Advances and Challenges in Developing Research Capacity in Social Work

Abstract

Significant improvements in research capacity have been realized in social work in the past two decades. Investments by federal entities such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and concentrated efforts by deans, directors, and faculty members have led to important advances in research infrastructure and capacity in many social work programs. These developments have contributed to historic improvements in the scope and quality of social work research. Despite recent accomplishments, however, considerable variation exists in infrastructure support and research capacity across social work programs. For example, whereas some schools and universities have developed impressive internal supports for faculty research, other programs have struggled to simply create the culture necessary to address deficiencies in research capacity. Demands for new knowledge about the etiology, prevention, and treatment of individual and social problems as well as growing interest in evidence-based policy and practice suggest that the time has come to evaluate recent advances and identify the persistent challenges associated with enhancing infrastructure support and research capacity in social work. ADVANCES IN RESEARCH CAPACITY Research and knowledge development activities vary considerably across the continuum of social work undergraduate and graduate education. On one hand, well-established graduate programs located in research-oriented universities generally value research and strongly encourage faculty members to pursue external funding. Conversely, many undergraduate and graduate social work programs recognize the importance of research but place greater emphasis on the teaching and practice missions associated with the profession. Regardless of where a program might fall in this continuum, most educators would agree that nearly all schools of social work have increased their attention to topics of research capacity. A variety of approaches have been used in the past two decades to increase infrastructure supports and research capacity in social work. For example, some schools have pursued an ambitious program of federal research sponsorship through entities such as NIH, the National Institute of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, and others. NIH has been particularly responsive to social work as evidenced by the creation and funding of eight social work research centers in the 1990s. In recent years, NIH has continued its commitment to the field by developing and disseminating a social work research agenda (NIH, 2003) and by issuing a call for proposals to investigate the effects of theoretically and empirically based social work practice on health outcomes for people experiencing medical and behavioral problems (NIH, 2005). Released in 2005, Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health (PA-06-081) is important because it publicly acknowledges the contribution of social work practice to the enhancement and efficacy of interventions targeting health problems. Significantly, the language in the PA goes beyond the proposition that social work strategies are mere enhancements to existing medical services and interventions. The existence of a social work knowledge base that offers unique and significant clinical expertise to interdisciplinary intervention efforts with client groups across multiple systems of care is clearly recognized in this announcement. Advances in federally funded social work research are perhaps best measured by the number of NIH awards made to social work investigators. It is important to note that 621 grants have been awarded to social work researchers since 1993 (Corvo, Zlotnik, & Chen, 2008; Institute for the Advancement of SocialWork Research [IASWR], 2008). Awards have ranged from a low of 18 in 1993 to more than 60 funded grants in 1998. Reflecting current economic constraints at the federal level, only 24 grants were funded in 2007. …