as its scientifc knowledge base is the second limi- creatures, even if acknowledged to be human, are tation or constraint of SRV that derives from its persons. (We tackle this issue in great depth in a nature as an empirically-rooted approach, name- fve-day workshop on “Crafting a coherent stance ly that SRV is dependent on constructs, such as on the sanctity of all human life,” in which we roles, image, competency and service models, review the many forms of deathmaking of deval- to name just a few of the most important ones. ued people.) In contrast, people hardly deny that Tis constraint is also captured by the comment there are such things as social roles, that other we have sometimes heard that “roles aren’t every- people too obviously “believe” in social roles, and thing,” and that is true. But when it comes to hu- that people act on this construct of roles. man beings, staying within the empirical realm pretty much limits us to that which is observable SRV Can Never be Complete or Free of Contra- and, to a greater or lesser degree, “measurable.” dictions, and Some Role-Valorizing Measures Tis implies constructs related to the material May Confict with Each Other body, such as race, and integrity or impairment Let us look at the third limitation of SRV that of the body; to constructs in the social realm such derives from its identity as an empirical ap- as socio-economic status, and physical presence; proach. Even within the realm of the empirical, and to constructs that are probably a mixture of epistemologists (who study whether humans can the two, such as intelligent functioning, perhaps know anything, and if so, what and how) and personality–and roles. And, as SRV teaching and the philosophers of science have concluded that writing has posited and emphasized, in everyday all theories and conceptual or logical systems of life humans do relate to each other via the con- any scope are both incomplete, and contain in- struct of roles. ternal contradictions. Tis is as true of SRV as of Some people would perhaps prefer to invoke other schemes, and it means that diferent SRV and rely on other concepts and constructs, such measures may sometimes be incompatible with as those of identity, personhood, humanness or each other, or what we call mutually antagonistic: soul. Te problems with doing so are several. One one measure can be maximized, but doing so will is that people would still have to frst believe in negatively afect another measure, and vice versa. such things before they would act on them, just For instance, a common occurrence has been that as they would have to believe in roles in order to a measure that can improve a party’s competency act on those. Secondly, good things about a giv- at the same time diminishes the party’s image; this en party’s identity, personhood, humanness, and has been the problem with many assistive devices soul would still have to be somehow put into the for moving, hearing, seeing, etc. Te resolution of minds of people who are in a position to do things such issues can be difcult, but goes beyond the to or for the party, just as SRV teaches that good scope of this article. However, one general guide- things about a party’s roles would have to be put line we can ofer for resolution is to pursue the into the minds of perceivers. And a third problem measure that is more important and contributes 10 The SRV JOURNAL more to role-valorization, and to compromise, on what basis. Decisions and even convictions trade of or sacrifce the less important or less that certain persons are of value, and that they powerful role-valorizing measure. Te PASSING are valuable regardless of their social roles, derive instrument (Wolfensberger & Tomas, 2007) can from people’s highest-level beliefs, value systems be very helpful in identifying which measures are and worldviews, not from empiricism and sci- the more important because it assigns diferent ence. As noted, these highest-level beliefs go be- weights to the diferent ratings, with the rating yond the boundaries of SRV. Te values held by weights (that have been determined by explicit both individuals and collectivities, including en- objective criteria) being refective of the relative tire societies, come from the domains of religion, importance of the issue in the rating. Tus, a philosophy and ultimately untestable, unprovable PASSING rating that carries more weight (that assumptions about the cosmos. has more points) is–probabilistically, and other Tus, SRV cannot be said to mean that peo- things being equal–more important in terms of ple “ought” to be valued and “ought” to be given role-valorization than a rating that carries lesser valued roles. What SRV can say is what happens weight or fewer points. to people when they are valued and given valued However, once again, this limitation (of being roles, and what happens when they are not. Simi- incomplete and having internal contradictions) is larly, SRV cannot be said to mean that devalued not unique to SRV but besets all schemes of any people “should” get their rights. Te things that size or scope. SRV can say about rights are how according or withholding certain rights from people will likely SRV Raises Supra-Empirical (“Religious”) refect on their image, afect their competencies, Questions, but Cannot Answer Them, and It and shape their social roles and perceived value in Demands Values for Its Application the eyes of others. SRV may also be able to explain Te fourth limitation or constraint of SRV that some reasons why people so often want to delimit derives from its nature as an empirically-rooted the rights of those whom they devalue, namely approach is that SRV cannot give answers to because having and exercising rights is one of the supra-empirical questions–nor can any other good things of life and devaluers want to deprive empirical scheme or theory–even though in the those they devalue of such good things. teaching and implementing of SRV, such supra- Additionally, and for the same reasons, SRV empirical questions are bound to arise. Supra- also cannot say that anyone is obligated to do empirical questions are some of the biggest and what the people they serve ask for, or even need. most important questions that people grapple Only people’s “religions” can tell them whether with in life, such as whether there is a God, and what a served party asks for is moral, whether if so, what is God’s nature; what is morality, is anyone must do something that they consider to there a moral code, and where does it come from; be immoral, and if so, why and under what con- why should anyone be positively valued, or for ditions. Similarly, one has to go outside SRV to that matter devalued; what is the meaning of such determine/decide whether one “should” do what phenomena as social devaluation, stratifcation people need, and if so, to what extent, under what and oppression, impairment; what is the meaning conditions, etc. of sufering, if any; what is the nature of the hu- On all sorts of questions having to do with hu- man; what constitutes “the good life,” to mention man nature, SRV can say what claims along these a few. lines the evidence of history would support. It can Let us look just at the question of whether also say what is likely to happen if people try to value ought to be accorded to anyone, and if so, defeat human nature, or to live in ways that are July 2015 11 not “natural” to human nature. Note that people Of course, as we note in both SRV teaching and may do these two things on the basis of their “re- writing, values issues and even cosmic issues must ligions.” But it cannot say, for example, what roles be raised and answered in order to understand “should” be held by people of one sex and not the reality of the lives of devalued people, and in the other, or by people of some other identity or order to resolve which SRV measures to pursue. characteristic, what behaviors “should” be valued We might put it that contact with SRV opens or not, etc. windows for people onto many higher-order is- Apart from such supra-empirical issues, SRV sues. Indeed, the experience of SRV teachers has also cannot give full or complete answers to been that SRV workshops and other SRV train- other questions that are partially empirical but ing actually accomplishes more than even some not entirely. Te following ten are examples supra-empirical schemes in getting people to ask (and only examples, not an exhaustive list) of value and worldview questions, and then to seek such questions: higher-order truths and answers–and these they a. what are the benefts and limits of personal, must seek outside of SRV. unpaid voluntary service, especially in contrast Take, for example, the most common wounds to the benefts and limits of paid formal service experienced by devalued people, which are usually engagements; reviewed in more than three hours of presentation b. what is the nature of the constraints that time in a standard introductory SRV workshop, workers in formal, organized, paid human ser- and which are very briefy detailed on pp. 31-44 of vices labor under; the introductory SRV monograph (Wolfensberg- c. what are the limits of any eforts to address er, 2013). Tat devalued people do get wounded sufering; in consequence of their being devalued is empiri- d. what are the limitations of human language; cal fact. But once people have learned these em- e. what are the real sources and nature of all pirical realities, they then bring to bear their val- sorts of human problems, conditions, afictions, ues in determining which wounds they want to and behavior patterns, e.g., are they due to genet- address and will attend to, how they will do so, ics and genetic mutations, biochemical diseases, and what dynamics of wounding they are likely social infuences, childhood experiences; to ignore. For instance, some people focus on the f. how to address or resolve certain specifc clini- deprivation of autonomy from devalued people, cal problems and challenges, such as strategies for and their separation/segregation from valued soci- reducing or eliminating self-destructive behaviors ety and its experiences. Some people are drawn to in people who are profoundly retarded; address such wounds as relationship discontinuity, g. how to change society and/or its service sys- insecurities and the lack of natural, unpaid, on- tems so as to be less devaluing and more social going relationships with valued people. Some are role-valorizing of certain parties; drawn to serve specifc wounded individuals, some h. how advocacy should be conducted, and to specifc groups or classes. Similarly, research of- by whom; ten looks at specifc technical issues, such as how i. what is the current state of contemporary modeling by peers afects people’s behavior. But Western societies, and whether they are becom- researchers do not look as frequently at such issues ing more decadent and disfunctional (more on as how image juxtapositions afect the attitudes of that later); the public and of service workers toward service j. what are the dynamics of the economy, which recipients; or the impact of death and dying role way will the stock market go, and how will all of expectancies upon vulnerable persons; or the fact this afect human services and lowly people. that the overwhelming majority of human service 12 The SRV JOURNAL recipients are and will remain poor, while a good- (Of course, a great many religions that are ly percentage of the service workers who make a acknowledged as such would in fact endorse living from them are and will remain fnancially many things that are concordant with, or even better of, particularly those workers far removed identical to, role-valorizing measures, for at from direct service. Clearly, once people are pre- least some parties.) sented with empirical and social science realities, Actually, we see this limitation or constraint of their values then come into play in directing what SRV as also a strength, and very liberating, be- they do with this information: in weighing SRV cause it frees SRV and its implementers from the issues, in implementing SRV, and in other SRV confusions that beset both the earlier formulations decision-making, even though values are not part of normalization (which did prescribe that many and parcel of SRV, and do not change its tenets. things “should” or “ought to” be done), as well as Tis is tied to the empirical fact–central to SRV– proponents of many other schemes who are not that human beings make near-instantaneous, and clear that they are promoting religions under the often unconscious, evaluations of what they per- cover of social science. How this can be liberat- ceive, and such evaluation by its nature entails a ing is shown by considering what would happen value judgment. if SRV were based on a value system. Ten, what While SRV does raise such issues that it does these values are would have to be explicated. Giv- not–indeed, cannot–address, this limitation or en the state of value fux and values heterogeneity constraint does not mean that SRV is not tremen- in contemporary Western societies today (more dously powerful in bringing about great improve- on that later in this article), this would be dif- ments in the lives of devalued people. We are spell- cult to do. Who would be “the Great Who Sayz” ing out this limitation because people have been who could authoritatively specify what these val- confused about it, and have thought, spoken, and ues are? Also, hardly any two people would likely taught others as if SRV were sufcient to answer end up teaching the same SRV, since their val- all problems of human service, and all the prob- ues would shape and possibly even distort it, and lems that social devaluation wreaks on individuals soon there would be as many SRVs as there are and on social systems. Another way of putting it is people teaching and writing on it. that while SRV draws on so much empiricism and On this one limitation or constraint of SRV, social science, it actually forces people to go into see the two chapters on “Te Relationship of So- the non-empirical realm, and to do so very explic- cial Role Valorization Teory to Worldviews and itly, to clarify their own values and how these will Values” and “Values Issues and Other Non-Em- shape what they do with the knowledge provided pirical Issues Tat Are Brought Into Sharp Focus by SRV. It brings value-based decisions out into by, or at, Occasions Where Social Role Valoriza- the open, rather than letting them be hidden. All tion is Taught or Implemented” in Wolfensberg- this means that if a party wants to use SRV on be- er, 2012a. half of some devalued or at-risk person or group, it is incumbent on that party to say so, and why. SRV is a Complex and Multi-Faceted Scheme, And, if a party decides not to make use of the and is Not Easy to Fully Grasp and Implement scientifcally valid knowledge that SRV spells out, Another limitation of SRV is that it is very then the onus is also on that party to say so, and complex and multi-faceted. It can be stated fair- why–that is, to say what in their “religions” tells ly simply, but its defnition yields a wealth of them to not employ SRV, or do things that are implications and, as we have explained already, role-degrading rather than role-valorizing, at least some of these will confict with others at least for specifc parties in specifc instances. at some times. SRV is intellectually demand- July 2015 13 ing to understand, and challenging to imple- ers, and/or will defnitely receive the good things ment. Specifc elements of SRV may be easy to of life. All sorts of complicating factors will play understand and to convey to others (e.g., how a part in whether that consequence ensues, in- role expectancies are conveyed by the physical cluding how many valued roles the party holds, environment, that people tend to imitate those how positively valued these valued roles are, how with whom they positively identify), but SRV prominent and known they are, whether the party does not lend itself to automated, simplistic ap- also holds any devalued roles, and if so, which ones plication, let alone application based on short, and how many such devalued roles, whether the catchy slogans. For one thing, its implementa- competencies the party possesses are seen as ftting tion requires attentiveness and responsiveness to to the valued roles and sufcient for successful car- many socio-cultural realities (we will say more rying out of the roles, etc. Also, it is very probable about these in the section on “Teoretically At- that there are some people who will withhold from tainable SRV Benefts Are Both Linked to, but a particular party good will, respect, opportunities Also Constrained by, What is Valued in the So- and other good things of life, no matter how many cial Context of the Reference Culture”). But valued roles that party holds. many parties yearn for simple and even simplis- So no role-valorizing measures guarantee suc- tic schemes. cess. What such measures do is improve or maxi- However, we also see this limitation of SRV mize the odds in a party’s favor, rather than leav- as a strength, because complex problems–such ing them stacked against the party. as that of social devaluation–require complex However, our own religions tell us that it would solutions, or at least complex forms of address. be foolish to not employ a strategy that betters the Simple solutions do not get to the root of a com- chances that a party will enjoy the good things plex problem, and typically get defeated because in life just because the strategy only improves the the complexity of the problem springs surprises chances but does not guarantee success. (We also that the simplicity is not equipped to anticipate believe many gamblers would agree with us on and handle. this point, and are quite willing to put our con- jecture to an empirical test!) The Relationship Between SRV Measures and Predicted Outcomes is Only Probabilistic SRV is Only Relevant Where There is a Social Another SRV limitation is that even if all role- Context, i.e., Other People valorizing measures were implemented, and im- As is implied in the concept of social roles, SRV plemented to a near-perfect ideal for a particular is only relevant in social contexts, meaning where party, there is no guarantee that this would bring there are other people who can accord or with- the good things of life to that party. SRV reports hold valued roles and the good things of life for and posits probabilities, and explains how to in- a party. Imagine a person shipwrecked alone on crease and decrease them. Specifcally, SRV says an uninhabited island, like the fctional Robin- that the chances for positive outcomes (getting son Crusoe was at frst, where there is no one else the good things of life) are increased by adopting around either to value or devalue the person, to role-valorizing measures, and that the chances for accord the person valued or devalued roles, and negative outcomes (being wounded) are increased to do or provide anything to or for the person. by role-degrading measures. What will make a diference for the shipwrecked But there are never any guarantees or certainties person then are such things as whether he or she that even when a party does get to hold valued has certain qualities and competencies that will roles, that the party will either be valued by oth- enable him or her to survive, and perhaps escape 14 The SRV JOURNAL the island and return to social contexts. Even if can range from a very small circle to the entirety the lone shipwrecked person were highly valued of a society. by people elsewhere, that may be of no beneft to Whatever is the reference culture, its values the person–except perhaps in increasing the likeli- will limit what SRV can accomplish within it. hood of rescue if rescue is possible. For instance, suppose a particular culture plac- Perhaps this limitation looks rather academic, es very high value on intellectual competence; in that readers may not be able to imagine many in that case, many valued roles in that culture situations in which there is no social context. will probably not be available to intellectually However, it is worth remembering that each of us impaired people, because chances are high that ultimately lives and dies with ourselves. For some many of that culture’s valued roles will require people, this may be terribly concrete, as in the good intelligence. However, that same culture case of a person in solitary confnement for long may also hold other values that would permit periods of time, or even in the case of some home- intellectually impaired people to hold other less people who are total recluses. Unless and until valued roles, perhaps ones that rely more on a there is a social context for them, any good or bad physical competency, or on relationship, or on things that they experience will have other sourc- appearance, or on wealth. Similarly, suppose es, such as accidents of nature, their own thought a culture places very high value on physical processes, and possibly their religions. strength and prowess; in that case, people who are weak, physically handicapped, chronically Theoretically Attainable SRV Benefts Are ill, etc., will have a hard time getting valued role Both Linked to, but Also Constrained by, niches in that culture, much harder than they What is Valued in the Social Context of the would in a culture that does not place such a Reference Culture high premium on physical strength. However, The last inherent limitation of SRV that again, there may be yet other values in that cul- we will present is that SRV is referenced to the ture that could enable physically limited people values of whatever is the social context one is to secure valued roles that are not so tied to trying to address. In other words, SRV can only physical prowess. work with the values that prevail in the refer- Te fact that potential SRV benefts are linked ence culture at issue, and thus SRV cannot–and to the reference culture is expressed in six ways. cannot be expected to–achieve more than what Who can likely beneft from role-valorization in these values will support or endorse. In order to a particular social context. Te values held by a understand this limitation, let us note that, as particular reference culture will determine what we said, SRV is always employed within a so- it devalues, who it devalues, to some degree how cial context, what we sometimes call a “reference many such devalued people there are, and who culture.” Tis term refers to the party or parties would therefore likely beneft from role-valorizing whose valuation of another party one is interest- measures within that culture. ed in afecting or changing. For instance, within What will need to be done to role-valorize a party a school, there is usually a peer reference culture, in a particular social context. Te values of a refer- and one may want to change the attitudes of the ence culture will also determine what has to be peer culture to value more positively one or two done in order to role-valorize people within it. students in the school. Tere is also a culture of For instance, if a reference culture values certain teachers and administrators, and perhaps it is kinds of clothing and body adornments, then they whose valuation of particular students one people within it could be role-valorized if they is interested in afecting. Te reference culture wore clothing and body adornments that this July 2015 15 reference culture considers enhancing. Another ence culture will also afect which role-valorizing possible role-valorization strategy in that culture measures are likely to clash with each other. For would be to do things that diminish the impor- instance, in a culture where there is hardly any tance attached to the clothing and body adorn- zoning of areas by function (e.g., one neighbor- ments, so that people who have less access to these hood zoned for residential usage, another neigh- will be less likely to be devalued in that culture. borhood zoned for industry), then a service might How difcult role-valorization of a party will be be located in any one of many diferent neigh- in a particular social context. Cultural values will borhoods without risking to look out of place. also afect how hard it will be to achieve role- But in a culture where many neighborhoods are valorization of specifc people within the culture. strictly zoned, there may be few neighborhoods For instance, in the culture where certain clothes where a particular kind of service will “ft in”–and and body adornments are considered important, yet these few neighborhoods where it fts in may a great deal might be done to improve people’s not be neighborhoods that have good access to personal appearance, and doing so may not be resources. So a potential clash between access to all that difcult. But where height is given much resources and ftting into a certain type of neigh- importance, not too much can be done to stretch borhood is less likely to arise in one kind of cul- short people, and even less to shorten those who ture, and more likely to arise in another culture. are too tall–“short of” Procrustean measures, and How justifable a role-valorization measure is in many people’s values would rule those out! Te terms of the implementer’s values. Some cultures role-valorizing options will be largely limited to hold values that an implementer of SRV rejects, using devices and equipment to give the illusion of or that are even objectively decadent in the sense height to short people, and to trying to reduce the that the values are destructive of those who hold importance the culture gives to height, and explor- them and live by them. What does an SRV im- ing other values in that culture to capitalize upon. plementer do when role-valorization in a par- Te variety of role-valorizing options that are avail- ticular culture appears to mean fostering people able in a particular social context. Reference cultures into roles and role elements that the implementer will vary in the variety of options they aford for considers immoral, or that are even destructive role-valorization. Cultures that tend to be value-ho- by objective criteria? mogeneous will have fewer such options than cul- As is elaborated in more detail in other contexts, tures that are value-heterogeneous: in the one, there both in writing (e.g., Wolfensberger, 1994) and in are simply fewer values to capitalize on, and fewer teaching events, Western societies are indeed in- sub-cultures that hold diferent values to which one creasingly becoming decadent. Tey have rejected might turn. (But note that while value diversity age-old enduring moral principles–principles that afords more values to capitalize on for role-valo- have shown themselves, empirically, to be good rization, at the same time diversity of population for societies; and they have instead de facto (even if characteristics–including of values held by people not fully explicitly) adopted a value system that is within the population–will, at a certain point, strain materialistic, individualistic, hedonistic, and utili- or even overwhelm the collective assimilation po- tarian. (Again, we elaborate this in much detail tential for toleration and adaptive assimilation of in other teaching contexts, such as the aforemen- diference, and this strain eventually harms adaptive tioned fve-day workshop on threats to the lives of social functioning. Tus, diversity cannot be said to devalued people, and the seven-day workshop on be an unmitigated role-valorization blessing.) how to function with personal moral coherency Which role-valorizing measures will confict with in a disfunctional world.) In this value system, the each other in a particular social context. Te refer- material realm is treated as the only reality, and 16 The SRV JOURNAL material goods and processes are seen as of high- crooked politicians, sexually licentious dissolutes, est importance; each individual is exalted as his or etc.? Will there not be less and less for a dissident her own god, and this legitimizes whatever any in- from such values to draw upon within that cul- dividual chooses to do regardless of cost to others; ture for the good of devalued people? the pursuit of unfettered autonomy and sensualis- Due to the complexity of SRV, the answer to tic pleasure are held up as the highest goods; and this question is not a simple “no” or “yes,” but the value of anything–including human beings–is a more nuanced “on the one hand” and “on the judged in terms of how much beneft or pleasure other,” as we will now explain. they give to others, and/or how much they cost, First, on the one hand, even during a shift from and specifcally to the particular individual mak- more healthy and adaptive values towards less ing the judgment. healthy and adaptive values, people will still con- We said earlier that there is an objective element tinue to adhere–at least for a time, and at least on to declaring value systems decadent, in that deca- a verbal, intellectual or even sentimental level–to dent values are destructive in a number of ways. certain ideals of past values. For instance, in West- Tey cannot and do not foster a sense of com- ern societies, there are historic values derived from munity and of identifcation among people. Tey our Judeo-Christian heritage that are still widely- cannot deal with the reality of the inevitability of enough idealized to be able to support some non- sufering in every human life. Tey cannot and decadent valued social roles and life conditions for do not promote mutual compassion and help, es- many devalued groups. For example, many peo- pecially in the face of unalleviable sufering. Tey ple still believe in being merciful and kind, even cannot and do not encourage self-sacrifce by each at some inconvenience to themselves; in helping member of society for the sake of others, includ- people who are less competent; in the importance ing future generations. Tey cannot and do not of hard work; in fellowship among all humans; and aford a place of honor, value or even mere tol- so forth. Tus, during this shift, it may be possible erance to people who are aficted, sufering and for some time for an SRV implementer to con- whose existence makes demands on others, espe- tinue to appeal to these earlier ideals, even though cially others who are more valued. Instead, such such values may for all practical purposes be only a values promote and encourage selfshness, greed, memory in the lives of most people in that culture. licentiousness and a ruthless disregard for the wel- Also, while some values in a values-decadent fare of others–indeed, they legitimize getting rid society will generate some valued roles that an of others (if need be, by making them dead) if SRV implementer might judge morally reprehen- these others stand in the way of some party’s own sible, such as “libertine,” “hedonist,” “materialist,” self-maximization. “idler,” “war merchant,” etc., there may be other If our assessment of the value direction of our values in it that can be drawn upon for roles such society is correct–i.e., if Western societal values as “friend,” “neighbor,” “teacher,” “hard worker.” truly are becoming increasingly decadent–then SRV can still be useful towards the acquisition of what of capitalizing upon its values in order to these and other roles that an implementer does enable societally devalued people to access val- not fnd morally reprehensible. ued roles within such a debased culture? Would Now comes the “on the other hand” part of the not any such roles in it be bound to be decadent answer to the question whether SRV is relevant themselves? In such a culture, will role-valorizing in such a culture. Namely, even in the presence people mean helping them to become selfsh indi- of overwhelming value decadence, there are still vidualistic self-maximizers, drug-addicted celeb- role-valorizing strategies that could be employed rities, thieving investment brokers and bankers, to exert some change on societal values them- July 2015 17 selves. For instance, as competent students of certain people who would otherwise be devalued. SRV will remember, the role-valorization strategy In other words, one may have to try to engineer of enhancing people’s social image involves at least a value shift either to earlier values that had been eventually changing the perceptions of others to- rejected and that presumably were positively rel- wards the persons at issue (including others who evant, or to newer values that are positively rel- are close to and involved in the life of the persons evant. Te task for an implementer is to identify at issue), and this in turn involves changing the what valued roles and role elements are available, bases on which people are accorded low or high achievable, and/or ascribable to a devalued party, value by others. Let us take working to improve and that one’s values have judged to be good and the social image of older persons as an example. wholesome, and then do what one can to imple- By juxtaposing older people with positively im- ment role-valorizing measures within the various aged associations, it is likely that older people constraints of the values of a culture. would become more positively perceived, mean- Of course, it should always be kept in mind that ing in turn that society no longer gives so much though an SRV implementer might not value cer- importance to such things as youth and vigor, tain roles or want them for him or herself, there young looks, perfect health, total competence may be nothing objectionable about societally de- and independence, and productivity. In other valued people pursuing such roles for themselves. words, improving the image of elderly people For instance, based on their religion, a person may also results in some value change, even if slight. decide to embrace voluntary poverty and all the Similarly, helping mentally competent people to role elements that go with that, but this does not positively identify with mentally impaired ones is mean that people who have been involuntarily poor likely, over time, to result in at least some change should be prevented from aspiring to possessions in the societal devaluation and rejection of such and the role elements that go with that. Similarly, impaired persons, devaluation which may have the role of soldier is at least somewhat valued by its source in the demands and inconvenience they most people most of the time in most societies, in- cause to others. cluding in most Western societies today. In some, Our guess is that even in a decadent culture, it is highly valued, and even considered a necessary there will always be some things to do to role-valo- rite of passage, such as in Israel. Te soldier role rize devalued people without ofending against all can have many SRV advantages, including that it sorts of non-decadent, adaptive or traditional val- can be anywhere from somewhat to very compe- ue systems. At least some members in any society tency-enhancing for those who fll it. Indeed, there can be called to (new) values that would counter is much testimony and other evidence to the efect the mistreatment of otherwise devalued people. that becoming a soldier saved a person from a life What all this means is that those who want to of idleness or criminality. However, some people ensconce devalued or marginal people into val- are opposed to soldiery on moral grounds, and may ued social roles need to think about putting into therefore decide not to support devalued people in place, and/or defending, values which can accom- pursuing the role of soldier, even though it could modate positive role niches for such persons. In have positive SRV impacts on their lives. some instances, this could mean defending cer- By the way, there is no need to agree with our tain values that are still held or that traditionally judgment about the current state of values in used to have a strong place in society, or preserv- Western societies in order to see that SRV imple- ing them against deterioration. In other instances, menters have to make judgments about how they it will mean introducing altogether new values value the values of a particular reference culture, into the society that can enable valued roles for and how–if at all–to capitalize on these. 18 The SRV JOURNAL

