social Work Research

social Work Research

In a very broad sense, social work research is the

application of research methods to solve problems

that social workers confront in the practice of social

work. It provides information that can be taken into

consideration by social workers prior to making

decisions, that affect their clients, programmes or

agencies such as use of alternative intervention

techniques or change or modification of programme/

client/objectives and so forth.

Following are some of the situations which call for

application of social work research methods and

techniques:

 A social caseworker is interested in assessing

the nature and extent of the problem of her

client who has been facing marital maladjustment.

She may be interested in obtaining information

about the actual or potential effectiveness of

the client. She may also be keen to know to

what extent the intervention would be effective.

 A group worker wishes to assess the extent to

which the technique of role play is more or less

effective than group discussion in increasing

knowledge of drug abuse among school going

children.

 A community organiser wants to know the views

of the community before he takes a decision to

change the programme/objectives.

 A director of special school for mentally retarded

children wants to know whether group therapy

is as effective as individual therapy in increasing

adaptability of mentally retarded children.

 A social work administrator is concerned about

effectiveness of implementation of new programme

launched.

Social Work Research: Definition

Social work research may be defined as systematic

investigation into the problems in the field of social

work. The study of concepts, principles, theories

underlying social work methods and skills are the

major areas of social work research. It involves the

study of the relationship of social workers with their

clients; individuals, groups or communities on various

levels of interaction or therapy as well as their

natural relationships and functioning within the

organisational structure of social agencies.

While on the theoretical side, social work research

re-examines the special body of knowledge; concepts

and theories, where as in the area of social work

practice it tries to evolve a systematic theory and

valid concepts, to know the efficacy of different

methods/interventions of social work as to search

for alternate/innovative interventions and treatments.

Social work research, therefore, concerns itself with

the problems faced by social workers. It encompasses

those questions which are encountered in social

work practices or in planning or administering social

work services which can be solved through research

and which are appropriate for investigation under

social work auspices.

Social work research utilizes the same scientific

methods and techniques, as does social research.

No doubt, when some (research designs) procedures

of social research are not suitable to social work

research it would be necessary to develop the tools

which would be appropriate to social work research.

Social Work Research: The Process

It must be borne in mind that the process of social

work research is not completely identical to social

research. In fact, there are many similarities between

this process and the traditional research process.

The process however, has some additional steps

designed to suit the objectives of social work research.

By following the process social work researchers

are in a position to know precisely what intervention

was applied and how much effect was produced.

The process also links research and practice.

Social work research starts with problem identification

and setting up of goals. This is followed by the

process of assessment (or need assessment) of the

client’s problems. During these initial stages, the

researcher strives to obtain a clear and specific   

understanding of the problem, using assessment

tools such as interviewing (Monette, et. al., 1986).

After the problem is identified and needs are assessed, After the problem is identified and needs are assessed,

the next step is to set up goals to be achieved. The

goals are required to be specific, precisely defined

and measurable in some way. The third step in the

process is to have a pre-intervention measurement, that is, measurement prior to intervention; the preintervention

measurement is used as basis from

which to compare the client’s condition after the

intervention is introduced.

Next stage in the process is to introduce intervention.

It is important here to note that only a single, coherent

intervention be applied during any intervention phase.

In the last stage, we assess the effects of intervention

by comparing the two measurements, that is, preintervention

measurement and measurements during intervention . 

Social work is a practice profession. As such, the

major objective of social work research is to search

for answers to questions raised regarding interventions

or practice effectiveness. In other words social work

research attempts to provide knowledge about what

interventions or treatments really help or hinder

the attainment of social work goals. In addition, it

also helps in searching for answers to problems or

difficulties faced by social work practitioners in the

practice of their profession. Ultimately it helps building

knowledge base for social work theory and practice.

Social work research also deals with problems faced

by professional social workers, social work agencies

and community in its concern with social work

functions. In other words in social work research

the problems to be investigated are always found

in the course of doing social work or planning to

do it (Dasgupta, 1968).

It is obvious that in social work research the study

of a problem is from the point of view of social work

and that of professional social work. The designing

of research problems, data collection and its

interpretation will have to be attempted in a manner

as would be useful to professional social work which

would add new knowledge to the social work theory

and practice and improve the efficiency of professional

social workers.

Social work research is regarded as the systematic

use of research concepts, methods, techniques and

strategies to provide information related to the

objectives of social work programmes and practices.

