Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical Practice Exam

Empowerment in social work fundamentally involves helping clients recognize and utilize their inherent strengths and capabilities. This approach encourages individuals to take control of their lives and make informed decisions, fostering a sense of confidence and self-efficacy. By guiding clients to identify their personal strengths, social workers enable them to harness these resources to overcome challenges, advocate for themselves, and achieve their goals.

While obtaining necessary services and providing training for coping skills are important aspects of social work, they are more focused on specific interventions rather than the broader concept of empowerment. Building relationships based on mutual respect is also essential in social work practice, as it helps create a safe and supportive environment, but it does not directly encompass the idea of helping clients to identify and leverage their strengths for personal growth and autonomy. Empowerment is about fostering self-determination and facilitating a process where clients can realize their potential, making the identification of strengths a core component of this principle.