Limitations or Constraints That one diference between SRV and the ideology (in Are Not Inherent in SRV, But Are our terms, religion) of “inclusion” which says that Created by Factors Outside It people “ought” to “be included,” and which at here are also some limitations or con- least on occasion would override the rights or wel- straints of SRV that we might say are acci- fare of all parties other than the “included” one. dental, rather than inherent. We will now Keep in mind that SRV defnes valued per- Treview four of those. sonal social integration and participation as par- ticipation by a devalued party in ordinary places Measures That Are Role-Valorizing for One and activities of life, with ordinary or even val- Party May Clash with the Interests, Welfare, ued persons, where this participation is valued and/or “Rights” of Another Party by the parties. Obviously, according to this def- Earlier, we explained that SRV measures on be- nition, not everybody at all times can be fully in- half of some party may confict with each other in tegrated, and nor does SRV teach that everyone specifc instances. Tis point is related but diferent, can, though some proponents of SRV, and of namely, sometimes SRV measures on behalf of one normalization before it, have mistakenly taught party can clash with the interests, welfare or rights this. Nor does SRV distill down to, or even re- of another party. In such clashes, the religions of quire, social integration. Much role-valorization implementers will de facto be invoked to resolve can be done even in contexts that are not social- the confict, i.e., to decide whose interests ought to ly integrated; for example, see the chapter “Te prevail, how far, and why. In fact, we recommend Application of Social Role Valorization Princi- that in these kinds of situations, the “if this ... then ples to Criminal & Other Detentive Settings” in that” considerations for making SRV decisions be Wolfensberger, 2012a. reviewed and resolved (see Wolfensberger, 1995, re- Further, servers, service administrators, even printed in 2013), e.g., “if this party’s rights or inter- entire service systems, may put their own in- ests are overridden, then what will be the outcome, terests (including the interests of powerful in- in the short- and the long-term?”. dustries) above those of the people served, and A good example of this constraint occurs when they are particularly apt to do so when they a party that is currently segregated from valued also hold negative (devaluing) attitudes to- society might be included in or assimilated into wards those they serve. And it is a fact that it, but only at the cost of somehow jeopardizing at least a certain proportion of service workers the assimilators or a yet other party, or only at a do harbor negative attitudes towards those they signifcant fnancial price. In such instances, once serve, and therefore do not want to do things again, one has to go beyond and “above” SRV (in that are of beneft to the people they serve. efect, to religion) to decide whether and how far to pursue the assimilation. For instance, ought a Any Social Context is Only Able to Convey particular student to be integrated into a regular What It Has to Convey classroom if doing so means the other students The capacity of valued social roles to de- will not receive the high quality of academic in- liver the good things of life is constrained by any struction that they would have received if the stu- limitations on these good things that others have dent were absent? Or, ought a particular student at their disposal to ofer or convey. For instance, to be integrated into regular school if doing so at times of extremity, such as during warfare, eats up so many fnancial and personnel resources epidemics, or following a natural disaster, the re- that other students are deprived of things that sources of the social context may be exhausted. they need? Tis particular constraint underlines People may have no possessions left to share, July 2015 19 and may even be so reduced in health, vitality, advocacy of various kinds, perhaps new legislation mentality and emotion that they have little or that enables new kinds of services, are all exam- nothing to ofer to others. Even people in valued ples of additional change agentry measures that roles in such contexts may receive very few good may be needed. Again, it is beyond the scope of things of life; perhaps the only good thing of life this article to review these–we merely point out that may come to them is a feeling of fellowship that it is a limit of SRV that it does not encompass in shared sufering. all the social change measures–but we can refer Further, and relatedly, if there is no shared interested parties to a chapter entitled “Issues of consensus in a culture on what is right, then Change Agentry in the Teaching, Dissemination passing a law or going to law cannot wring a & Implementation of Social Role Valorization” in right out of people who are unwilling to extend Wolfensberger, 2012a. it (see Wolfensberger, 2012b, on the many limits of the law). There May be Practical Obstacles That Limit Te reason it is important to explicate this What SRV Can Do constraint is because people in afuent West- SRV may also be limited or constrained by ern societies have a mind-set that expects end- whatever practical obstacles there may be in spe- less material goods, including high technology, cifc instances to implementation of what, in the- and cannot imagine a time when they cannot ory, is possible. Tese obstacles consist largely of be had, and cannot be given, because they do the non-programmatic features that receive much not exist. Similarly, people in afuent law-based coverage in SRV training: things like laws, hiring societies have become accustomed to going to restrictions or requirements, union rules, funding law to demand what they want, and seem not constraints, lack of technical knowledge, lack of to have deeply thought about what law cannot skilled personnel, earlier decisions made by people give–and especially what law cannot give in so- no longer on the scene but still in efect, political cieties that are very reduced due to conditions pressures, etc. Such obstacles may exist within or such as noted above. outside of a service. Implementing SRV on more than an occasional or sporadic basis would require SRV Measures Will Efect Societal Change, changes in many of these non-programmatic fea- but Other Measures Are Also Needed to tures that so often determine what services do, Change Society but that contribute to role-degradation rather As noted above, SRV measures will change so- than role-valorization of the people being served. ciety, as they mitigate negative valuations, enable About some such obstacles, something may people to identify with others from whom they be able to be done; in fact, what might be able might have been distantiated, and show that more to be done is to pursue some of the non-SRV can be expected of devalued people than previ- change measures briefy noted under the previ- ously thought–and that devalued people will rise ous heading, for instance, a law that interferes to the expectations and be more productive, con- with role-valorizing measures might be over- tributive, etc. turned, and a law that enables such measures However, other social change measures that go might be passed. But implementers have to de- beyond SRV are also required to change societ- cide whether they want to invest resources in ies and service systems to be more role-valorizing. overturning such obstacles, whether the time Dissemination of ideas, leadership in implemen- it will take to do so is worth it, whether they tation, modeling and demonstration of innovative themselves are the right parties to reform these programs, systematic messaging via public media, obstacles, etc. 20 The SRV JOURNAL

Limitations or Constraints That Are a Mix- son why neither SRV, nor any other theoretical ture of Inherent in SRV Itself, and Contrib- schema or high-order belief system, can be expect- uted to by Circumstances Outside of SRV ed to once and for all defeat devaluation, or over- he last two limitations of SRV we come all negative attitudes and negative behavior. will review have both inherent and ac- Te challenge is to fnd ways of helping people to cidental or outside-of-SRV elements. overcome the baser parts of their nature as much Tey both have to do with the fact that some as possible, and to behave in the “least worst” way afictions, devaluations and wounds will not possible within the confnes of their nature. And yield even to the best-implemented SRV mea- to that end, SRV can give much guidance. sures. Tese limitations are important to review Also, we must recognize that no matter how because a mind-set and expectancy has been positive a society’s values, every society will have engendered in contemporary people that all devalued people. Tey may be the same people problems can be solved, and that any party (for who are also devalued in a diferent culture that instance, a government) or any scheme (for in- holds some diferent values. For instance, one so- stance, SRV) that fails to solve all problems is ciety at one time may devalue the elderly because defective, untrue and should be rejected for one it places a high value on youth and newness; an- that promises “solutions” for everything. other society, or that same society at a diferent time, may devalue the elderly because it values No Scheme Will Ever Overcome All Adversity, health and beauty, and sees the elderly as sick or All Human Failings and unattractive. Similarly, people who are men- Partially related to several of the limitations tally retarded might be devalued in one society covered already is that nature and human beings that highly values intellectuality; in another so- are such that humankind will always be beset by ciety, they may be devalued because a high value afiction, social devaluation and wounding. Nei- is placed on productivity and contribution to the ther SRV, nor any other scientifc enterprise, nor common material welfare, which retarded people any economic or political system, nor any reli- are less likely to be able to make. Even in a soci- gion, will ever do away with these things as long as ety where generally adaptive values prevail, there there are humans. Many people would take issue will still be devalued people. Also, let us state very with us on this point, mainly because it challenges clearly that even if devaluation towards one class some of their “religious” beliefs, yet the empirical is improved, there will be devaluation of others. evidence for it is massive. Also, given the stratifying nature of all human In fact, even on the entirely empirical level, collectivities, no culture can be expected to em- including the long history of humans which has brace values that will provide valued roles for aforded ample opportunity for observation of people of every conceivable identity, appearance, human behavior in many diferent cultures over level of ability or impairment, racial membership, time, there is every reason to conclude that hu- etc., etc. mans fnd it impossible not to form social stereo- We should also note that while SRV can do types, and equally impossible not to act–at least much to alleviate the wounding that comes from occasionally–in accord with their stereotypes, devaluation and is an expression of it, nonetheless though they may do so very unconsciously. Tis SRV is limited in its ability to address all sorts of is another of the painful realities about human na- woundings which are not the expression of deval- ture that we are stuck with and that a wise SRV uation. After all, many wounds are simply an in- implementer–or even merely a sane and rational evitable part of life, and will be visited upon every one–has to face, like it or not. It is one more rea- single person on this earth, even on people who July 2015 21 are highly valued. For instance, many physical im- the limits and constraints of SRV, they reject it pairments come not from devaluation but from and go in search of something that will satisfy accidents; many relationship discontinuities are their desire. Also, and as noted earlier, because the result of natural death; people may become SRV is virtually of meta-theory scope, many peo- poor due to their own unwise decisions and ways ple keep treating it as if it were a religion, and of living; etc. could answer questions that it cannot. And the reality of human afiction, and especially of the Some People’s Wounds Will Defeat harms that humans do to each other, is so awful All SRV Eforts that SRV measures have looked puny in compari- A second limitation under this heading is that son. All in all then, some people abandon SRV even in the best of all possible non-utopian so- for what they think are more promising schemes– cieties, there will always be people who are so so often false religions, as noted above, that make wounded that even the best eforts to address false promises–rather than to accept the harsh these wounds will have limited impact, and this but liberating truth that our human condition is regardless whether these eforts are based on SRV, very imperfect, as are even the best of our cre- some other empirical scheme, or a religion. Again, ations and inventions. this is one of the sad realities of our very imperfect We want to reiterate something we said at the world and human condition. beginning of this article, namely we have not While we acknowledge this as a limitation, we written it to discourage people from implement- do not see SRV as defective because it cannot re- ing SRV, or from trying to get out of it all that mediate what is irremediable about the human they can in terms of the good things of life for a estate. On this issue, it is not SRV but our own devalued or at-risk party. But one needs to be real- religion that clashes with all sorts of other reli- istic about what SRV can and cannot accomplish, gious schemes that do promise utopian outcomes which may help one be more appreciative of what if only enough people would embrace them. All it can do even when it is implemented only frag- sorts of materialistic philosophies (Marxism has mentarily and on a limited basis. We should use been a good example), some ideologies of diver- SRV for what it can do, and not throw it out be- sity and multi-culturalism, the contemporary cause it does not solve all problems, or because it materialistic, hedonistic, individualistic value “only” makes some problems less worse than they complex we reviewed earlier, and many explicit were without it. In some circumstances, merely religions, make false promises of perfection along less worse is a real accomplishment. • these lines. Unfortunately, there is no reason to believe that there will ever be an end to such false REFERENCES religions because people are always very happy to Wolfensberger, W. (1994). A personal interpretation of the hear, believe, and embrace them. mental retardation scene in light of the “signs of the times.” Mental Retardation, 32(1), 19-33. Conclusion any of these constraints we have Wolfensberger, W. (1995, reprinted 2013). An “if this, then that” formulation of decisions related to Social Role Valo- reviewed have been difcult for even rization as a better way of interpreting it to people. Mental SRV trainers and implementers to ac- Retardation, 33(3), 163-169. Reprinted in Wolfensberger, Mcept. People keep wishing, and even pretending, W. (2013), A brief introduction to Social Role Valorization: that some day humans will come up with an in- A high-order concept for addressing the plight of societally de- genious solution–and a simple one, at that–to all valued people, and for structuring human services (4th ed.). Plantagenet, Ontario, Canada: Valor Press, 183-201. problems. If they believe this, then when they see 22 The SRV JOURNAL

Wolfensberger, W. (1999). A workshop on advanced issues Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Training Institute for in Social Role Valorization. Unpublished material. Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry.

