Journal of Angiotherapy
Integrative Biomedical Research | Online ISSN  2207-872X
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Contents Vol 8 (9)

Negotiating Identity: The Role of Mental Health Social Workers in Interdisciplinary Systems Dominated by Biomedical and Managerial Models – A Review

Naif Faisal Bejad Albaqami 1*, Hamoud Fahad Hassan Alqahtani 1, Mohammed Fahad Hassan Alqahtani 1, Fahad Saad Fahad Alanazi 1, Wajb Ayed  Aedh Al Otaibi 1, Fawaz Shujaa Fudghush Alharthi 1, Abdulmajeed Abdullah Alkhaibari 1, Ali Jamal Faleh Al-Anzi 1, Jameela Ahmed Alshehri 1, Adel Awad Al Rashedi 1, Yahy Ali  A Majrashi 1, Meshari Bader F Alharbi 1, Mohsen Mohammed M Alkhidhran 1

+ Author Affiliations

Journal of Angiotherapy 8 (9) 1-10 https://doi.org/10.25163/angiotherapy.8910240

Submitted: 27 July 2024 Revised: 12 September 2024  Published: 15 September 2024 

Abstract

Mental health social workers play a distinct role in multidisciplinary teams by emphasizing social and rights-based approaches to care. However, professional identity remains contested, with social workers often struggling to articulate their unique contributions amidst biomedical dominance and organizational constraints. This scoping review explores the evolving professional identity of mental health social workers within contemporary service systems increasingly shaped by biomedical and managerial paradigms. Drawing on 35 qualitative and mixed-methods studies spanning 21 countries, the review synthesizes how social workers conceptualize and negotiate their roles amid interdisciplinary pressures, statutory obligations, and shifting policy contexts. Findings reveal a persistent commitment to socially grounded, rights-based practice, with professional identity shaped by advocacy, legal expertise, and holistic approaches to care. Yet, practitioners frequently experience tension between these values and the dominance of clinical models, resulting in role ambiguity and institutional marginalization. Legal roles, particularly in jurisdictions with formal statutory designations such as the AMHP in England and Wales, both strengthen legitimacy and constrain autonomy. Organizational settings and interprofessional team dynamics significantly influence identity formation, with supervision, peer support, and reflective practice serving as key sites for professional reinforcement. Collaborative relationships between social workers and psychologists highlight opportunities for integrated care, though effective partnership depends on mutual recognition and shared frameworks. The review identifies critical gaps in the literature, particularly around the epistemological legitimacy of social work, and calls for strategies to reinforce professional identity amid systemic constraints.

Keywords: Mental health social work, professional identity, interdisciplinary collaboration, social determinants, recovery model.

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