Information as power in personal social service transactions
Wagner, Marion Kathryn
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/21380
Description
Title
Information as power in personal social service transactions
Author(s)
Wagner, Marion Kathryn
Issue Date
1992
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Allen-Meares, Paula
Department of Study
Social Work
Discipline
Social Work
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Social Work
Language
eng
Abstract
This study examines information sharing by social workers with child welfare clients as an aspect of empowerment. The research was conducted through a mail survey to a random sample of social workers working in child welfare. Respondents were asked to complete a three part questionnaire including two case vignettes describing initial interviews with clients in neglect and abuse situations, followed by eighteen items to rate on a Likert scale regarding the likelihood of the respondent to share information with the clients, the Power Orientation Scale, and demographic information. Means of four factors emerging through factor analysis of the responses were compared to examine patterns of information sharing. Correlations were run between these factors and three factors from the Power Orientation Scale to identify relationships between information sharing and power orientations.
Significant differences were found in the types and method of information sharing. Social workers were more likely to share oral information than written information. They were also more likely to share information about the court and outside services than about agency procedures and client rights. Only one significant relationship was found between power orientations and information sharing. Findings indicate that social workers are not sharing information in an empowering fashion with clients.
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