Wolfensberger, W. (2010). Some further thoughts on the Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. (2007). PASSING: A tool limits and capabilities of Social Role Valorization. Te SRV for analyzing service quality according to Social Role Valoriza- Journal, 5(2), 15-16. tion criteria. Ratings manual (3rd rev. ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Training Institute for Human Service Wolfensberger, W. (2012a). Advanced issues in Social Role Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. Valorization theory. Plantagenet, Ontario, Canada: Valor

Press. SuSan ThomaS is the Training Coordinator for the Train- ing Institute for Human Service Planning, Leadership Wolfensberger, W. (2012b). Te limitations of the law in hu- & Change Agentry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY man services (rev. ed.). Plantagenet, Ontario, Canada: Valor (US). She is the co-author of PASSING. JOE OSBURN directs Press. the Safeguards Initiative in Indianapolis, IN, USA & is a member of the North American SRV Council. Wolfensberger, W. (2013). A brief introduction to Social Role Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of societally devalued people, and for structuring human services THE CITATION FOR THIS ARTICLE IS (4th ed.). Plantagenet, Ontario, Canada: Valor Press. Tomas, S. & Osburn, J. (2015). Some limitations of, & constraints on, Social Role Valorization. Te SRV Journal, Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. (2005). Te SRV-10 train- 10(1), 6–22. ing package for conducting introductory SRV workshops.

A NOTE ON THE WORD ‘RESPITE’ Respite is a fairly common term in some human service felds, though with variant meanings, as pointed out in an article in the inaugural issue of this Journal: “ ‘Respite’ is a term that at frst seems clear but has a number of subtle meanings. It shifts from respite as use of time, to respite as a geographical location ... At a more practical level, Ingram (n.d.) suggests that ‘respite’ refers to short term, temporary care provided to people with disabilities to provide relief to families from the daily routine of caregiving” (from pages 14-15 of Armstrong, J. & Shevellar, L. (2006). Re- thinking respite. Te SRV Journal, 1(1), 14-25). Respite can be used both as a noun (meaning extension of time, interval of rest, leisure, tem- porary cessation of labor or sufering) and as a verb (meaning to delay, to relieve by an interval of rest). Its origins come from Latin, through French and Middle English. Te Latin roots can mean respect and regard, as well as refuge. Tese meanings provide some relevant food for thought in terms of SRV implementation. For example, the culturally valued analogue concept within SRV can help to provide direction for respite that is more likely to contribute to positive respect and regard for a devalued person, and his or her family, from others. Also, SRV implementers can con- sider: how do people with typical and valued social status fnd ‘respite’? In what ways can ‘respite’ be provided so that it actually is a refuge, rather than a service option that contributes to deindi- vidualization or to the devalued client role?

Source information from the Oxford English Dictionary Richard & His Roles: An A-typical Experience Rebekah Hutchinson

Introduction an apartment building, and has always worked graduated from a Developmental Services to earn an income, taking great pride in his role Worker program in Ontario last year and I of ‘employee.’ have been overwhelmed by the amount of de- My earliest memories of Richard involve play- valuationI and wounding I have come across, even ing video games with him in my brother’s room, in the short time I have been a part of the Devel- my brother and I laughing until our stomachs opmental Services world. My college placements hurt due to Richard’s response to his own lack of for the program introduced me to person after gaming skills. Richard was laughing just as hard as person, heavily burdened by devalued roles–and we were, cracking jokes the entire time about his it seemed as though each new person I met had inexperience. But Richard had no problem with more wounds than the last. us laughing along with him–in fact, I think he In general, when I think about the lives of men, enjoyed having such a responsive audience. And women and even children I’ve met who have a when we got carried away with our giggles, Rich- developmental disability, one of the frst things ard just shook his head, wearing a grin on his face. that comes to mind is how impacted they are by My parents were in the kitchen preparing lunch. a lack of valued roles–especially when the person It was a Sunday, and Richard had come over after is connected to a human service agency. In these church to share a meal with us. Tis was not an cases, where people have grown accustomed to uncommon occurrence. holding mostly devalued roles, the addition of a My parents know Richard through church, where valued role to their life would have the potential he holds the valued role of ‘member.’ Richard is well- to change their world drastically. liked by his church family. He attends services faith- For the purpose of this entry, however, I fully and helps with collecting ofering and counting would like to tell the story of a friend of mine to those in attendance for the church’s records. Another whom the exact opposite of the above-described role of Richard’s is ‘trusted friend,’ hence my parents scenario occurred. leaving their two young children in a bedroom with him for an hour while they prepared lunch–some- Richard and His Roles thing they would not have done had they not known ichard is a man in his early ffties with Richard’s character. But they are strongly aware of a developmental disability. His disabil- his integrity, honesty and loving heart. ity is mild, and he is a very hard-work- I grew up with Richard being a part of our fam- ing,R competent person. He lives on his own, in ily. He would always, and still always, attends spe- 24 The SRV JOURNAL cial events such as holiday meals, birthday cele- One winter afternoon, as he was pushing a chain brations and super-bowl parties. And I know that of carts through the parking lot, Richard slipped Richard has friendships with other valued people and fell on a patch of ice, seriously hurting his that he met through church–friends who share knee. Out of embarrassment, Richard did not in- his love of hockey and enjoy the competition of form anyone of what had happened. He fnished cheering for rival teams. Richard has clearly flled his shift, later to fnd out that he had fractured a many valued roles–employee, friend, church- small bone in his knee and needed a cast. Surely member, tenant, supervisor of goofy, hyper chil- after the incident, some co-worker must have no- dren, and the list goes on. ticed a limp in his step, what with him having a You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned broken bone and all. But not a single person asked anything about Richard’s family. Te main rea- if he was okay. What an evidently easy opportuni- son is that I don’t know much about them. I do ty for interpersonal identifcation (Wolfensberger, know that he was close with his mother, who died 1998) that was! Everyone has experienced physi- around ten years ago. But besides that, I only cal pain of some sort, and how hard is it to show know that Richard tells us his relationships with a sliver of compassion by merely asking, “Are you his siblings aren’t great and I don’t know that he alright?” But no one stepped up to the plate. So ever had a father fgure. He has also never had a Richard walked around on a damaged leg–only wife or children. aggravating the injury further. When friends of Richard’s became aware of Richard’s Employment Experiences what had happened, you can imagine their anger. n order to convey some of the damage Some of these friends approached management at that’s been done to Richard’s pride as well as the store, bringing up the fact that Richard had to the ratio of his valued roles against his de- been forced to work in unsafe working condi- valuedI roles, I should frst give a brief overview of tions. Te parking lot and walkway had been cov- his employment experiences. ered in ice, posing a threat to even the most agile From the time I was old enough to say “Rich- of people, and no one had taken the time to salt ard” until about fve years ago, he worked full- or sand the surfaces, or even to explain to Rich- time at a newspaper plant, arranging papers and ard that it needed to be done and ask him to do fyers into their proper order before they were sent the task. Richard’s friends did not get anywhere out for delivery. He would be able to describe his with management, who were ready to ‘cover their job there in much better detail than I just did. But butts’ at any cost. And when the store also refused due to the plant shutting down, Richard found to provide compensation for Richard while he himself without a job and in great distress, as this was recovering from the injury, Richard’s friends had been his source of routine and income for the strongly encouraged him to fnd employment past 15 years. elsewhere. So once again, he was without a job. But Richard, being the hard-working man that he Over the next couple of years, Richard was in is, went out, riding the city bus across town, looking and out of jobs that provided him with minimal for a job to replace the one he’d lost. Before long, shifts and minimal payments. He began receiving he was hired at a grocery store, stocking shelves and fnancial support from his church and his friends. transferring loads of shopping carts from the park- Richard was thankful for the support and for each ing lot back to the store-front. Overall, Richard was job, but was experiencing anxiety on a regular basis satisfed with his new job, despite being talked down as he worried about the unreliability of his income. to by a supervisor who, though he was a co-worker It has been a couple of months since Richard of Richard’s, clearly failed to identify with him. worked. More and more potential employers are July 2015 25 turning Richard away, causing him great discour- (Wolfensberger, 1998), as this doctor looks at agement. During these couple of months expe- him and basically says, “You’re handicapped. Tis riencing unemployment, Richard’s close friends is the group I am putting you in, and this is how referred him to an employment service that gave I will identify you.” Richard a boost of confdence, as it provided him Te reason I say that I fnd Richard’s response with the opportunity to learn how to operate a surprising is that it shocks me to know that he computer and search for information using the has lived for ffty plus years with a developmen- internet–skills that Richard had not been taught tal disability and none of the ever-so-eager ‘pro- previously. Tis boost in confdence, however, fessionals’ in the world have jumped on a label- would not last long, as it did not result in employ- ling opportunity. ment, leading to further discouragement. I am thankful that Richard went so many years Te employment service representatives, as well without a label for two reasons. First, because as Richard’s friends, had some advice to share Richard has been able to enjoy so many of the with him. Tey told Richard that there are f- ‘good things of life’ without restraint–real friends, nancial supports available to people through the belonging to a strong community of faith, having government–he would just have to make a point meaningful employment (at some points) and “be- of pursuing these supports, at least for the time- ing able to contribute and have his contributions being, as he had become a bit more desperate for recognized as valuable” (Wolfensberger, Tomas money. Te employment agency referred Rich- & Caruso, 1996). And secondly, I am thankful ard to a ‘doctor’ in order for an assessment to be because his story proves the incredible infuence completed. And this is where things got especially that roles play in a person’s life. Had Richard been rocky for Richard. labelled with a disability earlier in life (which he probably was at some point, but not with enough The Diagnosis certainty that he was aware of it), it is very likely have been able to experience Richard’s reac- that he would never have gone on to fll the val- tion to what happened with the doctor frst ued roles that he has, as he would have been sub- hand, and I fnd his response to be, as con- jected to the typical treatments of people labelled tradictoryI as it may sound, both surprising and “disabled”–being congregated, segregated, viewed unsurprising. Te description to follow brings us through negative historical mindsets, and so on to the state of our present-day Richard. (Wolfensberger, 1998). Te doctor has completed an assessment of Richard, and shares this news with him: “You Conclusion have a handicap.” Tinking that Richard will fnd he devastation in Richard’s response relief in this statement because it will entitle him to being told he has a disability was also to fnancial assistance, this doctor has it all wrong. not surprising to me. Our western soci- Richard is not relieved. He is heart-broken. De- Tety, as a whole, recognizes the negative stigmas spite not being formally trained in Social Role that come along with having any type of disabil- Valorization, or even having an understanding of ity, and people hope that they and their loved the terminology, Richard recognizes the damag- ones will never have to be put in this negatively- ing efects of being assigned to a devalued role. viewed category. But the truth is that people al- Even just hearing the words “you’re handicapped” ready in the ‘disabled’ category recognize, just as has wounded this bright man. He is being sub- well as their neighbours do, the negative impact jected to the wound of ‘loss of control,’ and more this role will have (or probably already has) on specifcally, experiencing ‘deindividualization’ their lives. 26 The SRV JOURNAL

As Wolfensberger states, “Some devalued peo- ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Training Institute for ple are deeply ashamed of their devalued identity Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. and wish that they could escape it” (2010, p. 58). Wolfensberger, W. (2010). Social Role Valorization news & Tis is defnitely true of my friend Richard. In reviews. Te SRV Journal, 5(1), 56-70. an efort to help, his friends and community ser- vice providers have actually introduced him to the Wolfensberger, W., Tomas, S. & Caruso, G. (1996). Some world of hurt that comes along with labels and of the universal ‘good things of life’ which the implementa- devaluation. My prayer is that Richard will fnd tion of Social Role Valorization can be expected to make more accessible to devalued people. SRV/VRS: Te Interna- a way to stay focused on his valued roles, to con- tional Social Role Valorization Journal/La Revue Internatio- tinue identifying with valued people, and that as a nale de la Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux, 2(2), 12–14. result, his new devalued roles will diminish in his mind and that in his life, they will play the most REBEKAH HUTCHINSON is a graduate from a Developmental Ser- minimal role possible. • vices Worker college program, currently working as a Personal Sup- port Worker for a home health care agency in London, Ontario. REFERENCES THE CITATION FOR THIS ARTICLE IS Wolfensberger, W. (1998). A brief introduction to Social Role Hutchinson, R. (2015). Richard & his roles: An a-typical Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of so- experience. Te SRV Journal, 10(1), 23–26. cietally devalued people, and for structuring human services (3rd From Cranky to Feisty: Difcult, Lonely Old Lady to Interesting, Engaged Elder Tom Doody

“Nate and Tom from North Quabbin Citizen Ad- to make a positive diference in the protégé’s life, vocacy introduced me to Penny. We liked each other including a decrease in devalued roles and more right away. Penny’s an independent, feisty 90-year opportunity for valued roles. old with a reputation of being tough to deal with. Ann, a retired school teacher and community I knew that trying to help her out would be a chal- activist, responded positively when NQCA ap- lenge, but it would also be good.” ~ Ann, advocate proached her about being an advocate. Her be- liefs resonated with what the program ofered orth Quabbin Citizen Advocacy during her orientation. She entered into the role (NQCA) is a Citizen Advocacy program of advocate with Penny as her protégé based in that initiates and supports freely-given part on her own beliefs, and in part based on the Nrelationships between a person in devalued status preparation from the Citizen Advocacy program (the protégé) and a competent local citizen (the described above. advocate). Advocates are encouraged to: Penny is a feisty, straight-talking older woman t
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told when being recruited was confrmed as she is vulnerability. learned more about the challenges facing Penny. Te major issues facing Penny when the two A Citizen Advocacy program recruits and orients women met included straightening out health advocates—mostly before they meet their protégé. insurance, getting needed medical care, handling If advocate orientation is done well, it communi- paperwork, and addressing loneliness. cates positive role expectancies about the protégé. Te dominant roles that Penny held were cranky Tis is done by reporting basic realities of devalu- old lady, marginal neighbor, estranged family mem- ation, using positive image and role communica- ber, uninsured sick person, and failing, lonely elder. tors, and ofering the advocate complementary Ann and Penny started out by getting to know role expectations for their relationship with the each other—going out to lunch, doing errands, protégé. If this preparation resonates with the pro- visiting at each other’s homes, and having lots of spective advocate, the advocate is well positioned good, fun conversation. Tey also worked on get- 28 The SRV JOURNAL ting Penny needed medical care. Before receiving Te role of incompetent old lady was supplanted specialty services, there needed to be clearance by an efective protégé and partner role as Ann and from a general practitioner. Before the clearance, Penny worked together in managing her afairs. the insurance needed to be straightened out. To Te role of victim (to the scammers) was weakened get the insurance fxed, confusions about the through persistent advice—even pressure—to Penny spelling of Penny’s last name had to be resolved. from her advocate. Te role of lonely old lady was After several adventures (including frst trips to diminished—in part through time spent with Ann doctors in a long time), Penny fnally underwent and Ann’s friends, in part by Penny’s increased abil- minor surgery and the results were good. ity to get out on her own, and in part by the regular As they were getting to know each other, Penny phone calls between the women. and Ann developed complementary roles as shopping It was frustrating for Ann because there were so companions, lunch buddies, guests in each other’s many problems that they couldn’t all be resolved. homes, and new friends. With Ann’s support, Penny One advocate—any one person—just can’t be and entered into roles as insured person, respected patient, do everything a person needs. Ann noted that it’s and friend. Her role as cranky old lady was redefned a good thing there are other people and organiza- to being a plain speaker, bluntly honest at times— tions to help out. Neighborly help and services much like Ann, her advocate, is a plain speaker. from programs needed to be arranged. To get this Another whole set of adventures involved shop- done, Ann found that encouragement and sup- ping. Food shopping was great—Penny and Ann port from others—like the workers at NQCA— agreed about the kinds of food people should eat. really helped. Clothes shopping was another matter—they had Te role of desperate, lonely old lady was again disagreements, even arguments, about how to deal diminished as Ann helped arrange some additional with sales people, whether to try things on, and services that assisted Penny to stay in her own apart- giving clothes away as soon as they got home. It’s ment. Te roles of client and patient were broad- a good thing that they spoke their minds, got past ened, but in ways that were helpful and did not come struggles, and managed to laugh at themselves. to defne Penny. Going shopping together gave Penny a broadened Lots of things got fxed—like health care, shop- role as shopper. In the grocery store and at meals, ping, phone access, and scam mail. Penny started her roles as healthy shopper and healthy eater were knitting again. Ann and Penny had lots of good strengthened and became more public. Her failing, times together. Tey communicated with each lonely old lady role evolved toward being an engaged, other on a good level and had great conversations. assertive, entertaining shopping companion and an It was rewarding to them both to know that they enjoyable friend. Even though she was interacting in lived in a community where there’s somebody the same ways, she was coming to be seen as feisty around for the person in need. rather than cranky. Several of Penny’s devalued roles were diminished, Ann remarked that it’s hard to imagine any reframed or eliminated. Several valued roles were older person managing all the business of life on broadened, reintroduced or created. Life was still their own. Tere’s all the paperwork, transporta- hard for Penny, but the presence of one advocate, tion issues, and people hassles. Tere’s handling involved in several diferent ways, made a signif- the mail and phone calls, including people look- cant diference. ing to scam vulnerable elders. Te elderly are just In the above, we can read the story of two peo- preyed upon so badly. Ten there’s the loneliness, ple and their relationship in the regular print. We isolation, and boredom when there’s not an active can read the same story, in a somewhat more abstract network of family and friends. way involving roles, in the italics. What these two July 2015 29 women became together and did together is the longer live alone. Ann worked with Penny, family story of how they met, what they accomplished members, and the hospital social worker to fgure together, and what they came to mean to each out what to do. One of Penny’s grandsons (who other. Reading the story a second time through had not been actively involved) wanted Penny the role changes is instructive as a way to more to move somewhere near him. Ann brought the fully understand the role-valorizing impact of grandson and the hospital people together to their relationship. work on getting Penny a new place to live that Reading about the role changes also serves to ex- was close to family. Ann helped arrange for get- emplify how roles work. Te frst thing to change ting Penny’s things moved and closing out her was the advocate’s understanding of who Penny lease on her old apartment. is. Tis shaped a far more positive set of role ex- Te last big role change Ann helped bring to pectancies, and a rejection of several of the ste- Penny was to foster the initial steps in moving reotypical negative expectations that had come to from an estranged family member role to that dominate Penny’s life. Te positive expectations of supported family elder. Distance will make it (and actions derived from them) changed several much harder for Ann to support Penny and her of Penny’s roles, and therefore aforded her op- family in deepening their relationships and fam- portunities for more of the good things in life, de- ily roles. Ann plans to use the telephone, and an creased the severity of some of her wounding life occasional day-long trip, to preserve her friend- experiences, and had a major impact in decreasing ship with Penny. Doing this will preserve their her vulnerability. complementary roles as caring friends. Ann also Te changes in Penny’s roles also impacted oth- plans to be in touch with Penny’s family to en- ers who came into contact with her. Ann’s friends courage and support them. It remains to be seen and personal connections got to know Penny how the more valued roles Ann helped Penny to largely through her advocate—and of course occupy will translate into her new living situation, through Ann’s expectations and the roles that she including her broadening roles with family. It re- helped to shape for Penny. While Penny hadn’t mains to be seen how well the new living situation changed much (she was still cranky/feisty), others’ will work out in other ways. What is sure is that responses to her were increasingly positive. Fur- the diminishment of past devalued roles, and the ther, other people (like other regulars in the local increase in valued roles, made it likely that Penny cofee shop, clerks in local stores, and even doc- will be less vulnerable to bad things happening, tors) knew that Ann would be there to help Penny and more likely to experience the good things in if she had trouble—and to help others in working life. • things out if they had a problem with Penny. Having a friend/advocate, getting practical help, TOM DOODY has been personally & professionally involved and being in an improved role situation did not with people who have disabilities for over 40 years. He was make everything right for Penny. She still faced a long-term associate of Dr. Wolfensberger & continues to teach his ideas. Tom’s other work revolves around relationship lots of challenges and was very vulnerable. But she building & social integration. As a coordinator with North was not alone in facing troubles when they came. Quabbin Citizen Advocacy, Tom had the opportunity to re- Tis winter, Penny fell and broke her wrist and cruit & introduce Penny & Ann, & continues to have the her leg pretty badly. Ann helped her get needed honor of providing background support to their relationship. medical care, visited in the hospital, met with hospital staf, and made contact with Penny’s THE CITATION FOR THIS ARTICLE IS family. With the increased limitations Penny now Doody, T. (2015). From cranky to feisty: Difcult, lonely old lady to interesting, engaged elder. Te SRV Journal, faced, there was real concern that Penny could no 10(1), 27–29. Resetting the Mindset by Choosing “Theories” That Help Rather Than Harm

