Social workers’ intention to hold elected political office: a quantitative study based on the theory of planned behavior

Abstract

ABSTRACT Social work is closely intertwined with formal and informal policy processes and social workers, in line with the global definition of social work as well as national codes of ethics, are called upon to act as policy actors at various levels. One possible way to do this is to hold elected political office. This quantitative cross-sectional study examines the intention of 92 Swiss social workers to hold elected political office at the local, cantonal, or national level and uses the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to identify factors associated with their intention. The findings show that social workers’ intention is strongly associated with the core factors of the TPB – attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. Based on the study’s findings, this article outlines avenues for further research and suggests possible strategies to enhance the policy role of social workers, specifically addressing social work education, professional associations of social work, and social welfare organisations.