Synergy of Empowerment and Support: A Case Study of Theoretical Integration in Disability Social Work

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jmsd.202512606

Author(s)

Yanling Chen

Affiliation(s)

Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, Yunnan, China

Abstract

Although empowerment and social support are core theories in social work, their dynamic co-constructive mechanisms within specific cultural practices remain under-explored. This study uses the "Xinhua Yi" disability social work project in Community C, Kunming, China, a s a qualitative case to investigate how empowerment theory and social support theory integrate and generate synergistic effects within a Chinese urban context. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 13 participants, participatory observation of six group sessions, and analysis of practice documentation, organized using thematic analysis. Findings reveal that the integration of these theories is not a simple superposition but forms a "virtuous cycle of empowerment-support": The secure, accepting social support environment established in the group's early stages serves as a crucial prerequisite for stimulating individuals' willingness and courage to empower themselves. Conversely, the confidence and capabilities gained through empowerment enable individuals to transition from "recipients of assistance" to "helpers," thereby reinforcing and strengthening the social support network. This creates a dynamic reciprocal system. This study proposes a process-oriented theoretical integration model, emphasizing the foundational role of social support as the "social soil" for empowerment within a relationship- and group-oriented cultural context. The findings offer significant theoretical and practical implications for localizing and innovating global social work theories in similar settings.

Keywords

Empowerment Theory; Social Support Theory; Disability; Social Work Practice; Qualitative Case Study

References

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