Ray Lemay Introduction they are hardly observable directly or measurable; People’s perceptions and behaviors are but it is all very much about the observer, rather largely controlled by the mind-sets and ex- than the person being observed. pectancies they hold. What one party expects Teories of the other are infuenced by much “that another party is like, or expects will or will that goes on around the person (devalued or not)– not happen, or believes that a party can or cannot what others say about and to the other person, the do, will strongly infuence what the frst party will opportunities provided or denied, the roles that even perceive, what sorts of opportunities it will are occupied, etc. SRV puts the emphasis on the aford to the other, and so on. For instance, if one circumstances that lead to and exacerbate devalu- has a strong mind-set that a person or class is re- ation–the adversity, wounds and societal dynam- ally subhuman and cannot grow or learn, then ev- ics, etc. However, individual responses to such idence that the person or group is actually grow- overwhelming adversity are probabilistic, and one ing and developing may not even be perceived or of the factors that should be taken into account, believed, and such evidence may therefore not when considering the impact of devaluation and impact on one’s attitudes and behavior” (Wolfen- wounding, are people’s self theories–their mind- sberger, 2013, p. 133). sets about themselves–that are much more in the Wolfensberger uses the term “mind-set” in a subjective realm. particular way to describe the state of mind that Much is going on in the mind of the devalued one has about the capacity of another person lead- person, in our minds and in the minds of other ing to the communication of expectations. It is, in observers. We are all constantly giving meaning a sense, the theory we hold of the other. Tough to our lives and we all construct self theories that the notion of mind-sets pervades SRV, it is only encompass our beliefs about ourselves, others and referenced to explain expectancies of others, and the world. Tese theories are (in)formed by the indeed there are few places where SRV spends self theories of others (as these self theories get much time on intra-psychic–or subjective–phe- expressed in a variety of behaviors) and by cir- nomena. For instance, in his section on how per- cumstances. For instance, in times of adversity, ception is evaluative, Wolfensberger describes a the “failure set” is the mind-set of an individual number of “flters” that end up making our per- who has experienced a lot of what seems to be ception subjective–and one of these flters is made inescapable adversity and who holds (as we shall up of our experiences, beliefs, etc. Tese are con- see) a negative theory of self. One can however sidered objectively, somehow as externalities, but imagine (indeed, we often meet) individuals who July 2015 31 have positive self theories and who are coping suc- Te path to personal development requires, cessfully with a lot of adversity–such persons seem among other things, successful skill acquisition unlikely to develop a failure set. and performance mastery. However, certain be- Carol Dweck (2000) in her book on “Teories liefs (or mind-sets) about how best to go about of the Self” provides a cogent and well-docu- promoting personal development that are wide- mented description of what goes on in our minds spread amongst parents, teachers and other pro- and how such theories–our mind-set–come fessionals are at odds with research. It would about and their daily impact on our lives. Te seem that our tendency to value intelligence theories we hold about ourselves and others can (particularly IQ) and give easy praise will most do good or ill, lead to good outcomes or bad out- assuredly backfre; Dweck shows that a number comes. Moreover, and this is key, we can change of our common beliefs are simply not supported our minds (and mind-sets), and help change the by the evidence: minds of others. Indeed, the teaching of Social t
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Troughout the book, Dweck provides research On the other hand, people who hold an incre- examples that highlight that the frst theory is fne mental theory of ability are more likely to face for coping with easy performance tasks. In el- failure as a necessary stage in the process of de- ementary school, for instance, both theories seem velopment–a learning opportunity, a step towards benign. But when tasks require efort, persistence, mastery. Such a mind-set leads individuals to view and where there is a high likelihood of failure, the each failure as a learning opportunity, because the fxed theory of intelligence is very likely to lead its point is not so much demonstrating mastery as it adherents to failure. is learning and, in a sense, earning mastery. Such Tough SRV is applicable universally to people people are less likely to feel helpless. who are systematically disadvantaged, it is often Observing a young child learning to stand and closely associated to people with cognitive im- then walk–with many falls punctuating each at- pairments where intelligence–IQ–is viewed as tempt–one can appreciate that a robust belief in very important. It is quite possible that in the incremental theories is at the heart of much learn- ‘intellectual developmental disabilities’ feld we ing, and that such beliefs are, early on, part of the have perversely put too much importance on human make-up. But as we shall see, it is possible IQ and cognitive ability, thus making such con- to lose the faith. structs into a fxed and unchangeable reality. As we shall see, there is a clear advantage in believing Performance Versus Learning Goals that intelligence and other traits can be changed, (Looking Smarter Versus Getting Smarter) i.e., improved. ixed entity theorists think they are smart and want to look smart. Tus they perform a Helpessness Versus Mastery task for all to see (to earn praise), and cannot t is not so much about success, but rather Fabide failure. Incremental theorists posit learning how we view failure. Dweck and her many goals in order to master new skills. Failure for the colleagues cited throughout this book identi- frst group leads to helplessness, but for the second fIed two distinct reactions to failure: one is help- it will provoke renewed efort; these are two very lessness (as described by Seligman [1972] in his diferent ways of coming into the same activity seminal work, a construct very close to the “fail- where the goals are fundamentally diferent. Citing ure set”) where individuals view failures as beyond a series of elegant studies, Dweck shows that it is their control, retreat from the task at hand, and the person’s theory that predicts (causes) the choice such experiences then afect future performance. of the goal, and the outcome. Fixed entity theorists People with a fxed view of intelligence are much want to show what they have, whereas incremental- more likely to feel helpless in the face of failure. ists choose to try something that will be a challenge For example, high performing individuals who and increase the likelihood of short-term failure. are fxed entity theorists will expect each perfor- Some children “feel smart” when they demon- mance to end in success, and given past successes strate intelligence and show that they can eas- and past praise about their ability, they will tend ily accomplish something, whereas others “feel to view failure very personally. It will lead such smart” when they do something difcult. Easy persons to limit risk-taking (failure avoidance) praise and praising intelligence leads children to when it comes to performing new tasks. One can the wrong theory of intelligence. imagine that for individuals with limited ability Such self-theories of intelligence: this failure avoidance might lead to a performance t
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SFBD- belief about the malleability of such entities; that tions to negative events. nurture can have a dramatic impact. Tat is the point of the developmental model–the human Teories of intelligence are changeable, as shown being, even an individual with important impair- in stereotype threat studies of African-Americans ments, is a remarkably adaptive organism–indi- (Steele, Spencer & Aronson, 2002), where teach- viduals develop and can change. So when an in- ing an incremental theory will help individuals dividual who seems cognitively limited, presents overcome the threat of the stereotype of racially challenges or is not doing well, do we dwell on linked low performance–the broadly held theory nature–the fxed entity–or do we exploit nurture, that African-Americans are less intelligent than and provide the opportunities and circumstances other racial groups; the stereotype is so powerful for positive development? Which belief or mind- that it leads African-Americans to perform less set will be the most useful? Which belief will lead well in testing situations. But a bit of teaching to the most creativity, efort and persistence? about the malleability of intelligence can counter- act the efect of the stereotype. It is good for in- What is Intelligence and IQ? dividuals to believe that they can be smarter than any people start with the belief that they think they are (or than other people tell them intelligence is innate–a fxed entity. they are). It is instructive that personal theories Tis, Dweck suggests, was not a belief can trump strongly and broadly held stereotypes. Mheld by the originator of IQ testing, Alfred Binet, Having confdence in one’s abilities and expe- who designed the IQ test to determine who was riencing success are again not enough to ensure not beneftting from schooling. His purpose was long-term success. It comes back to how a person to identify kids who needed help to thrive. Binet explains to him/herself (one’s ongoing conversa- was an incrementalist. Te appropriate theory to tion with one’s self–one’s stream of conscious- hold is that intelligence is a combination of abil- ness) such success, and the type of evidence that ity and efort, but mostly efort. T e American is marshaled to support such confdence. Con- inventor, Tomas Edison, suggested that genius fdence in one’s intelligence is a good predictor was 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Dweck of success if the task is not difcult, but in the points out that what intelligence is, is a hotly de- face of difculty such confdence is fragile. Tese bated subject and that it is difcult to defne. diferences start showing up when schooling be- Dweck suggests that a better question is: “What comes more technically difcult, especially in is the most useful way of thinking about intelli- middle and high school. If the self-explanation gence and what are the consequences of adoption ends up being “this is the way I am,” then the of one view over another?” (p. 63). person is likely to end up as a passive victim of To the question “can we measure intellectual po- circumstances, rather than as an active agent of tential?” (p. 60), the author answers a resounding self-change and self-development. no; and this is quite consistent with SRV assump- It is not, however, a question of whether a self tions concerning the developmental model. We theory is true or false, but whether it is positive or can try to predict future performance (not poten- negative, useful or harmful. Indeed, what is the tial) but even then the margins of error are large “truth” about intelligence or personality? Tere is even for academic success; intelligence is useless little doubt that they are determined by a com- to predict life success. Indeed, SRV teaches that bination of endowment (nature) and experience we can glimpse an individual’s potential when (nurture). Tere is not much to be done about na- its life circumstances are optimal–and we should 34 The SRV JOURNAL now add, if that person holds an incrementalist discussions I’ve had with child welfare and men- theory of ability. tal health professionals about children with Fetal J.R. Flynn in 2007, a big name in intelligence Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) and other testing, wrote a very accessible article on the IQ problems (Addictions, ODD and Tourette’s come controversy that ends up suggesting that IQ is to mind). Children and youth diagnosed with never a measure of potential (not a fxed entity) FASD are viewed as damaged for life–the intra- but rather a measure of realized intelligence that is uterine experience of alcohol setting in cement very much dependent on opportunity; better op- once and forever a damaged intelligence and portunities and we can all become smarter–that is problems of self-regulation. Tere is much here something worth believing in. So it would seem that resembles the fundamental attribution error, that for intelligence at least (as measured by I.Q.), where trait factors are overvalued and situational a malleable theory is not only more useful, it is factors are ignored or discounted. It is worth not- quite likely true. ing that much research puts the lie to the pessi- mistic (fxed entity) claims about the potential of Fixed or Malleable Personality? children with FASD (Jacobson et al., 2004; Olson t seems that this fxed versus malleable et al., 2009), where development is much more mind-set (theory) is not only applicable to in- afected by parental lifestyle and competence after telligence but also to personality. Tus, a fxed birth than alcohol-induced intrauterine trauma. theoryI of personality (‘I’m born that way’) leads to It was the same story for the so-called “crack- helplessness in difcult or novel social situations, baby” epidemic in the 1990s (Okie, 2009); these with social failure leading to depression. Tis ap- children ended up doing very well, and as a group plies to ourselves and also to the theories we hold were statistically indistinguishable from the gen- about other people. People with fxed entity theo- eral population. ries will tend to judge and label others quickly, It would seem that incremental theories based and will be unlikely to revise such judgments. as they are on a view that intelligence and other Fixed entity theorists tend to believe that a single personal traits are malleable fts reality much bet- incident reveals a person’s underlying character. ter, because contrary to what entity theory would It is intriguing to apply such concepts to the predict, much of the research shows that people growing trend of labeling an individual’s prob- can change their theories of self, and can also lem (of behavior, thought or emotion) with di- overcome developmental and life challenges and agnoses that tend to be viewed as fxed entities achieve successful lives, even after past adversity by many if not most professionals and by the cli- and failure. On the nature-nurture debate, self ents-patients themselves. What is the likelihood theories are on the side of nurture, along with of change when overwhelmingly we accept such child development researchers such as Jerome labels as chronic diseases? Fixed or entity theories Kagan (2000) and Urie Bronfenbrenner (2005). cannot be developmental because they are inured Tere is no denying nature, but theories of self are to the idea of developmental failure; that is the yet another epi-genetic factor that greatly infu- way such and such (read diagnostic label) is, and ences development. always will be. Indeed, Dweck demonstrates that our beliefs about the potential of ourselves and The Origins of Self Theories others to change predicts our own change and the hildren develop self theories very likelihood of ofering opportunities for change to early on. Te feedback of adults (par- others. Entity theorists give up on themselves and ents and teachers) lays the foundation on others. I cannot help but recall a number of Cfor such theories, and such feedback likely comes July 2015 35 from the adults’ own implicit theories. Te way future as FASD, ODD, ADD, ADHD, ID, ASD, in which we praise and criticize will shape how ad nauseam. children view themselves and their developmen- Efort praise seems quite prosaic and even mun- tal progress. Praising (or criticizing) a child’s traits dane, and yet as Dweck shows it is a more appro- (beauty, intelligence, goodness, etc.) sets the child priate and fulsome form of praise: up to believe that his good performance is inevita- ble and not really in his or her control, but rather But efort and strategy praise when given in simply how the child is, and their fortuitous ge- the right way can be highly appreciative of a netic endowment. Feedback that focuses on strat- child’s accomplishments. If a child paints a egy and efort, on the other hand, leads children lovely picture we can ask about and admire to view themselves as agents of change, and that how he or she selected the colors, formed the the performance per se is less important than the images, or created textures. If a child solves judicious choices and eforts that are deployed. a series of difcult math problems, we can Tis holds true for intellectual tasks as well as for ask with admiration what strategies she or displaying required behaviours. Children who re- he used and we can admire the concentra- ceive strategy-focused feedback are more likely to tion that went into it. If children write display self-control and self-regulation. Children wonderful stories, we can ask them with who receive global praise or trait-related praise admiration how they came up with the in- tend to develop a contingent feeling of self-worth, teresting characters and story line. We can that their self-worth is conditional on their con- ask them how they made certain decisions tinued success. In the face of failure such positive at diferent points, and we can speculate self-appraisal is shattered–such children expect re- with them about what might happen next. jection when they fail. In many ways, this kind of “process” dis- Praising intelligence (“you’re really smart”) will cussion is much more appreciative of what backfre. Dweck points out that we often misin- the child has done than person praise. Per- terpret the Pygmalion efect studies (Rosenthal son praise essentially ignores the essence, the & Jacobson, 1968), concluding that they sup- true merit, of what was accomplished, and port praising intelligence when in fact they are appreciates the work only as a refection of about creating theories of positive change in the some ability. minds of teachers who were told, in the experi- What about times when there is no ef- mental condition, that the children in their classes fort to praise? A student has done something were “likely to bloom.” With the belief of change quickly, easily, and perfectly. Tis is really a planted in their minds, teachers proceeded to time when we are sorely tempted to give in- provide these children with enriched opportuni- telligence praise. But instead, as I suggested ties and conditions for learning and development. earlier, we should apologize to the student for On average, the IQs of these children increased wasting his or her time with something that signifcantly–again, proof of the malleability of was not challenging enough to learn any- IQ. One of the striking features of this research thing from. We should not make easy success- is how the expectations of one party (in this case es into the pinnacle of accomplishment and teachers) can have a determining impact on an- we should not be teaching our children that other party, the students. I cannot but help refect low-efort products are what they should be on the fact that “likely to bloom” (LTB) is an un- most proud of. We should direct them into likely diagnosis that could never rival in serious- more proftable activities where their time ness with such well established destroyers of the will be better invested. (p. 121) 36 The SRV JOURNAL

Praising intelligence and personal traits are to be of themselves (they are active agents) and failure is avoided, but will not do any damage if the person viewed as a challenge to surmount. An incremen- on the receiving end holds frm to their personal talist theory of development seems to be a require- theory of incremental growth. ment for the successful exercise of one’s free will, self-regulation and deployment of autonomy. Te Self-esteem developmentally inspired prediction that I need to weck points out that self-esteem is a make is not that I’ll succeed, but rather that I will problematic concept. Te self-esteem learn from the experience and try (try) again. movement requires adults to provide ego-boostingD feedback and orchestrate easy suc- Linking Self Theories to Other Theories and cesses, where positives are exaggerated and failures Approaches, Especially Self-efcacy are sugar-coated; this form of self-esteem requires weck suggests that her approach is with- that we distort reality and even lie. It is, howev- in the broad “social cognitive theory” espe- er “a recipe for anger, bitterness, and self-doubt cially concerning how people set up mean- when the world doesn’t fall over itself trying to ingD systems. Tere are resemblances with a variety make them feel good the way parents and teach- of “attribution theories,” including Seligman’s work ers did” (p. 128). Moreover, such children are cast on explanatory styles (how we explain events to our- into competing for a fnite amount of self-esteem; selves) and learned optimism (Seligman, 1993). and are in competition not to be better but against Te most striking overlap might be with “self- others to be the best. With entity theory there are efcacy theory” (Bandura, 1998; Maddux, 2002), winners and losers. where a person’s mind-set plays an important role Entity theorists feel good about themselves in mastering new competencies, and in personal when they do things quickly, efortlessly and development generally. error-free. Incremental theorists feel good about themselves when they are trying hard, have mas- Self-efcacy beliefs are my beliefs about tered something independently, or are helping what I am capable of doing. Self-efcacy is someone else. Tus there are two very diferent not self-esteem... A self-efcacy belief, sim- types of self-esteem that are related to the two ply put, is the belief that I can perform the theories of intelligence and success. behavior that produces the outcome. Self- efcacy is not a personality trait. Most con- The Purpose of Self Theories ceptions of competence and control–includ- eferencing George Kelly’s Personal Con- ing self-esteem, locus of control, optimism, struct Teory, Dweck points out “that one hope, hardiness, and learned resourceful- of the primary functions of belief systems ness–are conceived as traits or traitlike. isR to give us the sense that we can predict what will Self-efcacy is defned and measured not happen” (p. 132). As the author points out a bit fur- as a trait but as beliefs about the ability ther on (p. 151), entity theories are simple-minded to coordinate skills and abilities to attain and comfortable. However, when the predictions desired goals in particular domains and cir- turn out to be erroneous, and failure ensues, the cumstances. (Maddux, 2002, p. 278) self pays dearly. Incremental theorists make pro- visional predictions where they are active shapers Self-efcacy is not a genetically endowed of the outcome. Entity theorists view themselves trait. Instead, self-efcacy beliefs develop as passive and reactive (victims when things go over time and through experience. (Mad- awry), but incremental theorists have agentic views dux, 2002, p. 279) July 2015 37

