When a ‘social worker’ is NOT a social worker: reflections of the ethical tensions that emerge when Imposter Participants present as social workers

Murphy, C, Hanley, J, Brougham, R, Berry, N, Ravalier, J, Wegrzynek, P, Riaz, M and Cullen, R (2026) 'When a ‘social worker’ is NOT a social worker: reflections of the ethical tensions that emerge when Imposter Participants present as social workers.' Ethics and Social Welfare. doi: 10.1080/17496535.2026.2671035

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Abstract

This 'ethics in practice' article reflects on the ethical dilemmas and tensions that emerged from a research study employing online interviews with social workers in the context of (i) how to respond to suspected Imposter Participants (ii) whether to report individuals for fraudulently posing as social workers; (iii) how to better screen for Imposter Participants whilst minimising the chance of excluding genuine participants and (iv) whether to reimburse suspected Imposter Participants for their time. The article also makes recommendations for researchers seeking to recruit a similar participant demographic by way of a ‘what we would do differently next time’ section.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	imposter participants, England, online research, social work, social workers
Divisions:	School of Sciences
Date Deposited:	27 May 2026 09:59
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2026 17:01
ISSN:	1749-6535
URN:	https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/17742

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