Professional Socialization & Professional Commitment in Social Work Students—A Longitudinal Study

The article attempts to characterize social work students in higher education institutes in Israel, regarding professional socialization and the development of commitment to the profession during their BA studies. This longitudinal study included a sample of 450 students in four social work schools: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University of Haifa (including the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) College in Bnai Brak, professionally affiliated with the University of Haifa), Tel-Hai College, and Ariel University Center. Data was gathered throughout four time periods: during the first two weeks of the academic year and at the end of each academic year. Findings show that students, during the first academic year, harbor certain misconceptions about the profession, leading to a sharp decrease in their commitment to the profession (something is missing here). However, it seems that supervisors, teachers and decision-makers in social work schools somehow manage to bring the fantasies entertained by students at the beginning of their studies into line with reality, leading to both higher and stronger commitment to the profession by the time they complete their B.A. degree. The article discusses the findings and their implications on the social work profession, in general, and on social work training, in particular, regarding the development of commitment to the profession over the years.