Tus a person’s beliefs are malleable or not and success in certain situations. “Trough their be- can lead to self-efcacy or self-inefcacy. Bandura havior and expressed ways of thinking, competent makes the point that optimistic beliefs of efcacy models transmit knowledge and teach observers ef- lead to persistence, which is essential when one fective skills and strategies for managing environ- considers how much rejection and difculty one mental demands. Acquisition of better means rais- must face in one’s life. Te author argues that over- es perceived self-efcacy” (Bandura, 1998, p. 3). estimating one’s capabilities is of great value as it 3. Social persuasion including verbal persua- increases people’s aspirations and striving. Indeed, sion, where one is encouraged and persuaded it is this constant overestimating of one’s capabili- to mobilize greater efort, particularly when one ties that most probably leads to human develop- harbors self-doubts. Bandura suggests that it’s ment, i.e., improving competence demands taking easier to discourage through verbal persuasion on the risk of trying to do things that one has not then to encourage. done before. Personal development is assuredly 4. Comparison: It’s important for persons to about mastering one new skill after another: at- measure their efectiveness based on personal tempting a new task that one has not done before improvement rather than on some form of so- is based at least in part on one’s previous successes. cial standard. Self-efcacy beliefs are about per- sonal growth. If people experience only easy successes they 5. Mood, afect and emotional states also in- come to expect quick results and are easily crease or diminish a person’s perceived self-ef- discouraged by failure. A resilient sense of cacy. “It is not the sheer intensity of emotional efcacy requires experience in overcoming and physical reactions that is important but rather obstacles through perseverant efort. Some how they are perceived and interpreted” (Bandu- setbacks and difculties in human pursuits ra, 1998, p. 3). serve a useful purpose in teaching that suc- cess usually requires sustained efort. After Self Theories and SRV people become convinced they have what he concept of self theories is also con- it takes to succeed, they persevere in the gruent with SRV and its suggestion that face of adversity and quickly rebound from adversity (wounds) can lead to a failure setbacks. By sticking it out through tough Tset; it is worth isolating and considering the per- times, they emerge stronger from adversity. son’s self theory as a factor to address through in- (Bandura, 1998, pp. 2-3) tervention. For people labeled developmentally disabled or, for that matter, most other diagnos- Bandura (1998) describes fve sources of self- tic categories (think FASD again), it is likely that efcacy as including: the development of entity theories is normative, 1. Experience: Being competent in certain situ- given the low expectations that overwhelmingly ations, achieving success and having mastery ex- accompany such diagnoses, thus becoming an ad- periences all lead to people believing that they ditional wounding experience. have personal self-efcacy. Bandura suggests that Tere is also considerable overlap with SRV’s what is needed is a resilient sense of self-efcacy position on developmental potential and its em- where one is led to overcome obstacles through phasis on developmental growth, rather than perseverance. Tis means that a person has expe- achievement per se, and with the emphasis in rienced success, not cheaply, but through efort. SRV on contextual circumstances as inhibitors 2. Vicarious experiences: By seeing models that or promoters of personal development. SRV’s have a perceived similarity to the person achieve espousal of the expectancy construct about the 38 The SRV JOURNAL remarkable gains that individuals can achieve is apart from, rather than associated with, also congruent. Moreover, SRV’s goal of enhanc- the person. Te person who is the object of ing and multiplying valued social roles in order to devaluation will thus be rejected, separated maximize access to well being (good things of life) and excluded. And all sorts of good things makes clear that the person will likely develop and which are enjoyed by valued persons will be blossom when the contextual circumstances have withheld from, or taken from, a devalued been improved. Moreover, this is all quite con- person, including supportive relationships, sistent with resilience theory (Clarke & Clarke, respect, autonomy and participation in the 2000) and its emphasis on a return to positive de- activities of valued persons. (Wolfensberger, velopmental trajectory when adversity and nega- 2013, p. 22) tive contextual circumstances are ended. Social Role Valorization theory also posits the What is Missing? concept of mind-sets as fundamental and in a weck makes no claims as to the com- way that calls to mind self theories, or theories prehensiveness of her theory. It doesn’t of the other. explain all the sources of developmental successD or failure. One important factor that is Mind-sets and expectancies related to po- not discussed, except in a very indirect way, is the tential for growth and development that infuence of context and opportunity. Obviously are consistent with SRV are: that all people, the “others” feedback is part of the context, but no matter how impaired or oppressed, have context is much broader and must include other a capacity for growth and change; and that tangible sources such as (dis)advantage, poverty, this capacity is much greater than most peo- lack of social support, the presence of develop- ple realize, than is evident from a person’s mental challenges and opportunities, and much current life conditions and functioning, and else. Te presence (or absence) of the “good things than is elicited from the vast majority of of life” (Wolfensberger, Tomas & Caruso, 1996) people by their life circumstances. A related or objective well-being, are the necessary precon- mind-set is that it is more adaptive to as- ditions for positive development and fourish- sume–until shown otherwise–that a person ing. Social devaluation (Wolfensberger, 2013), a can learn, can be taught, can do something, contextual factor of some import for members of than to start of with the assumption that a marginalized groups, leads to social exclusion and person cannot perform or learn something. a marked diminishment of well-being that sig- (Wolfensberger, 2013, p. 134) nifcantly reduce opportunities for development, and create negative stereotypes that produce self- Dweck partially addresses this in her discussion fulflling prophecies of failure. of stereotype threat for African-Americans (see above), where research has shown that a deliber- A person perceived by society to be of low ate strategy of teaching a contrary (incremental- value is then apt to be treated in ways ist) theory of development can lead to better out- which refect this perception: the person is comes. But it is likely that it is not only the theory apt to be aforded low quality housing, poor but also the concomitant opportunities that must schooling or no education at all, low pay- be present to ensure the efect. For the members ing and low-prestige employment (if em- of many marginalized groups–who are dependent ployment at all), and health care of poor on others for access to developmental opportuni- quality. Many other people will want to be ties–such circumstances are still not present, and July 2015 39 devaluation and social prejudice continue to pre- Maria Montessori (1870-1952), the education vent people from achieving their potential, and reformer, who was much infuenced by the work indeed increases the likelihood of developmental of both Itard and Séguin, frst worked with chil- failure and poor life outcomes. Tinking of chil- dren with intellectual disabilities, became con- dren and youth in the care of the state who are la- vinced that children could do much more and beled with one of the familiar diagnoses of gloom, better, and went on to apply her revolutionary such as FASD, reminds me of that card-carrying approaches to engaging students (her scientifc entity theorist, Inspector Javert–in Les Misérables– pedagogy) to children and youth generally. Upon and his relentless pursuit of Jean Valjean because returning from his tour of Scandinavian services “once a thief always a thief.” Te human service in the 1960s, and his own experiences in Ne- system also has its relentless Inspector Javerts who braska, Wolfensberger (1972) became convinced relentlessly diagnose and label, and thus convince that activation and normalization could lead to an individual and the people around that he or individuals achieving great developmental gains she cannot grow, learn and change. Obviously the in mobility, skills and intelligence: theory inspires action and intervention, and such ideas have consequences. I found it remarkable that the Scandina- vians could achieve so much ambulation, Self Theories and Human Service Reform mobility, and normalization even without ixed entity theorists would tend to the application of operant conditioning be stuck with the status quo. Indeed, it is which we have come to look upon as our worthy of mention that many of the great only or major tool in improving the compe- Freformers of human service practice held incre- tence of the severely impaired. Furthermore, mentalist beliefs and viewed marginalized groups while much work is done with children, the as malleable and underachieving their poten- Scandinavians, like ourselves, have only be- tial. Certainly that was the case of the Quaker, gun to exploit the plasticity of early child- William Tuke (1732-1822), with his Moral hood for developmental purposes. Treatment and his charting of the remarkable Tese observations have led me to con- developmental progress of individuals who had clude that even the Scandinavians are previously been locked up, and for Philippe Pi- nowhere near the limit of what can be nel (1745-1826) who around the same time un- achieved. Terefore, I have formulated a chained “les aliénés de la Salpétrière.” Te famous bold–perhaps foolhardy–challenge to our- work of Jean-Marc Gaspard Itard (1774-1838) selves: to perceive and embrace a concept with Victor, the wild boy of Aveyron, was based of activation which includes as a major on an abiding belief that the boy, who had been goal the virtually total abolition of immo- long abandoned in the wild, could learn to talk bility, and to a large extent also nonam- and read, and behave appropriately in social set- bulation, of the profoundly retarded and tings, which led to much pedagogic experimenta- multiply handicapped. tion. Edouard Séguin (1812-1880), the French Furthermore, I feel that the facts justify physician, who later emigrated to the USA and the conclusion that the service system which founded what is now the American Association will combine operant shaping techniques, for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities activation, normalization, and intensive (AAIDD), was Itard’s student and further refned emphasis upon the young (age 0-6) im- and developed Itard’s systematic teaching strat- paired child will see successes of a degree egies for people with developmental disabilities. beyond our power to conceptualize at this 40 The SRV JOURNAL

time. Among these successes will also be When serving individuals with disability or dis- the prevention of intellectual retardation advantage, it is quite possible that many human in many severely cerebral palsied children; service practices and programs are predicated on and the raising of intellectual functioning a fxed entity theory of inability and dependence. of many young retarded children by one, Keeping in mind “if this, then that” thinking two, and perhaps even more levels (a level (Wolfensberger, 1995), if the people we serve are having a range of about 15-16 IQ points). not doing well, progressing developmentally, or (p. 127) indeed fourishing, then we should examine our mind-sets and theirs. Taking up and competently Indeed, I recall hearing, at a United Nations’ con- performing social roles requires, at the outset, that ference in 1994, the Swedish physician and re- we believe that an individual has the potential, former, Karl Grunewald (see Grunewald, 1969), and that with practice and support will be able to present population data for Sweden that showed achieve the roles, and that failures along the way convincingly that since the introduction of Nor- are merely the necessary and expected challenges malization in the 1960s, the cohort of people ear- of developing and growing. lier identifed as “mildly intellectually disabled” Here, in conclusion, are just a few action impli- were no longer distinguishable in the population cations that come from these ideas: data, and that other groups had also seen their IQ scores rise signifcantly. Personal Implications To promote change, you have to start with an 1. We should practice mindfulness (conscious- abiding belief in the malleability–the changeabil- ness) and examine our own thought processes ity–of intelligence, personality, people and sys- and mind-sets–our ideas and theories have conse- tems, otherwise why try and especially why persist quences for ourselves and for others. in the face of the inevitable obstacles? 2. We must take seriously the importance of feedback, how we provide it to others and inter- Conclusion pret it when we ourselves receive feedback. here is a rich research and theory base 3. We must, each and every one of us, consciously for many of Wolfensberger’s contentions work at developing an incrementalist theory of per- about mind-sets and expectancies. SRV’s sonal development that views all of our traits as mal- Toriginal contribution to this literature concerns leable, and where growth and mastery are expected. social devaluation and how it should be consid- 4. When we are paralyzed by failure, or de- ered as a factor in exacerbating the efects of mind- pressed, we must examine our deep-rooted as- sets. Mainstream research seems to emphasize the sumptions about our abilities and potential, and if importance of the mind-sets of service recipients, we have defaulted to fxed entity beliefs, we dispute rather than those of observers, but Dweck’s self them strenuously. theories construct is congruent with SRV, and flls 5. We should construct theories that are essen- in an important gap in understanding the dynamic tially useful in promoting development and four- aspects of mind-sets and expectancies. Moreover, ishing and give voice to these in our interactions self theories are an important factor in the devel- with people who surround us and the people we opment of personal agency, a subject that could care about and for. use more development in SRV theory. Self theories have broad applicability in our service work with Intervention Implications all vulnerable clients, our management of human 1. We should practice mindfulness (conscious- resources and, of course, in our personal lives. ness) and examine our own thought processes and July 2015 41 mind-sets, and the assumptions upon which our generation to another. Now Flynn explains why. Scientifc service programs and practices are based; our ideas American Mind, 18(5), 25-31 and theories have consequences for ourselves and Grunewald, K. (1969). A rural county in Sweden: Malmöhus for others. County. In R.B. Kugel & W. Wolfensbeger (Eds.), Changing 2. Negative prognoses, and much of the medi- patterns in residential services for the mentally retarded. Wash- cal model-inspired diagnostic enterprise, have a ington, DC: President’s Committee on Mental Retardation, pernicious efect on the mind-sets of all parties 255-288. involved, and we should systematically reject pes- Jacobson, S.W., Jacobson, J.L., Sokol, R.J., Chiodo, L.M. simistic mind-sets in regards to outcomes. Of & Corobana R. (2004). Maternal age, alcohol abuse his- course, this does not mean that we should adopt tory, and quality of parenting as moderators of the efects of magical thinking, but we must provide everyone prenatal alcohol exposure on 7.5-year intellectual function. involved with a rationale and the resolve to try Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 28(11), and try again. 1732-1745. 3. We must take seriously the importance of Kagan, J. (Fall 2000). Te brain may not be the answer. feedback, especially how we convey feedback to ISUMA, 55-56. others, and how we then enhance opportunities for positive development. Kelly, G. (1955/1963). A theory of personality: Te psychology of personal constructs. 4. We must deliberately adopt incrementalist New York: Norton Library. (developmental) perspectives about all the people Maddux, J.E. (2002). Self-efcacy: Te power of believing we serve. you can. In C.R. Snyder & S.J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook 5. We should frmly believe in the possibility of positive psychology. New York: Oxford University Press, of personal growth and development for all: ev- 277-287. eryone can change–everyone can do well, and we Okie, S. (2009). “Crack babies: Te epidemic that wasn’t.” must never be surprised by the remarkable gains New York Times. 27 January 2009. that individuals can achieve, even individuals with profound cognitive impairments and advanced Olson, H.C., Oti, R., Gelo, J. & Beck, S. (2009). “Family dementia. • matters:’’ Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and the family. Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 15: 235–249. REFERENCES Rosenthal, R. & Jacobson, L. (1968). Pygmalion in the class- Bandura, A. (1994-1998). Self-efcacy. In V.S. Ramach- room: Teacher expectation and pupils’ intellectual development. audran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4). New New York: Rinehart & Winston. York: Academic Press, 71-81. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed.], Encyclopedia of mental health. San Diego: Academic Seligman, M.E.P. (1972). Learned helplessness. Annual Re- Press, 1998). view of Medicine, 23, 407-412.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (Ed). (2005). Making human beings hu- Seligman, M.E.P. (1993). What you can change … and what man: Bioecological perspectives on human development. Tou- you can’t: Te complete guide to successful self-improvement. sand Oaks (CA): Sage Publications. New York: Fawcett Columbine Books.

Clarke, A.M. & Clarke, A.D.B. (2000). Early experience and Steele, C.M., Spencer, S.J. & Aronson, J. (2002). Contend- the life path. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ing with group image: Te psychology of stereotype and social identity threat. Advances in experimental social psychol- Dweck, C. (2000). Self theories: Teir role in motivation, per- ogy, 34, 379-440. sonality, and development. New York: Psychology Press. Whitehead, A.N. (1938). Modes of thought. New York: Flynn, J.R. (2007). Solving the IQ puzzle: Te 20th cen- Free Press. tury saw the “Flynn efect”–massive gains in IQ from one 42 The SRV JOURNAL

Wolfensberger, W. (1972). Te principle of normalization Wolfensberger, W., Tomas, S. & Caruso, G. (1996). Some in human services. Toronto: National Institute on Mental of the universal ‘good things of life’ which the implementa- Retardation. tion of Social Role Valorization can be expected to make more accessible to devalued people. SRV/VRS: Te Interna- Wolfensberger, W. (1995). An “if this, then that” formu- tional Social Role Valorization Journal/La Revue Internatio- lation of decisions related to Social Role Valorization as a nale de la Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux, 2(2), 12–14. better way of interpreting it to people. Mental Retardation, 33(3), 163-169. RAY LEMAY is the former editor of SRV/VRS: Te International Social Role Valorization Journal/La Revue Internationale de la Wolfensberger, W. (2013). A brief introduction to Social Role Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux. Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of societally devalued people, and for structuring human services (4th ed.). Plantagenet, Ontario, Canada: Valor Press. THE CITATION FOR THIS ARTICLE IS Lemay, R. (2015). Resetting the mindset by choosing “theo- ries” that help rather than harm. Te SRV Journal, 10(1), 30–42. July 2015 43

APPEAR:  65 5&5
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5 BY MEANS OF THE APPEAR TOOL a publication by Wolf Wolfensberger† Personal appearance (including so-called ‘self-presentation’) is certainly one of the most immediate, and often also one of the most powerful, infuences on how a person will be perceived and interpreted by others, and in turn, on how others will respond to and treat the person. Personal appearance is also one of the domains of social imagery, which is a big component of Social Role Valorization (SRV): the more observers positively value a person’s appearance, the more likely they are to aford that person opportunities to fll valued roles, and thereby access to the good things in life. Unfortunately, the appearance of many members of societally marginal or devalued classes is far from enhancing, or is even outright repellent to many people, and increases the risk that bad things get done to them, or that good things are withheld from them. Tis 2009 book explains all this. APPEAR is an acronym for A Personal Physical Appear- ance Evaluation And Record. It documents the powerful infuence of personal appearance on attitudes, social valuation and social interactions. Te book explains the many components of personal appearance and the ways in which these features can be changed for better or worse. It also includes a very detailed checklist, called the APPEAR tool, which identifes over 200 sepa- rate elements of personal physical appearance, so that one can review a person’s appearance features from head to toe, noting which are positive, which are neutral, which are negative–all this with a view to perhaps trying to improve selected aspects of a person’s appearance about which something can actually be done. Te book also explains how such an appearance review, or appearance ‘audit,’ would be done. Te book contains a sample APPEAR checklist at the back, and comes with three sepa- rate checklist booklets ready for use in conducting an individual appearance audit. Additional checklists may be ordered separately (see order form on next page). Reading the book, and especially using the APPEAR tool, can be useful as a conscious- ness-raiser about the importance of appearance, and in pointing out areas for possible appearance improvement. An appearance audit using APPEAR can be conducted by a per- son’s service workers, advocates, family members and even by some people for themselves. It could be very useful in individual service and futures-planning sessions, and in getting a person ready for a new activity, role or engagement (for instance, before entering school or going on a job interview). Studying and applying the APPEAR tool can also be a very useful follow-up to Introductory SRV training, as it deepens one’s understanding of image and appearance issues. 44 The SRV JOURNAL

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On a Role

Marc Tumeinski

Introduction methodology, please see the note at the end of The primary purpose of this ongoing column this column. is to explore the key concept of social roles: in Te article authors describe a study of timing regard to (a) learning and teaching about roles, concerning entry into adult roles related to mar- (b) assessing role dynamics (as in PASSING), riage, parenthood and employment. In SRV theo- and (c) working to help societally devalued ry, these adult roles may be understood as big roles people to acquire and maintain socially valued with a broad bandwidth, and thus with a greater roles, with an eye towards greater access to the potential impact for opening the door to the ‘good ‘good things of life’ (Wolfensberger, Tomas & things of life’ (Wolfensberger, 2013, pp. 51-52; Caruso, 1996). Wolfensberger, Tomas & Caruso, 1996; cf. Tu- A careful reading and analysis of a 2014 article meinski, On a role, December 2011; Tumeinski, by Martin et al. about typical young people’s tran- On a role, June 2013). Note as well the focus on sitions into specifc adult roles can help to under- two role domains described in SRV; namely, rela- score the ongoing relevance of Social Role Valori- tionship and occupation (Wolfenberger, 2013, p. zation (SRV) theory–including its potential links 50). Te focus on multiple roles related to mar- with contemporary research–and to highlight sev- riage, parenthood and work is consistent with eral SRV-relevant implementation strategies. Te other studies that describe entry into adulthood article, entitled “Te timing of entry into adult as a process of transitioning into a cluster of adult roles and changes in trajectories of problem be- roles (e.g., Hartmann & Swartz, 2006). haviors during the transition to adulthood,” was Tis question of timing of role entry might prof- published in the journal Developmental Psychology itably be contextualized within the SRV concept in 2014. Te research described in the article may of the culturally valued analogue (Wolfensberger also prove useful in teaching others about SRV. & Tomas, 2007, pp. 30-31). When do people Te research involved people with typical social normatively take on a particular societally valued status but has potential implications for people role? At what ages do adults typically get married of devalued social status, as this column tries to within a particular culture? When do adults nor- demonstrate. While the article describes a single matively begin full-time work in a specifc society? study, and thus is necessarily circumscribed in Cultural norms provide a guideline for when such scope, its implications and lessons are relevant role transitions typically occur, at least within a to many of the theoretical constructs underlying range of normative ages (Martin et al., 2014, p. SRV. For basic details of the research study and 2474; cf. Tumeinski, On a role, 2014). 46 The SRV JOURNAL

