April __, 2023

________________
________________
________________

Dear ____________,

Greetings of Peace and Prosperity!

We are third year students from Mindanao State University-Marawi studying

Bachelor of Science in Social Work and currently conducting our group research as a
major requirement for our BSW 198-II (Social Work Research II) for this semester.
Our group is composed of the following student researchers: Norhanima Abdullah,
Rayanna Ali, Haniya Elias, Sittie Asiyah Mangata, Esmeralda Masacal, Louielyn
Monoy, Haya Rasol, Mohammad Ashraf Sihawi, and Fatimah Nur-Shalihah
Tawagon.

The title of our study is “Culture of Silence in Social Work Practice in Lanao Del Sur:
The Social Work Practitioner's Perspective”. This is qualitative study with the
following specific objectives:
1. To investigate how culture of silence can have an adverse effect on the
effectiveness of social work practices.
2. To know what can be done to ensure social work practices are valid and
accurate.

In connection to this, we are humbly inviting you to be part of our research as one of
our respondent/participant. Your thoughts and experience about the research topic
will be significantly relevant towards achieving the goal of our research.

Rest assured that all data to be collected will only be used for research and academic
purposes only and your rights shall be respected all throughout the research.

We are hoping for your favorable response. You may contact us through our team
leader Haya Rasol with the following contact details +639856028795 and/or
rasol.hi78@s.msumain.edu.ph.

Truly Yours,
HAYA I. RASOL
Research Lead

Noted by:

PROF. NORHAINAH C. ABDUL AZIZ, RSW, EMSW

Faculty-in-charged
Social Work Department, MSU-Marawi
 INVITATION AND INFORMED CONSENT FORM
FOR RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS

ABOUT THE RESEARCH

We are third year students from Mindanao State University-Marawi studying

Bachelor of Science in Social Work and currently conducting our group research as a
major requirement for our BSW 198-II (Social Work Research II) for this semester.
Our group is composed of the following student researchers: Norhanima Abdullah,
Rayanna Ali, Haniya Elias, Sittie Asiyah Mangata, Esmeralda Masacal, Louielyn
Monoy, Haya Rasol, Mohammad Ashraf Sihawi, and Fatimah Nur-Shalihah
Tawagon.

The title of our study is “Culture of Silence in Social Work Practice in Lanao Del Sur:
The Social Work Practitioner's Perspective”. This is a qualitative study with the
following specific objectives:
1. To investigate how culture of silence can have an adverse effect on the
effectiveness of social work practices
2. To know what can be done to ensure social work practices are valid and
accurate.

In connection to this, we are humbly inviting you to become one of our research
respondent/participants. Your experience and knowledge on the said topic of
research will be relevant and helpful in achieving the aim of this study.

YOUR ROLES AND RIGHTS AS A RESEARCH PARTICIPANT

Please be informed that this research may ask you to fill in a basic questionnaire and
answer semi-structured interviews. The conduct of the data gathering will only take
one hour and a half at most of your time and will be conducted at your most
convenient schedule and place. The language to be used will be your local dialect or
the language you are most comfortable with (Bisaya, Tagalog, English). The interview
will be recorded either by audio or video recording -subject to your approval- for
correct data collection and transcription. In case that you find some questions
uncomfortable, you may not answer the question and inform the researcher anytime.
Your honesty and participation will be very helpful in the conduct of this research.

PARTICIPATION AND INFORMED CONSENT

Participation in this research is totally voluntary. Your consent and the privacy of the
will be of utmost important and will be respected all throughout the research. If
respondent wishes to terminate or withdraw from the research at any time- before,
during and after the completion of data gathering, it will be highly respected.

INFORMATION AND DISSEMINATION

All information collected is aimed solely at deepening academic knowledge for the
purposes of this research. Personal and identifying details obtained through the
research will remain confidential, and pseudo-names will be used to protect
everybody’s identity in the data presentation and analysis. Audio-recorded interviews
and field notes together with other data will be kept on one encrypted computer and
will not be shared with external agents. This data will then be destroyed once the
research is completed (July 2023), following permission from my supervisor.
Whereupon the final paper will be available upon your request.
Thank you for reading the information sheet about the research. If you are willing to
participate and be part of this study, please complete and sign the form below. Please
put your signature below to confirm that you agree with each statement:

