The Role of Values and Experience in Determining Social Workers' Attitudes Toward Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

Abstract

This article reports results of a study examining the impact of personal and professional values and experience on 122 hospital social workers' attitudes toward euthanasia and assisted suicide. Respect for self-determination was rated as the most important consideration in end-of-life issues. Predictors of social workers' agreement that euthanasia should be legal were: self-determination, religious beliefs, educational level (BSW/MSW), and for assisted suicide were: religious beliefs, belief in the potential for abuse, educational level and participation in ethics training. The findings underscore the need for social workers' awareness of how an interplay of personal and professional factors in potentially explosive ethical issues may influence practice in health care settings.

Exploration of factors associated with social worker attitudes toward suicide

“…Social work researchers have contributed little to our understanding of suicide (Joe & Niedermeier, 2008), despite the fact that many social workers are in positions of possible intervention with suicidal clients (Feldman & Freedenthal, 2006;Jacobson et al, 2004). Although social worker attitudes toward voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide have been explored (Csikai, 1999a(Csikai, , 1999bErlbaum-Zur, 2005;Ogden & Young, 2003), their attitudes toward suicide remain unknown.…”

Obstacles in Formulating a Code of Ethics for Social Workers in Jordanian Institutions

“…The findings of social research in the field of social work suggest that training in professional ethics affects the attitudes of social workers, the beneficiaries, and decision-making, particularly for those working in hospitals (Csikai, 1999;Boland, 2006). Ethics and training are important steps towards the acquisition of skills necessary to manage ethical dilemmas (Dolgoff, 2005).…”

“…Although prevailing social values have a direct impact on the development of ethical standards (Boland, 2006, Csikai, 1999, personal and professional values are also regarded as an integral part of ethical decision-making (Abramson, 1996;Dolgoff, 2005;Freud & Krug, 2002;Hopkins, 1997;Mattison, 2000;Pike, 1996). There is a limited research that explores the relationship between moral values and decision-making in the field of social work, I In spite of the importance of this subject.…”

Psychometric evaluation of the Questionnaire on Attitudes Towards Suicide (ATTS) in Poland

“…The author suggests that specific beliefs and attitudes are associated to the fundamental values which are central and more stable. Csikai (1999) found that personal values play a significant role in predicting attitudes towards euthanasia and assisted suicide among gatekeepers. The questionnaire consists of 18 instrumental values and 18 end-state (terminal) values, which are ranked by the respondent in a hierarchy from 1 (most preferable) to 18 (least desirable).…”