A Perspective on Racial Bias within the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Exams - Issue 2 - Abstract and Analysis

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Stanley

Presents three issues for assessing minimum competency for clinical social workers in relation to possible racial bias: trade-offs among outcome alternatives, the tension between subjective and objective competence measures, and the misinterpretation of p-values as magical proofs. Synthesizes these issues around the central question, “Which alternative is best?” The analysis argues that resolution depends on value-based judgments, framed by “How much are test-takers willing to pay for a given outcome?” Concludes by exploring AI advancements to support these decisions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Outcomes for Assessing Competence in Clinical Social Work

Figure 1: Outcomes for Assessing Clinical Social Work Competence

Cell A: Correct classification of competent practitioners

Cell B: False negative error

Cell C: False positive error

Cell D: True negative error

Discussion of key points and error trade-offs

A Perspective on Racial Bias within the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Exams1 DOI: 10.55521/10-022-206 Stephen M. Marson, Ph. D., ACSW [smarson3@outlook.com](smarson3@outlook.com) University of North Carolina at Pembroke [https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4948-5777](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4948-5777) [Guo Wei](Guo Wei), Ph. D. [guo.wei@uncp.edu](guo.wei@uncp.edu) University of North Carolina at Pembroke [https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9988-0498](https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9988-0498) Craig Taylor, BS [ctalkobt@ctalkobt.net](ctalkobt@ctalkobt.net) Computer Consultant [https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1535-6319](https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1535-6319) International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics • Volume 22 (2025), Issue 2, Copyright 2025 by IFSW This text may be freely shared among individuals, but it may not be republished in any medium without express written consent from the author and advance notification of IFSW. Abstract We present three issues for assessing minimum competency for clinical social workers as related to possible racial bias: 1) the inherent trade-offs between outcome alternatives; 2) the tension between subjective and objective measures of competence; and 3) the common misinterpretation of p-values as magical proofs. These issues are synthesized by examining the central question,“Which alternative is best?” Our analysis demonstrates that resolving this question ultimately 1 Grace Gates, LCSW provided a critical review for this report. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS • VOLUME 22 (2025), ISSUE 2 70 A PERSPECTIVE ON RACIAL BIAS WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORK BOARDS (ASWB) EXAMS depends on a value-based judgment, framed as,“How much are test-takers willing to pay for a given outcome?”We conclude by exploring advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) . AI can provide a framework for navigating these complex trade-offs and informing critical decisions. Key Terms: ASWB, ACSW, Racial Bias, Assessing Competence, Finances Introduction A substantial body of literature examines potential racial bias in minimum competency examinations administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). Among these articles include Albright and Thyer (2010), Curran and Joo (2025), DeCarlo and Bean (2024), DeCarlo (2022), Kim (2023), Kim and Joo (2025), Marson (2022), Marson, Kersting and DeAngelis (2011), Marson and DeAngelis (2010), Marson, DeAngelis and Mittal (2010), Rigaud (2024), Torres, Maguire and Kogan (2024), Victor, Kubiak, Angell and Perron (2023) and Zajicek-Farber (2024) . Our contribution is to frame this debate through the inescapable statistical trade-off between Type I and Type II errors in competency assessment and to analyze the implications of this trade-off for both objective (e. g., ASWB) and subjective (e. g., ACSW) pathways. Outcomes for Assessing Competence in Clinical Social Work | | PASS ASSESSMENT | FAIL ASSESSMENT | | --- | --- | --- | | COMPETENT | A | B | | PRACTITIONER | Knows the material (pass) | Knows the material (fails) | | DEFICIENT | C | D | | PRACTITIONER | Doesn’t know (pass) | Doesn’t know (fails) | Figure 1: Outcomes for Assessing Clinical Social Work Competence Regardless of the method for assessing minimum competence for clinical social work, the decision model yields four possible outcomes, as illustrated in Figure 1. The horizontal axis represents the assessment result (pass or fail), while the vertical axis distinguishes between two types of candidates. The “competent practitioner” represents a social worker with the necessary knowledge, skills, and pro- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS • VOLUME 22 (2025), ISSUE 2 71 A PERSPECTIVE ON RACIAL BIAS WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORK BOARDS (ASWB) EXAMS fessional ethics. The “deficient practitioner” represents a social worker who lacks the required competencies or adherence to ethical standards. The

FAQs

What are the three issues proposed for assessing minimum competency in clinical social work?

The text identifies three issues: trade-offs between outcome alternatives, tension between subjective and objective measures of competence, and the common misinterpretation of p-values as magical proofs.

How does the document frame the central decision question?

It centers the debate on “Which alternative is best?” and explains that resolving it depends on a value-based judgment about the cost to test-takers for a given outcome.

What do the four outcome cells (A–D) represent in competence assessment?

Cell A is correct classification of competent practitioners, Cell B is false negatives (competent assessed as deficient), Cell C is false positives (incompetent assessed as competent), and Cell D is correct identification of deficient practitioners.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Stanley