CONSENT FORM FOR THE SURVEY AND INTERVIEW

CONSENT CLAUSE Please put your signature
below:
I confirm that I have read and understood the
information sheet dated [____, 2023] and have had the
opportunity to ask questions regarding my concerns.
I agree with my participation in this study being in a
form of voluntary. This means that I have the choice and
that I am free to withdraw at any time without needing
to give any specific reason and without there being any
negative consequences for my actions.
I understand that my responses in this research study
will and shall be kept confidential. I understand that my
name will not be linked with the research materials and
will not be identified or identifiable in the reports that
result from the research.
I understand that my responses in this research study
will and shall be kept confidential. I understand that my
name will not be linked with the research materials and
will not be identified or identifiable in the reports that
result from the research.
I agree to take an active part in this interview and to
provide my answers and all the needed information
about me, freely.

Signature over printed name

Date :
 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. From what district level you are working?

o District 1

o District 2

2. From what municipality in Lanao Del Sur do you work or do the organization is

stationed?

o Marawi City o Tamparan

o Marantao o Maguing

o Saguiaran o Wao

o Piagapo o Poona Bayabao

o Kapai o Lumba Bayabao

o Tagoloan o Balindong

o Ditsa-an Ramain o Tugaya

o Bubong o Bacolod Kalawi

o Buadipuso Buntong o Amai Manabilang

o Mulondo o Binidayan

o Taraka o Balabagan
 o Kapatagan

o Malabang o Lumbatan

o Picong o Lumbayanague

o Tubaran o Sultan Dumalundong

o Pualas o Lumbaca Unayan

o Ganassi o Pagayawan

o Madamba o Calanogas

o Madalum o Marogong

o Masiu

o Butig

3. How many years of experience do you have working in the social work field?

o 0 – 3 years
o 4 – 7 year 
o 8 – 11 years
o 12 or more
Research Questions Interview Questions Probing Questions

1. How does the social 1. How do you define a 1. Is that definition

worker understand the
concept of culture of
silence?
culture of silence? formulated based on
your own experience?
2. Could you give us
details of your work
experience wherein
you encountered a
culture of silence?

0. How does the culture of 1. How does the culture

silence affect their work as
social workers?
2. In what ways has the
3. How
of silence in society
affect your ability to
effectively 1. How do you handle a
communicate and culture of silence in
build relationships working on sensitive
with the clients they issues with clients?
serve? 2. Could you tell us about
the most challenging
culture of silence case you have handled
affected your ability to wherein the culture of
accurately assess and silence was
address sensitive manifested?
issues with their
clients?
have you
observed the culture of
silence affecting the
ability of individuals
and families to openly
discuss and address
sensitive issues in their
communities?

0. Does gendeand 1. Does the social 1. Why do you think

ethnicity have a worker’s gender those factors influence
bearing on how culture influence the the manifestation of
of silence penetrates in manifestation of culture of silence in
their social work culture of silence in social work practice?
practice? social work practice?
2. Does the social
 worker’s ethnicity
influence the
manifestation of
culture of silence in
social work practice?

0. How does the culture 1. How does the culture 1. What impact does the
of silence manifest in of silence manifests in culture of silence have
the stages of the social the assessment stage of on the overall well-
work helping process? the social work being and success of
helping process? the case handled by
social workers?
2. How does the culture
of silence within a
community impact
your assessment on the
needs and challenges
the clients are facing?
3. How does the culture
of silence manifests in
the planning stage of
the social work
helping process?
4. How does the culture
of silence manifests in
the intervention stage
of the social work
helping process?
5. How does the culture
of silence influence the
interventions social
workers recommend
addressing the needs
of clients?
6. How does the culture
of silence manifests in
the evaluation stage of
the social work
helping process?
7. How does the culture
of silence manifests in
the termination stage
of the social work
 helping process?

0. What are the strategies 1. How can social 1. How effective are
used by social workers effectively these strategies?
worker’s when facing address the culture of
culture of silence? silence and promote 2. Could you tell more on
open communication the strategies that you
to better serve the used?
needs of individuals
and families?
2. In your experience,
what barriers have you
faced in breaking the
culture of silence and
addressing taboo
topics in the
individuals and
families you work
with?
3. What strategies do you
use to overcome the
barriers posed by the
culture of silence in
your work?

0. What are the social 1. What strategies can

worker’s
recommendations for
social workers that
face issues on culture
of silence in their
professional practice?
you recommend for
social workers to
utilize in handling
cases wherein the
culture of silence is
being manifested?