Understanding Factors Explaining Social Workers’ Empathy towards Sex Offenders
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10898148 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Vered Ne’eman-Haviv (0000-0001-7239-326X, Ariel University, corresponding author), Shelly Maman (Ariel University), Maya Kagan (0000-0002-3849-1074, Ariel University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 65-84 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The British Journal of Social Work (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0045-3102 • E-ISSN: 1468-263X |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/bjsw/bcae126 |
| OpenAlex | W4401596360 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 49 |
Empathy is crucial for client interventions within the field of social work. However, extending empathy to challenging populations, especially sex offenders, poses substantial hurdles. Therefore, this study aimed to delve into factors explaining social workers’ empathy towards people who have sexually offended against adults, by exploring the role of select background (gender and length of professional experience) and personal (self-importance of moral identity: internalisation and symbolisation) characteristics. Also explored in this context were aspects related to social workers’ attitude and prior experience working with sex offenders. The research participants were Israeli social workers and they completed a structured questionnaire distributed online. Findings revealed that male social workers exhibited higher empathy than their female counterparts. Greater length of professional experience correlated with lower empathy, contrasting with higher empathy amongst those with prior experience intervening with sex offenders. Moreover, internalisation of moral identity was positively linked to empathy, whilst negative attitudes towards sex offenders were inversely associated with empathy levels. However, the self-identification of moral values (symbolisation) did not significantly explain empathy. Understanding the complexities of empathy within social work practice with sex offenders is crucial for enhancing interventions and fostering support systems for practitioners handling these emotionally and morally challenging clients
Context (archaeology) · Developmental psychology · Empathy · Identity (music) · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Psychology · Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending · Social Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice · Workplace Violence and Bullying · Social Work
The Role of Empathy in Health and Social Care Professionals
The Toronto Empathy Questionnaire
Reentry in Practice
Heightening of moral identity
Impact on Therapists Working With Sex Offenders
Impact of positivity and empathy on social entrepreneurial intention
How social workers face ethical dilemmas? Strategies of resolution and associated variables
Social workers’ navigation between repression and social support for men purchasing sex
Construction of the Index of Social Work Professional Identity
The Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders Scale
Desistance and Attitudes Towards Sex Offenders
The Ethical Conflict of Dual Obligations Amongst Social Workers
The Role of Demographics, Professional Quality of Life and Public Image in Social Workers’ Self-Esteem
The Role of Social Work Education in Relation to Empathy and Self-Reported Resilience
The Public Perception of Female and Male Violence in Marital Relationships
Personal and environmental factors associated with self-reported resilience among social workers
Outpatient Therapists’ Perspectives on Working With Persons Who Are Sexually Interested in Minors
The self-importance of moral identity
Defensive attribution
Testing a social-cognitive model of moral behavior
Tripping over the other
| Highly cited | No |
|---|