Andrej Matel, Peter Brnula
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The main research question of the study is whether the members of the Slovak Social Work Professional Community identify themselves with those values that are declared as key in the national code of ethics. THEORETICAL BASE: Social work is presented as a value-based profession, whose integral part is professional ethics, formalized by ethical codes. METHODS: The research tool was the modified version of the Professional Opinion Scale questionnaire originally written by Ann Abbott. The survey sample consisted of 545 respondents, members of the professional community of social work. OUTCOMES: Members of the professional community recognize the key values of social work presented in the Code of Ethics in Slovakia. A high level of identification was found in the value of human relationships. The values of human dignity and social justice were above average, but relatively close to the attitude of indifference. SOCIAL WORK IMPLICATIONS: Increased attention is needed in the education process to achieve the globally accepted values of social work, such as human dignity and social justice.
Keywords
ethics, professional ethics, values, key values, social work
Issue
p. 117 – 138