Perceptions of social workers by Californians

Background: Every day professional social workers help individuals learn how to help themselves overcome their challenges. Understanding the current perceptions of the general public is important to ensure future utilization and funding of programs that employ social workers. This study examined current perceptions of social workers in the state of California compared to other helping professions. In addition, the study examined whether the amount of knowledge about professional social workers was related to perceptions of professional social workers. Methods: An online survey was conducted with 952 general population Californians. Participants were recruited using three different methods; a mixed-mode random probability selection method, a random digit-dialing telephone survey, and a quota-based recruitment method (internet ads, other "opt in" methods). Results: This research hypothesized that individuals who had greater knowledge about the social work profession would be more likely to view social workers favorably. The results determined that those participants who self-rated having "average" "good" or "excellent" knowledge disagreed with the statement "social workers are trustworthy" more than those participants who self-rated with less knowledge. Discussion and Implications: This study suggests that the majority of Californian's may have negative beliefs about social workers, as over half of the participants reported believing that social workers are not trustworthy. This could potentially lead to individuals refusing services from social workers and an unstable financial future for the profession. More research and education efforts are needed to help identify how these negative beliefs are developed.