The knowledge and use of alternative therapeutic techniques by social work practitioners: a descriptive study

A survey of use of alternative therapeutic methods was distributed to 1,000 clinical/direct service social work practitioners; a sample of 321 reported on their use of alternative techniques. Approximately three-quarters of the respondcnts used or referred mind-body techniques or community health alternatives. These two techniques accounted for about two-thirds of all alternative practices. Manual healing was used or referred by about one-third of all practitioners and professionalized alternative medicine was used by about 30%. Other methods, including botanical, pharmacological, and biological alternatives, diet and nutrition, and parapsychology were each used by fewer than 10% of the respondents. Social workers were most knowledgeable about mind-body techniques and community-based alternatives.