Social media has become an integral part of daily life and professional practice for many, including social workers. With nearly 5 billion global users, platforms such as Facebook, Twitter (X), and YouTube facilitate communication, knowledge-sharing, and social engagement. However, alongside these benefits, social media has also become a channel for various forms of abuse and harassment. This issue is particularly significant in social work, where practitioners often engage with vulnerable populations and may face public criticism and abuse related to their work. In Ireland, a national study sought to investigate the prevalence and impact of online abuse experienced by social workers, probation officers, and social work students, providing insights into an often-overlooked issue in the profession.
The Scope of the Problem
Social media harassment can take many forms, including offensive comments, threats, cyberstalking, and doxxing (publicly revealing private information). Approximately 21.9% of social workers in the study reported experiencing some form of digital or online abuse. Facebook, Twitter, and email were identified as the primary platforms where abuse occurred, with 15.3% of cases directly related to the professional duties of social workers.
This abuse often originates from individuals who have interacted with social workers through their professional roles, including current or former service users and their families. Incidents of harassment range from negative comments about work practices to threats of violence and even cases of impersonation through fake social media profiles.
Legal Framework
Ireland and the European Union have introduced several laws to address digital harassment. Key Irish legislation includes the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, and the Harassment, Harmful Communications, and Related Offences Act, 2020 (Coco’s Law), which criminalizes online harassment, including the sharing of intimate images without consent. The European Union’s Digital Services Act, 2022, also seeks to enforce accountability on digital platforms, requiring them to address harmful content and monitor for disinformation. Despite these frameworks, enforcement and protection measures remain challenging, and social workers often feel inadequately protected against digital abuse.
Impact on Social Workers
The effects of online harassment on social workers extend beyond the virtual world, significantly impacting their mental health and job satisfaction. Participants in the study reported experiencing a range of adverse effects, including stress, anxiety, and reputational damage. Female social workers, who comprise a large proportion of the workforce, may face additional risks as research indicates gender-based abuse is more prevalent in digital spaces.
The study also noted that digital abuse has far-reaching implications, affecting not only the individual targeted but also their families and colleagues. In some cases, social workers reported receiving threats to their safety, their family members, or their property, leading to long-term effects on their well-being and professional engagement.
Who is Affected?
Children and family social workers, along with those working in high-stakes areas such as child protection and probation, reported the highest rates of online abuse. Social work students also experienced harassment, though primarily in their personal lives rather than in direct relation to their fieldwork. Social media abuse may be less frequent for probation officers, possibly due to their connection to the court system, which may offer a level of insulation against public backlash.
Recommendations and Conclusion
Addressing digital harassment requires a multifaceted approach. Employers in social work must take a proactive stance, implementing comprehensive social media policies, providing training on managing online abuse, and supporting staff in handling harassment. Further research is also essential to understand the full scope of this issue and develop effective interventions. With the right safeguards and support, social workers can navigate the digital landscape without compromising their safety or professional integrity.
As social media platforms continue to evolve, so too must the protections for professionals who use them. For social workers, establishing clear boundaries and support systems can help mitigate the risks of digital abuse, allowing them to focus on their primary mission—supporting vulnerable populations and advocating for social justice in both physical and digital spaces.
Democratic leadership, characterised by inclusivity, shared decision-making, and active participation, is particularly suitable for the field of social work. This leadership style not only respects the input of every team member but also fosters a sense of responsibility and empowerment among both social workers and service users. When combined with the principles of Social Discipline Window—a framework aimed at creating balanced relationships between leaders and team members—it becomes an effective approach for tackling complex social challenges. This article explores the democratic leadership style in social work through the lens of Social Discipline Window, highlighting how these principles enhance practice, collaboration, and outcomes.
The Democratic Leadership Style in Social Work
Democratic leadership is a participatory approach in which leaders encourage input from all team members. In social work, where the complexity of human problems requires collaborative solutions, this leadership style offers several benefits:
Enhanced Problem-Solving: By involving various perspectives, social workers can collaboratively develop solutions that are comprehensive and inclusive.
Empowerment and Ownership: Democratic leadership empowers team members to contribute ideas, fostering ownership of their work and an increased commitment to achieving positive outcomes for service users.
Building Trust and Respect: Social work is inherently relational, relying on trust between practitioners, service users, and stakeholders. Democratic leadership nurtures this trust by valuing each person’s voice.
Adapting to the Needs of Service Users: This style allows for flexible decision-making, enabling teams to adapt to the specific needs and circumstances of clients effectively.
These elements make democratic leadership an ideal fit for social work, aligning well with the ethical standards of participation, dignity, and mutual respect in practice.
Understanding Social Discipline Window
Window of Social Discipline is a framework that categorises social discipline into four quadrants based on two primary factors: support and control. Each quadrant represents a different balance between these elements, influencing how leaders interact with their team members. In social work, understanding these principles is crucial because they help practitioners foster an environment that promotes healthy development, accountability, and growth. The quadrants are:
High Control/Low Support (Authoritarian) – This approach is strict and directive but lacks empathy and support. It’s generally counterproductive in social work, where empathy and collaboration are key.
Low Control/Low Support (Neglectful) – Here, neither control nor support is emphasised, leading to disengagement and poor accountability.
Low Control/High Support (Permissive) – While supportive, this style often lacks the necessary structure to guide progress and achieve outcomes.
High Control/High Support (Authoritative) – Combining high support with clear boundaries and expectations, this quadrant aligns well with democratic leadership. Social workers operating in this quadrant can foster autonomy and accountability simultaneously.