Thus the unit of analysis of social work research

could be individuals, groups, families or programme

of the agency. That is, social work research, typically

focuses on assessment of practitioner’s work with

individuals, groups, families, communities or appraisal 

of agencies or programmes that involve the continued

efforts of practitioners with many clients. As such,

the research design, data collection and analytic

strategies in social work research vary as a function

of unit of analysis and programme of agencies of

social work practitioner.

Social work research is the use of the scientific

method in the search of knowledge, including

knowledge of alternate practice and intervention

techniques, which would be of direct use to the

social work profession and thus enhance the practice

of social work methods. Social work research focuses

on or confines itself to select aspects of behaviour

and alternate models of behaviour modifications.

Social work research helps to find ways and means

to enhance social functioning at the individual, group,

community and societal levels.

Social work research lays special emphasis on

evaluation. This is one of the reasons that social

work research is also understood as evaluative

research. Under social work research, varieties of

evaluative researches are undertaken. Some of the

researches are on impacts or effects, efficacy and

effectiveness. Evaluation of agencies and its projects

and programmes are some of the specialized areas

of social work research.

Scope of Social Work Research

Social work profession has a scientific base, which

consists of a special body of knowledge; tested

knowledge, hypothetical knowledge and assumptive

knowledge. Assumptive knowledge requires

transformation into hypothetical knowledge, which

in turn needs transformation into tested knowledge.

Social work research has significant role in

transforming the hypothetical and assumptive

knowledge to tested knowledge (Khinduka,1965)

Not all concepts or theories that are used by

professional social workers have been tested and

validated. Concerted efforts through social work

research are very much required to conceptually

articulate and validate the concepts and theories,

which will in turn strengthen the scientific base

of professional social work.

Identification of social work needs and resources,

evaluation of programmes and services of social work

agencies are some of the areas in which social

work researches are undertaken. Social work research

may be conducted to know the problems faced by

professional social workers in social work agencies

and communities in its concern with social work

functions. Thus, social work research embraces the

entire gamut of social work profession; concepts,

theories, methods, programmes, services and the

problems faced by social workers in their practice.

The areas of social work research may be broadly

categorized as follows:

1) Studies to establish, identify and measure the

need for service.

2) To measure the services offered as they relate

to needs.

3) To test, gauge and evaluate results of social

work intervention.

4) To list the efficacy of specific techniques of

offering services.

5) Studies in methodology of social work.

Social work is a diverse profession, possible broad

research areas could be:

i) Community Development

ii) Community Health (Including Mental Health)

iii) Child Welfare

iv) Women Welfare

v) Youth Welfare

vi) Aged Welfare

vii) Welfare of SC & ST Groups

viii) Poverty Alleviation

ix) Physical and Mental Disabilities

x) Juvenile Delinquency

xi) Crime and Correction etc.

xii) Management of Social Welfare Department and

Organisation

xiii) Disaster Management

xiv) Industrial Social Work

xv) Issues concerning Advocacy and Networking

The list is not exhaustive, it’s only an exemplary

list which enlists broad areas which is very frequently

studied by social workers. Again, within one or more

problem areas research might focus on individuals,

families, groups, community organisations or broad

social systems.

It might deal with characteristics of a larger population,

and the services available to them.

Goals and Limitations of Social Work

Research

Social work research offers an opportunity for all

social workers to make differences in their practice.

There is no doubt about the fact that social worker

will be more effective practitioner guided by the

findings of social work research. Thus, social work

research seeks to accomplish the same humanistic

goals, as does a social work method. Social work

research deals with those methods and issues, which

are useful in evaluating social work programmes

and practices. It explains the methodology of social

research and illustrates its applications in social

work settings.

A substantive part of social work practice is concerned

with the micro-level practice, such as working with

individuals, groups, or a community. Social work

research has to take into consideration the limitations

of micro level design of study and techniques.

Social work research is basically a practice based

research which mostly draws its inferences through

inductive reasoning. That is, inferring something

about a whole group or a class of objects from the

facts or knowledge of one or few members of that

group/class. Thus, in practice based research inductive

reasoning carries us from observation to theory through

intervention/assessment. Practitioners, for example,

may observe that delinquents tend to come from

family with low socio-economic status. Based on

the assumption that the parent-child bond is weaker

in low socio-economic families and that such parents,

therefore, have less control over their children, the

practitioners may inductively conclude that a weak

parent-child bond leads to delinquency.

A substantive part of social work practice is concerned

with the micro-level practice, such as working with

individuals, groups, or a community. Practice based

research has to take into consideration the limitations

of micro level practice. Accordingly, practice based

research has to have special design of study and

techniques.