Students' Perceptions of Social Work: Implications for Strengthening the Image of Social Work Among College Students‪.‬

Currently, NASW is in the midst of an education campaign, with the primary goal of increasing the public's awareness of social work roles and the social work profession (NASW, 2005). This campaign is in direct response to concerns that the image of social work continues to be haunted by the specter of the friendly visitor or the person who takes away children. NASW has launched phase one of the campaign and has conducted some research surrounding public perception of the social work profession and the roles filled by social workers. The results of the effort conducted by NASW in cooperation with Crosby Marketing Communications demonstrate that the public seems to hold social workers in higher esteem than was originally thought at the outset of the study, although public understanding of the diversity of roles and services is not strong (NASW). Inspired by the efforts of NASW to assess and improve public knowledge of social work, this study focused on the perceptions of college students regarding the social work profession. As the demand for social workers grows larger, particularly with the aging population (National Institute on Aging, 1987; Pasztor, SaintGerman, & DeCrescenzo, 2002), schools of social work continue to struggle with recruitment. In an effort to increase the number of students choosing social work as a major, it is essential to begin to understand how students making career choices view the profession of social work. College students' perceptions of social work influence their career choices. Exposure to accurate information about social work broadens knowledge about the field, even if other career choices are made. In reviewing the literature, NASW's recent efforts, as mentioned earlier, and a study conducted by LeCroy and Stinson (2004) stand out in addressing the public's perception of social work. Studies concerning the perception of social work as a profession are scarce; however, the literature contains two other significant studies related to public perceptions of social work. A study conducted by Condie and colleagues (1978) examined public perception of social work and pointed out earlier studies conducted in the 1950s, which concluded that the public was very unclear about what social workers did at that point in time. Furthermore, the study by Condie and colleagues concluded that there was more awareness of social work roles in the 1970s than there was in the 1950s, citing that more respondents recognized that social workers performed a variety of roles. Despite the increased awareness of the variety of social work roles, Condie and colleagues concluded that the public was not able to identify social work roles accurately. For example, the stereotyped image of the "child protector" was dominant, as were other inaccurate roles such as legal adviser. Condie and colleagues found that 94 percent of respondents indicated reluctance to seek help from a social worker, and if the person knew a social worker, his or her reluctance decreased by only 3 percent. Condie and colleagues attributed this finding to a lack of prestige for social work compared with other helping professions. The Condie et al. study concluded that respondents did not recognize professionals in certain situations as social workers, particularly when the settings were atypical (other than a public agency). Condie and colleagues asserted that steps must be taken to assist the public in recognizing social workers when they have contact with them.