Date of Award
Spring 4-8-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
D.S.W. Social work
Department
Social Work
First Advisor
Stephen W. Stoeffler, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Yoon Mi Kim, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
Lydia DeBiase, Ph. D.
Abstract
For the past 100 years, since the inception of school social work, a comprehensive list of the duties of social workers in schools has remained intangible; thus, the professional identity of school social workers (SSWs) has not been well-defined. An ambiguous professional identity gives rise to a lack of legitimacy, role confusion, and inconsistency in responsibilities faced by current SSWs employed in a public-school setting. A comprehensive understanding of how SSWs function, both in theory and in practice, is essential to producing social workers who are qualified, competent, and equipped to support students. This study utilizes quantitative methods to investigate areas of convergence and divergence between the National Association of Social Workers’ (NASW’s) Standards for School Social Work Services, the Certification and Staffing Policy Guidelines (CSPG) established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), and Pennsylvania (PA) school social workers’ (SSWs) self-reported tasks and responsibilities. The research examines the historical backdrop of school social work and employs role theory as the lens through which to explore how school social workers navigate their roles within public education. Primary task classifications are identified, including assessment/intervention, direct services, case management, consultation/collaboration, and professional development. The research outlines implications for school social work practice, including advocacy for the profession, creation of a statewide SSW model, influence on school social work certification programs, guidance for a statewide induction program, and facilitation of ongoing professional development. Finally, conclusions are drawn and recommendations made for policymakers to promote role clarity in the field.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Hoffa, Jennifer L., ""Anything and Everything:" An Analysis of Role Ambiguity in Pennsylvania School Social Work" (2025). Social Work Doctoral Dissertations. 39.
https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/39
