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Invited Article

The Problem of Pseudoscience in Social Work Continuing Education

Pages 136-146 | Accepted 01 Jan 2016, Published online: 12 Apr 2016
 

ABSTRACT

The National Association of Social Workers requires social workers to obtain continuing education (CE) after they receive their social work degrees. A large and profitable industry that has emerged catering to this need for CE that is particularly focused on the needs of licensed social workers. Quality control mechanisms in place to monitor the content and delivery of CE approved by the field of social work is relatively lax, and as a result a considerable number of social work CE programs convey content that can be labeled as pseudoscientific. We provide illustrations of currently approved social work CE courses that provide training in a variety of bizarre and unsupported assessment methods and treatments that are pseudoscientific.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bruce A. Thyer

Bruce A. Thyer, Ph.D., LCSW, is a professor of social work at Florida State University. Monica Pignotti, Ph.D., LMSW, is an independent scholar and consultant in Tallahassee, FL.

Monica Pignotti

Bruce A. Thyer, Ph.D., LCSW, is a professor of social work at Florida State University. Monica Pignotti, Ph.D., LMSW, is an independent scholar and consultant in Tallahassee, FL.

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