Predictors of political participation of U.S. social workers: the mediating effect of confidence.
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| Title: | Predictors of political participation of U.S. social workers: the mediating effect of confidence. |
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| Authors: | Wathen, Maria V.1 (AUTHOR), Young, Rachel A.1 (AUTHOR), Krings, Amy2 (AUTHOR) krings.7@osu.edu, Kilbane, Teresa1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Social Work Education. Feb2026, Vol. 45 Issue 1, p163-180. 18p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Social workers, *Gender, Political participation, Political knowledge, Power (Social sciences), Self-efficacy, Political trust (in government), Political affiliation |
| Geographic Terms: | United States |
| Abstract: | What factors are associated with social workers' political participation, and how does political confidence mediate those relationships? To answer this question, data were collected in 2020 through an original online survey of members of the U.S.-based National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Informed by self-efficacy theory, researchers conducted a structural equation modeling (SEM) path model with political participation as the outcome variable, and political confidence as a mediating variable. Exogenous variables included: one's self-reported political orientation, belief that social work has a political mandate, gender, and knowledge about how to effectively participate in politics. Results indicate that high political confidence is associated with political participation. Similarly, the belief that 'the social work profession has a political mandate' is positively related to political participation, both directly and indirectly through its positive association with confidence. This study suggests that political knowledge-building in curriculum and programming, while necessary, does not sufficiently influence political participation. Instead, to support a politically engaged social work profession, social work educators and professional bodies ought to couple content about political knowledge with political practice in ways that realistically increase students' political confidence and commitment to the idea that social workers are mandated to engage in politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Social Work Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 1 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 191515041 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Predictors of political participation of U.S. social workers: the mediating effect of confidence. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wathen%2C+Maria+V%2E%22">Wathen, Maria V.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Young%2C+Rachel+A%2E%22">Young, Rachel A.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Krings%2C+Amy%22">Krings, Amy</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> krings.7@osu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kilbane%2C+Teresa%22">Kilbane, Teresa</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Social+Work+Education%22">Social Work Education</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 45 Issue 1, p163-180. 18p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+workers%22">Social workers</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender%22">Gender</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+participation%22">Political participation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+knowledge%22">Political knowledge</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Power+%28Social+sciences%29%22">Power (Social sciences)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-efficacy%22">Self-efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+trust+%28in+government%29%22">Political trust (in government)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+affiliation%22">Political affiliation</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: What factors are associated with social workers' political participation, and how does political confidence mediate those relationships? To answer this question, data were collected in 2020 through an original online survey of members of the U.S.-based National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Informed by self-efficacy theory, researchers conducted a structural equation modeling (SEM) path model with political participation as the outcome variable, and political confidence as a mediating variable. Exogenous variables included: one's self-reported political orientation, belief that social work has a political mandate, gender, and knowledge about how to effectively participate in politics. Results indicate that high political confidence is associated with political participation. Similarly, the belief that 'the social work profession has a political mandate' is positively related to political participation, both directly and indirectly through its positive association with confidence. This study suggests that political knowledge-building in curriculum and programming, while necessary, does not sufficiently influence political participation. Instead, to support a politically engaged social work profession, social work educators and professional bodies ought to couple content about political knowledge with political practice in ways that realistically increase students' political confidence and commitment to the idea that social workers are mandated to engage in politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Social Work Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=191515041 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/02615479.2025.2484364 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 18 StartPage: 163 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Social workers Type: general – SubjectFull: Gender Type: general – SubjectFull: Political participation Type: general – SubjectFull: Political knowledge Type: general – SubjectFull: Power (Social sciences) Type: general – SubjectFull: Self-efficacy Type: general – SubjectFull: Political trust (in government) Type: general – SubjectFull: Political affiliation Type: general – SubjectFull: United States Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Predictors of political participation of U.S. social workers: the mediating effect of confidence. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wathen, Maria V. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Young, Rachel A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Krings, Amy – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kilbane, Teresa IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Text: Feb2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 02615479 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 45 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Social Work Education Type: main |
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