The Social Discipline Window model, particularly the authoritative quadrant (high control/high support), underpins a democratic leadership approach by ensuring that social workers and clients feel supported while also held accountable for their responsibilities.
Applying Window of Social Discipline to Democratic Leadership in Social Work
Democratic leadership thrives in the authoritative quadrant of Social Discipline Window, providing both the structure and support essential for social work environments. Here’s how the principles can be applied in practice:
Creating a Supportive and Accountable Environment
Social workers leading democratically within the authoritative quadrant provide clear expectations to team members and service users. They encourage mutual respect and accountability while remaining empathetic to individual circumstances.
For example, a democratic leader may facilitate regular team check-ins to ensure alignment on service users’ care plans, while encouraging open dialogue to address challenges or new ideas that could improve outcomes.
Encouraging Person-Centered Decision-Making
In a democratic setting, service users are involved in the decision-making process, honoring the social work principle of self-determination. This aligns with Window of Social Discipline’s emphasis on both support and control—allowing service users to voice their preferences while guiding them through choices and potential consequences.
Social workers might, for instance, co-create a treatment plan with service users, explaining available options and jointly setting achievable goals. This approach gives service users a sense of autonomy and empowerment within a structured framework.
Balancing Team Autonomy with Guidance
Democratic leadership promotes a collaborative team environment, encouraging members to contribute ideas and take initiative. However, Window of Social Discipline’s authoritative quadrant ensures that this freedom comes with a balance of oversight to maintain quality and accountability.
Leaders can delegate tasks based on team members’ strengths while setting clear expectations for communication and follow-up. This enables social workers to develop professionally, engage more deeply in their roles, and contribute to a unified team effort.
Building Mutual Respect and Trust
The democratic leader in social work respects the input of team members and service users, fostering an environment of mutual respect. Social Discipline Window reinforces this respect by blending high control with high support, ensuring that boundaries are respected even in a collaborative setting.
In practice, this could mean involving team members in policy discussions or changes within the agency, promoting transparency, and aligning the team around shared values and goals.
Promoting Reflective Practice
Reflective practice is integral to social work, allowing practitioners to evaluate and improve their approach to service user care. A democratic leader within the Window of Social Discipline framework encourages regular reflection, promoting self-assessment and a deeper understanding of each team member’s role in advancing the organization’s mission.
Regular team debriefs after case discussions, for instance, can serve as a platform for reflection, enabling team members to learn from one another’s perspectives and refine their approaches to interactions with service users.
Benefits of Applying Democratic Leadership with Window of Social Discipline in Social Work
Integrating democratic leadership with the principles of Social Discipline Window yields several advantages for social work:
Enhanced Collaboration: A participatory environment builds stronger team bonds, enhancing collaboration and leading to more holistic approaches to service user care.
Increased Service User Satisfaction: Service users’ feel respected and heard, improving trust and satisfaction with services.
Sustainable Outcomes: The balanced approach of support and accountability creates a sustainable framework where service users’ and team members can grow and succeed.
Professional Growth and Retention: Social workers in democratic teams are more likely to feel valued and invested in their roles, promoting job satisfaction and reducing burnout.
Conclusion
The democratic leadership style, supported by the principles of Social Discipline Window, represents an effective approach in social work. By combining empathy and structure, this model creates an environment where service users, social workers, and team members are empowered, engaged, and accountable. This approach aligns well with social work’s core values, fostering a collaborative, respectful, and results-oriented practice that ultimately leads to positive outcomes for all stakeholders involved.
Introduction: Empathy is widely recognized as a crucial element in social work, playing a significant role in practitioner-service user relationships. Despite its importance, there is no universally accepted social work model or definition of empathy. This gap contrasts with other fields, such as psychology and neuroscience, which have made significant strides in understanding and conceptualising empathy. Social workers often find it difficult to define empathy within their own discipline, despite its central role in social justice and interpersonal relations. This article introduces a social work model of empathy that integrates recent interdisciplinary research, especially from social cognitive neuroscience, and situates it within social work’s core values, such as the Person-in-Environment (PIE) approach.
Empathy in Social Work:
Empathy is indispensable in social work, with numerous studies highlighting its importance in service user-practitioner relationships. Empathy is also essential for working with diverse populations, such as at-risk parents, partners, and even individuals like sex offenders. In healthy relationships, empathy fosters understanding, and it is particularly vital for parental relationships, as it helps raise emotionally well-adjusted children.
Surprisingly, empathy is not explicitly mentioned in key social work guidelines, such as the NASW Code of Ethics or the CSWE Educational Policy. However, this may reflect the ubiquity and assumed understanding of empathy, even though the lack of a concrete model or definition hinders deeper teaching and application.
Conceptual Challenges:
Empathy is commonly defined as the ability to imagine another’s emotions and thoughts. However, this definition has led to confusion, as empathy has been variously described as an innate trait, a cognitive skill, a physiological response, or some combination of these elements. The inconsistency in definitions and measurement across studies and disciplines makes it challenging to operationalise empathy in a meaningful and practical way.
Developmental and Neuroscientific Insights on Empathy:
Empathy’s dual nature—both as a passive reflection and an active effort to understand others—has been recognized since the early 20th century. Developmental psychologists, such as Hoffman, have explored empathy as part of human development, where early mimicry in infants eventually evolves into more complex forms of perspective-taking and role-playing. Hoffman also highlighted “empathic distress,” where witnessing others’ suffering motivates moral and prosocial actions.
In the 1990s, researchers like Batson linked empathy to altruism, suggesting that people often act to alleviate their own discomfort when witnessing others’ suffering. However, the relationship between empathy and altruism is not always straightforward, as individuals can engage in prosocial behavior for various motives.
