Social Work Research Research Articles

THE POWER OF INTERCONNECTION: FRANCES HESSELBEIN IN HER OWN WORDS

AbstractThe author, Professor, and Dean Emeritus at Bryn Mawr College's Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, writes about her long‐standing relationship with Frances Hesselbein. The article revolves around an interview in late 2016 between Bailey and Hesselbein for a special issue of the multidisciplinary journal Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping. According to the author, the “issue focused on the relationship between the individual and organizations…” and it centers around Hesselbein's professional career, beginning with her leadership of the Girl Scouts of the USA in the mid‐1970s.

Is my work racist? Critical thinking and critical discourse in social work research

The United States is once again experiencing a window of time wherein there is a heightened acknowledgement and understanding of our history as a racist society. Many researchers are discussing the impact of their work in this new light. Researchers are in a unique position that holds power to chart new directions and paths forward, or to reinforce the status quo. Drawing on Critical Discourse Analysis and Dual Process Theory, we examine our own research, looking at language as action. We suggest that researchers are not objective observers but active participants, and as such, must struggle to understand how our worldviews shape our work. We illustrate how critical thinking shapes our understanding of society, and how that understanding underpins our research from the framing of our questions to the interpretation of results. We explain how the discourse of research serves to not only capture but drive dominant ideologies. We offer suggestions for considering research in the context of social justice.

Is Social Work Research in Crisis?

In recent years, the veracity of scientific findings has come under intense scrutiny in what has been called the “replication crisis.” This crisis is marked by the propagation of scientific claims which were subsequently contested, found to be exaggerated, or deemed false. This article describes the replication crisis and identifies examples of unreproducible results and irreplicable findings from across the biomedical and social sciences. Purported causes and potential remedies to the crisis are examined. It is argued that social work research suffers from the many analytic and methodological vices described here and that the profession is likely in crisis itself. Consequences for the discipline, as both a research and practice-based profession, are explored and paths forward are proposed.

Striking Ethical Balances: The Contribution of ‘Insider’ Practitioner–Academic Social Work Research in England

Abstract Clinical-academics are well established and expanding in English health settings. However, despite growing evidence that research-active organisations improve service quality and outputs, research by social work practitioners remains relatively rare in social work practice in England other than as part of qualifying or post-qualifying study. In this context, the National Institute for Health and Care Research developed new funding streams to support the development of ‘practitioner–academics’, as an equivalent to clinical-academics in health settings. As early career practitioner–academics, who undertake research whilst remaining employed in our social work organisations, we present a case for practitioner–academic research, via two small research projects within our teams based on creative methods and focus groups. These projects illustrate the benefits of practitioner–academics in the knowledge production process, improving access to hard-to-reach research areas, developing swift rapport, which facilitates the production of rich and reliable data, and providing a novel means to navigate ethical issues including researcher positionality and research sensitivity. We also highlight challenges around informed consent, employee roles and researcher bias, including where practitioners are critical of practice within their service areas or are exposed to criticism themselves.

International Social Work Research: Some Lessons Learned

International Social Work Research: Some Lessons Learned

Data Sharing for Randomized Controlled Trials in Social Work

Sharing data publicly can provide numerous benefits to the data owner, data user, as well as the social work research community as a whole. Given the time and resources required to collect data in randomized controlled trials, gleaning the maximum amount of information from this data is highly desirable. Data sets considered to be exhausted by the primary research team often have valuable information that can be used by researchers with different research interests or analytic skill sets. Sharing these data allows other researchers to use these data to answer their research questions without duplicating the data collection efforts. Sharing data can also increase attention to the work of the primary research team, with papers with open data receiving more citations than those without public data. Engaging in open science practices such as data sharing can lead research to be seen as more trustworthy and reliable.

The integration of service user perspectives in social work student supervision

ABSTRACT Social work students’ experience of supervision during practice learning or field education has a significant influence on their development. The value of service user participation in social work education, practice and research is increasingly acknowledged, however there is little consideration of its role in the supervision of students. Similarly, while service users are obvious stakeholders in practice education, this is seldom recognized. This Australian qualitative study examined if service user perspectives are integrated in social work student supervision. Field educators (FEs) and students were asked about the contribution of service user perspectives within supervision, how such perspectives might be integrated and the factors that inhibit or enhance their occurrence. Four main influences were identified: the purpose of supervision; the strategies used to integrate service user perspectives; the organizational context; and barriers and enhancers to integrating service user perspectives in supervision. The study concluded that the position of social work in relation to meaningful service user participation needs attention and that there is a gap between social work education and practice.

Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Social Work in Australia

ABSTRACT In this article we argue that in Australian social work context and practice, Indigenous Data Sovereignty (ID-SOV) needs to be operationalised by enacting the principles of Indigenous Data Governance (ID-GOV). Failure to embed ID-SOV and ID-GOV leaves the profession open to claims that it is complicit in disempowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in relation to data. ID-SOV is a global movement focused on Indigenous Peoples having access to, and ownership, control, and possession of, their data. Social work is a profession committed to championing equal rights and challenging injustices. Therefore, it has an obligation to decolonise existing data structures in its workplaces. This article outlines the Australian ID-SOV movement, including current scholarship on operationalising ID-SOV in the form of ID-GOV, and the challenge for social work to position itself in alliance with the ID-SOV movement and in active participation in changing the way Indigenous data have traditionally been collected and used in Australia IMPLICATIONS The Indigenous Data Sovereignty (ID-SOV) movement demands the data rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and is re-shaping the Australian data landscape. If social work is true to its stated commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination, the profession needs to engage with ID-SOV and work to operationalise Indigenous Data Governance (ID-GOV) across social work environments. A particular focus of this article is the importance of ID-SOV and ID-GOV being operationalised within social work research and policy in areas such as “child protection”, the criminal justice system, health and wellbeing, and housing.

Looking back to look forward: a collaborative autoethnographic study of the effects of neoliberalism on social work practice, education and research

Neoliberalism emerged as a powerful force across the globe, adding market-based pressures to social work practice, education and research. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, we reflected on neoliberalism’s impact on our professional and academic experiences in US-based social work. Disconnection characterised our collective experiences of neoliberal social work across practice, research and education. The effects of this collective disconnecting emerged in three themes: (1) commodification; (2) compliance; and (3) disillusionment. We offer recommendations on how the field of social work can resist neoliberalism’s effects and encourage: (1) recentring social work practice, education and research around social work values; (2) a strategic use of self to form connections between the personal and the professional; and (3) the adoption of collective impact as the model for social work education and research.

The Use of a Constructivist Grounded Theory Method - A Good Fit for Social Work Research

This paper explores the application of Constructivist Grounded Theory (C-GT) methodology for social work research. First, it argues that C-GT methodology is well aligned with social work as the two value the individual in the context of their environmental influences. Both also prioritise the importance of respecting and valuing the participant or individual, seeing their perspective as unique and significant. Finally, this research methodology’s systematic yet flexible guidelines align with social work ethics, which also focus on the importance of professional integrity. The paper then provides an example of a C-GT PhD study in relation to an area of social work practice, that is, stability in statutory kinship care in Queensland, Australia. The paper details the specific recruitment and sampling of participants, data collection and coding analysis examples from the PhD study. The examples evidence the relevance of C-GT methodology and its application for research in the area of social work practice, specifically statutory kinship care.

Nowhere to turn: A Black feminist autoethnography of interpersonal violence

In July 2020, rapper Megan Thee Stallion was shot by her then boyfriend Tory Lanez, a fellow rapper. The incident brought to the surface (again) a long, ongoing conversation about the experiences of Black women survivors of intimate partner violence, much like other high-profile cases (e.g., Tina Turner) have done before. Specifically, these cases show how Black men particularly can uphold patriarchal violence in intimate or romantic contexts. Moreover, these cases show the tensions that can arise when survivors seek help from law enforcement. For example, the idea of racial loyalty and not calling the police on a Black man and how this affects the options available to Black women. In other words, Black women often have nowhere to turn for help when they experience violence. In this article, I employ Black Feminist Autoethnography as a methodological framework to analyze a personal instance of road rage where I was attacked, to explore how Black women survivors make meaning of their experiences, the thought process behind their decision to involve the police, how Black men uphold patriarchal violence in non-intimate contexts, and how Black women resist or refuse to accept the violence. This analysis reveals the raced and gendered components underlying the private/public nature of interpersonal violence experienced by Black women and the relationship between intimate and non-intimate interpersonal violence. Implications for qualitative social work research and practice include the use of Black Feminist Autoethnography as a methodological framework to identify areas of empowerment, strength, and support for survivors of violence.

A systematic review of Spanish academic production in the field of social work

Summary This article is a systematic review of the Spanish scientific production in social work hosted in the Web of Science. Findings The article analyzes the current state of social work research in Spain. Since the creation of the European Higher Education Area, Spanish social work has had to meet university research requirements, including the publication of papers in journals indexed in the world's leading databases. Spanish scientific production is analyzed from its beginnings until 2020. The main findings were that most of such research that was published by Spanish social work academic was in Spanish, while other categories of authors, such as nonsocial work Spanish academic, publish more in English. Spanish-language journals were mostly indexed in Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), while those in English were in Journal Citation Reports (JCR) or Scopus, consistently receiving few citations. Women as main authors exceeded men in percentages of indexed articles. Bibliometric quality measures constructed with Scopus were slightly better than those with JCR. The most developed topics in the area were general and transversal issues such as immigration, social services, social intervention, and social policies. Applications The study demonstrates to Spanish social work researchers that they have greater likelihood of obtaining better quality indexes if they publish in English in JCR- and Scopus-indexed journals, resulting in enhanced academic career visibility.

