Name-Calling in Social Work

This study replicates an earlier investigation of the impact of professional social work training on the use of labels to describe clients. It was found that subjects had a consistent tendency to use negative labels when describing a role-played client. Unlike the original study in which the use of negative labels increased with the level of professional training, it appears that the practice orientation of the subject has more effect. Behaviorally oriented subjects are the least negative in their labeling.