RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 social workers’ approaches to ethical dilemmas
A1 Gómez-García, Rogelio
A1 Lucas-García, Jezabel
A1 Bayón-Calvo, Siro
K1 Social work
K1 ethics and values
K1 social work values
K1 ethical decision-making
K1 social work research
AB SummaryThe study objective was the identification of social workers’ ethic profiles in their professional interventions. To conduct this pilot study, we used data from a national survey (N = 1071) carried out in Spain. The information was collected through an online questionnaire.FindingsResults show that social workers face a variety of ethical dilemmas in their professional practice. Through exploratory factor analysis, it was revealed that the underlying structure of the questionnaire consisted of three categories: direct service to individuals and families, design and implementation of social welfare policy and programmes and relationships among professional colleagues. Through latent class analysis, four unique social workers’ ethical profiles were identified: professionals with minimum incidence of experiencing ethical dilemmas, professionals with low incidence of experiencing ethical dilemmas, professionals with a notable incidence of experiencing ethical dilemmas and, finally, professionals with high incidence of experiencing ethical dilemmas. A third of the social workers in the sample showed a very low probability to be conflicted by ethical dilemmas.ApplicationsThe pilot study is expected to serve as a catalyst for discussion of social workers’ ethical conduct and professional practice, to promote professional ethics training and education and to support the development of professional guidelines.
PB Sage Journals
SN 1468-0173
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/81587
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/81587
LA eng
NO Journal of Social Work, 22(3), 804-823
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 13-feb-2026