The Practitioner-Sourced Force Field (PSFF) Framework: A Conceptual Model of Dual-Valence Forces in Child Welfare Decision-Making

Child welfare decision-making is often modeled either as an individual cognitive task or as the output of structured assessment tools, yet neither explains why the same organizational feature can support sound practice in one moment and obstruct it the next. This article introduces the Practitioner-Sourced Force Field (PSFF) Framework, a conceptual model that reframes frontline decision quality as the net result of opposing forces generated by practitioners themselves, weighted by their perceived importance, and acted upon by reducing restraint. Building on Lewin's field theory (Lewin, 1947, 1951) and the structured decision-making paradigm (Benbenishty & Fluke, 2020), the framework advances four propositions and centers on a previously underspecified mechanism termed dual valence: a single practice factor can function as a driving force when it operates well and a restraining force when it fails, with organizational conditions determining its direction. In a proof-of-concept study, interagency collaboration ranked as the strongest driving force for risk management (M = 4.50, 95% CI [4.12, 4.88]), while communication barriers, its failure mode, ranked among the strongest restraining forces (M = 3.38, 95% CI [2.62, 4.00]; Landress, 2024). The PSFF Framework offers child welfare scholars and administrators a parsimonious, testable lens for identifying high-leverage intervention targets.