Te authors note that the transition period from problematic behaviors typically associated with adolescence to young adulthood has the potential adolescence and young adulthood, such as drug to be a time during which challenging adolescent use, risky driving practices, vandalism, theft, etc. behaviors can escalate into even more seriously (Martin et al., 2014, p. 2473). Tis research focus problematic behaviors. What do the authors pro- ties in with the SRV description of a social role pose in terms of addressing the possibility of esca- as incorporating patterns of behavior (Wolfen- lation, and what SRV lessons can we derive from sberger, 2013, p. 45). By studying the question this study? For SRV purposes, this point might ‘when do young adults typically get married?’, be broadened beyond the question of age-specifc this hypothesis also touches on the concept of negative conduct in typical adolescents to con- age-appropriateness discussed in SRV and PASS- sider the common behavioral response patterns to ING (Wolfensberger & Tomas, 2007, p. 29). certain wounds and clusters of wounds, that is, Te authors categorize the results of their study the problematic ways that some devalued people depending on when a person married: at a young- of any age can act in response to their social deval- er age, around the mean age, and older than the uation and wounding. A frequently asked ques- average age. It should be understood, however, tion in many human services is how to respond to that these three categories all fall within a range of problematic patterns of behavior. typical ages for marriage based on cultural norms Te basic hypothesis of the study is that rela- in the relevant society. Generally, the results re- tively earlier and successful transition into adult ported in the article note that those who married marriage and work roles will likely correlate with earlier than the average age, though still within a disruption, reduction or outright elimination of the norm, stopped problematic behaviors earlier

Invitation to Write Book, Film & Article Reviews From the Editor

I encourage our readers to submit reviews to Te SRV Journal of current flms, books and articles. For people who are studying SRV, looking for everyday examples can help deepen one’s understand- ing. For people who are teaching SRV, learning from and using contemporary examples from the media in one’s teaching can be very instructive for audiences. For people who are implementing SRV, contemporary examples can provide fruitful ideas to learn from. Some books and articles mention SRV specifcally; others do not but are still relevant to SRV. Both are good subjects for reviewing. We have written guidelines for writing book and flm reviews. If you would like to get a copy of either set of guidelines, please let me know at:

Marc Tumeinski Te SRV Journal, 74 Elm Street, Worcester, MA 01609 USA 508.752.3670; [email protected]; www.srvip.org July 2015 47

(Martin et al., 2014, p. 2480). Tose who mar- a correlation that expresses itself over time. Tis ried around the mean age similarly demonstrated caution is consistent with the SRV understand- an efective reduction of socially deviant behavior ing of roles as complex social realities. Roles are (Martin et al., 2014, p. 2480). Additionally, taking comprised of societal patterns of responsibilities, on a role of wife or husband closer to the mean age behaviors, expectations and privileges. Tey are was found to powerfully decrease negative behav- linked with social status and impact on personal iors even more quickly and efectively than those identity. Roles are rooted in social groupings, in- who married earlier than the average. Te authors cluding primary and secondary social systems, and posit that this greater efectiveness may be in part society in general (Wolfensberger, 2013, pp. 45, because such role incumbents are more prepared 103-105). We can thus identify particular roles for and committed to the new role, when they within each role domain that tend to have valued marry closer to the mean age (Martin et al., 2014, social status throughout society, and thus are like- p. 2474). Tose who married later than mean age ly to open the door to greater access to the ‘good often continued to escalate in problem behaviors things of life’ available in that society–although right up until marriage. However, even later mar- the value of particular roles can vary somewhat riage showed rapid decline in typical negative be- within certain subcultures and social systems (cf. haviors associated with young adulthood (Martin Wolfensberger, Tomas & Caruso, 1996). Such et al., 2014, pp. 2475, 2480). Overall, taking on careful societal analysis is key to understanding the new valued role of wife or husband, anytime and implementing SRV. within the typical age range, did correlate with Compared with marriage and parenthood roles, a reduction or elimination of problematic behav- the research found that entry into adult, full-time iors associated with adolescence and young adult- work roles did not result in similar decreases in hood. Once again, this idea of a typical age range problematic behaviors (Martin et al., 2014, p. is consistent with the SRV concept of the cultur- 2482). Tus, according to this study, the role ally valued analogue. domain of relationship had a greater potential Te results of this study relate to one of the to make positive change than the role domain of role goals described by Wolfensberger in the SRV productivity and employment, at least for those monograph, that is, entry into new valued roles moving from adolescence to adulthood. Te au- (Wolfensberger, 2013, p. 113). Rather than fo- thors hypothesized that this may be due to the cusing mechanistically on (negative) behavior, the quality of work that young adults typically fnd, results of this paper imply that it is better to focus i.e., that low paying, insecure or tedious jobs may more fundamentally on adding a new societally not contribute as much to disrupting problem- valued role, such as employee, wife or husband. atic behaviors. Work roles that are satisfying, sta- Acquiring and internalizing new valued social ble and well-compensated may do better at such roles, particularly big ones with a broad band- disruption (Martin et al., 2014, p. 2482). Tis is width, can help to change or replace problematic an example of the SRV strategy of ‘bending over ways of behaving. Tis is a core insight of SRV backwards’ to support the most valued roles pos- theory, teaching and implementation. It also con- sible (Wolfensberger, 2013, p. 153-156). In terms fronts the widespread fxation on behavior and of SRV implementation, this conclusion may also behaviorism in certain human service felds. provide some guidance when considering which Te authors were clear that taking on marriage role domain or domains to focus on with a par- and family roles should not be understood as ticular person or group. simplistically causing a reduction or elimination Why did entry into marriage, parent and work of problematic behaviors. Rather, they point to roles make a positive diference? Te authors pos- 48 The SRV JOURNAL it several reasons (Martin et al., 2014, p. 2474), have contributed to both gaps (in marriage and many of which are consistent with SRV, includ- employment) goes beyond the scope of this col- ing that: umn. (Note that devaluation is likely only one of t
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JOUFSBD- study more broadly. Some examples follow. tions with positive role models In what ways might the above conclusions have relevance to the other role domains, such as rela- I would add that sociologist Robert Merton’s con- tionships other than marriage, residence, leisure, cept of anticipatory socialization (1968) may also civic identity, cultus/values, and culture (Wolfen- contribute to the positive diferences associated sberger, 2013, p. 50)? What valued roles in each with acquiring adult valued roles. In other words, domain are age-specifc? For role domains other those who desire to enter a particular role may than relationship and work, what is the range of begin to change behavior accordingly, in anticipa- typical ages for acquiring specifc, relevant roles? tion of and even prior to acquiring the role. Fur- When do adults in a particular society typically ther, the authors prudently note that it can take take on the role of apartment tenant? How about time to fully enter into and internalize a new role the role of homeowner? At what ages do adults (Martin et al., 2014, p. 2481). In terms of SRV in a specifc culture normatively acquire the role implementation, this is a useful reminder. of museum member or of member of a local re- ligious congregation? What is the range of pos- Other Potential Connections with SRV sible entry ages: younger, mean, and older? Under The focus of the research article and study what circumstances might it be potentially ben- was fairly delimited, in line with its research scope efcial to work towards entry into a valued role and methodology. For SRV purposes, therefore, on the earlier end of the spectrum? What are the it may be fruitful to consider potentially broader potential benefts and consequences of moving relevance to SRV. Te potential links to and im- into a valued role on the later end? And so on. For plications for SRV teaching, theory development those who are teaching about SRV, and/or trying and implementation go beyond the role domains to implement it, such additional considerations of relationships, specifcally marriage in the cit- can be helpful. I encourage readers of Te SRV ed research, and of occupation. Historically, it is Journal to submit articles to the Journal on this clear that not all or even a majority of adults with and related topics. • signifcant intellectual impairments have taken on the role of wife or husband, for example. Addi- Background of Study tionally, full employment, particularly in full-time Te study took place from 1989 through 2010, jobs with positive social value and equal benefts, and included 451 study participants from largely is something that so many adults with impair- rural areas within a single state in the US. Te ments still have not had. Tese two examples are study participants were from European-American merely meant to be illustrative, since an explora- backgrounds, and largely lower middle-class to tion of the processes of societal devaluation that middle-class economic circumstances. Te study July 2015 49 began when participants were 12 years old. All Tumeinski, M. (2011). On a role. Te SRV Journal, 6(2), participants had to initially be living with both 32–34. parents and have at least one sibling. While study Tumeinski, M. (2013). On a role. Te SRV Journal, 8(1), results did vary between female and male partici- 51–55. pants, the basic trends were consistent, and thus I did not separate these out for the purposes of this Tumeinski, M. (2014). On a role. Te SRV Journal, 8(2), column focused on social roles. 47–52. Wolfensberger, W. (2013). A brief introduction to Social Role Author’s note: My thanks to Joe Osburn for his valu- Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of able comments on an earlier version of this column. societally devalued people, and for structuring human services (4th ed.). Plantagenet, Ontario, Canada: Valor Press. REFERENCES Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. (2007). PASSING: A tool Hartmann, D. & Swartz, T.T. Network on Transitions to for analyzing service quality according to Social Role Valoriza- Adulthood Research Network working paper. University of tion criteria. Ratings manual (3rd rev. ed.). Syracuse, NY: Minnesota Department of Sociology. March 2006. Syracuse University Training Institute for Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. Martin, M.J., Blozis, S.A., Boeninger, D.K., Masarik, A.S. & Conger, R.D. (2014). Te timing of entry into adult roles and changes in trajectories of problem behaviors dur- MARC TUMEINSKI, PHD, is a trainer for the SRV Implementation ing the transition to adulthood. Developmental Psychology, Project in Worcester, MA (US) & editor of Te SRV Journal. 50(11): 2473–2484. THE CITATION FOR THIS COLUMN IS Merton, R. (1968). Social theory and social structure. Glen- Tumeinski, M. (2015). On a role. Te SRV Journal, 10(1), coe, IL: Te Free Press. 45–49. 50 The SRV JOURNAL

Announcing the availability of A SET OF FIVE DVDS OF TWO PRESENTATIONS BY DR. WOLF WOLFENSBERGER ON THE HISTORY OF HUMAN SERVICES

In 2009, the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities produced a set of DVDs, based on a videotape, of two one-day presentations on the history of human services presented by Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger & Susan Tomas at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. Te frst day is entitled “An Interpreted Pictorial Presentation on the History of Human Services with Emphasis on the Origins of Some of Our Major Contemporary Service Patterns, & Some Universal Lessons for Planning & Structuring of Services Which Can Be Learned from Tis History.” It constitutes approxi- mately six & a quarter hours running time. Te second day is entitled “Refections on a Lifetime in Human Services, from Prior to the Reforms of the 1950s-70s to the Present, with Implications for the Future: What Has Gotten Better, What Has Got- ten Worse, What Is the Same, & What Lies Ahead.” It constitutes approximately four hours running time. Each day consists of lecture presentations on the topic, using many overheads & slides (photos & illustrations). At the end of each day, the presentation draws out some lessons from the coverage to contemporary services. Te set of fve DVDs takes about 10 hours to show. Te set is currently on sale for the reduced price of US $350 or two for US $500, which includes permission to show the DVDs to others; for instance, in teaching a class or conducting a seminar. To order, go online to wolfwolfensberger.com/purchaseonline.html; OR complete the attached form & send it, along with full payment, to the address on the form on the next page.

DAY 1: An Interpreted Pictorial Presentation on the History of Human Services 1a Pre and Post Greco-Roman Times (26:33) 1b Early Christianity and the Middle Ages (28:03) 2a Medieval Hospice and Hospital Design (32:01) 2b Te “Menacization” of the Aficted (10:35) 2c Te Rise of Pauperism (29:42) 3a Deportation and Exile (16:28) 3b Containment and Confnement (15:47) 4a Degradation and Elimination of the Altar (11:46) 4b Te Panopticon and Central Observation Stations (28:11) 5a Service “Deculturation” and Moral Treatment (17:09) 5b “Menacization” Images and Associations with Leprosy and Contagion (23:58) 6a Te Association of Hospices with Houses of Detention (13:43) 6b Various Beliefs Tat Played a Role in Menacization (4:59) 6c Human Service Assumptions Based in Materialism (14:18) 6d Further Menacization Trough “Treatments” Based on Punishments (31:23) 6e Regimentation and the Use of Military Imagery (17:07) 7a Historical Lines of Infuence in the Perversion of Western Human Services (14:51) 7b Core Realities, Strategies and Defning Characteristics of Contemporary Services (31:21) 7c Some Conclusions (10:53) July 2015 51

DAY 2: Refections on a Lifetime in Human Services 1 Te Bad Old Days, Part One (23:48) 2a Te Bad Old Days, Part Two: Te Institutional Scene, Part 1 (33:06) 2b Te Bad Old Days, Part Two: Te Institutional Scene, Part 2 (15:59) 3 Te Bad Old Days, Part Tree: Te Educational Scene (19:54) 4a What Has Gotten Better, Part One: Te Early Reform Era (27:39) 4b What Has Gotten Better, Part Two: Normalization (12:53) 4c What Has Gotten Better, Part Tree: Te Rights Movement (5:55) 4d What Has Gotten Better, Part Four: Summary of Positive Developments (17:53) 5 What Is Still the Same, New Problems Tat Have Arisen & Tings Tat Have Gotten Worse: Part One (12:30) 6a What Is Still the Same, New Problems Tat Have Arisen & Tings Tat Have Gotten Worse: Part Two (31:18) 6b What Is Still the Same, New Problems Tat Have Arisen & Tings Tat Have Gotten Worse: Part Tree (23:27) 6c A Few Action Implications (8:19)

ORDER FORM ~ HUMAN SERVICE HISTORY DVD SET

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I am ordering set(s) of fve DVDs containing two presentations by Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger on the history of human services.

ON SALE FOR US $350 (down from $485) for one set or US $500 for two sets

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Make check or money order, payable in US funds, to: Syracuse University Training Institute

Mail completed form, along with full payment, to: Syracuse University Training Institute 301 Huntington Hall Syracuse, New York 13244 USA REVIEWS & MORE

ROMANIA’S ABANDONED CHILDREN: DEPRIVATION, the impact of institutional living on the children BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, AND THE STRUGGLE FOR RE- and the potential benefts of institutionalized COVERY. By C. Nelson, N. Fox & C. Zeanah. children being placed with foster families. Te Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2014. RE- authors began working with Romanians involved VIEW AVAILABLE ONLINE @ www.srvip.org with a growing child welfare reform movement within the country in 2000. Te book follows a Reviewed by Tomas Malcomson group of 136 children placed in the six institu- tions of Budapest, and a group of 72 children The subject of this book is the Budapest Early raised in their own families, residing in the city. Intervention Program (BEIP) aimed at study- None of the children had any detected mental or ing the impact on children placed in Romanian physical disability or emotion disorder at the time state run institutions, and the placement of some of placement in the institution or at the time of of those children in foster homes, in comparison selection as one of the children living with their with children raised within their family of birth. natural family. Te children raised in their birth Social Role Valorization (SRV) is not mentioned families were matched for age, birth in the same once in the book, but much of the work relates to set of maternity hospitals, and ethnicity with SRV, either as further evidence for the basic social those who were institutionalized. Nelson et al. science underlying the theory or in regards to the randomly assigned 68 children living in the in- normalizing power of a family life. stitution group and placed them in selected foster Institutional rearing of children was established families while the remaining 68 children stayed in under communist rule in post-World War II Roma- the institution. nia. Te state held that it could raise children more Te random selection of children to leave or efectively than families, though this false belief was stay in the institution raises ethical concerns. Te aimed more at increasing the available workforce authors felt it was the only way to test the efects than meeting the needs of children. With the fall of of institutional living and the potential remedia- communism, the Romanian economy collapsed and tion of foster care. Nelson et al. assure the reader many families abandoned children they could not that they did not block any adoption, foster home support to the state. Tis resulted in overcrowding placement or return to their family of birth for in the institutions, and the desperate and degrading any of the children in the group randomly select- conditions that followed. International adoptions, ed to remain in the institution. No child placed hesitatingly allowed at frst, were stopped in 1991, in a foster home was returned to the institution amid fnancial corruption of the adoption system if their original foster arrangement failed; they and fears of child enslavement and sex trafcking. were simply placed in another foster home. Te Nine months later, the moratorium was lifted, and testing and assessment of those placed in foster a reformed adoption system was created, including homes was performed in the institution, and the international adoptions. Tis led to more institu- early trips from foster family back to the facility tionalization of abandoned children. International for these appointments provoked signs of great adoptions were fnally outlawed in 2005 as Roma- anxiety and distress in the children. nia sought entrance into the European Union. Nelson et al. have collected data on a wide range Nelson, Fox and Zeanah approached the Roma- of impacts on the children living in the institu- nian government in 1999 to conduct a study on tion and those placed in foster care as compared July 2015 53 with children raised within their family of birth sonal, loving and dependable relationship with and never institutionalized. Children raised in in- their parents. Tese interactions give the children stitutions had lower IQ scores, poorer executive opportunity to develop relatively secure attach- function (especially in the area of inhibitory con- ments and emotional stability. Similar common trol) and memory problems, as well as signifcant experiences could be found that promote brain language delays. Children placed into foster care development, memory abilities, etc. Te second prior to age two made signifcant recovery in these element is experience-dependent development, in areas but never matched the level obtained by which the specifc environment the infant or child those reared within their family of origin. Brain lives in provides unique opportunities for devel- size was smaller and neural activity lower in insti- opment. Te institutions fail to provide either of tutionalized children; again, issues improved by these. Placement within a foster family by age two early placement in foster care. Te same was true (in most cases) provides opportunities that meet with physical growth, motor development, even expectant development that is open after that age at the level of cellular growth. and experience dependent opportunities that can A lengthy chapter (Chapter 10) examined the compensate for what has not been appropriately socio-emotional development of the children. developed, at least to some degree. Here, Nelson et al. focus on attachment between Te evidence in this research demonstrates the the children and the adults within their lives. In- profoundly negative efect of mind and life wast- stitutionalized children did not form appropriate ing activity in the institution. It reveals proof of emotional or social relationships with their care the failure of relationships in such settings be- providers. Tere were children identifed within tween staf and resident to promote the basic that group who had no social attachment to any development of the person, let alone the activ- staf member; while many others approached ity and engagement that allows people to thrive. and hugged any adult who appeared within their Te gains made by children placed within foster ward. Te authors make it abundantly clear that families promotes the importance of a nurturing, secure attachment early in life was clearly linked to stable and loving environment for development. positive later life outcomes (up to ages 10 to 12). Yet, the ‘recovered’ development will largely never Problems with attachment were correlated with equal that of children raised in their birth families psychopathology. Again, placement in foster care from the frst day. Te fndings of this long-term had a positive impact on this issue, even linking research place at center the question; what do peo- social development changes with functional brain ple (in this case children) need? Te fndings dem- improvements. Girls were found to beneft from onstrate the physical and psychological wound- foster home placement more than boys, develop- ing of people living in institutional settings. Te ing more secure attachments and having reduced diferences found in brain development, cellular psychopathology. Tere were no age diferences in growth, language, attachment and memory (to terms of foster family placement impact, thus chil- name but a few areas) between institutionalized dren placed after age two were as likely to thrive and non-institutionalized children foreground emotionally and socially from the improved envi- the wounding experienced by the former. ronment as children placed prior to two. Part of the project’s aim was to assist the Ro- Nelson et al. propose a two element develop- manians in enhancing their foster care system. In mental perspective. Te frst is expectant devel- the early 1990s, it was underdeveloped, under- opment, in which the infant encounters devel- fnanced and viewed with suspicion within the opmental opportunities that the vast majority of country. By 2008, some 30,000 unionized sala- infants have. An example is the interactive, per- ried foster parents were recruited. Te public pro- 54 The SRV JOURNAL fle of foster care had risen substantially. In 2004, Tis book could be used in SRV courses as a Romania had passed a law that banned institu- resource, an extended case study, or as part of a tionalizing any child prior to age two, with the ex- book review assignment. Nelson et al. continue to ception of those with severe disabilities. Te 2008 collect data on the children and the system they global economic downturn resulted in a 25% pay are following. As the children reach the end of ad- cut to the foster parents, which has produced a olescence another lengthy report of their fndings mass exodus of foster parents from the foster care would be worth reading. system. A hiring freeze on new foster parents only adds to the system’s problems. Tese events serve THOMAS MALCOMSON, PHD, is a professor at George Brown as a reminder of the vulnerability of those held College in Toronto. Co-author of the textbook Life-Span De- within in a large bureaucratic system subject to velopment, he teaches a course on the history of eugenics. economic volatility and state fscal policy. Nelson et al. suggest that a subsidy system (like that in THE CITATION FOR THIS REVIEW IS Malcomson, T. (2015). Review of the book Romania’s aban- many western countries) would avoid this prob- doned children: Deprivation, brain development, and the lem; a questionable solution. struggle for recovery by C. Nelson, N. Fox & C. Zeanah. Te Tirteen tables, thirteen fgures and four im- SRV Journal, 10(1), 52-54. ages help to convey the research data. Te list of sources for the authors’ research provides the • • • reader with further explorations of the impact of institutionalization. Te index is extensive and very useful. July 2015 55