Mirror Neurons and Empathy:
The discovery of mirror neurons has provided new insights into the biological underpinnings of empathy. These neurons, which fire both when an action is performed and when it is observed in others, allow humans to mirror the emotions and actions of those around them. This automatic, unconscious response suggests that empathy is deeply rooted in our brain’s neural pathways. However, research also indicates that conditions like autism or brain injury can impair this mirroring capacity, leading to empathy deficits.
A Social Cognitive Neuroscience Model of Empathy:
Decety and colleagues identified four key neural networks that mediate empathy:
Affective Sharing: The automatic experience of sharing emotions with others, driven by mirror neurons.
Self-Awareness: The ability to distinguish between one’s own emotions and those of others.
Mental Flexibility/Perspective-Taking: The cognitive capacity to adopt another person’s point of view.
Emotion Regulation: The ability to modulate one’s emotional responses to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
These components are essential for a full empathic response, but the social work model also incorporates the importance of social justice and the broader environmental context in which empathy operates.
The Person-in-Environment (PIE) Approach:
The Person-in-Environment (PIE) approach is foundational in social work and is crucial for a full understanding of empathy within this profession. PIE posits that individuals cannot be separated from the social, cultural, and economic environments that shape their lives. It emphasises that human behavior and well-being are influenced by the interaction of various systems, including family, community, socioeconomic factors, and broader societal structures.
In the context of the social work model of empathy, PIE enhances the practitioner’s ability to not only empathise with the service user’s emotional state but also understand the external factors influencing their situation. For example, when a social worker empathises with a service user struggling with homelessness, the PIE approach prompts the social worker to consider the systemic issues contributing to their service user’s hardship—such as unemployment, lack of affordable housing, or discriminatory policies—rather than viewing the situation solely through an individual lens. This broader understanding leads to more comprehensive and impactful interventions that address both personal and systemic challenges.
Empathy Through the Lens of PIE
Holistic Understanding of Service Users: The PIE framework enhances empathy by ensuring that social workers consider the full context of a service user’s life. A service user’s emotional distress might not solely be due to personal factors but could also stem from systemic issues such as poverty, discrimination, or lack of access to resources. Empathy, in this context, involves understanding how these external pressures contribute to the service user’s experiences and behaviors.
Cognitive Processing and Environmental Awareness: In the social work model of empathy, cognitive processing involves perspective-taking and understanding another person’s situation. Through the PIE lens, this means recognizing that a person’s challenges are often a product of their interactions with various systems—family dynamics, community networks, social services, and broader economic conditions. Empathy in social work, therefore, goes beyond understanding emotions; it requires grasping the complex interplay between the individual and their environment.
Empathic Action and Social Justice: Empathic action, the third component of the social work model, aligns strongly with the PIE framework. Social workers are called not just to understand service users’ emotional and cognitive states but also to address the external conditions affecting their well-being. For instance, empathic action may involve advocating for policy changes that reduce structural inequalities or organizing community resources to support underserved populations. By engaging with the PIE framework, social workers ensure that their empathic responses are grounded in efforts to improve the environments that contribute to service users’ struggles.
Empowerment and Systems Change: Viewing empathy through the PIE lens leads social workers to focus on empowerment. Rather than simply addressing individual symptoms of distress, social workers using empathy informed by PIE look at how service users can be supported in overcoming environmental barriers. This might involve helping service users navigate complex systems like healthcare, legal services, or housing assistance. By understanding the broader environmental challenges, social workers can empower people who using services to advocate for themselves and make sustainable changes in their lives.
A Social Work Model of Empathy:
The proposed model includes three interrelated components:
Affective Response: This is the involuntary, physiological reaction to another person’s emotions and actions, primarily driven by mirroring and mimicry.
Cognitive Processing: This involves the voluntary interpretation of the affective response, including self-awareness, mental flexibility, emotion regulation, and role-taking. Cognitive processing enables the individual to understand the other person’s perspective without losing their sense of self.
Conscious Decision-Making: This final step involves taking action based on the cognitive processing of the empathic experience. Empathy in social work goes beyond understanding; it requires empathic action that aligns with social justice principles.
These three components ensure that empathy is not just a feeling but a dynamic process that leads to meaningful, justice-oriented action, particularly through the PIE approach.
Empathic Action: A Social Work Imperative:
While many models of empathy stop at cognitive processing, the social work model asserts that empathy is incomplete without action. This reflects the discipline’s core commitment to social justice, requiring that social workers not only understand the experiences of others but also act to address inequalities and injustices.
Empathic action can occur at various levels—individual, community, and societal—and is crucial for empowering clients rather than fostering dependence. For example, instead of simply providing short-term assistance to a struggling family, a social worker might help them build sustainable solutions and advocate for broader systemic changes.
The Dynamic Nature of Empathy:
Empathy is not an all-or-nothing experience; its components may be present in varying degrees depending on the situation and individual capacity. While the affective response is automatic, cognitive processing and decision-making are influenced by factors like neurological health, socialisation, and practice.
Conclusion:
The social work model of empathy integrates interdisciplinary insights from neuroscience, psychology, and social work theory, positioning empathy as both a cognitive and moral process. This model emphasises the need for social workers to not only understand but also act upon empathic insights, with a clear focus on advancing social justice. By using this model, social workers can cultivate deeper empathy in themselves and their clients, promoting empowerment and systemic change. The proposed model also opens the door for further research and refinement, particularly in measuring empathy and its impact on social work outcomes.
