Abstract

22 FonvM By KATHLEEN SMITH. "Conditions and circumstances dictate the actions of men. It is not merely the nature of these conditions and circumstances in themselves which dictates action but also the emotional import which the conditions and circumstances have for the person." Therefore poverty, unemployment, physical handicap, death of the breadwinner, all factors which may lead to the person applying for relief will have varying meanings for different individuals, depending not only on the nature of the problem but also on the person's age, prior life ex- periences and family relationships, personality, development and the timing of the problem in relation to other events in his life. But not only is it necessary to understand the personality pattern of the applicant applying for relief in relation to his total family constellation and what applying for relief means to him and what he expects of the agency, but we must know also what money means to him. In our present culture, the possession of money means success, the lack of it failure, often resulting in feelings of inadequacy and shame in the individual. The client then applying for relief may well present himself with these feelings. He may not