Ethical Difficulties among Turkish Social Workers

Structured interviews with 227 social workers in Turkey categorized ethical problems in the work place. An inductive content analysis categorized nine themes (dual relationships, threats by clients, worker bias leading to prejudice, child custody issues, fraudulent use of state funds, procedural tensions, coercion by authorities, confidentiality, and taking people into state care) that required problem-solving strategies on the part of the social workers. The results indicated that when confronted with ethical situations the path for deliberation was not always clear, many decisions were made in consultation, whereas others were made independently. Future recommendations include advocating for education and training that utilizes ethical decision-making principles when problem-solving, as well as, stressing the importance of clear guidelines for seeking and utilizing supportive consultation.