[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-328994-105":59,"doc-detail-328994-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":124,"head_meta":126,"extra_data":128,"updated_unix":130},105,"en","it-means-everythingand-it-means-nothing-new-social-worker-views-on-taking-the-masters-licensure-exam","It Means Everything…and It Means Nothing - New Social Worker Views on Taking the Master’s Licensure Exam","","Licensure for social work in the United States requires completing education and, in many states, passing a licensing exam with associated fees. Ongoing debate questions whether the Association of Social Work Board (ASWB) exam functions as an effective regulatory measure, especially after reports identifying bias affecting pass rates across demographic groups such as race, age, and English-as-a-second-language status. A qualitative study of 22 MSW-preparing or -licensed participants reveals ambivalence toward the exam and disconnects between education, practice, and what the test measures, with recommendations to reassess exam use as proof of competence.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/it-means-everythingand-it-means-nothing-new-social-worker-views-on-taking-the-masters-licensure-exam/328994/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/it-means-everythingand-it-means-nothing-new-social-worker-views-on-taking-the-masters-licensure-exam/328994.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Sophia Brooks","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-26","2026-09-21",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",12,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What is the role of the social work licensure exam in the U.S.?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"The licensure exam is intended to protect the public and assess competence in ethical and safe social work practice.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What concerns have been raised about bias in social work licensure exams?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"ASWB-related reporting points to bias in the exam itself and links disparities in pass rates to demographic characteristics including race, age, and English-as-a-second-language status.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"What did the qualitative study of MSW participants find?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"Analysis of 22 participants preparing for or having taken the exam identified five themes, including ambivalence (“meaning everything and nothing”), emotional responses, and perceived disconnects between exam content and real-world social work practice.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":125,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":127,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":129,"site_id":62},328994,1790472754,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":132},{"doc_id":129,"user_id":133,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":46,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":31,"preview_page_count":4},962084925636,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","It Means Everything…and It Means Nothing: New Social Worker Views on Taking the Master’s Licensure Exam  \nSusan Glassburn  \nJoEllen Henson  \nRobin Miller  \nPamela Saylor  \nShannon Staton  \nMatthew A. Walsh  \nSummer Wilderman  \nAbstract: In order to call oneself a social worker in the United States, an individual must not only complete the required coursework and degree program, but also, in many states, pass a licensure exam. Recent discussion has centered around the efficacy of using an examination as a regulatory tool for licensure, particularly following the Association of Social Work Board’s (ASWB) report identifying bias with the licensure exam itself, and indicating specific demographic characteristics including race, age, and English as a second language, as having an impact on the pass rate of test-takers (ASWB, 2022). This qualitative study specifically highlighted the experiences of 22 participants with an MSW degree who were preparing for or had taken the licensure exam. Five themes emerged through an analysis of the data: meaning everything and nothing, hoops and barriers, emotional responses, learning the tricks, and setting aside practice wisdom. This study reflects the ambivalence of new social workers toward the licensing exam and the disconnect between education and practice in what the test is actually measuring. Recommendations and implications for social work educators include advocating for a reevaluation of social work licensure exams as proof of competence.  \nKeywords: Licensure exam, qualitative, new social workers  \nIn order to call oneself a social worker in the United States, certain criteria must be met, including the completion of a higher education degree program, demonstration of practice skills and competencies, and in some states, the ability to pass a licensure exam and pay the associated examination fees (Torres et al., 2024). Recent discussion has centered around the efficacy of using the Association of Social Work Board (ASWB) examination as a regulatory tool for social work licensure (Torres et al., 2024; Ricciardelliet al., 2024). In 2022, the ASWB released a report identifying bias with the licensure exam itself, and indicating specific demographic characteristics including race, age, and English as a second language, as having an impact on the pass rate of test-takers (Kim & Joo, 2024b). In a profession which values diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is founded on the  \n_________  \nSusan Glassburn, PhD, LCSW, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN. JoEllen  \nprinciple of social justice, the concern can be raised that the examination required for social work licensure may have a negative impact on the overall diversity of the profession. This in turn impacts the services provided to social work clients, many of whom are identified as being society’s most vulnerable members.  \nThe primary function of social work licensure is to protect the public as well as provide a measure of safety in terms of the delivery of competent and ethical social work services (ASWB, 2025a) . Additionally, the social work licensure examination tests an individual social worker’s competence in terms of ethical and safe practice (ASWB 2025a) . Torres et al. (2024) in a large master’s level licensure study identified that participants felt the exam was developed for White-identifying test takers with a primary language of English. Torres et al. (2024) noted that “several BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] participants reported being told to ‘think like a White person’ when taking the exam”(p. 191) . Furthermore, participants identified experiencing a disconnect between exam content/correct answers and actual social work practice, particularly practice taking place in communities with diverse population groups or immigrant communities (Torres et al., 2024) .  \nLicensure exams are not unique to the profession of social work, and similar examinations serve as a","cbCainSWWQGnAV8q","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCainSWWQGnAV8q","pdf",368241,"English","# Licensure exam as a regulatory tool\n## Bias and demographic impacts\n# Participant experiences and key themes\n## Meaning everything and nothing\n## Hoops and barriers, emotional responses, and learning the tricks\n# Validity, professional implications, and recommendations","[{\"question\":\"What is the role of the social work licensure exam in the U.S.?\",\"answer\":\"The licensure exam is intended to protect the public and assess competence in ethical and safe social work practice.\"},{\"question\":\"What concerns have been raised about bias in social work licensure exams?\",\"answer\":\"ASWB-related reporting points to bias in the exam itself and links disparities in pass rates to demographic characteristics including race, age, and English-as-a-second-language status.\"},{\"question\":\"What did the qualitative study of MSW participants find?\",\"answer\":\"Analysis of 22 participants preparing for or having taken the exam identified five themes, including ambivalence (“meaning everything and nothing”), emotional responses, and perceived disconnects between exam content and real-world social work practice.\"}]","It Means Everything…and It Means Nothing - New Social Worker Views on Taking the Master’s Licensure Exam | PDF",1789981998]