This holistic approach to empathy not only enhances the service user-practitioner relationship but also strengthens the role of social work in advocating for equity and justice at all levels, making Person-in-Environment an essential lens through which empathy-driven action must be viewed.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an influential approach developed by William R. Miller in the early 1980s, initially targeting the treatment of problem drinkers. Over time, MI has evolved into a widely utilized method in various fields, including social work. This article explores the application of MI in social work, focusing on its alignment with social work values, the techniques it employs, and its effectiveness in facilitating behavior change.
What is Motivational Interviewing?
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is defined as “a service user-centered, directive method for enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence” (Miller & Rollnick, 2002). It contrasts traditional methods of direct persuasion by encouraging service users to voice their own reasons for change. This technique emphasizes the service user’s autonomy, focusing on eliciting the desire for change from within the individual rather than imposing it externally. The foundation of MI lies in the transtheoretical model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982), which views behavior change as a process that occurs in distinct stages, such as precontemplation, contemplation, and action.
MI is rooted in several psychological theories, including self-perception theory, conflict and ambivalence theory, and decisional balance. These foundations underscore the importance of ambivalence in behavior change, where the service user is often caught between the desire to change and the comfort of their current behavior.
The Spirit and Techniques of Motivational Interviewing
The effectiveness of MI is attributed to the “spirit” with which practitioners approach service users. This spirit is composed of several key elements:
Motivation Elicited from the Service User: Service users, not counselors, articulate their ambivalence and motivation for change.
Non-directive Approach: Direct persuasion is avoided; instead, counselors support service users in resolving their own ambivalence.
Empathy and Active Listening: Reflective listening and empathy form the backbone of MI, fostering a non-judgmental environment where service users feel understood.
Partnership over Expertise: The counselor-service user relationship is a partnership rather than a hierarchical dynamic, where the counselor acts as a guide, not an expert.
The specific techniques used in MI revolve around four principles: expressing empathy, developing discrepancy, rolling with resistance, and supporting self-efficacy. By employing these strategies, social workers can guide service users toward self-reflection, helping them explore the gap between their current behaviors and their broader goals and values.
MI’s Alignment with Social Work Values
MI is particularly well-suited to social work practice due to its alignment with core social work values such as self-determination, respect for individuals’ autonomy, and the promotion of human dignity. Social work places a strong emphasis on empowering service users, allowing them to make informed decisions about their own lives. MI’s non-coercive, service user-centered approach resonates with this principle, enabling service users to explore their options in a supportive environment. The respect for self-determination inherent in MI ensures that social workers uphold the service user’s right to choose the pace and direction of change.
Additionally, MI is consistent with evidence-based practice, a cornerstone of modern social work. Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated MI’s effectiveness in various settings, including substance abuse treatment, domestic violence, and health interventions. These studies highlight MI’s adaptability and its potential to positively impact diverse populations and settings.
Application of Motivational Interviewing in Social Work
The versatility of MI allows it to be applied in multiple social work settings, including:
Addictions: MI is highly effective in substance abuse interventions, particularly for engaging service users in treatment and fostering commitment to recovery.
Domestic Violence: In cases of domestic violence, MI can provide a framework for exploring ambivalence, such as the conflicting emotions victims may have toward their abusive partners.
Health and Mental Health: MI has been used to promote behavior change in areas such as smoking cessation, HIV prevention, and treatment adherence for individuals with psychiatric conditions.
A compelling case example from the field of domestic violence illustrates how MI can be used to navigate the complex emotions and decisions involved. Delores, a victim of physical abuse, enters a shelter with ambivalence about leaving her abusive partner. Through reflective listening and careful exploration of her ambivalence, the social worker supports Delores in articulating both the reasons she might return to her partner and the risks involved. By fostering a non-judgmental space for self-exploration, the worker helps Delores consider her own motivations and the potential consequences of her decisions, without directing her toward a particular choice.
Conclusion: The Promise of MI in Social Work
Motivational Interviewing offers a valuable approach to social work practice, particularly in settings where service users face ambivalence about behavior change. Its alignment with social work values—such as respect for self-determination and autonomy—makes it an appropriate method for helping service users explore their readiness for change. With its service user-centered spirit, empirical support, and adaptability across various contexts, MI holds significant potential for enhancing social work interventions.
As the use of MI expands, social workers are encouraged to continue incorporating and evaluating this approach across diverse populations and practice areas. By embracing the spirit of MI, social workers can further their commitment to empowering individuals to make meaningful, lasting changes in their lives.
In the field of social work, especially when it comes to youth services, a crucial question arises: how can we empower young individuals, especially those in challenging circumstances? The answer lies not just in expertise and resources but also in understanding the different dynamics that professionals, regardless of gender, bring to the table. With men making up only 15-20% of the workforce in social work, it becomes important to ask whether more male representation could be beneficial, particularly in working with young men in vulnerable situations.
The Impact of Gender in Youth Social Work
Social work is often seen as a profession dominated by women, as mentioned in a conversation with Curtis Powell and Jason Barnes, experienced social workers from the UK. Both highlighted the significance of male figures, especially when working with adolescents who may be lacking positive male role models in their lives. Many young boys in social care grow up in environments without active father figures, which can make a male social worker’s presence crucial for building trust and offering a balanced perspective.
Powell, drawing from his work in the Youth Offending Service and adolescent teams, emphasised that simply being a man can sometimes bring balance into a situation. He noted that many young boys need a big brother or a father figure, rather than more nurturing approaches, which they often receive from their mothers. For these boys, a male social worker can resonate on a different level, providing guidance in a manner that aligns with their need for structure and a more direct communication style.
