Turkish Social Work Students' Perspectives On Diversity: A Pilot Study

Abstract

In social work education, it is important to look out for diversities and shape professional practice accordingly. In this study, 236 Turkish students from the first and fourth years of a social work undergraduate program were interviewed to access their views on diversity. According to the findings, the social work students consider that thoughts, attitudes and behaviors that are contrary to the dominant social values in Turkey, that are passed on from generation to generation, directly affect the views regarding diversity. This is manifested as the students' reluctance to share a flat, be schoolmates, co-workers and work with clients who are homosexuals, have substance addiction or a mental disorder.