MSW Student Azusa Pacific University West Covina, California, United States
Overview: Data from a quantitative, anonymous e-survey in a one-shot case study will examine the worldviews of 89 BSW students at a private, faith-based university and evaluate their self-assessed readiness to empathetically serve LGBTQ+ clients. Implications will inform BSW curricula at faith-based institutions.Proposal text: Social workers’ ability to engage with clients of diverse identities regardless of their personal beliefs is integral to the social work profession, as outlined by the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics. One such diverse identity group is the LGBTQ+ community. Since social work students often struggle to reconcile personal beliefs regarding gender identity and sexual orientation with their responsibility to serve all clients (particularly where non-affirming religious beliefs exist), practicing competently with LGBTQ+ clients is essential. Departments of social work education train future professionals to simultaneously recognize their worldviews and practice ethically, but there are flaws: In 2016, one study by Chonody et al. reported that one-third of LGBTQ+ undergraduate social work students enrolled in accredited social work programs in the United States claimed that they experienced homophobia in their programs and felt unprepared to serve LGBTQ+ clients. It is critical that future social work professionals be trained to honor diverse individuals’ identities, regardless of personal beliefs concerning sexual and gender ethics or the faith-based nature of the institution. Data from a quantitative, anonymous e-survey in a one-shot case study will examine the worldviews of 89 BSW students at a private, faith-based university and evaluate their self-assessed readiness to empathetically serve LGBTQ+ clients. Religious worldviews will be defined as perspectives shaped by culture and demographics that influence courses of action. This study hypothesizes a correlation between worldviews and empathy, where empathy is the process of consciously experiencing another’s perspective and emotions, and is the vehicle through which worldviews are expanded. Findings will inform implications for BSW curricula at faith-based institutions to improve service learning opportunities and educational practices that foster empathy, promote the broadening of worldviews, and ultimately advance the development of empathetic social workers who can practice competently with clients of diverse identities.
