Module 1 Chapter 2: Research and the Professional Ethics Mandate

America’s long, complicated, ambivalent, and confusing relationship with research, evidence, and factual information have profound implications for how social workers practice our profession. In 1964, a Pulitzer Prize was awarded to Richard Hofstadter’s book (1963) analyzing the role played by anti-intellectual passions in a democratic society—intellect being about critical, creative, and contemplative thinking. The author’s analysis is relevant today because it addresses the depreciation of knowledge as a societal counter-force acting against social change; counter-forces that are especially prevalent in periods characterized by “complex and bewildering global change” (Baer, 2017).

What you will learn from reading this chapter is:

• Why research matters to the social work profession and the nature of the relationship between research and ethical social work practice
• Principles and standards in the social work code of ethics that address the relationship between research and practice.

A Place for Research in The Social Work Profession

One feature of a profession is that members of that profession participate in the systematic study of its practices and engaging in knowledge-building processes that shape practice (Kirk & Reid, 2002; Zlotnik, 2008). Having a body of knowledge and theory, as opposed to simply having a set of practices or skills, is a distinguishing feature between an occupation and a profession (Kirk & Reid, 2002).

Research is an important source of knowledge for the profession of social work. Translated from an original Arabic analysis is the phrase “knowledge is power” (attributed to Imam Ali). Similar is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson (1862): “…knowledge comes by eyes always open, and working hands and there is no knowledge that is not power” (p. 136).

Consider this description of social work research:

“Social work research is the use of social research methods for developing, producing, and disseminating knowledge that is pertinent to policies and practices…It aims to describe and explain phenomena relevant to social work” (Tripodi & Lalayants, 2008, p. 512)

And, in an essay about the science of the social work profession, the authors answer the question “Why social science?” with the conclusion, “Because social science—and social work research in particular—is an engine for social progress” (Coffey & Williams, 2017). This observation leads to an important point: social work is a long-standing, proud profession that draws on an expanding body of knowledge, theory, and research—both its own and that generated through multiple other disciplines. Because social work practice covers so many broad topics, problems, and populations, and because social work professionals work in collaboration with so many other professions, social work scholars are well positioned to contribute to and draw from knowledge in multiple professions and disciplines.

The NASW Code of Ethics

By now you may have been introduced to the 36-page National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics(NASW, 2017) that outlines patterns of professional behavior that define ethical social work practice. In this chapter, we examine several sections of the professional code of ethics that directly address the relationship between research/evidence and professional social work practice. This is not quite the same thing as what we explore in Chapter 4 where we focus more specifically on the ethical conduct of research.

You can access the NASW Code of Ethics at the interactive website https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-Englishor as a pdf link in the Carmen course site.

Beginning with The Sixth Principle.The first place where the code of ethics content directly relates to the relationship between ethical social work practice and research is in the last of the six broad ethical principles (NASW, 2017). This principle states:

Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise (p. 6).

This single statement is followed by two additional statements that elaborate the point:

Social workers continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills and to apply them in practice. Social workers should aspire to contribute to the knowledge base of the profession (p. 6).

How can you as a social worker contribute to the knowledge base of the profession? Engaging in research is a major mechanism for doing so.

Standard 4.01: Competence.Next, let’s turn to the Standards identified in the professional code of ethics for social workers (NASW, 2017). The first place where evidence and research are directly mentioned is in Standard 4.01, which is about competence. Two statements are relevant here, the first of which is:

(b) Social workers should strive to become and remain proficient in professional practice and the performance of professional functions. Social workers should critically examine and keep current with emerging knowledge relevant to social work. Social workers should routinely review the professional literature and participate in continuing education relevant to social work practice and social work ethics (p. 25).

What does this mean for you as a social worker?

• First, you need to learn how to identify current relevant knowledge.
• Second, you need to develop the skills necessary to critically examine such knowledge.
• Third, you need to develop a strong value and appreciation for putting forth the effort to maintain your knowledge of the professional literature—social work education is a lifelong commitment, it does not end the day you graduate!

The second statement elaborating on the Competence Standard 4.01 is:

(c) Social workers should base practice on recognized knowledge, including empirically based knowledge, relevant to social work and social work ethics (p. 25).

For you as a social worker, this means knowing:

• how and where to identify sources of knowledge,
• how to evaluate the information provided through different sources—including the evaluation of research evidence, and
• how research evidence relates to social work practice.

Standard 5.01: Integrity of the Profession. The next place where the code of ethics directly refers to research and evidence is in Standard 5.01 addressing Integrity of the Profession. Here it is stated:

(b) Social workers should uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge, and mission of the profession. Social workers should protect, enhance, and improve the integrity of the profession through appropriate study and research, active discussion, and responsible criticism of the profession (p. 27).

What this means is that social workers have a responsibility to engage in critical thinking about what we know and what we do as professionals.

Research is mentioned again in the next statement as one of the key activities that promote the profession’s integrity:

(c) Social workers should contribute time and professional expertise to activities that promote respect for the value, integrity, and competence of the social work profession. These activities may include teaching, research, consultation, service, legislative testimony, presentations in the community, and participation in their professional organizations (p. 27).

The topic appears again in the last of the Integrity of the Profession statements:

(d) Social workers should contribute to the knowledge base of social work and share with colleagues their knowledge related to practice, research, and ethics. Social workers should seek to contribute to the profession’s literature and to share their knowledge at professional meetings and conferences (p. 27).

Standard 5.02: Evaluation and Research.This standard is the most obvious and lengthy place where the relationship between research and social work practice is presented in the NASW ethical code (2017). Here are the first three points stated in this Evaluation and Research standard—we will look at the remaining points from this standard in Chapter 4 where we take a close look at the ethical conduct of research:

• (a)Social workers should monitor and evaluate policies, the implementation of programs, and practice interventions (p. 27).
• (b)Social workers should promote and facilitate evaluation and research to contribute to the development of knowledge (p. 27).
• (c)Social workers should critically examine and keep current with emerging knowledge relevant to social work and fully use evaluation and research evidence in their professional practice (p. 27).

What do these points mean to you as a social work professional? Taken together, they reinforce some of what was emphasized in earlier standards—social workers:

• engage in efforts to evaluate their practices and programs (which includes policy as an intervention strategy),
• promote research that helps build the profession’s knowledge base,
• keep up with emerging knowledge (especially in our areas of practice),
• continue to think critically about the emerging knowledge, and
• use evidence in our professional practice.

This last point is the focus of the entire second course in our sequence, SWK 3402.