133 Thesis Topics for Social Work

Below are several examples of thesis  titles and topics for research projects in both a qualitative and quantitative approach to  social work thesis .

Social Work Thesis Topics:

  • The impact of the work of several agencies on the protection of children. A literature and review based on practice.
  • An exploration of the attitudes and perceptions of apparent oppression between health professionals and the community.
  • Addressing inherent cultural perspectives: a transition to social work.
  • Learning to retain: the practical application of strengthening in the users of the service.
  • End of life decisions: the role of the social worker.
  • Evidence-based practice: a model for lifelong learning.
  • The law of reflection: self-indulgence or a learning model in social work.
  • Tutoring as a crucial component of social work training: a review.
  • The practical challenges of inter-professional practice in social work today.
  • The policies of the government coalition with respect to social work: a review.
  • Protection of vulnerable adults: Social work interventions.
  • A career change: a transition to social work from previous employment – student experience.
  • A note in the newspaper is not enough: security issues personal social workers.
  • An investigation into whether children, who experience or witness domestic violence in the family, will grow to perpetuate this type of violence.
  • Impacts of family protection and support in the intervention of child protection in the practice of social work.
  • A qualitative study to take into account the factors that contribute to adopted adults decide their biological parents.
  • SURVIVING ADULTS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE: HEALTH PROBLEMS.
  • SURVIVAL ADULTS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE; NEEDS AND THE CONTRIBUTION OF SOCIAL WORK TO EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS.
  • Use of alcohol and drugs among young people.
  • An exploration of why southern women remain in abusive relationships.
  • Mental Health service providers avoid disproportionate admission and detention of young men in psychiatric units.
  • Social services to meet the needs of the service with dementia and their carers in their own homes.
  • Impact of domestic violence on children, consequences for social workers.
  • Communities of faith and social work: participation of those interested in the unit for the promotion of ethnic minorities.
  • Social work practice and its effect on the quality of life of the elderly.
  • The educational achievement of childcare in California.
  • To what extent do the ethnic or the minority of adult users receive equality of interventions and results of mental health services in California? Are there disparities that can serve to oppress these groups?
  • To what extent do the tasks of repairing young offenders work as a method of restorative justice .
  • A study investigates the importance of gender sensitivity to address the dilemmas of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
  • An investigation to determine how smoking creates a sense of acceptance or belonging to people with depression.
  • Legislation to create a law to allow marginalized sectors of society to be represented in Congress.
  • The misconception that stereotypes create confusion and chaos in the promotion of the culture and tradition of a country.
  • A thesis that questions the effectiveness of the prohibition of liquor in the preservation of peace and order in the community.
  • The impact of the curfew on minors to the growing problems of premarital sex and juvenile delinquency.
  • The effects of games of chance and other activities related to the socio-economic needs of children.
  • The result of drug addiction as connected to the growing relationship problems in the family.
  • The psychological and emotional growth of minors.
  • Pornography as a main factor of incest in the family and the increasing crime rate on violence against women and children.
  • The role of the media in the electoral process of a state or a country and how its influence determines the results of an election.
  • Evidence of good governance for the period of transition and recovery of a locality or city after being devastated by a disaster or calamity.
  • Research to the growing political dynasty of well-known and famous political icons in the country from a social work perspective.
  • Education continues as a means of producing effective leaders and their results to the political and social structure of a country.
  • The reactivation of the death penalty and its effects on the increasing rate of crime in society.
  • Review the norms or norms of marriage to the perception of those who are in illicit or out-of-wedlock relationships.
  • Impose a speed limit on all private or government vehicles in a locality in order to promote an accident-free society.
  • The perception of the public regarding the limitation of the number of children in the family and its impact on the socio-economic structure.
  • Health experiences of people diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
  • Activism based on culture and its role in the lives of Native Americans.
  • Employment opportunities for survivors of domestic violence.
  • A study of women who are sexually addicted to men.
  • Live with obsessive compulsive disorder.
  • Survivors of abuse and reintegration into society.
  • Health services for immigrants.
  • Women leaders in the communities.
  • Supportive housing options for young people.
  • Juvenile recidivism: causes and prevention.
  • Medical care for elderly women in (country of their choice).
  • A study of relationships with HIV-positive people.
  • Victims of sexual abuse and their thoughts on sex with children?
  • Customer satisfaction: how much should you make a decision?
  • The influence of physical changes during adolescence in the psyche of children.
  • Discover the processes and consequences of the participation of immigrant parents in the education of their children: bridge cultural differences.
  • Risk risk: an exploration of the impact of “Risk” on child welfare decisions.
  • Climate change and social work: the roles and barriers to action.
  • CARE in transition: Experiences of home care workers in caring relationships.
