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Published on: November 19, 2015
Social Worker Identity: A Profession in Context
Brad Forenza1, Caitlin Eckert1
1Brad Forenza, PhD, MSW, is assistant professor, McCormick Center for Child Advocacy, Montclair State University, 372 Dickson Hall, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043; e-mail:bforenza@gmail.com. Caitlin Eckert, MSW, is a doctoral student, School of Social Work, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
Abstract:
Social work is a broad field encompassing micro, mezzo, and macro areas of practice. Consequently, the field lacks a unifying professional identity due to the expansiveness of the profession. Professional identity is conceptualized as an extension of social identity, vis-à-vis the embodiment of three qualities: connectedness, expansiveness, and effectiveness. This study used 12 in-depth, individual interviews with practicing social workers to explore these qualities. Findings from interviews reveal six primary themes and 21 subthemes pertaining to social worker identity. Themes and subthemes are organized according to three broad families (social work in context, professional trajectories, and external influences). Implications for policy, practice, and future research are presented.
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