Chapter 1 The

Ethics of Social Work Research  

Pre Test 
A. DIRECTION: Please answer this question to find out what you
thought about  the importance of research and social work practice
skills using the 5-point scale,  I think that (adapted from Begun,
n.d): 

1. practice skills are far more important 1 strongly agree 

2. practice skills are somewhat more important 3 undecided
3. research and practice skills are about equally important 5 strongly agree
4. research skills are somewhat more important 2 disagree 
5. research skills are far more important 4 agree

B. Identify the following statement either True or False. Write True

if the  statement is correct and write False if it is wrong. 

True 1. Research that has been approved must demonstrate zero

risk of physical  or psychological harm to all human subject. 

True 2.Only research that is personally funded must be

approved by an IRB.
False 3.It is best to keep the purpose of the research study from
the subjects’ in  order to keep their involvement private. 
True 4.Social workers must use critical thinking to resolve
ethical issues. 
False 5. Social workers should no longer aspire to contribute to
the knowledge base of  the profession. 
False 6. Voluntary informed consent for research participation means
being informed  about the right to withdraw at any time without
consent. 
False 7. It is proper to disclose risks and benefits of participation
of the subject.
 Activities/Exercises (10 pts each) 

1. Research The Belmont Report. Explain its relevance to social

work profession. 

Ans : Known as the Belmont which in turn influenced development

of federal policy concerning protections for humans the Belmont
Report is one of the leading works concerning ethics and health
care research. Its primary purpose is to protect subjects and
participants in clinical trials or research studies. This report consists
of 3 principles: beneficence, justice, and respect for persons.

2. Research about The Holocaust. Is this ethical or unethical medical 

experimentation? 

Ans:The relevance for today cannot be overstated. In looking over the many
documents available today, we might want to consider first whether we can
make the argument that we are in a position to make retrospective moral
judgments. Can we retroactively sit in judgment of the doctors who
performed medical experiments on prisoners in the concentration camps?
These crimes were so enormous and so grossly immoral that they should not
be so casually dismissed by citing some principle reflecting cultural ethical
relativism (i.e. “you can’t judge people of that time, in that place, by our
standards today”; - “there was a war going on and a suspension of normal
rules are to be expected”). Can we simply state that since there was a war
putting Germany in danger, extraordinary means were justified? Many
people today might agree that extraordinary danger excuses extraordinary
means to serve the common good. Despite the fact that such a belief totally
rejects human rights, one is prevented from offering any judgment of these
actions according to the principles of cultural ethical relataions.A further
issue relates to the methods and organization of the research. From the
1950s the experiments were viewed as ‘pseudo-science’, in effect
marginalizing them from mainstream science under National Socialism. For
the purpose of this study, the experiments have been viewed as part of
mainstream German medical research, as this renders rationales and
supportive networks historically intelligible. It is clear that prestigious research
institutions such as the Kaiser Wilhelm Society and funding agencies such as
the German Research Fund were involved.13 It has been argued more
recently that some experiments were cutting edge science.14 Another view is
that the approach and methods were scientific albeit of varying quality. For the
purpose of this study, the experiments have been viewed as part of
mainstream German medical research, as this renders rationales and
supportive networks intelligible.The project did not set out to adjudicate on the
authenticity of victims’ claims. In Warsaw ca. 3600 compensation files of
victims of human experiments were viewed, while there are a further 10,000
files representing claims deemed unsuccessful. It is sometimes unclear
whether extensive injuries were retrospectively defined to have resulted from
an experiment to meet the criteria of the compensation scheme offered by the
Federal Republic of Germany in various forms since 1951, or whether
experimentation had taken place in a hitherto unknown location. The project
discounted claims of abuse when no experiment or research was involved, or
when victims having misunderstood compensation schemes for experiments
being about ‘experiences’. It is hoped that further research will provide
confirmation of experiments in disputed locations like the concentration camps
of Stutter and Smithereens.16 While Yugoslav victims were abused for
experiments in German concentration camps, claims for experiments in the
former Yugoslavia and Northern Norway have not so far been confirmed. The
grading of victims’ claims into the verified and as yet unverified enable the
project to establish verifiable minimum numbers, while indicating the
possibility of higher numbers being confirmed by further research. The project
is able to present results on: how many victims were killed in the course of the
experiment, how many died from the consequences of the experiment or were
killed as potential evidence of Nazi criminality, and how many survived? The
project has covered experiments, as the most notorious experiments taken to
the point of death and supported by the SS in concentration camps, as well as
dispersed experiments in a variety of clinical contexts, particularly on
psychiatric patients. Some sets of experiments and locations, not least those
sponsored by German pharmaceutical companies remain shadowy, and
require more detailed research possibly on the basis of further disclosure of
documents held in company archives. The extent of involvement of German
pharmaceutical companies like that of IG-Farben (using the branded product
names of ‘Bayer’, ‘Hoechst’ and ‘Behringwerke’) remains contentious.

