We all bring our full selves into the work—life stress and all. But as social workers, we carry an added responsibility: making sure our personal struggles don’t compromise the care we provide.
Section 4.05 of the NASW Code of Ethics addresses this head-on:
4.05 Impairment
(a) Social workers should not allow their own personal problems, psychosocial distress, legal problems, substance abuse, or mental health difficulties to interfere with their professional judgment and performance or to jeopardize the best interests of people for whom they have a professional responsibility.
(b) Social workers whose personal problems, psychosocial distress, legal problems, substance abuse, or mental health difficulties interfere with their professional judgment and performance should immediately seek consultation and take appropriate remedial action by seeking professional help, making adjustments in workload, terminating practice, or taking any other steps necessary to protect clients and others.
This standard acknowledges something simple but essential: social workers are human. We face illness, grief, addiction, legal trouble—just like the people we serve. What matters ethically is how we respond when those issues affect our work.
It’s not unethical to experience distress. It is unethical to ignore it when it begins to impair your judgment or jeopardize client care.
Impairment isn’t always visible
Exam questions may describe a social worker who’s recently lost a loved one and is struggling with focus. If judgment or performance is affected, that’s an impairment issue—even if no clients have complained yet.
Taking action is part of ethical practice
A question might ask what a social worker should do after realizing they’re unable to concentrate in sessions due to their own depression. Look for responses that include seeking help, reducing caseload, or taking leave.
Ethical duty overrides stigma
If an exam scenario involves a social worker hiding a substance use problem, the correct answer likely involves disclosure (to a supervisor or licensing body) and taking steps to protect clients—not trying to push through.
Seeking consultation is often a first step
Some questions will offer “consult with a trusted supervisor” as an option—that’s often a strong answer when a social worker is unsure whether their difficulties are impacting their work.
How this might show up on the ASWB exam:
A social worker has been experiencing intense anxiety following a recent legal dispute and has noticed increasing difficulty concentrating during client sessions. What is the most ethical next step?
A. Avoid stigma by taking personal time off without informing anyone why.
B. Begin reducing client hours.
C. Seek supervision and explore appropriate next steps.
D. Work on personal issues privately.
Let’s break it down: A and D both involve secrecy and risk—avoiding support increases harm to clients; B shows awareness, but still lacks consultation and transparency. C is correct. Section 4.05(b) calls for consultation and appropriate remedial action to protect clients and support the social worker’s own recovery.
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