Graduate Students' Perceptions of Professional Power in Social Work Practice.

The study of ways that professional power is perceived in social work practice is limited. This exploratory qualitative study analyzes second-year MSW students' perceptions of professional power in social work practice. This inquiry is guided by social constructivism and symbolic interactionism perspectives. The authors used constant comparison methods to analyze documents (student papers on professional power). Two emergent themes, operationalizing power and conceptualizing professional power, are presented. The importance of understanding and taking responsibility for power dynamics endemic to social work relationships is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]