3. How can you protect confidentiality in this electronic age.?

 Ans: To maintain confidentiality with your attorney, you have an obligation

to assure your communications with your attorney are, in fact, confidential. It
may feel that you have no obligation, but we are in a new world where texts
and email make up the majority of communications. Here are a few things you
need to know to protect the communications from your end:
 Do not ever use your work email for personal legal matters. No
matter how convenient this may seem to you, your employer most
likely has the authority to review anything done on a work
computer/tablet. This could result in all communications and
documents emailed between you and your attorney ending up not only
in the hands of the employer, but in the hands of the opponent in your
case.
 Do not use a work computer, even with your personal email
system, because that, too, is open to employer review because it is a
work computer. It makes no difference that it is your personal email
account.
 Do not ever use your work phone or tablet or computer for text
messaging with your attorney for precisely the same reason. You
simply cannot assure that the communications remain  confidential.
 Do not use any computer that anyone else can access. Passwords
are not that difficult to guess by someone who knows you well, and that
 person may be on the other side of a litigation. That said, there are
challenges beyond confidentiality on this, but best to keep things
discussed between you and your attorney secure and confidential.
 Do not have a third party present for any discussions with your
attorney as that person is not mandated to keep the confidentiality of
the meeting with your attorney. They can be subpoenaed to provide the
sum and substance of your conversation with your attorney and there
is no way to stop it.
 Do not discuss details of your case in public places where you
may be overheard.
 Do not discuss your case at all when children are near!
 Use common sense.
There are now methods for use of dual security entry systems, even for your
own email and text messaging systems for an added level of security. You
may want to discuss this with your attorney if any of these “openings” for loss
of confidentiality exist. Your attorney has an absolute duty of confidentiality,
but you have a responsibility on your end as well. Security of the information
happens on your end of the electronic connection,  too. Even those who are
“low tech” need to take reasonable precautions for security of our personal,
confidential  information, and  this is an area worth protecting.

4. What should you do as a future social worker in this situation:

(adapted from Rubin  and Babbie, 2017) 

Suppose you a social worker who has strong

religious or personal beliefs against  abortion and
you want to conduct an interview survey to explore
the emotional  impact of abortion on young women
who have had an abortion. Discuss your personal
involvement problems you would face, and how
those might be avoided.

Ans:Privacy Confidentiality
As a future Social workers in this situation you should respect clients' right
to privacy. Social workers should not solicit private information from or about
clients except for compelling professional reasons. Once private information is
shared, standards of confidentiality apply but I respect to your decision but
you need to connect as a social work a good way to come up your situation to
protect you Technology-assisted social work services encompass all
aspects of social work practice, including psychotherapy; individual,
family, or group counseling; community organization; administration;
advocacy; mediation; education; supervision; research; evaluation; and
other social work services. Social workers should keep apprised of
emerging technological developments that may be used in social work
practice and how various ethical standards apply to them. Professional
self-care is paramount for competent and ethical social work practice.
Professional demands, challenging workplace climates, and exposure to
trauma warrant that social workers maintain personal and professional
health, safety, and integrity. Social work organizations, agencies, and
educational institutions are encouraged to promote organizational
policies, practices, and materials to support social workers’ self-care.Those
who feel they are not ready to become mothers may choose to have an
abortion or give the child up for adoption, and while they may not ever want
children, they may also wish to have them in the future, when they are
better equipped to care for a child. Many women who have abortions are
already mothers and want to focus their time and resources on caring for
the child or children they already have.
A woman may choose to have an abortion for many reasons. She may not
have the resources or the desire to raise a child. Her health care may be
nonexistent or inadequate to cover office visits, prenatal care, and a
hospital stay during labor and delivery. She may not wish to put school or
career on hold in order to deal with the challenges of pregnancy or the
demands of caring for an infant, or she might not want to raise a child alone
or with a partner who is ambivalent about children. Whatever her reasons, a
woman has the right to choose whether she continues a pregnancy and
raises the child, finds an adoptive family for the child, or has an abortion,
and legally, this decision is hers alone.

Evaluation/Post-test 

DIRECTIONS: This post-test will assess your knowledge and

understanding  about the ethical context in social work research. Read
and understand the items below,  then write your answer on the space
provided before the item. If there are choices  provided, give the only the
letter of your answer. This will already be recorded. 
“What I know Now” 

A. DIRECTION: Please answer this question to find out what you thought
about the importance of  research and social work practice skills using the
5-point scale, I think that (adapted from Begun,  n.d): 

1. practice skills are far more important 1 - strongly disagree

2. practice skills are somewhat more important 3- undecided
3. research and practice skills are about equally important5- strongly agree 
4. research skills are somewhat more important 2- disagree
5. research skills are far more important 4- agree

B. Identify the following statement either True or False. Write True if the
statement is correct and  write False if it is wrong. 

True 1. Research that has been approved must demonstrate zero risk of
physical or psychological  harm to all human subject. 
True 2. Only research that is personally funded must be approved by an IRB. 
False 3. It is best to keep the purpose of the research study from the subjects’
in  order to keep their involvement private. 
True 4. Social workers must use critical thinking to resolve ethical issues.  
False 5. Social workers should no longer aspire to contribute to the
knowledge base of the  profession.  
False 6. Voluntary informed consent for research participation means
being informed about the  right to withdraw at any time without
consent. 
True7. It is proper to disclose risks and benefits of participation of the
subject. 
False 8. Social worker should not disclose with their colleagues their
knowledge to practice,  research, and ethics. 
False9. Research is not an important knowledge for the profession of
social work.
False 10. The professional code of ethics examines relationship of
research and professional  social work practice.

C. Identify the following according to the level of inquiry. 

1. Does my research follow the ethical guidelines of my profession and
discipline?  Mezzo - level
2. Could my research offend subjects in any way? Micro - level
3. Have I met my social responsibilities as a researcher? Macro - level
4. Has my own conduct been ethical throughout the
research process? Micro - level
5. Does my research meet the societal expectations of
social research? Macro- level