Social Work Faculty's Knowledge of Aging: Results from a National Sample

Abstract

Social work students have reported in previous studies that they receive insufficient coursework and training to work effectively with older adults. A critical factor in these deficiencies may be the level of knowledge of social work faculty. This study sought to assess social work faculty's knowledge of aging using the Knowledge of Aging for Social Workers (KASW) quiz. Using systematic random sampling, schools of social work in the United States were selected, and individual faculty members were invited by e-mail to participate in an online survey. Results show that social work faculty's (N = 609) knowledge about aging was found to be either less or comparable to other study populations. Knowledge levels were related to having an interest in policy, educational level, teaching aging courses on a regular basis, and confidence level in covering aging content. This study is the first to investigate social work faculty knowledge about aging and older adults. It may offer insight as to faculty competencies, which can have direct implications for student learning and interest in gerontology.