Therapeutic Beliefs and Practices of Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli Social Workers

Background: The present study investigates social workers’ preferences regarding four main therapeutic orientations: psychodynamic therapy (PDT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), client-centered therapy (CCT), and eco-systemic therapy (EST).

Methods: 679 social workers (528 Jewish and 151 Palestinian) reported their beliefs regarding the efficacy of the four therapeutic orientations, and 343 additional social workers (193 Jewish and 150 Palestinian) reported how often they apply the therapeutic orientations in their practice.

Results: CCT was the most preferred orientation regarding both belief in its efficacy and the frequency of its use in practice. CBT was ranked higher when social workers reported the frequency of its actual use in their practice as compared to its rank when reporting their belief in the efficacy of this therapeutic orientation. EST was ranked higher when social workers reported their belief in the efficacy of this therapeutic orientation as compared to its rank when reporting the frequency of its actual use in practice. PDT has the lowest rank in both beliefs and practices. The socio-demographic variables explained only a small proportion of variance in therapeutic preferences. Social workers with a private practice reported greater use of PDT. Holding a supervisory or managerial position was associated with greater use of CCT. Finally, a larger number of clients was associated with greater use of CBT and EST. Among Jewish-Israeli social workers, a higher proportion of Palestinian-Israeli clients was associated with greater use of CBT, EST, and CCT, while a higher proportion of foreign workers and asylum seekers among was associated with less use of CCT. Palestinian-Israeli social workers used CCT more frequently with their Palestinian-Israeli clients, while they used it less with their clients belonging to all the other ethnic groups.

Implications: Means to reducing the incongruence between the social workers’ therapeutic beliefs and practices and increasing social workers’ empathy to their clients from different ethnic groups are suggested.