Beyond Gender: The Power of Diverse Representation
The discussion on the necessity for more men in social work is not a critique of the invaluable contributions women make to the profession. Instead, it’s an acknowledgment that having a workforce that reflects the diverse makeup of the society it serves, whether in terms of gender, race, or cultural background, leads to more effective outcomes.
Barnes pointed out that male social workers can sometimes more effectively engage fathers or teenage boys who may be resistant to opening up to female professionals due to cultural or personal reasons. However, both Powell and Barnes agreed that gender alone doesn’t dictate success in social work—it is the combination of skills, personal experiences, and the ability to relate that makes the difference.
Breaking Stereotypes and Changing Perceptions
One of the barriers to getting more men into social work is the profession’s image. Social work, particularly with children and families, is often associated with care, which society tends to stereotype as a feminine role. As Barnes noted, social workers aren’t as visible in media or public discussions as professions like the police or teachers, making it harder for young men to see themselves in these roles.
To counter this, both Powell and Barnes emphasised the importance of changing the narrative around social work. This involves showcasing the diverse faces within the field and highlighting the real impact that social workers have on people’s lives, including those of young men and boys. More proactive recruitment campaigns targeting men and addressing misconceptions about the profession could help bridge this gap.
Empowering Young People with a Holistic Approach
At the heart of the discussion lies the need to empower young people by providing them with role models and professionals they can relate to. Whether through male or female social workers, the goal is to meet the unique needs of each individual, particularly those in vulnerable or crisis situations. Young people, especially boys navigating challenging environments, often need a balance of nurture and structure, which a diverse team of social workers can provide.
In conclusion, while the gender of a social worker can sometimes make a difference in engagement and trust-building, the true measure of success in empowering youth comes from creating an inclusive environment where professionals bring their whole selves—regardless of gender—to the task of helping young people manage their circumstances and thrive.
Imposter syndrome, also known as imposter phenomenon (IP), is characterised by persistent feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, despite evident success. It was first conceptualised by Clance and Imes in 1978 and remains a psychological pattern where individuals feel like frauds, attributing their achievements to external factors such as luck or timing rather than their abilities. This phenomenon is particularly concerning in professions with high emotional and cognitive demands, such as social work. Jessica Urwin’s investigation into IP in social work highlights its prevalence and potential impacts on both individual practitioners and the profession as a whole.
The Nature of Imposter Syndrome in Social Work
In social work, the effects of imposter syndrome can be particularly pronounced due to the profession’s reliance on professional judgment and decision-making in high-stakes situations. Social workers are tasked with making complex evaluations that affect vulnerable populations, adding pressure to an already challenging role. Those who experience imposter syndrome may doubt their abilities, attributing their successes to factors outside their control, such as luck or lenient supervisors, rather than recognizing their professional competence. This self-doubt can lead to feelings of fraudulence and anxiety, which undermine both the social worker’s mental health and their capacity to effectively serve their service users.
Prevalence and Impact
Urwin’s study surveyed a group of 59 social workers and found that imposter syndrome is more prevalent in the profession than expected. The study revealed that 37.3% of respondents experienced moderate levels of imposter syndrome, while 33.9% experienced frequent feelings of inadequacy. Interestingly, the data suggested that imposter syndrome tends to decrease with experience, as more seasoned social workers reported lower levels of imposter-related feelings than their less experienced counterparts. Additionally, those in management positions were less likely to experience imposter syndrome than frontline workers.
The Effects of Imposter Syndrome on Social Work Practice
The effects of imposter syndrome can manifest in several detrimental ways in social work practice. Two common coping strategies associated with imposter syndrome are over-preparation and procrastination. Social workers experiencing imposter syndrome may feel the need to over-prepare for every task, leading to burnout and stress. Alternatively, they may procrastinate, fearing they lack the skills to complete a task, which can result in rushed and inadequate decision-making. Both strategies are unsustainable in social work, where practitioners must make timely decisions, often with incomplete information.
Moreover, imposter syndrome can negatively impact self-efficacy and perceived organisational support. Social workers who feel unsupported by their organizations are more likely to doubt their abilities, exacerbating feelings of fraudulence and incompetence. This can create a vicious cycle, where low self-esteem and perceived lack of support fuel imposter syndrome, leading to increased anxiety, depression, and ultimately burnout.
Implications for the Profession
The high prevalence of imposter syndrome among social workers has significant implications for both individual practitioners and the profession as a whole. Social work is already a high-stress profession with high turnover rates and a high risk of burnout. Practitioners who experience imposter syndrome may be more susceptible to these risks, potentially leaving the profession prematurely due to the mental health challenges associated with feeling like an imposter.
Furthermore, the presence of imposter syndrome in social work has potential consequences for service users. Social workers who struggle with self-doubt may have difficulty maintaining the confidence needed to build trust with service users and make decisive interventions in complex cases. As a result, imposter syndrome not only affects the well-being of practitioners but also the quality of care provided to vulnerable populations.
Strategies for Addressing Imposter Syndrome
Addressing imposter syndrome in social work requires a multi-faceted approach that includes both individual and organizational interventions. On an individual level, cognitive-behavioral strategies such as reframing negative thought patterns and practicing self-affirmation can help social workers challenge the distorted beliefs that fuel imposter syndrome. Social workers should be encouraged to recognize their accomplishments and internalise their successes, rather than attributing them to external factors.