  • Headquarters of narratives of the voluntary tourism community in Chile: social development.
  • Let’s talk about sex (spoiled)
  • Explore the perspectives of women living with mental illness, stigma and receiving community services.
  • Leadership practice, organizational culture and new managerialism: strengths, challenges, variations and contradictions in service agencies.
  • An analysis of the narrative of the maternal experience of women who experienced Child Sexual Abuse by a family member.
  • The sense of interconnected felt: a qualitative analysis of perceptions in the search for resistance in the aftermath of trauma through the mind-body connections of Yoga.
  • Attitudes toward couples therapy to help graduate students by profession.
  • An exploration of employment services for survivors of domestic violence in the given region.
  • The transformation of identity and well-being through activism based on culture.
  • Perception of determining factors: a case study of eviction risks for people who accumulate in the region.
  • “Where is the support ?: an exploratory study of aids for primary caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder.
  • MAPS of marginalization: Exploring the health care experiences of men and women with fibromyalgia.
  • “It’s a very silent pain”: a phenomenological study of women who are in a relationship with a sexually addicted spouse.
  • Emerging from the remains: The exploration of Mental Health, the stigma and my life experiences with obsessive “disorder”.
  • Re-offending of young people: A qualitative study of risk and resilience.
  • Multiple Exposure: Explore the effect on health of employment with immigrant and refugee women.
  • Agency or agencies? Catalysts of resilience in the participants.
  • “The road that less traveled;” Women’s travel for community leadership.
  • Take space: An exploration of the case study of the relationship between citizenship and Humanities.
  • The impacts of supportive housing on male youth – youth perspectives and service providers.
  • An exploration of the factors that affect young volunteers who provide indirect services.
  • Dance in contexts: explore the complexity of aid / healing processes with a focus on customer satisfaction.
  • Bringing medicine to the village: exploring the experiences of older women in rural areas.
  • An exploration of the orientation of the practices with surviving women of Child Sexual Abuse.
  • Explore the concepts of society and its implications for HIV and AIDS prevention and care for two communities at risk.
  • The experience of new workers in the field of child protection.
  • Get the error: exploring the group therapy of functioning for youth with affective disorders.
  • Secondary traumatic stress: The hidden trauma in children and young counselors.
  • Exploring the nature of collaboration between organizations that help people who experience poverty in regions of social and economic risk.
  • The experiences of Sexual Health Education and the needs of immigrant women.
  • Protect children in custody.
  • Internal displacement: a study of housing in the city of Santiago.
  • A relational model of the gender identity role of young Italians at social risk.
  • Transracial Adoption (TRA) and the development of identity.
  • Dancing towards totality: an examination of empathy and cohesion in social work treatment groups.
  • Against child poverty in UK: Support strategies.
  • Theory of dynamic systems applied to countries in a situation of war.
  • Emerging strong from a difficult adolescence: a qualitative study of resilience.
  • A place for all seasons: examination of youth hostels and the network of young people in trouble.
  • Gender, income and management status among social workers graduates.
  • Adolescent development in the context of immigrant families in UK.
  • A journey within a trip: a naturalistic study of the early relationship of the development process in non-directive game therapy.
  • The doctors share their experience of dealing with the cost of care.
  • The sun always comes out after it rains: explore the experience of AIDS caregivers (immunodeficiency).
  • Professional interventions with parents at the time of the sudden death of a child.
  • Employment initiatives for women as a means to address poverty.
  • Rehabilitation for deafened adults: pieces of a missing puzzle.
  • The social construction of a negative image.
  • Impact of gender and culture: to contribute satisfactory factors long-term marriages.
  • The construction of housing as a social problem: A factors, mediating strategies.
  • An exploration of the relationship between school and girls’ self-esteem.
  • Wellness replacement: case studies of single motherhood and social policy.
  • Examine beliefs about the causes of unemployment and poverty: an analysis of the causal models of the research literature.
  • The social construction of inter-professional teams in human service organizations.
  • Models of Church-agency relationship in social service agencies.
  • Level of adaptive behavior according to the occupational situation of the adoptive adolescents in independent life.
  • As if born for: the social construction of a deficit identity position for the adopted people.
  • The dance of many partners: a case study of inter-institutional collaboration in the social services sector.
  • A case study approach to examine the social functioning of learning with disabilities in children with non-verbal disabilities.
  • Examine the problem of power in divorce mediation: a naturalistic investigation.
  • A research on the psychological, social and labor outcomes of an innovative work adjustment program.
  • An evaluation of a socio-sexuality education program for people with developmental disabilities.
  • Experiences of client and therapist with a therapeutic format narrative summary.
  • Adaptation during the transition from high school to university: an analysis of the variables of person, environment and transition perception.
  • Disability in development and pain: evaluation of the impact of life events.
  • Experiences of women in the community after leaving a shelter.
  • Under the supervision of access: a qualitative evaluation of the program.
  • Living with a husband with memory problems.

