Discuss client self-monitoring as one of the sources of information that social workers use for assessments.

Answers may vary. Social workers can use numerous sources, individually or in combination, to assess clients. The information obtained from client interviews is usually the primary source of assessment information. Client self-monitoring is a potent source of information. It produces a rich and quantifiable body of data and empowers the client by turning him or her into a collaborator in the assessment process. In self-monitoring, clients track symptoms on logs or in journals, write descriptions, and record feelings, behaviors and thoughts associated with particular times, events, symptoms, or difficulties. The first step in self-monitoring is to recognize the occurrence of the event. Using self-anchored rating scales or simple counting measures, clients and/or those around them can keep a record of the frequency or intensity of a behavior. A major advantage of self-monitoring is that the process itself requires the monitor to focus attention on patterns. As a result, clients gain insights into their situations and the circumstances surrounding their successes or setbacks. The process of recording also assists in evaluation, because progress can be tracked more precisely by examining data that show a reduction of problematic behaviors or feelings and an increase in desirable characteristics.