The Influence of Professional Identity and Level of Empowerment on Political Participation of MSW Students

Background:The NASW Code of Ethics notes that social workers’ ethical obligations to broader society include engagement in social and political action. While social workers are more politically active than the general population, numerous variables have been identified in the literature that are associated with differential engagement in political activities (race, age, NASW membership, and practice orientation). However, research about political participation among MSW students is limited.  Formal education is a key phase in social workers’ professional identity development, laying groundwork for ethical social work practice. Increasing MSW students’ political participation prepares them to meet ethical obligations to broader society.  

Purpose:This study investigated political participation of MSW students, exploring factors that enhance or limit their involvement in a wide range of political activities. 

Methods:A 27-item self-administered survey was administered to MSW students at a Northeastern U.S. school of social work with 455 enrolled students (response rate of 47%). Students’ motivations to pursue the MSW, sense of professional identity, area of concentration, and level of empowerment were hypothesized to influence Political Participation levels.  Political Participation (PP) was operationalized via an 18-item scale (Rome and Hoechstetter, 2010).   Investigators hypothesized that students would more frequently engage in “passive” than “active” forms of PP (e.g. “knowing who represents me in Congress” vs. “testifying at federal, state, or local hearing”).  Students with stronger senses of professional identity were predicted to have higher PP levels than those with weaker professional identity. 

 Results: Of variables previously found to be associated with higher PP, only age mattered for this sample; older students had higher PP levels.  Contrary to findings in the literature on social workers, African American students were no more politically active than other races, nor were NASW members more active than non-members. 

With the exception of voting (considered “active”), students engaged in passive political activities more frequently than active ones. 

Utilizing a multiple regression model, “social work professional identity” was narrowed to “social work activist identity,” which explained 28.9% of the variance in PP (p<.0005).  Students’ level of empowerment explained 46.8% of the variance in PP (p<.0005).  Macro-oriented motivation acted as a mediator between professional development and PP, significantly increasing PP in students whose motivation to pursue an MSW involved professional development goals.

A one-way between-groups ANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference in PP between students by area of concentration ( F(5,190) = 4.5, p=.001).  Casework students’ mean PP scores (M=35.01, SD=12.19) were significantly lower than Community Organization (M=44.88, SD=14.85) or Policy Practice students (M=47.57, SD=13.23).  Administration and Group Work students did not differ significantly from other concentrations or from each other. 

Conclusions/Implications: Increased understanding of MSW students’ Political Participation allows educators to adapt explicit and implicit curriculum to develop students’ political knowledge, their understanding of positionality and power structures.  Such critical consciousness may foster empowerment, which can increase political participation. Particular attention to these tasks are needed within casework/clinical orientations.  Ensuring appropriate attention to macro-content within foundational courses may enhance students’ political participation, allowing them fulfill ethical obligations to broader society.