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300 Social Work Research Topics & Questions for Papers

Social Work Research Topics

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Social work research focuses primarily on studying problems experienced in social work field. The research, in this case, talks about challenges that caseworkers go through in their practice. Social work research topics cover various things, including problems in welfare work, and indicate how research can be used to gain a deep understanding of the issues. Have you been wondering how to develop an intriguing social work topic and possible areas to discuss in your research? Don't worry because this article by our online paper writing service covers all your concerns. The blog post will provide some social work research topic ideas that you can consider for your social work research.

What Are Social Work Research Topics?

Social work research topics are areas of study that involve applying research methodology to comprehend sectors that are challenging for social workers. These topic ideas concentrate on addressing some problems that caseworkers go through both in their lives and their field. Research topics for social work may vary. However, like any other research paper, writing social work research topics deals with application of related theories and concepts, as well as understanding the entire casework aspects. The research involves applying cause and effect, analytic, survey, and experimental procedures to find ways to address welfare challenges. The purpose of welfare work study is to understand the efficiency of various interventions used to address challenges people develop due to welfare deprivation.

Characteristics of Good Social Work Topics

As an individual seeking to conduct research in welfare work areas, you need to know some of the features that make social work topics to be of great value. Below are characteristics that will make topics for social work research incredible.

  • A good topic covers modern trends and incorporates the ideas in the social field.
  • The topic should break specific stereotypes using reasonable evidence.
  • It must also be supported by various studies that are peer-reviewed.
  • Topic chosen must be related to practices in the welfare field.

How to Choose a Social Work Topic?

A plan to decide on excellent social work topics to research starts with a general orientation into social work field. Here are some steps involved when choosing a social work research topic.

  • Pick a sector with research potential or simply the one you like.
  • Start with “why” and “what” questions and expand on them.
  • Read data on faculty’s research interests.
  • Read a proper research paper that find interesting and focus on literature review and background sections to gain insight into various issues.
  • Identify and browse journals that relate to your likes.
  • Lastly, you can look online for research topics that are ready and skim through them to gain new knowledge.

Once you pick a topic, don’t hesitate to contact our proficient research paper writers . Our experts are adept in many fields and can complete a research paper on any topic.

Social Work Research Topics List

Social work research topics cover various concepts and challenges related to caseworkers and their fields of practice. Below are comprehensive research topics in social work that are compelling to explore.

  • Parenting and how it is affected by drug abuse.
  • Hardship and benefits of teenage adoption.
  • Dealing with suicidal thoughts.
  • Societal view on mental sickness stigma.
  • Adverse impact of displacement on street kids.
  • Homelessness and associated psychological effects.
  • Managing PTSD among veterans.
  • Adolescents and associated clinical depression.
  • How group therapy helps to better the lives of foster residents.
  • Family role in reducing or increasing depression.
  • Effectiveness of anti-depressants.
  • Impact of death on wellbeing of a family.
  • Effects of divorce on lifestyle and health of children.
  • Ways to address military troops' suicidal tendencies.
  • Causes of suicidal thoughts in society.
  • Impact of disability on lives of parents.
  • Ways to address stigma associated with disability.
  • Children with autism are socially excluded.
  • Impacts of bullying on children’s wellbeing.
  • Complexities around child labor.
  • Debate for and against abortion.
  • Maltreatment of children in foster care.
  • Change in societal reaction to HIV/AIDS in the 1990s and now.
  • Rape and its psychological impact on the victim.
  • Ways to reduce human trafficking.

Unique Topics in Social Work

There are scholarly research topics in social work that draw extra attention from readers since they are unique in nature. Such topics often concentrate on issues neglected in society. Below are unique topics for social work research.

