Test Bank For Brooks/Cole Empowerment Series: Ethical Decisions for Social
Work Practice
Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
EPAS Competencies Covered: EP 2.1.1, EP 2.1.2, EP 2.1.3, EP 2.1.4
Ethical Choices in the Helping Professions: An Outline
1. Ethical Choices in the Helping Professions
a. Exemplar 1.1 Protecting a Family Secret
i. Multiple-Client System
ii. Competing Values
2. Social Work Competencies and Practice Behaviors
3. Ethics
4. Contemporary Interests in Professional Ethics
5. Ethical Problems in Social Work Practice
a. Figure 1.1 Ethical Problems in Social Work Practice
i. Competing Values
ii. Competing Loyalties
b. Exemplar 1.2 Who Decides on Blanca Gabelli’s Future
i. Goal setting
ii. Role conflict
iii. Value dilemma
c. Exemplar 1.3 Hurricane Katrina, The Gillette Family, and Choices
i. Competing values
ii. Ambiguity
2. Can Professional Ethics Be Taught?
3. About This Textbook
4. Pretest: How Much Do I Know About Social Work Ethics?
5. Exercises
6. Suggestions for Additional Readings
7. Websites of Interest
Narrative:
Chapter 1 encompasses ethical choices in the helping professions. The authors want to
convey the importance of social work students and professionals making sound ethical
choices in the field of social work. They acknowledge that often times decisions must be
made on the spur of the moment, without the ability to consult with an expert. In this
chapter, the reader is given several case examples, and begins to learn more about ethical
problems and ethical dilemmas in social work practice. The authors emphasize the
importance of teaching professional ethics, citing the NASW Code of Ethics, and seeking
supervision. This chapter focuses on competing values of client and worker, dilemmas in
value systems, competing loyalties, goal setting, and role conflict and role ambiguity.
The chapter examines general ethics, professional ethics, and professional social work
ethics; it also looks at the history of ethics, its roots and meanings, along with a brief
description of how ethics became so important within the social work profession.
Finally, the chapter gives an orientation of the book and a pretest for the reader to
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,Test Bank For Brooks/Cole Empowerment Series: Ethical Decisions for Social
Work Practice
Chapter 1
complete which assess knowledge of social work ethics. At the end of the chapter, there
are several exercises for the reader to practice ethical decision making as well as
suggested additional readings and websites of interest.
True/False Questions:
1. In the early days of the social work profession, practitioners were not concerned
with ethics.
ANS: F PG: 8
2. Ethical dilemmas occur when the social worker must chose between two or more
relevant contradictory directives.
ANS: T PGS: 10-11 EPAS: 2.1.2.b; 2.1.3.b
3. Every social worker fills two professional roles: (1) Helper/enabler and (2)
societal control agent.
ANS: T PG: 5 EPAS: 2.1.1.c
4. The social workers’ Code of Ethics requires that social workers use any means
necessary to get clients to do what is obviously in their best interest.
ANS: F PG: 5 EPAS: 2.1.1.c; 2.1.2.a.d
5. When faced with competing loyalties, it is crucial for the social worker to
determine priorities.
ANS: T PG: 11 EPAS: 2.1.3.a.b
6. Ethical problems ask the question: What is the appropriate action to take for any
given situation?
ANS: T PG: 9 EPAS: 2.1.2.b.d; 2.1.3.a.b
7. Competing loyalties occur when a social worker must chose between two or more
relevant contradictory ethical directions.
ANS: F PGS: 9-10
8. Every decision in social work practice includes ethical aspects.
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,Test Bank For Brooks/Cole Empowerment Series: Ethical Decisions for Social
Work Practice
Chapter 1
ANS: T PG: 6 EPAS: 2.1.2.b.d; 2.1.3.a.b
9. Studying ethics and values enables practitioners to determine the one correct
course of action when there are choices.
ANS: F PG: 16 EPAS: 2.1.2.c
Multiple Choice Questions:
10. In the role of helper/enabler, the social worker must:
a. Be sure the family is enabled to make their own decisions.
b. Help the families understand and analyze alternatives.
c. Provide access to helping systems that enable the family to make
decisions.
d. All of the above.
ANS: D PG: 6 EPAS: 2.1.1.a.c; 2.1.3.a
11. Jenny Jones is a social worker employed by a child protection agency. Her
supervisor has told her to ask for a court order to remove three children from the home of
a client that Jenny has been working with for three months. Jenny doesn’t want to do
this. She thinks that the mother is doing better and she wants to leave the children in the
home with continued monitoring. This is an example of:
a. role conflict.
b. value dilemma.
c. insubordination.
d. ethical confusion.
e. a and b
ANS: E PG: 12 EPAS: 2.1.1.f, 2.1.2.a, 2.1.3.c
12. Which of the following occurs due to Ethical Problems in Social Work Practice?
a. Goal setting
b. Role conflict
c. Value dilemmas
d. All of the above
e. B and C
ANS: D PG: 12 EPAS: 2.1.1.c; 2.1.2.a.d
13. What are two values to which all social workers are committed?
a. Protection of human life and respecting the client’s family
b. Supporting the mission of the agency and being culturally competent
c. Self-determination and enhancing quality of life
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, Test Bank For Brooks/Cole Empowerment Series: Ethical Decisions for Social
Work Practice
Chapter 1
d. Social justice and self-determination
ANS: C PG: 5 EPAS: 2.1.2.b
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