Mechanism of policy support and social workers’ professional identity: A quantitative study of central society work department

Abstract The topic of professional identity within the field of social work has been a contentious issue in China for an extended period. This research investigates the establishment of the Society Work Department as a focal point to examine the mechanisms through which it influences social workers’ professional identity. Employing quantitative research methodologies, the study collected 211 valid responses via questionnaire surveys. The findings reveal that the establishment of the Society Work Department exerts a significant positive overall effect on social workers’ professional identity; however, the direct impact exhibits a notable negative trend. Additionally, factors such as social identity, career development opportunities, and the working environment serve as partial mediators in the relationship between policy support and professional identity. This study contributes to the existing literature by addressing the gap regarding the influence of policy support on the advancement of social work, thereby offering a theoretical framework and practical insights for the future development of China’s social work sector under policy support. Nonetheless, due to the reliance on cross-sectional data, the study is limited in its ability to establish causality, and it is recommended that future research utilize longitudinal data for more comprehensive analysis.