On an organizational level, providing clear role definitions, setting realistic targets, and offering regular supervision sessions can help alleviate the anxiety and self-doubt associated with imposter syndrome. Additionally, creating a supportive work environment where social workers feel valued and heard can reduce the feelings of isolation and inadequacy that often accompany imposter syndrome. Given the high prevalence of burnout in the profession, organisations should prioritise mental health support and resilience training for social workers to ensure their well-being and long-term retention in the field.
Conclusion
Imposter syndrome presents a significant challenge in social work, affecting both practitioners’ mental health and their ability to provide high-quality care. As the profession continues to face high levels of stress and burnout, addressing imposter syndrome is crucial for maintaining a healthy and resilient workforce. By fostering a supportive work environment and promoting self-efficacy, the social work profession can better equip its practitioners to overcome imposter syndrome and continue their vital work in serving vulnerable populations.
Case Study: Jason’s parents were contacted by the school social worker to discuss concerns about his involvement in a fight with a peer and his declining academic performance. At home, they are worried about his strained relationships with his siblings, frequent anger outbursts, and defiance, describing him as having “a bad attitude, always talking back, and never following instructions.” The family has a history of substance abuse and mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, which further raises their concerns after recently discovering marijuana in Jason’s room.
Jason, age 14, responds, “My parents don’t know what they’re talking about. My younger brother and sister just get me in trouble because I don’t let them touch my stuff. My parents don’t care—they don’t listen to me; they just want me to do what they say. And I don’t think it’s a big deal that I smoke weed—it helps me feel better and keeps me from being so angry all the time.”
What comes to mind when you hear Person-In-Environment?
This approach emphasises that individuals are strongly influenced by their environment. It underscores the importance of understanding a person and their behavior in relation to the context in which they live. A person’s environment, along with their experiences, shapes how they see the world, how they think, and why they react in certain ways. In Social Work, gathering information from service users is a core aspect of our practice, and knowing what to look for and how to organise it is like assembling pieces of a puzzle to form a clearer picture of their situation. This lesson will introduce key approaches, perspectives, and theories that form the foundation and lens through which social workers view their work.
Micro, Mezzo, and Macro
We’ll begin by exploring the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Approach, which focuses on different levels within a person’s system and helps guide the identification of needed supports.
The Micro level addresses individual needs and involves direct, one-on-one interactions with service users—this is the most common type of social work. At this level, we examine factors such as biological and psychological needs, social relationships (peers), family dynamics, interpersonal supports, and spiritual beliefs.
Jason’s micro level:Biologically, no physical health issues have been reported, though concerns exist regarding how marijuana use may impact his health. As an adolescent, Jason is undergoing hormonal and physical changes typical for his age. His family’s history of substance abuse and mental health challenges suggests potential genetic factors that may need further exploration. Psychologically, Jason may be experiencing anxiety or depressive symptoms, particularly since he mentions using marijuana as a coping mechanism. Behaviorally, he exhibits anger and conflicts with his siblings, along with strained family relationships, which highlights the importance of examining his social connections and support systems. While no spiritual beliefs were mentioned in the case study, this is an area that would need to be explored in further discussions with Jason.
The Mezzo level focuses on an individual’s connections and interactions with small groups, including family, schools, churches, neighborhoods, community organizations, and peers or co-workers. These group dynamics play a significant role in shaping a person’s social environment and can offer critical support or pose challenges.
Jason’s mezzo level: At this level, we would explore how his relationships and interactions with various groups influence him, including his family, peers, school staff and faculty, any possible spiritual affiliations or church connections, as well as any community groups or organizations he identifies with. Understanding these group dynamics will help assess the broader context of his support systems and social influences.
The Macro level addresses connections to large systems and systemic issues, such as laws, legislation, policies, healthcare systems, and international organizations. It also examines broader influences like ethical frameworks, the historical impact of group experiences, and how discrimination and prejudice affect marginalized populations. This level focuses on the structural factors that shape a person’s experiences and access to resources.
Jason’s macro level: At this level, it is important to examine how broader systemic factors influence his situation. This includes education and school policies, mental health and healthcare systems, drug laws and policies, as well as cultural and historical impacts of group experiences. Additionally, the potential effects of discrimination and prejudice on Jason’s experiences should be explored to understand how these larger structures may be affecting his life.
It is essential to examine the interconnectedness and interactions among the information presented at each level, as this can significantly impact a person’s functioning and development within their environment. Understanding how the micro, mezzo, and macro levels influence one another provides a comprehensive view of the individual’s circumstances and can inform more effective interventions and support strategies.
Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual
The Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Approach evaluates functioning across biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions, examining how these areas are interconnected to better understand human behavior. While this approach overlaps with the Micro level, it takes a more in-depth look at how the individual functions within each dimension and how these areas influence one another.
The Biological component focuses on factors such as overall health, physical abilities, weight, diet, lifestyle, medication or substance use, gender, and genetic predispositions or vulnerabilities.
Jason’s biological aspects:While no concerns with his overall physical health have been reported, it’s important to consider the developmental changes associated with adolescence. There are concerns about his substance use and its potential impacts. He identifies as male, and there may be genetic predispositions or vulnerabilities, such as a family history of substance abuse, anxiety, depression, or other relevant mental health issues, that warrant further exploration.
The Psychological component involves factors related to mental health, self-esteem, attitudes and beliefs, temperament, coping skills, emotions, learning, memory, perceptions, and personality. These aspects help shape how an individual thinks, feels, and responds to their environment.
Jason’s psychological aspects: He exhibits anger issues, with concerns surrounding his substance use and its effects. There may be underlying self-esteem issues, poor coping skills, and difficulties with emotional regulation. His cognitive development, personality traits, and temperament need to be assessed, as well as how he perceives and interprets his environment. These factors may offer insight into his behavior and mental health.
