Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning Theory

At an organization that places children in foster care, extra support is provided in a variety of ways to the foster families. One of these ways includes the services of an in-office counselor. The counselor at the facility is to remain flexible when a family is grieving or going through a difficult time, being on call at all times to meet with the parents or children of the foster home within a 50-mile radius of the facility. One foster mother in particular was very good about encouraging the other mothers also. However, the in-office counselor and caseworker for the mother’s foster children began to worry that she was not allowing enough time for herself to relax, be encouraged, and find something to do other than watch spending 24/7 with children who were not her own. Going into a counseling session with this mother, the counselor was prepared to talk to her about the importance of the self. Albert Bandura’s social-cognitive learning theory includes what is known as the self-system, by which a person regulates their behavior to fit the appropriate environment and to be most effective in achieving some set of goals (Friedman & Shustack, 2011). While the mother seemed to be …show more content…
When going further into the discussion Valen said “I can’t fix everyone. I might try, but I know realistically that I can’t”. When Valen said that, the counselor reaffirmed her statement and applauded Valen for the realization that sometimes things are not going to go the way we want or plan. Sometimes Valen really wants to believe that the biological mothers of her foster children are good people and that she can help them get their children back, but the reality is that they are not always good people that can be stable enough to raise a child. Valen refuses to let the situation get the best of her either