Faithful But Different: Clinical Social Workers Speak Out About Career Motivation and Professional Values

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe licensed clinical social workers' (LCSWs) professional motivation to pursue a social work career and the decision to enter clinical practice. It used a probability sample of 245 New Jersey LCSWs and the Social Work Values Survey as part of an anonymous self-administered mail survey. Descriptive analyses revealed that most LCSWs reported social work values that included the use of a holistic and systems approach and social justice. Inferential analyses revealed that clinical social workers who were women with MSW degrees reported higher mean rank scores on their decision to enter clinical practice compared to clinical social workers who were men with PhDs. The implications for practice and education are delineated.