Understanding youth circumstances in workforce development programs: Opportunities for social work

Summary Youth who are disconnected from both education and work are at risk for a difficult life trajectory. This population requires policy and practice attention from social work. In this article, we report results from two research studies in the United States focused on the workforce development system serving the disconnected youth population. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 61 respondents in various geographic areas. Findings The focus of the analysis was data related to youth strengths and employment-related realities. Additionally, we examined the extent to which social work was reportedly engaged in this work. Respondents identified strengths of the youth population to include resilience, creativity, and willingness to contribute their perspectives. The described realities of employment suggest many challenges (e.g., employer reluctance, limited information on opportunities, and immediate economic realities). Social work was only mentioned in a few instances but in a positive light. Applications The findings have direct application for guiding further social work engagement in this practice and policy area. These applications include providing leadership to workforce development systems in the use of strengths perspectives, meeting youth where they are at, engaging in holistic interventions to address basic needs, and strengthening collaborations. Applications to social work research and education are also identified.

Applying Complex Adaptive Systems to Build Interdisciplinary Collaborations and Aid in Understanding Complicated Social Phenomena

ABSTRACT The Grand Challenges for Social Work were introduced by the American Academy for Social Work & Social Welfare in 2016, which are social problems that are interrelated and “exceedingly complex”. We discuss the relevance of complexity theory, operationalized by complex adaptive systems (CAS), to the Grand Challenges. CAS moves beyond current ecological systems approaches and is more appropriate for studying nonlinear, dynamic phenomena such as the Grand Challenges. We explore ideas for incorporating CAS into the social work curriculum at all levels. Adopting CAS into social work practice and research via changes to the curriculum will complement current practices and can facilitate interdisciplinary research teams, and thus has tremendous promise for helping social workers address the Social Work Grand Challenges.

Learning from Ikibiri and Ubuntu to Decolonise Social Work Research in Higher Education

This article explores the foundation of a joint research project between social work (SW) colleagues at Hope Africa University in Burundi, and Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom (UK). It considers the destructive impact of colonialism on indigenous SW practices in Burundi setting out an argument for decolonisation of the SW curriculum both in Burundi and the UK. Drawing on the work of Mbembe and the traditional concepts of Ikibiri and Ubuntu, the article sets out a framework for cross-cultural collaboration not dominated by western colonial ideas and works towards the Global Agenda for SW. Potential barriers, and solutions to collaborative working are identified and discussed.

Editorial: Voice and Influence of People with Lived Experience in Social Work Research and Publishing—Taking Stock and Planning Future Actions

Editorial: Voice and Influence of People with Lived Experience in Social Work Research and Publishing—Taking Stock and Planning Future Actions

“Overworked and Stretched Thin”: Burnout and Systemic Failure in School Social Work

The effects of burnout on client service provision, organizational health, and individual well-being are increasingly a focus of social work research, particularly against the societal backdrop of the post-COVID-19 era. Children and their families rely on school social workers (SSWs) to meet increasingly pressing and common mental health needs. However, burnout may jeopardize not only SSWs’ well-being, but also their collective ability to serve this vulnerable population. The current study captures SSW perspectives on burnout related to the following themes: SSW–administrator dynamics; role conflict and lack of role definition; presence of trauma in caseload; systemic challenges (including the subthemes of unrealistic workload, the desire for more interprofessional collaboration and social work–specific supervision, and limited resources); and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using these perspectives as a guide, policy recommendations are made to enhance interprofessional collaboration, clarify roles and responsibilities, and safeguard SSWs as “first responders” for children’s mental health.

Evidence into Practice Special Interest Group: launch

In 2021, the Evidence into Practice Special Interest Group was launched with online events. At the 11th European Conference for Social Work Research in Amsterdam in April 2022, the Evidence into Practice Special Interest Group had its inaugural in-person sessions. This short article in the ‘Research, policy and practice exchange’ section of this new journal, European Social Work Research (a collaborative venture involving European Social Work Research Association), has been written to bring the launch of the Evidence into Practice Special Interest Group to a wider audience and to encourage participation. The article gives something of the context for the Evidence into Practice Special Interest Group and a flavour of the presentations at the 2022 European Conference for Social Work Research.

Involving Service Users in Social Work Education, Research and Policy: A Comparative European Analysis by Kristel Driessens and Vicky Lyssens-Danneboom (eds) (2022)

"Involving Service Users in Social Work Education, Research and Policy: A Comparative European Analysis by Kristel Driessens and Vicky Lyssens-Danneboom (eds) (2022)" published on 22 May 2023 by Policy Press.

Promoting a ‘new us’ for Switzerland through cultural participation: practice exchange on the basis of a citizen-art project

In 2020, the Swiss Federal Commission for Migration launched a new programme called ‘New us’. The national programme called for participatory projects that question the ‘us and them’ binary and present alternative models for strengthening cultural participation, social cohesion and a polyphonic ‘us’ in Switzerland. This contribution critically appraises a citizen-art project that met the funding criteria of ‘New us’. We argue that the scientific approach of developmental evaluation serves as a compass for the development and steering of open-ended participatory processes. The combined reflection on the artistic and scientific evaluation process engages social work research in the facilitation of cultural participation.