  • Is wellbeing therapy sustainable?
  • Teenage girls’ menstrual experiences in foster homes for the first time.
  • Poverty and how it impedes growth in the American Deep South.
  • Negative impact of conversion therapy on LGBTQ society.
  • Influence of inclusive healthcare system on ensuring good welfare lives of people.
  • Interracial marriages and their associated problems.
  • Effects of diversity on children with disabilities.
  • Effects of physical abuse on spousal intimacy.
  • Pornography as a primary contributor of incest in families.
  • Increase in violence against children and women.
  • Activism role based on culture in Native Americans ’ lives.
  • Sexual addiction of women to men.
  • Disparity in health services for immigrants.
  • Challenges experienced by people diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
  • Living with a spouse with memory problem.
  • Power issue in divorce mediation.
  • Issues related to having many partners.
  • Reintegration of those who survive substance abuse into the society.
  • Employment initiatives for women.
  • Dynamic systems applied to nations in war situations.
  • Transracial adoption and identity issue.
  • The hidden trauma in young counselors.
  • Ensuring access to medical services in villages.
  • Lowering the gender pay gap.
  • Reducing racism and antisemitism.

Controversial Topics in Social Work

Presently, there are several controversial issues in social work that may give rise to social research topics. Listed below are some controversial social work research topics.

  • Societal reaction to euthanasia.
  • Myths on adolescents’ substance abuse.
  • Societal groups that are most vulnerable to substance abuse.
  • Ways to deal with drug abuse in orphanages.
  • Ethical issues associated with human trafficking.
  • Family support role in reducing recidivism.
  • How imprisonment affects mental health.
  • Gender difference when dealing with imprisoned individuals.
  • Juvenile delinquents and reeducation strategies.
  • Whose role is it to develop resilience in social work?
  • What are strategies to build resilience among welfare workers?
  • Benefits associated with social health education among incarcerated women.
  • How unreported cases of abuse propagate violence.
  • Does constructivist therapy offer anything new to social work?
  • Should caseworkers support hypnosis use?
  • Who is responsible for misdiagnosis?
  • How does misdiagnosis affect lives of mentally ill individuals?
  • Health benefits associated with hypnosis on an individual.
  • Should parents be involved in preventing dyslexia?
  • Ways to address panic for both adults and adolescents.
  • Challenges faced by the LGBTQ community.
  • Do traffickers suffer psychological consequences of human trafficking?
  • Welfare workers’ roles in civil wars.
  • Various strategies to help anti-social students.
  • Was confinement sanctioning by the court a good move?

Interesting Social Work Research Questions

Before you start your research, it is essential to develop a social work research question that guides the type of information you will gather. Some of the social work research questions examples that talk about various interesting social work topics are listed below.

  • How can the US solve the rise in obesity cases?
  • How does taking student loans impact them psychologically?
  • How can America curb increasing addiction cases?
  • How do we help adults with learning disabilities?
  • How can we improve lives of pregnant incarcerated mothers?
  • What is America’s racial disparity prevalence?
  • How can PTSD patients receive support?
  • Does poverty have psychological effects on children?
  • What are workplace violence indicators?
  • What are strategies to ensure work-family balance?
  • What does society believe about divorce and its impact on children?
  • Do you think substance abuse can be regulated?
  • What are consequences of living with HIV/AIDS?
  • Do you feel traumatized living with dyslexia?
  • What are causes of bipolar disorder?
  • How does society treat those with bipolar disorders?
  • Who is more vulnerable to divorce?
  • Does the US criminal justice system play its role in reducing juvenile delinquency?
  • What are problems minority kids face at their foster homes?
  • Does substance misuse lead to alcoholism?
  • Role of police brutality in increasing transformative change?
  • What is the appropriate strategy to help patients with bipolar?
  • How can we avoid re-incarceration?
  • What does religion say about LGBTQ community?
  • How does ADHD affect children in foster homes?

>> Read more: Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

Hot Topics in Social Work

There are various topics in social work that a researcher can explore to address current hot issues such as COVID-19 pandemic. These topics are important since they help determine current and future solutions to an issue. Here are some social work issues topics that you can consider.