The Social component encompasses factors such as peer and family relationships, social supports, cultural traditions, education, employment or job security, socioeconomic status, and the influence of societal messages. These elements shape an individual’s interactions and experiences within their social environment.
Jason’s social aspects:He has strained family relationships and may face challenges in his school relationships and educational supports. It’s important to explore the potential impacts of his socioeconomic background and cultural traditions. Additionally, identifying and examining his peer relationships and social supports will provide a more complete picture of his social environment.
The Spiritual component addresses factors related to an individual’s spiritual or religious beliefs, including any connection or sense of support they feel from a higher being or higher power. This dimension explores how these beliefs influence their sense of purpose, values, and overall well-being.
Jason’s spiritual aspects: No specific spiritual aspects were mentioned, but it’s important to explore what this means to Jason. Does he identify with a church, religion, or a higher power or being? What significance does this hold for him? Does his spirituality provide support and comfort, or is it contributing to stress as he navigates his own understanding and attempts to “figure out what it all means”? This exploration could offer insight into his values and sense of meaning.
Examining each dimension of the Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Approach enables a more holistic exploration and assessment of an individual, as it connects and evaluates four key domains of their life. This comprehensive view helps in understanding how these areas interact and influence one another, providing deeper insight into the person’s overall well-being and functioning.
Systems Theory
Systems Theory posits that behavior is influenced by various interconnected factors working together as a system, where each part plays a critical role in the overall functioning, and the whole system supports and sustains its parts. A person’s family, friends, school, work, economic status, home environment, and other factors all shape how they think and act. Social workers must observe and assess all the systems impacting a person, as these systems collectively contribute to their behavior and well-being. Strengthening these interconnected systems is key to supporting the individual effectively. This holistic view of individuals within their environment guides the development of the most appropriate interventions.
Within Systems Theory, we also explore roles—routine tasks and behaviors individuals assume within a system. Everyone plays roles, whether they recognize them or not. Examples include leader, caretaker, parent, child, sibling, enabler, scapegoat, citizen, spouse, or worker. Many people derive a sense of identity from their roles, which can reinforce behaviors when positive emotions are tied to them, or motivate change when negative feelings are associated with them. Understanding the roles a person plays, and how they perceive those roles, is essential to comprehending their experiences and identifying their needs.
Ecological Theory
Ecological Theory emphasizes the interaction between individuals and their environments, highlighting how people actively engage with their surroundings and how both the environment and personal development are in a constant state of flux.
“Thoughts become perception; perception becomes reality. Alter your thoughts, alter your reality.” ~ William James
A key aspect of this theory is the significance of perception—how individuals interpret their environments and experiences profoundly affects their overall functioning and well-being. This is true regardless of how issues may appear to a social worker. It’s essential to explore how clients perceive their situations before assuming certain issues are problematic. We must strive to see things from their perspective and understand their feelings, as it is ultimately their story and their reality. In social work practice, this understanding is best achieved by examining individuals, families, policies, communities, and cultures to identify strengths and weaknesses in the transactional processes between these systems.
Bronfenbrenner proposed that an individual’s development is influenced by various elements within their surrounding environment, which he divided into five distinct levels: the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem.
The microsystem is the closest system to the individual and encompasses environments where they have direct interactions. Examples include home, school, and work, typically involving relationships with family, peers, or caregivers. Relationships within the microsystem are bi-directional, meaning that an individual’s responses and reactions can influence those of others, making this the most influential level in the theory.
The mesosystem involves the interconnections between an individual’s various microsystems, influencing one another. These interactions can have positive or negative impacts, depending on whether the elements of the system are working collaboratively (positive) or at odds (negative).
The exosystem refers to settings in which the individual is not directly involved but which still affect them. This includes external decisions that impact a person, such as a child being affected by a parent’s job loss, despite not having any direct role in that decision.
The macrosystem represents the broader cultural context in which the individual lives, including factors like the economy, cultural values, and political systems that influence their life experiences.
The chronosystem encompasses transitions and changes that occur throughout a person’s life. It examines the timing of events in relation to an individual’s development, such as how the death of a loved one affects children at different ages. Additionally, it considers historical events that impact individuals, like the effects of the September 11th attacks.
Jason’s story: Utilizing Systems Theory, we will examine the micro, mezzo, and macro levels, along with the bio-psycho-social-spiritual dimensions, to understand how these factors interact and influence one another. We will also explore the roles Jason identifies with (such as son, brother, student, and friend) and those he may not consciously recognize (like leader, caretaker—if he helps care for younger siblings—and role model). It is essential to assess how Jason perceives each of these roles—whether positively or negatively—to gain deeper insight into his experiences and better support his needs.
Incorporating Ecological Theory allows us to consider how both development and environment are continuously evolving and how these changes impact clients as they navigate their systems. Ecosystems Theory draws from both Systems Theory and Ecological Theory, combining key principles from each to provide a comprehensive view of the complexities within each network Jason experiences. This holistic approach enables us to better understand the interactions among these systems and their effects on his life.
Strengths Perspective
A foundational perspective in Social Work is the Strengths Perspective, which emphasises that all individuals possess strengths and abilities that enable them to grow and adapt. This approach shifts the focus away from problems, allowing us to identify how service users can leverage their strengths to achieve their goals. Service users are regarded as the experts of their own experiences, and their insights are invaluable in exploring moments of resilience. By partnering with service users, we can identify supports and solutions that enhance their capacity for growth. Additionally, it is crucial to evaluate the environment for potential barriers and impacts while assessing both needs and strengths.
