Toward a definition of professional identity for social work: Findings from a scoping review

Defining professional identity has long been a contested matter, even more so in social work with ongoing questions about our professional status. To address these questions, this article explores how professional identity is theorized, defined, and/or measured in peer-reviewed social work literature by reporting on a subset of findings from a scoping review. The search protocol produced a total dataset of ninety-one peer-reviewed articles, sixty-six of which specified theory and/or a definition and/or scale indicators related to professional identity. Descriptive analysis was undertaken on bibliographic data from the sixty-six papers, as well as thematic analysis on key sections related to definitions of and theories informing professional identity in social work. Descriptive analysis revealed that most studies were qualitative, and the countries of focus were centred in China and Euro-Western contexts. Thematic analysis produced four themes that are used to propose a comprehensive and multidimensional definition of professional identity for social work, which has implications for social work associations, educators, and practitioners. Recommendations for future research incorporating this definition are also highlighted, especially opportunities for international comparative research.