Self-Determination:
Cross-Cultural Implications for
Social Work
Heather Sandala
University of North
Carolina Wilmington
Self-Determination:


Recognized by the social work profession as
the “right and need of clients to freedom in
making their own choices and decisions”
(Hollis, 1967).
Includes the determination of everything, from
trivial to crucial choices.
Importance to the Social Work
Profession:



Component of social work’s fundamental
values and principles.
Common base as the framework with which
social work practitioners operate amongst
various diverse client populations.
This ability for adults to be capable of making
personal choices is viewed as essential to
functioning.
International Social Work:



Impact of globalization
Western-educated social workers practicing
abroad
Current social work values and ethical codes
are too grounded in Western-oriented
individualistic values
Western Ideals


Not congruent with communal-focused cultures
Controversial
Case Findings

Africa
–

India
–

Problematic, role-stratified culture, groupness and
commonality
Religious implications, fate
Denmark
–
Responsibility to society and welfare for all
Objectives

Add to current ideals of “cultural competence”:
–
“sensitivity and awareness of cultural implications
and influences in all aspects of [social] work with
clients” (DuBois and Miley, 2005).
Objectives




Deeper understanding of a population’s values
Inform and educate potential international
social workers
Better understanding of conflict between
Western market societies which value
individualism and self-determination, and
traditional societies which value communal
identity
International viability
Methods


Measurable survey utilizing vignettes
Vignettes modeled after social worker and
client scenario
–
Involves both client's own self-determination and the
role of the social worker in providing opinions and
advice.
Methods





Designed to measure student’s level of individualism in
relation to the concept of self-determination
Provide basis for each respondent to get a score for
this concept
Respondents will be classified according to the cultural
group to which they belong
Set of hypotheses will be constructed to examine
whether individual scores vary with cultural groups.
A comparative study will enable measurement of one’s
level of self-determination versus communal ideals
Subjects

Various social work students:
–
–
–
University of North Carolina Wilmington and similar
programs would serve as base line
Rosebud, South Dakota; rural West Virginia
International communities South Africa, Eastern
countries, Eastern Europe
Final Project


Report that details the survey’s findings
These results will be coupled with extensive
research of existing findings about the cultural
ideals of self-determination
Expected Outcome

Measurement of the current degree of
commitment to self-determination among social
work students will enable insight to various
dimensions.
Bibliography
DuBois, B. & Miley, K.K. (2002). Social work: An
empowering profession (4th ed.).Boston: Allyn
and Bacon.
Hollis, F. (1967). Principles and assumptions
underlying case work principles. In E.
Younghusband (Ed.), Social work and social
values (p. 22-38). London: George Allan &
Unwin Ltd.