Jason’s Strengths:He has a supportive family, with both biological parents present in the home and still together. Jason is aware of his family history, which can inform his understanding of personal challenges. He also benefits from school supports and is physically able, with no developmental delays reported (although it may be useful to further explore any related concerns). Notably, he has found a coping skill—albeit not the most appropriate one—that demonstrates his engagement in self-regulation efforts. Additionally, Jason was able to communicate with the school Social Worker during their meeting instead of remaining closed off, indicating a willingness to engage and seek support.
Exploration of Strengths: The following link discusses the values of strengths-based practice and explores the five types of questions suggested by Dennis Saleebey, a pioneer in developing and promoting Strengths-Based Practice at the University of Kansas. While the example questions focus on parental interactions, the concepts and ideas can be adapted to work with any client population. This resource will provide valuable insights into assessing clients’ strengths and leveraging them in the support process.
In contemporary social work, many practitioners may overlook psychodynamic therapy, seeing it as an outdated relic in a field increasingly dominated by short-term, manualized interventions. Yet, this is precisely what Faye Mishna, Melissa Van Wert, and Kenta Asakura explore in their article “The Best Kept Secret in Social Work: Empirical Support for Contemporary Psychodynamic Social Work Practice.” They argue that psychodynamic approaches remain not only relevant but empirically supported and well-suited for addressing complex, real-world cases.
Psychodynamic Therapy: More Than Freud
Historically linked to psychoanalysis, psychodynamic therapy has evolved considerably since the days of Sigmund Freud. The approach now encompasses several theories, including self psychology, intersubjectivity, and relational theory. These contemporary frameworks focus on the therapeutic relationship as the primary tool for change, positioning the service user within their broader social environment. This aligns well with social work’s commitment to person-in-environment and relational practice, emphasising that individuals cannot be understood in isolation from their relationships and societal contexts (Mishna et al., 2013).
Relevance to Social Work Practice
One of the strongest arguments made by Mishna and her colleagues is that psychodynamic practice resonates deeply with the core principles of social work. The therapeutic relationship—central to psychodynamic theory—is the very foundation of social work practice. Whether practitioners are working with children, adults, or families, establishing a strong, empathic connection is key to facilitating personal growth and change (Mishna et al., 2013).
Moreover, psychodynamic approaches go beyond symptom management to address the complex interplay between a service user’s internal world and their external relationships. For example, self psychology emphasizes the importance of “self-object” experiences, where individuals develop a cohesive sense of self through empathic connections with others (Kohut, 1977). This mirrors social work’s holistic approach to understanding the client’s needs in their full context.
Empirical Support for Psychodynamic Therapy
Contrary to the misconception that psychodynamic therapy lacks empirical backing, a growing body of evidence supports its efficacy. Mishna and her co-authors review multiple studies demonstrating the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in treating a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance abuse disorders. For instance, research by Leichsenring et al. (2006) and a meta-analysis by Abbass et al. (2006) revealed that both short-term and long-term psychodynamic interventions can significantly improve mental health outcomes (Mishna et al., 2013).
Moreover, research has shown that the benefits of psychodynamic therapy often endure long after the treatment concludes. Unlike some brief therapeutic interventions, which may offer only temporary symptom relief, psychodynamic therapy aims to facilitate deeper, more lasting changes in service users’ psychological functioning (Town et al., 2012).
Addressing Complex, Real-World Cases
One of the strengths of psychodynamic practice is its ability to accommodate the complexity of real-world cases. Social workers often encounter clients dealing with intersecting oppressions and multiple, co-occurring issues—ranging from trauma and mental illness to systemic barriers such as poverty and discrimination. Psychodynamic therapy, with its focus on deep relational work and long-term change, is well-suited to this context (Mishna et al., 2013).
While manualised treatment models like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may offer clear pathways to symptom reduction, they may fall short in addressing the broader relational and social contexts of service users’ lives. Mishna et al. argue that social work education should incorporate psychodynamic theory more robustly to prepare future practitioners for the multifaceted challenges they will face in the field (Mishna et al., 2013).
Conclusion
In revisiting psychodynamic approaches, Mishna, Van Wert, and Asakura offer a timely reminder that psychodynamic social work is far from obsolete. The therapeutic relationship, person-in-environment perspective, and focus on deep psychological change make this approach especially relevant in today’s practice. As evidence continues to support the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy, it is time for social work to rediscover its potential and integrate it into both practice and education.
By raising awareness of psychodynamic theory’s relevance and its empirical foundation, we can ensure that this “best-kept secret” in social work becomes widely known and utilised for the benefit of service users and practitioners alike.
References
Abbass, A. A., Hancock, J. T., Henderson, J., & Kisely, S. (2006). Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapies for common mental disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, (4).
Kohut, H. (1977). The restoration of the self. International Universities Press.
Leichsenring, F., Hiller, W., Weissberg, M., & Leibing, E. (2006). Cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy: Techniques, indications and empirical evidence. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 60(3), 233–260.
Mishna, F., Van Wert, M., & Asakura, K. (2013). The best kept secret in social work: Empirical support for contemporary psychodynamic social work practice. Journal of Social Work Practice, 27(3), 289–303.
Town, J. M., Diener, M. J., Abbass, A., Leichsenring, F., Driessen, E., & Rabung, S. (2012). A meta-analysis of psychodynamic psychotherapy outcomes: Evaluating the effects of research-specific procedures. Psychotherapy, 49(3), 276–290.
Beyond Barriers 