Abstract
This research examines social workers’ use of social action as a therapeutic intervention tool with client systems. Social work is grounded in the systems perspective with an understanding that clients are affected by both the internal and external environments in which they live. If we apply this perspective to micro level practice, with the social work mission of pursuing social justice and social change, then we must recognize the need for incorporating macro interventions in micro practice. The dependent variable in this study is the utility of social action as a tool of intervention. The independent variables are factors which inhibit or support social workers using social action as an intervention with client systems, including education of the social worker, diversification of the profession, and rise of professionalism. The three main questions guiding this research study are: To what degree do social workers agree that social action can and should be incorporated into their practice? To what degree are social workers currently using social action interventions in their practice? If we can develop a definition of social action as a teachable and usable intervention tool, can social workers improve the use of social action in everyday practice? This descriptive survey sampled 200 social workers, using systematic random sampling, from a publicly accessible database of 10,627 social workers who are in the social work registry for the state of California. A total of 32 social workers responded, an equivalent of 16.0% of those surveyed. This study did confirm that the independent variables of professionalism, diversification and education affect utilization of social action interventions by social workers. This study also demonstrated that while social workers are using social action interventions, the social work profession does not have a shared definition of social action. Therefore, defining social action and teaching social action interventions to all social work practitioners, can make social action a more accessible social work tool and connect micro practice to the social work mission of social justice and social change.