  • What are effects of Russian-Ukraine war on society?
  • Impact of COVID-19 on welfare workers’ psychological health.
  • Issues that arise in households with adopted children.
  • Social workers’ attitude towards older people.
  • Importance of religion in reducing stereotypes.
  • How building emotional intelligence helps caseworkers.
  • Demands that residents in a foster facility make.
  • Challenges single parents experience.
  • Support strategies for single parents.
  • Strategies to help sexually exploited children.
  • Factors leading to homelessness in the US.
  • Forms of abuse elders experience from young people.
  • Media role in shaping antisemitism stereotypes.
  • Approaches to working with elderly people who are cognitively impaired.
  • Parental role in shaping sexual orientation of their children.
  • When should a child be removed from a setting?
  • Child neglect and its effects on victim’s academic performance.
  • Psychological effects of children watching domestic violence.
  • Grief and its associated symptoms.
  • Methods for assisting kids who have seen domestic violence.
  • Ways to encourage domestic violence reporting.
  • Technology and addiction treatment.
  • Suicide prevention protocol in different localities.
  • Risk factors associated with secondary traumatic stress.
  • Ways to increase cancer screening rates.

Human Services Research Topics

Human services topics are important since they deal with human existence and ways to make it better. Human service topics focus on how social workers help to satisfy individuals’ and communities’ needs. Generally, social workers’ primary aim is to ensure people live in the most comfortable way possible. Some of the human service research topics are indicated below.

  • Adverse impact of unemployment.
  • Ways to deal with anxiety and depression among small children.
  • Reducing number of incarcerated individuals.
  • Impact of juvenile delinquency in the US.
  • Relevant ways to breed love in foster care.
  • Integration of dyslexic people into society.
  • Government intervention to enhance welfare conditions.
  • Importance of food banks for the US citizens.
  • High school bullying prevalence and impacts.
  • Factors leading to family violence.
  • Impact of homophobia on LGBTQ+ community.
  • Drawbacks of the US correctional system.
  • Effects of mental illness misdiagnosis.
  • The move to invalidate bullying in high schools.
  • Causes of panicking in kids.
  • Interventions to reduce unemployment rates in the US.
  • Strategies to show concern for individuals from communities with low income.
  • Challenges of homophobia in the UAE.
  • Social workers in reducing child abuse cases.
  • Strategies to enhance resilience among welfare workers.
  • The need for psychological therapy among welfare workers.
  • Important household policies that can reduce domestic violence.
  • Shortcomings of America’s carceral system.
  • Interventions for children raised in abusive homes.
  • Ways to improve learning experience for disabled children.

Best Social Work Research Topics Ideas

Social work plays a huge role in our daily lives. Therefore, exploring research topics ideas for social work will help us to understand welfare workers’ role in making our lives better. This section discusses various social work topics for research papers. It is categorized into subsections, starting with research paper topics, thesis topics, and dissertation topics. Here, you will also find social work capstone ideas, topics for discussion, essay, and presentation topics. Details for each subsection are provided below.

Social Work Research Paper Topics

As an individual in social work field, you will write several research papers and essays. Social work paper topics you can cover depend on your interests, trends, or any other factor. Some interesting topics related to social work you can consider include the following.

  • Social workers' perspectives on elderly.
  • Causes of people's unwillingness to take advantage of mental health care services.
  • Problems that foster children face that prevent them from completing their college degrees.
  • Welfare workers’ role in drug abuse prevention.
  • The significance of cultural awareness in casework.
  • Facilitation of prenatal and postpartum care for surrogate moms.
  • Assessing how PTSD affects psychological wellbeing.
  • Adoptive families face unique difficulties and concerns.
  • Benefits of play therapy interventions for school counseling.
  • Hemodialysis patients' mental health and the methods used to help them.
  • Importance of leisure pursuits for Alzheimer's patients.
  • Damages of psychological violence.
  • Trauma and adolescent transition among LGBTQ+ kids.
  • Understanding the neglect-syndrome of foster kids.
  • Understanding trauma for caseworkers.
  • Foster parenting's advantages.
  • Role of foster parents in violence prevention.
  • Domestic violence and its impacts.
  • Foster homes’ role in creating a safe space.
  • How diversity helps in social works sector.

Social Work Thesis Topics

There are several thesis topics in social work to research during your master’s program or PhD, which can vary depending on your interest or occupation. Below are some of the social work literature review topics that you can look into.

  • Effectiveness of group therapy for alcoholics.
  • Mental health services’ effectiveness for pedophilia survivors.
  • Inaccessibility of mental health care for members of underrepresented groups due to language barriers.
  • Prepartum depression and connection to expecting mothers.
  • Relationship between codependency and emotional unavailability.
  • Strategies to handle fatigue among welfare workers.
  • Burnout causes among social workers.
  • Challenges associated with child birth and labor.
  • Depression and the perception of welfare mothers.
  • Prevalence of mental health in the US.
  • The use of an integrated system in various foster homes within America.
  • Nurses’ commitment level and how it is associated with health outcomes.
  • Impact of legalizing abortion in some states.
  • Comparison between displacement in foster homes and war sites.
  • Analyzing displacement and associated challenges.
  • How immigrant families benefit from parenthood?
  • Issues that visually disabled students face at school.
  • Essence of welfare work sector diversity.
  • Learning about depression from the welfare mom's viewpoint.
  • Ways to improve healthcare system.

