Physical contact in social work can carry different meanings depending on the context, the culture, and the client’s history. That’s why Section 1.10 of the NASW Code of Ethics is brief—but critical. It reminds social workers that even seemingly harmless gestures (a hug, a pat on the back, a comforting touch) must be approached with deep sensitivity and caution.

Here’s the official standard:

1.10 Physical Contact
Social workers should not engage in physical contact with clients when there is a possibility of psychological harm to the client as a result of the contact (such as cradling or caressing clients). Social workers who engage in appropriate physical contact with clients are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries that govern such physical contact.

What It Means in Practice

Touch can be therapeutic—or it can be confusing, triggering, or harmful.
This section emphasizes that the risk of psychological harm always outweighs good intentions. Social workers must never assume a gesture is “fine” just because it feels natural, comforting, or part of a certain cultural norm.

Examples of inappropriate or high-risk physical contact:

  • Cradling, caressing, or embracing clients

  • Any touch that could be interpreted as intimate, overly familiar, or emotionally loaded

  • Physical gestures that override a client’s personal space, cultural norms, or trauma history

The burden is always on the social worker to avoid harm, set boundaries, and ensure any contact is clearly appropriate for that client in that moment.

What Counts as “Appropriate” Physical Contact?

Appropriate contact can exist in some contexts—but even then, it's a gray area. Think of:

  • A culturally appropriate handshake

  • A high-five with a young client during play therapy

  • Brief, client-initiated supportive contact (e.g., a hand on the arm)

Even in these cases:

  • Boundaries must be explicit and maintained

  • Cultural differences must be considered

  • The client’s trauma history, age, and comfort must guide your decisions

What’s appropriate with one client may be deeply unsettling for another.

Practice Question

Here's how this section of the code might look in an ASWB exam question:

A social worker is providing support to an adult client who begins crying after discussing a recent loss. The social worker, who shares a cultural background where physical comfort is common, gently touches the client's knee. The client freezes and becomes visibly tense. What should the social worker do next?

A. Continue the supportive contact, as it was meant comfortingly

B. Apologize and acknowledge that the gesture may not have been helpful

C. Immediately terminate the session to avoid further discomfort

D. Give a nod of understanding and move on

Even when well-intentioned, physical contact that causes discomfort can disrupt the therapeutic relationship. The social worker should take responsibility, acknowledge the impact, and reinforce the client’s emotional safety. The correct answer is B. How to narrow it down: A fails to prioritize the client’s experience over the social worker’s intent. C is overreactive and skips the opportunity for repair and learning. D avoids accountability and may deepen the client’s discomfort.

For lots more practice from all areas on ASWB exam, prepare with SWTP's full-length practice tests.

Let's Go.




May 14, 2025
Categories :
  ethics  
  practice  
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