THE CASE FOR REPARATIONS. By T. Coates. Te sion and theft. He says this exploration would be Atlantic, 2:54-57, June 2014. REVIEW AVAIL- “a national reckoning that would lead to spiri- ABLE ONLINE @ www.srvip.org tual renewal” because it would force the nation to confront this major aspect of its history and Reviewed by Susan Tomas its present (and for that matter, its likely future). Every year for the past 25 years, a congressman This cover story stirred up a furry of discus- from Detroit, Michigan, John Conyers, has intro- sion, interviews, etc. when it came out. It raises duced a bill in the US House of Representatives the question whether the American nation ought to “study slavery and its lingering efects as well to make monetary reparations for its long his- as recommendations for ‘appropriate remedies’,” tory of enslavement, and other oppressions and i.e., reparations. Te bill has never even gotten to devaluations, of black people. Exactly to whom the foor for debate, but Coates suggests that at these reparations would be paid is not made clear; this point, it is the study and discussion the bill see further below. Te article also raises important calls for that are needed. Te practicalities of what questions about the continuing forms that de- forms reparations would take, how they would be valuation takes when its more obvious forms are distributed, and to whom, etc., are to Coates–at overcome (or pushed underground), and about least so far–less important than the honest exami- how to “make up for” long episodes of devalua- nation of these realities. tion. Te article makes and documents the fol- Coates also references the post-war payment lowing very strong arguments: of reparations by Germany to Israel for the Ho- 1. Not only the era of slavery in the US, but also locaust of the Jews during World War II as a the period before it, and the more than century- parallel or antecedent. However, such repara- and-a-half after it, are/were built on exploitation tions were opposed (even to the point of vio- of blacks and their labor. lence) by some in Israel on the basis that no 2. Structural injustice and bias against blacks material compensation could make up for the continues to pervade the banking system and attempt to exterminate the Jews. Also, we need housing market, and especially conspires against to remember that Germany had been thorough- black home-ownership. Tis is important because ly defeated, and was just emerging from being home-ownership is tied to access to good educa- ruled by occupying forces; it is a big question tion and to the accretion of wealth, and inhibition whether America would ever thoroughly and of home-ownership therefore inhibits blacks from honestly discuss and consider similar repara- attaining these other goods. tions, let alone make them, unless and until it is 3. Even if the pathologies of the modern black in a similar situation. Given the nature of em- family were overcome, blacks still face an unfairly pires, it is unlikely. steep climb to success, compared to whites. Not mentioned in the article, but another pos- 4. Even programs such as “afrmative action” sible parallel, is the recent eforts (sometimes tak- do not actually address these disparities. ing the form of lawsuits, as in Canada) to com- Te author concludes that one major motif or pensate handicapped people and their families for theme that has run through the history of blacks the era of institutionalization and the abuses they in the US is theft against them, sometimes ex- sufered from it. plicit, but also often hidden, even disguised as Apart from Coates’ specifc recommendation programs to beneft them. He calls for at least an for reparations to and for this particular histori- exploration of the possibility of making fnancial cally devalued class, readers familiar with the reparation to blacks for these centuries of oppres- never-ending tragic reality of human devaluation 56 The SRV JOURNAL and oppression might also consider the following such reparations go, and how would they be cal- more general questions. culated?” For instance, after World War II, it was One is “what is the purpose that reparatory ef- the state of Israel that received the lion’s share of forts are supposed to accomplish?” Are they to reparations; very little went to specifc persons punish the oppressor and the oppressor’s descen- and families. dants, if any? Are they to atone for the oppres- Yet more SRV-derived analysis could be brought sion? Are they to restore to the oppressed what to a reading of the article, and a consideration of was theirs? Are they to “level the playing feld,” its proposals, such as: what eforts could be made i.e., give the (formerly) oppressed the same chanc- to really increase interpersonal identifcation be- es for success enjoyed by the (former) oppressors? tween the devaluers and the devalued; what roles Are they to symbolize an acknowledgment by the do image- and competency-enhancement or deg- oppressors that they have done wrong? radation play in this continued devaluation; does Another, and very important question, is “will Coates’ analysis point up limitations of SRV, and such eforts accomplish more good than harm, or if so, what are they? more harm than good?” And what are the particu- lar harms and goods? SuSan ThomaS is the Training Coordinator for the Train- Yet a third is, “do any of these eforts address ing Institute for Human Service Planning, Leadership the problem at its source–in other words, what, & Change Agentry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (US). She is the co-author of PASSING. if anything, do they do to get at the root of se- vere and long-term devaluation and alienation THE CITATION FOR THIS REVIEW IS between classes of people?” Tomas, S. (2015). Review of the article Te case for repara- A fourth possible question, though at a much tions by T. Coates. Te SRV Journal, 10(1), 55-56. lower level than the others, is, “to whom would July 2015 57 Announcing Advanced Issues in Social Role Valorization Teory

Author: Wolf Wolfensberger, PhD, 1934-2011 Hardcover: 432 pages Publisher: Valor Press (Plantagenet ON, Canada) Language: English ISBN: 978-0-9868040-5-2 Copyright ©: 2012, Valor Press Product Dimensions: 22 x 15 x 3 cm Shipping Weight: 0.75 Kg Price: 80$ cdn + shipping & handling

Valor Press 200 du Comté Road P.O. Box 110 Plantagenet, Ontario K0B 1L0 CANADA 1.613.673.3583 www.instvalor.ca contact Sylvie Duchesne at [email protected] 58 The SRV JOURNAL

About Social Role Valorization (SRV) Social Role Valorization (SRV), a human service theory based on the principle of normalization, proposes that positively valued social roles are needed for people to attain what Wolfensberger has described as the good things of life (well-being). Tis is of particular importance for individuals with impairments or otherwise at risk of being socially devalued by others, and therefore of great impor- tance for human services to them.

About the book Te frst two chapters explain SRV, and give depth and background to SRV as an empirical theory that is applicable to human services of all kinds, to all sorts of people. Te remaining chapters are all revised and expanded versions of presentations that Dr. Wolfensberger had given at previous inter- national SRV conferences. Te topics treated in the chapters move from the general (chapters two, three and four) to the more specifc (chapters fve, six and seven). Te contents of the book are especially useful for people who do, or want to, teach SRV; for SRV researchers; and for those interested in implementing SRV in a systematic way, especially in service felds where SRV is new, not yet known, and not widely—if at all—embraced.

About Wolf Wolfensberger, Ph.D. (1934-2011) World renowned human service reformer, Professor Wolfensberger (Syracuse University) was in- volved in the development and dissemination of the principle of normalization and the originator of the program evaluation tools PASS and PASSING, and of a number of service approaches that include SRV and Citizen Advocacy.

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CPPL Column

Social Role Valorization News & Reviews

Susan Thomas

The intent of this column is fve-fold: es as a result. Te wounding reported on here in- (a) Briefy annotate publications that have rele- cludes wounding of the body, the mind, and so- vance to Social Role Valorization (SRV). Conceiv- cial image, and of various combinations of these. ably, some of these might be reviewed in greater depth in a later issue of this journal. Some of these *In what we can only call just plain meanness, items may serve as pointers to research relevant to police ofcers in San Jose, California, who were SRV theory. ordered by city ofcials to warn about 200 home- (b) Present brief sketches of media items that less people in “what is likely the nation’s largest illustrate an SRV issue. homeless encampment” that they would have to (c) Present vignettes from public life that illus- evacuate within two days, used their batons to trate or teach something about SRV. break open makeshift doors to people’s shacks, (d) Document certain SRV-related events or and knives to cut the walls of their tents (SPS, publications for the historical record. 2 December 2014). In other words, they were (e) By all the above, to illustrate and teach the not satisfed with politely warning the campers art and craft of spotting, analyzing and interpret- of their imminent eviction, but destroyed their ing phenomena that have SRV relevance. property too, meager as it was. By the way, the Aside from being instructive to readers, persons article reporting this incident appeared on … the who teach SRV will hopefully fnd many of the obituary page. items in this column useful in their teaching. Also, in light of articles by this author and *In Japan, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power Raymond Lemay in the July 2013 issue of this plant was badly damaged by an earthquake and Journal, from here on I plan to have an “imple- tsunami on March 11, 2011. Te clean-up and mentation corner” in each column, with items decontamination of the land around the plant is that relate specifcally to SRV implementation. still going on years later, and actually may never be fnished. But contractors for the clean-up work Te Common “Wounds” have been recruiting the homeless to do it, at bad Tat Accompany Devaluation pay, for long hours, and with little or no training *It is always good to remind ourselves of the (Beech, in Time, 1 Sept. 2014). Shades of the Love problem that SRV is intended to address, namely Canal chemical dumping disaster in New York State social devaluation of certain classes, and all the of 1978-79, and the recommendation that handi- bad things that happen or get done to these class- capped people should do the clean-up of that mess. 60 The SRV JOURNAL

*We fnd ourselves having to say repeatedly, and an idea of the extensiveness of abuse that deval- mournfully, that devaluation is a true human uni- ued people are subject to, considering that this is versal, and even classes who may themselves be the only one state, and this is only abuse of “people object of devaluation by others will also in their with special needs,” not the elderly, the poor, the turn devalue other classes. A tragic example is what homeless, etc. is happening to albinos in Tanzania. Albinism is a condition that impairs normal skin pigmentation; *Within just one calendar year, there surfaced this results in an exceedingly pale skin, hair and four separate incidents of service workers in four eye color, and hyper-sensitivity to the sun. One separate group homes, but in just one locale (up- can imagine how much this would be a problem state New York), having taken advantage of, ne- in Africa, with its intense sunlight. Unfortunately, glected, stolen from, beaten, and sexually abused on top of the normal devaluation that albinos suf- handicapped people (SPS, 12 October & 28 No- fer there–because they are in a very small minority vember 2013; 1 June, 12 June, 23 October & 13 in a dark-skinned population–they are now being November 2014). Te only thing that could make targeted for their body parts which are reputed to this worse is for these accused, if they are con- have magical powers, to ward of disease, bring victed, to be sentenced to work in human services! wealth, increase luck at many ventures, etc. Tey are attacked and hacked to death, and their body *Te Chicago Tribune reported that the US Joint parts sold on a black market (Gettleman, in New Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Or- York Times, 8 June 2008). Te very same people ganizations often gives its seal of approval to med- who do this to albinos would be those who are ical centers that are riddled with life-threatening done to in another part of the world. problems. Overall, less than one percent of hos- Further to this point, a Jewish student of the pitals have been denied accreditation in 17 years, Holocaust (the extermination of six million Jews and sometimes they got accredited even when by the Nazis in World War II Germany) wrote they were in the middle of a crisis of quality and this about those who deny the Holocaust: “Ho- disease control (AP in SPS, 10 November 2002). locaust deniers and, for that matter, most preju- Obviously, this is one contributor to the dramatic diced people are wretched types who are no more rise in hospital-inficted injury and death to pa- important than the dirt we step in on the street. tients–who, by defnition, enter the hospital in a We must, however, clean it of our feet before vulnerable condition. we drag it into our homes” (cited in First Tings, November 2005). Tis language is frighteningly *We think we remember having reported on like that used by the Nazis themselves about their this before, but it is worth repeating: there are victims, and reveals similar depths of devaluation. three times as many mentally disordered people in US jails and prisons as there are in psychi- *A lawsuit fled in New York State claims that atric hospitals, and many of these with serious almost 90 percent of reports of abuse of “people disorders (Edwards, 2014). One mother of a with special needs” called into a hotline estab- middle-aged man “diagnosed with schizophre- lished for that purpose were never investigated. nia” wrote, in a letter to the newspaper, that More than 700,000 calls came in before the in the 39 years since his diagnosis, “he has not hotline’s frst year had ended (SPS, 2 Decem- achieved any of his dreams of having a job, a ber 2014). Even assuming that some were crank girlfriend, close friends or any kind of joy and calls, and that the reported abuse may have been happiness” (Pringle, in SPS, 11 May 2014). as minimal as name-calling, one can begin to get Note that she was saying that in all this time July 2015 61 he had not had such important roles as worker, those who run them. Of course, such motivations lover or husband, friend. are likely to be at least partly unconscious. By the way, even some colleges and school districts–yes, *One of the biggest contributors to the wounds that operate elementary and secondary public of physical impairment and functional impair- schools for our children–have been the recipients ment in the US today is the ongoing wars the of such largesse. country has engaged in since 2001. Seven times Second: commentary on the shooting said that as many soldiers come home with serious such “police overreaction is based less on skin color and impairments (such as loss of limbs, or debilitating more on an even worse, Ebola-level afiction: be- anxieties) as have been killed in these wars–not ing poor … To many in America …being poor even counting the numbers among the opposing is synonymous with being a criminal” (Time, 1 combatants who are killed and impaired, nor the Sept. 2014)–in other words, poverty is equated numbers of civilians who are. While the wounds with flling a menace role. of “our” soldiers (whoever is the “we” in a situa- tion) are not the result of devaluation, the wounds *Scapegoating is a human universal: whenever of whoever are the “thems” in warfare most cer- humans are faced with fearful circumstances, tainly are. And even “our” wounded sufer a loss they fnd some party to blame, and that party in social value upon their return home as a result tends to be marginal or outright devalued. Dur- of these impairments. ing the Black Death in Europe in the 14th cen- tury, Jews were often made the scapegoats. In *We could say many things about the killing of the cholera epidemic in New York in the 1800s, Michael Brown by police ofcer Darren Wilson Irish and German immigrants were blamed. It in Ferguson, Missouri in August 2014, and the happened again in Dallas, Texas after the rev- almost continuous protests and debates over this elation that a Liberian immigrant had brought killing since then. But we will limit ourselves here Ebola into the country (he later died from it): to two. the immigrants in the neighborhood have been First: the imagery of police–not military per- isolated, taunted and persecuted (Time, 20 Oc- sonnel–dressed in military camoufage and carry- tober 2014). ing military equipment and riding through city streets in military vehicles, including tanks, cer- *From the 1960s to ‘80s, there was a craze, par- tainly conveyed the expectancy that their fellow ticularly among young girls, of collecting “troll citizens whom they were policing were menaces. dolls” that had beady eyes and long fuzzy hair It turns out that such might be the scene in many of unusual colors (purple, neon green, etc.). A American cities in future, since the US federal woman in Ohio has opened a small museum government has distributed to local police more called the Troll Hole to house her world-record than 600 surplus mine-resistant and ambush- collection (over 10,000 items related to the protected armored vehicles that were designed to craze, including 3,000 dolls). Te proprietor also be used in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (e.g., dresses as a Troll Queen, at least for the visitors to Will, 2014; Breidenbach, 2014). Te cities justify her museum. Unfortunately, she is a psychiatric their taking such surplus by saying that it may be nurse and owns a “dementia care facility,” and needed to protect police ofcers under fre (from she uses the income from the Troll Hole muse- whom but their fellow citizens?); but the real, or um to support that operation as well as an “Arts real-er, reason is that such equipment is glamor- for Alzheimer’s” program that she runs (SPS, 28 ous to and desirable to many police forces and Sept. 2014). 62 The SRV JOURNAL

SRV Implementation Corner (e.g., as regular volunteers–and as also covered in Tese next items report on measures that can earlier columns), doing so will not meet the needs enhance competency or image, or both, and of all handicapped persons. Terefore, it would be therefore contribute to valued social roles for the wiser and more far-sighted to also work for and competency- or image-enhanced party. We hope establish settings that are smaller than the ma- they may inspire some thoughtful, not mindless, jority of sheltered workshops, and therefore less imitation by readers. congregating and less negatively-imaged; and to operate them much more according to the cultur- *Tere are now cruise lines certifed as “autism ally valued analogue of work establishments for friendly” because they ofer certain privileges valued people, be the analogue a shop or store, an such as priority check-in for families who have artisan workshop, a business ofce, a factory, etc. an “autistic” family member traveling with them, A major challenge here will be to fnd a “market dietary options, and certain kinds of shipboard niche” of work that is contributive, and produces activities that can easily accommodate “autistic” a valued product. One example of an image-en- persons (AAA magazine, winter 2014). Perhaps hancing work contract at one sheltered workshop airlines, trains, and bus lines might also make spe- is packaging and distributing high-energy snack cial check-in arrangements? However, at the same bars that are marketed especially to hikers, moun- time, we know of one family that takes cruises tain climbers, and others who need high calorie frequently, with their handicapped adult son, but foods to convert into body heat (SPS, 29 January who simply travel as and with other vacationers, 2012, p. B1). and with no special shipboard activities targeted Another sheltered workshop manufactures and for people with impairments. distributes vestments worn by clerics in the con- duct of church services, as well as baptismal gowns. *As we explained in earlier columns, the current In fact, the company that made these garments move to abolish sheltered work settings for hand- moved its entire operation to the sheltered work- icapped people is, we believe, unwise and short- shop because it was so impressed with the quality sighted, since it is apt to result in large numbers of the workmanship (SPS, 19 July 2009, p. B3). Of of idle such persons, and in the mushrooming of course, the company could alternatively had hired “day habilitation” and recreation centers that do people out of the sheltered workshop to become its not even attempt to create valued adult roles for own employees; the article was silent on this. them. (An editorial in the September 26, 2011 However, whenever a practice is instituted in a Syracuse Post-Standard said sheltered workshops human service in imitation of a culturally norma- are “more traditional models” that “assume peo- tive one, one has to keep track of it in the larger ple with disabilities are a monolithic lot with the culture and how of its value there may change. same needs,” but “segregate people from society.” For instance, when basket-weaving was intro- Traditional, yes; segregating, yes; often congre- duced into institutions in the 1800s, it was still gating together all sorts of “people with disabili- normatively practiced in the larger society–but ties,” yes. But does this mean that some sheltered the institutions kept their residents at weaving work settings of some type have no place in ad- baskets well into the 20th century, even after very dressing the needs of the non-monolithic lot of few people in the culture any longer knew how to devalued people?) do it, or engaged in it. Notwithstanding that much more could be done to secure integrated work placements and *In Kenya, a group of 65 women, all with unpaid but defnitely productive adult work roles physical and/or visual impairments, have July 2015 63 formed a dairy company with milk-chilling fa- *A young woman, whose mother had Parkinson’s cilities at its hub. Te latter is a great boon in for 25 years, invented a brace to correct posture their locale. (And yes, we note that it is a form and balance problems that mark Parkinson’s (and of “sheltered workshop.”) can be dangerous). It is worn over the torso but under clothing. It moves the center of balance of *Te new technological process called 3-D print- the wearer, giving much greater stability. She has ing is allowing prosthetic limbs, digits, ears, noses, founded a company called AbiliLife to manufac- etc. to be produced at as little as one-fftieth the ture and market this and similar products (Todd, price of more conventional prosthetics. Tis is es- in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 25 January 2015). pecially an issue for young people because as they By the way, this item and the previous two show grow, they need multiple replacement prosthetics. the power of interpersonal identifcation: in both Te 3-D versions also sometimes have a high-tech instances, the inventors are family members of look, which is appealing especially to younger people with an impairing condition, who were people who are enamored of high-tech (several moved by the plight of someone dear to them to sources, including Parade, 12 October 2014). make something that would address it.

