Developing a General Forensic Social Work Competency Scale in Taiwan

Purpose: We sought to identify forensic social work (FSW) competencies in Taiwan, develop a General Forensic Social Work Competency Scale (GFSWS), and examine perceived competency levels and their related factors. Method: A mixed-methods approach was used to design the GFSWS. Qualitative investigations were conducted with 58 practitioners and experts in eleven focus groups, and quantitative data were collected from 746 forensic social workers. Psychometric properties of the GFSWS were examined. Finally, we examined competency levels and their related factors using the GFSWS. Results: Focus-group analysis yielded four competency domains: knowledge, skills, value, and self-care. The 26-item GFSWS showed good reliability and structural validity. The knowledge domain had the lowest mean and greatest variation. Overall or domain-specific competencies were associated with educational (i.e., internship in forensic settings) and job factors (i.e., years in legal settings). Discussion: This study introduces four FSW competencies in Taiwan and demonstrates the GFSWS' practical utility.