Actitudes hacia la inmigración en el alumnado de Trabajo Social

Javier Ferrer-Aracil; María Aragonés-González; Elena M. Cortés-Florín; Desirée Paredes-Boj

doi:10.31637/epsir-2025-409

Authors

Javier Ferrer-Aracil University of Alicante https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4455-0587
María Aragonés-González University of Alicante https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0140-9302
Elena M. Cortés-Florín University of Alicante https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1111-0179
Desirée Paredes-Boj University of Alicante https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8611-9410

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-409

Keywords:

higher education, students, social work, migrations, minorities, cultural diversity, social attitudes, integration

Abstract

Introduction: This paper analyses attitudes towards immigration and immigrants in Social Work students and how these may be associated with different demographic variables. A total of 101 students of the Degree in Social Work at the University of Alicante (Spain) participated. Methodology: The research adopted a quantitative method of a descriptive and explanatory nature. The questionnaire was used as an instrument to collect data. Both univariate and bivariate analyses were carried out. Results: Positive attitudes on the part of the Social Work students were identified, although there were also variations depending on the different aspects of the attitudes evaluated and the socio-demographic variables of the students. Discussions: The attitudes shown by the students are contextualized, highlighting how they are in line with existing knowledge in the literature. Conclusions: It is concluded that Social Work students fundamentally see immigration as an opportunity. It is suggested to design educational experiences that reinforce positive attitudes and contribute to the development of intercultural competences in the students.

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Author Biographies

Javier Ferrer-Aracil, University of Alicante

D., Social Worker, Anthropologist, Intercultural Mediator and Professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Services at the University of Alicante (Spain). Prior to his full-time dedication to the university, he worked for ten years as a social worker and coordinator of intercultural community intervention programs. His teaching interests focus on Social Work with Communities, as well as Models and Methods of Social Work. His main research interests include community intervention, diversity management and educational innovation. Currently, he is the Academic Coordinator of Social Work Internships at the University of Alicante.

María Aragonés-González, University of Alicante

PhD, Social Worker, Equality Agent and Research Staff at the Department of Social Work and Social Services of the University of Alicante (Spain). Since 2022, she has been doing research at the Alicante Social Services Laboratory and, since 2023, at the Chair of the Valencian Public System of Social Services. Collaborating teacher in various subjects of the Degree in Social Work. Her lines of research revolve around the relevance of social work in the educational system and the role of education for the prevention of social problems, such as gender inequality, gender violence and social exclusion, as well as her interest in teaching improvement and innovation in higher education.

Elena M. Cortés-Florín, University of Alicante

PhD, Social Worker and Professor of the Department of Social Work and Social Services, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Alicante (Spain). Before joining the university, she worked as a social worker in the field of social and health care for dependency. Her teaching interests focus on Models and Methods of Social Work, Social Work research and social services. Her main research interests include participation, systemic intervention, social services intervention and educational innovation. Currently, she is Tutor of the Tutorial Action Program (PAT) of the Degree in Social Work at the University of Alicante.

Desirée Paredes-Boj, University of Alicante

Social Worker, Bachelor in Advertising and Public Relations, Master in Mediation and Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Services at the University of Alicante (Spain). She develops her main professional activity in the public health field. At the professional level, her main interests are focused on community health, bioethics and prevention of gender violence. In research, her main interests are community intervention, community health and teaching innovation. Currently, she is Vice-President of the Bioethics Committee of the Health Care Department of Torrevieja (Spain), Secretary of the Equality Committee and member of the Gender Violence Training Motor Group of the same Department.

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