*One father of a diabetic child is working on a *Tere have been a number of reports recent- prototype artifcial pancreas that can totally re- ly on Black Girls Code and similar programs to place, or greatly reduce, the need for insulin in- teach African-American girls and teens how to do jections and close watch on diet that character- computer coding, robotics, design and develop- ize the lives of diabetics, and reduce the health ment of web apps, and similar skills. Te idea is problems that accompany diabetes. Te device is that this would be an avenue for them into good- very small and can be worn under clothing, and paying work roles when they are adults. is therefore image-protective (Siferlin, 2015). Of course, a prototype is no guarantee of suc- *One strategy of role-valorization is “role-equal- cessful accomplishment, but if it works out, it ization,” in which valued parties adopt a charac- would be an example of a competency-enhanc- teristic of a devalued party, thereby reducing the ing piece of equipment. stigma associated with it. Here are three examples. All members of a group get their hair shaved *Another man whose aged mother fell and end- when one of them loses hair from cancer treatment. ed up in the hospital as a result has been designing Relatedly, a recent fundraising campaign called and installing a home security system for elderly “Be Bold, Be Bald!,” features people with tight- people that draws on “smart” home technology ftting swim caps that resemble shaven or bald systems to monitor people’s locations (e.g., are heads. Te campaign uses tag lines such as “It’s they standing or lying fat on the foor), turn of for my grandma,” or “for my best friend,” thereby appliances if they forget to do so, and alert fam- drawing upon and reinforcing interpersonal iden- ily members far away to problems, including falls tifcation with those who have cancer. (Unfortu- (Parade, 2 November 2014). While this does con- nately, we have to interrupt our commendation stitute a form of surveillance of people, as covered of these two examples by noting that there is also in this column in the previous issue of this Journal, a campaign, called the St. Baldrick Foundation, it can also help people to maintain their indepen- that asks members of the public to have their dence and their home-owner role longer, and pre- heads shaved to raise money for cancer research. vent accidents and injuries that can be the begin- Te name is a combination of Bald and Patrick, ning of a downward spiral into debility and death. and it has picked March 22 as its “feast day” [Syra- 64 The SRV JOURNAL cuse Catholic Sun, 26 March 2009, p. 4]. Tis calls said they have begun to rethink their attitudes to- for an SRV analysis.) wards racial integration, to which they had pre- A third example is this vignette: at the western viously been opposed (Horwitz, in Smithsonian, wall of the temple in Jerusalem, also called the October 2013). Tis is an example of an indirect Wailing Wall, an aged rabbi was walking with an role-valorizing measure on the level of an entire entourage of fve young men. Te old man was society. (See later in this column for another item bent over and limping, and so were his fve fol- on racial integration at present in US society, and lowers even though they were young and strong. attitudes about it.) Troughout the history of Judaism, one of the most honored positions for a Jewish man was to Historical Items of Interest be a rabbi’s “follower.” Te role entailed sitting at *Devalued people have always been used to the rabbi’s feet, listening, serving him even in me- clean up other people’s garbage (see the earlier nial tasks, and watching how he acted and then item on the Fukushima Daiichi clean-up), or even imitating him (ODB, 9-11, 2014). excrement. However, the practice of engaging de- valued people in salvage work got one of its major *One school installed an image-protective de- boosts in the US in 1896, in the Bowery district vice in its cafeteria for non-paying students (non- of New York City. Tere, Salvation Army teams paying, because their lunches are paid for by went door-to-door with pushcarts gathering cast- government subsidy for the poor). Te device is of items for the homeless men at their shelters to a meaningless (i.e., non-functioning) keypad that repair. Soon after, paper recycling was added. allows the non-paying students to look like they are charging their lunches to a credit or debit ac- *Te very instructive historical text, Salvation in count, just like so many paying students do (SPS, the slums: Evangelical social work, 1865-1920, by 20 November 2011, p. A9). Te loss of image that N. Magnuson, was reprinted in 1977. Unfortu- accompanies being “on the dole” is also attested nately, it was re-issued by the Scarecrow Press of to by some recipients of food aid who were so Metuchen, NJ, which certainly does not help the ashamed about this that they went to stores out negative image that so many people have of the of town to use their government-issued cards and derelict poor. vouchers, and would wait until there was no one else in the check-out line so that no one would *In the 1800s, US prisons developed the disci- see them. pline of having prisoners walk in a very tight so- called “lockstep” whenever they were in groups, *One man is trying to rediscover every former such as in the exercise yard. Men who served even slave dwelling throughout the US still in exis- only a few years became so habituated to this step tence, and to sleep in each of them as well. He that they continued to walk that way once they says that this has made history come alive for him, were released, and could be identifed “on the and taught him more about what slaves had to street anywhere by an old prison guard” (so said endure and overcome–in other words, it has in- Johnson, 1923, p. 123). Tis is a parallel to the creased his sense of identifcation with them. He fact that many of the handicapped people deinsti- has even slept with shackles on his wrists. Most tutionalized in the 1970s and later could be iden- of these properties are in the south, and those tifed “on the street anywhere by an old institu- who own them have not always been receptive tion attendant,” or even just by observant people, to his requests for “overnight accommodation.” by their key-rings full of trinkets and keys, even if But over time, at least some of the owners have the keys were useless. July 2015 65

*As late as 1916, “crippled children” in Balti- tion with the Devil. Considering how many other more were transported to their public schools untruths come out of human services, mightn’t by police patrol wagons (Wallin, J.E.W. (1917). the reformatory have fudged its census by one or Problems of subnormality. Yonkers-on-Hudson, two to avoid this image? NY: World Book). *Dr. Wolfensberger told us that at one time, *In the early 20th century, handicapped people there was a German practice that when a physi- released into the community from state institutions cian deemed a patient’s condition to be hopeless, were said to be put “on parole,” just like prisoners. the physician would ofer the patient a glass of In other words, it was a temporary status that they champagne (Te Book of General Ignorance, 2006). could maintain by keeping their word (i.e., parole) Tis seems to be a way of conveying bad news or their promise that they would be on “good be- that diminishes the negativity thereof, and even havior.” In the 1920s, the person in charge of the lightens it some. He thought that palliative care retarded adults put “on parole” in the community services could learn a lesson from this. from what was called the Syracuse State School for Mental Defectives (in Syracuse, New York) estab- *Starting in 1945, there was a National Employ lished a “Greek letter society” for “good fellowship the Handicapped Week. By 1988, the whole month and social improvement” for the male and female of October had become National Disability Em- “parolees,” analogous to a college fraternity or so- ployment Awareness Month. Perhaps that is why rority (1926 Annual State School Report). October is also Roosevelt History Month, as de- clared by Congress (Newsweek, 14 October 1996). *Johann Jakob Guggenbühl established on the Abendberg in Switzerland one of the frst (1839) *On January 19, 1963, Te New Yorker maga- modern residential settings for mentally retarded zine published what was at that time its longest people, specifcally those with hypothyroidism ever book review, namely of the book Te Other or “cretinism,” as it was called. Te mountain- America, Michael Harrington’s 1962 work on the ous location worked because it enabled them to “invisible poor” in American society. Te book gain iodine, and iodine deprivation is what causes itself had languished in obscurity since its pub- hypothyroidism. At a certain point, Guggenbühl lication the previous year, but the review pulled also brought to the institution two intellectually out facts about the bad health status and health normal but neglected children of one of the ser- prospects of the poor, their heavy tax burden, and vants, which “brought life into the institution” the lack of interest by the rest of society in what (Kanner, 1959). Tey changed the expectations happens to the poor who are seen as “boring” be- held for the grouping, and acted as models to the cause “they never win.” Te reviewer wanted to cretins, encouraging imitation. translate dry academic prose and statistics into something that would catch readers’ minds and *Te institution for “defective delinquents” in hearts (Lepore, in Smithsonian, September 2012). Napanoch, New York, an arm of the youth refor- Tat essay-review is credited even more than the matory in Elmira, New York, once reported that it book itself with having launched the US “war on had 666 inmates (Garrett, P. W. & MacCormick, poverty”–a war which, indeed, the poor did not A.H. [Eds.] [1929]. Handbook of American prisons win though some gains were made during the late and reformatories. New York: National Society of 1960s and 1970s. We could do with another such Penal Information). Te number 666 is associated war today, though again it would be unwise to in the Biblical (New Testament) Book of Revela- engage in it thinking it could be won; rather, it 66 The SRV JOURNAL should be engaged in on the basis that it is a just that has tended to interpret retarded people as cause and a good fght. holy innocents and specially favored by God.

*Miles, M. (1996). Pakistan’s microcephalic *A history of the Bryce (mental) Hospital in Al- chuas of Shah Daulah: Cursed, clamped or cher- abama (Alabama Dept. of Mental Health, 2009) ished? History of Psychiatry, 7, 571-589. claimed that “Bryce launched the ‘deinstitution- Shah Daulah, a Muslim holy man, settled in alization movement … that swept the nation’,” the early 1600s in the city of Gujrat (once part because the 1972 Wyatt v. Stickney lawsuit forced of India, now in Pakistan). He acquired a reputa- it to start deinstitutionalizing its own residents. tion for healing, and dealing with wild animals. A However, deinstitutionalization of mental institu- Muslim shrine developed there upon his death in tions was already well underway, having begun in the 1670s, and at some unknown later date, peo- the late 1950s with the advent of powerful mind ple began to bring microcephalic children to the drugs, and continuing with the normalization- shrine, even from far away. Because of the appear- based and legal rights-based service reforms of the ance of some such children, and because of the 1960s onward. holy man’s reputation with animals, the children were called chuas, meaning rat, but were some- *Te process of analyzing who are the people times also called by the word for mouse. to be served, what are their needs, and how to Te chuas were treated well at the shrine, but in best address them, was pioneered in PASS assess- time they were trained to beg and rented out to ment conciliations in the 1970s, and later gave beggar masters, such as traveling fakirs. rise to “personal futures planning” (PFP), which Te earliest written record of chuas at the shrine is essentially the design of a service model but for dates to 1857. But whether then or in the late one individual person. Te roots of PFP in the 1600s, the shrine was apparently the earliest place model coherency design process has also been on the Indian subcontinent to take in retarded documented in J. O’Brien & C.L. O’Brien (Eds.) children on a residential basis. Records report from (1998), Te little book about person-centered plan- nine to 100 chuas in residence, depending on the ning. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Inclusion Press. date, plus others out on begging assignments. Te Pakistan government took over the shrine Some Miscellaneous Items–But, We Tink, in 1969. Soon, chuas were no longer accepted to Very Interesting Ones–In Conclusion live there, and by the early 1990s, there were only *Jean-Dominique Baubry was a fashion maga- only one or two still there. However, retarded zine editor who became totally incapacitated by children are still brought to healing shrines in In- a stroke. In Te Diving Bell and the Butterfy: A dia and Pakistan to this day. Memoir of Life of Death (1977), he wrote “If I Sadly, retarded people and beggars have become must drool, I might as well drool on cashmere,” “the usual suspects” in Iraq, and are being “round- which underlines both the importance of positive ed up” by the police to prevent them from being personal appearance, and the conservatism corol- used as bombers, i.e., they get explosives strapped lary. Unfortunately that book (also made into an to them and then sent out into crowds (SPS, 20 award-winning 2007 flm) advocates deathmak- February 2008, p. A15). Tey are thus sufering ing, as can be seen in its very title. the wound of multiple jeopardy. Te use of such persons as (largely unknowing) bombers bespeaks *A sad piece by columnist Joe Klein in Time (13 an extreme devaluation of retarded people that is October 2014) noted that at least in parts of the actually contrary to Islamic and Arab tradition US south, blacks are beginning to question the July 2015 67 very value of integration into majority white so- nut to crack” than school segregation (Hefing & ciety, the goal of the civil rights movement of the Holland, AP report, in SPS, 15 May 2014). 1960s to early 70s. Some noted that white people are now making all the money from what used *In Wolfensberger’s A Brief Introduction to So- to be black enterprises, including music festivals, cial Role Valorization: A High-Order Concept for banks, insurance companies, newspapers and eat- Addressing the Plight of Societally Devalued People, eries. Some even said that segregated schools had and for Structuring Human Services, he mentions been better, because the supposedly integrated foot-binding in the Far East, and though it was an schools “became sad all-black husks” due to white intentionally-inficted crippling deformity, it was fight. Integration enabled a lot of the more in- highly valued. Here is more about it. Te practice dustrious and intelligent black youngsters–who is said to have been inspired by a 10th century used to own and operate all-black businesses–to Chinese court dancer who bound her feet into the go north and stay there. Tis migration consti- shape of a new moon and charmed the emperor tutes, in the words of the southern poet, novelist with her dance. Te most desirable (most valued) and social observer Wendell Berry, a form of “hu- was a three-inch foot, called a “golden lotus,” but man strip-mining” of communities: taking away a foot as big as only fve inches or more rendered their best and most productive, and leaving only the woman who had it almost unmarriageable. scarred and unproductive areas behind. (Unfor- Eventually, there were eforts to ban the practice, tunately, this is true as well of rural communities but it had gained an association to ethnic identity, and small towns that are or were not predomi- ethnic pride and cultural superiority. Tus, the nantly black, and is one of the reasons why there practice continued for one thousand years (!), and has been a growing economic, education and class there are still women alive in China today whose divide in the US, with the big cities–and only a feet were bound when they were young (Fore- handful of them at that–attracting and keeping all man, in Smithsonian, February 2015). the talent that used to be more evenly distributed throughout the land.) As Klein concluded, “Te *A sarcastic essay called “How to Write About Af- blacks won their revolution, and lost their focus, rica” (Wainaina, 2005) gave the following advice: and inherited a chimera of equality.” Whatever “Always use the word ‘Africa’ or ‘Darkness’ or ‘Sa- may be the complexity of the causes of this result, fari’ in your title.” “If you must include an African, it certainly shows that devaluation and its conse- make sure you get one in Masai or Zulu … dress.” quences are not easily overcome or even pushed Adults should be shown either in military uniforms back, and that all sorts of reforms, including hu- holding guns, or with prominent ribs, or with na- man service reforms, can fall anywhere from some ked breasts. Children should be shown with fies on to far short of their promise. their faces and enlarged bellies from malnutrition. And a report on the status of school racial in- And be sure to end your writing with a quote from tegration 60 years after the landmark US Su- Nelson Mandela (Brooks, 11 May 2014). Tis ad- preme Court decision that outlawed school racial vice certainly captures the reality of stereotypes, segregation concluded that “progress … is being and how they have come to dominate and shape chipped away,” and that what has defnitely not the mind-sets and expectations of both writers and changed is that poorer students are receiving a readers about Africa, especially writers and readers poorer education. Housing patterns play a role who are not African or otherwise do not know it. in school patterns, because people tend to go to schools in the same area where they live, and *Goodman, M. (2013). Eighty days: Nellie Bly housing segregation by race has been “a harder and Elizabeth Bisland’s history-making race around 68 The SRV JOURNAL the world. New York: Ballantine Books. Just as the phrase entered the American idiom, referring title says, this is the story of a race to circle the to a remote possibility of success: ‘a Chinaman’s world in less than 80 days (as popularized by Jules chance’ ” (p. 142). Verne’s book of that title) between two young Many of the Chinese who laid the transcon- female writers in late 1890-early 1891. Here are tinental railroads were killed or injured in this a few SRV-relevant points–both good and bad– work, but the exact numbers will never be known, from it. because the Central Pacifc Railroad did not keep Nellie Bly wrote, “Dress is a great weapon in records of Chinese casualties (p. 143)–an example the hands of a woman if rightly applied. It is a of the devalued person as non-human, or even weapon men lack, so women should make the not live. most of it.” However, Goodman notes that “she One Republican senator from Maine said the was greatly disturbed, covering the National US had as much a right to keep out Chinese im- Woman Sufrage Convention for Te World [the migrants as it had “the right to keep out infectious newspaper for which she wrote], that the female diseases” (p. 144). Another politician, a represen- delegates seemed to be ‘neither men nor women’.” tative from Indiana, compared the Chinese to “a She unhesitatingly told Susan B. Anthony that “if cancer in your own country that will eat out its women wanted to succeed they had to go out as life and destroy it” (p. 145). women. Tey had to make themselves as pretty How important it is to experience the life con- and attractive as possible” (p. 16). (I can almost ditions of those whom one manages was captured see indignant readers now; keep in mind the time by a magazine for sailors and shipbuilders in 1890: in which she was writing.) “if every man connected with the management of From Goodman’s description of the condi- a steamship had to work one voyage below in the tions of travel in steerage (pp. 86-88), especially fre-room or the engine-room, they would tell in comparison to those of frst- and second-class people who shouted for quick passage to go to passengers, it is remarkable that many people sur- Davy Jones … Flesh and blood cannot stand it, vived the voyages–and perhaps they would not and this is a solemn fact.” Te “shouted for quick have done, had the trips taken any longer. passage” referred to calls for speedier ocean voyag- Here is a very explicit example of interpreting es, which could only be accomplished by harsher deathmaking as the solution to a problem: in the conditions below decks for the stokers who kept late 1800s, the Chicago Tribune reported that “the the fres going that in turn kept the engines going railroad men in Omaha have an infallible remedy (p. 266). Few stokers were said to live more than for the Indian troubles. Tat remedy is extermi- two years after taking the job. Tey developed, nation” (p. 105). among other things, the same black lung disease By the late 1800s, “Chinese miners were forbid- as did coal miners (p. 267). den access to the so-called mother lodes; if they tried to move to a better mine the white workers *In the preceding issue of this Journal, I ended would as a matter of course beat and rob them, the column with a hope to be able to end the next and, for humiliation, cut of their pigtails. Te one on a more positive note. So here is that more men who committed these ofenses were rarely uplifting ending. punished, as the Chinese were not allowed to tes- Over a period of more than 10 years, the once- tify in court–nor were they allowed to vote or to famous Boston Celtics star Bob Cousy took care obtain citizenship; and though they paid school of his wife at home as she became demented, and taxes, their children were denied entry into pub- then eventually died. In such situations, it is dif- lic schools. It was during this period that a new fcult to create new valued roles for a person, but July 2015 69 it may be possible to shore up a person’s previous He let her think that she still did all the house- valued roles–and doing so can enable the person hold chores, even though he did them. to still receive and enjoy the good things of life. He “planted” artifcial fowers in the garden, to Here are some of the things Cousy did. make it look like she had continued gardening. He consistently referred to her as “my bride.” After her death, Cousy also bemoaned the fact He set out the newspaper for her to read at the that he could no longer take care of her (Worcester kitchen table each morning, even though eventu- Telegram & Gazette, 29 Sept. 2013). • ally she underlined each sentence in every story in black, so that the paper was almost illegible. SuSan ThomaS is the Training Coordinator for the Train- She believed that she could still drive, so each ing Institute for Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY year he shipped her station wagon to their winter (US). She is the co-author of PASSING. place in Florida, so that she would see it in the driveway there. THE CITATION FOR THIS COLUMN IS Tomas, S. (2015). Social Role Valorization news & re- views. Te SRV Journal, 10(1), 59-69. TISSN 1932 - 6963e SRV JOURNAL 1118-,0#*8),!

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