Social Work Dissertation Topics

Dissertation is a crucial part of your education life as a social worker. Therefore, dissertation topics in social work have to be properly framed and specific. Here are some of the dissertation topics for social work to consider.

  • Coping strategies of men during violence at home.
  • Rape and how it affects victim’s psychological development.
  • Acceptance rate of addiction by addicts within the US.
  • Vulnerable groups and government’s role in improving their lives.
  • Justification of gender pay gap in America.
  • Addiction to substance abuse and its role in the contemporary world.
  • Prevalence of homosexuality in the US.
  • Naturalizing human needs as a way to break down taboo and barriers.
  • The association between stigma and drug abuse persistence.
  • Drug abuse and how music increases its prevalence.
  • Rate at which American citizens care for their forefathers.
  • Technological role in shaping our sexual preferences.
  • Reasons why men and women commit suicide.
  • Existing protection policies for children in New York State.
  • Investigating US women who have experienced child sexual abuse.
  • Assessment of healing strategies for drug abuse survivors.
  • The role of parents in supporting their children’s ambitions.
  • Volunteering and its impact on self-satisfaction.
  • Therapies used to treat effective disorder in an American youth.
  • The need for sexual education among young girls with mental health issues.

Social Work Capstone Project Ideas

As a social worker, you should consider some social work project topics for your capstone project . Capstone project social work research topics are highlighted below.

  • Impact of domestic violence on marital satisfaction.
  • How does government support minority groups?
  • Media role in ensuring public safety.
  • Causes of child neglect.
  • How juvenile crime affects the US.
  • How government ensures food security.
  • Enhancing public safety in minority communities.
  • Problems associated with criminal justice system.
  • Social integration of individuals with Down Syndrome.
  • Role of school administration in reducing bullying.
  • Bullying and victims’ academic performance.
  • Trauma experienced by social workers.
  • Parenting and its role in children’s sexual orientation.
  • What causes panic in schools.
  • How child support is essential in divorced couples.
  • Child neglect and its causes.
  • Damages caused by psychological violence.
  • Trauma of adolescent transitioning in LGBTQ+ children.
  • Understanding foster kids’ neglect-syndrome.
  • Causes of increase in reincarceration among youths in America.

Social Work Topics for Discussion

Highlighted below are some social work discussion topics to consider.

  • Root causes of domectic violence.
  • Location-specific suicide prevention and crisis protocols.
  • How does drug dependence influence parenting?
  • Public policies for and against LGBT community.
  • Ways of providing support for bipolar patients.
  • Prenatal depression in expectant mothers.
  • How to cope with imprisonment stigma.
  • Ways to improve living standards in foster homes.
  • What are the best community service strategies for refugees?
  • How can backyard farming be used to empower women?
  • Utilizing gender sensitivity to help the LGBT community.
  • Cultural importance of generation gap.
  • Secondary traumatic stress: symptoms, risk factors & ways of managing.
  • How to motivate women to report family violence.
  • Various ways in which unemployment influences immigrants.
  • How peer service providers confront reproductive health issues.
  • The major problems faced by welfare workers.
  • Detrimental influence of alcohol and drug on adolescents.
  • Effectiveness of the prohibition of liquor.
  • Key reasons for heightened crime rates in modern society.

Social Work Essay Topics

Here are some of social work topics for essays that you should consider in your writing.

  • Global challenges faced by deported women.
  • Street hawking opportunities for teenagers.
  • Main factors that lead to incest.
  • Positive and negative effects of health care reforms.
  • How environmental welfare work is undertaken.
  • Care strategies for immigrants.
  • Impact of corporate social responsibility on community wellbeing.
  • Does welfare scheme affect worker’s performance?
  • The impact of sexual violence on adolescent girls.
  • How does diversity affect various communities?
  • Effect of play therapy interventions in school counseling.
  • Influence of poverty on children’s development and education.
  • How should welfare workers deal with pedophilia victims?
  • How should caseworkers prevent burnout?
  • How to establish a high school service-learning program.
  • Elder abuse: most prevalent forms.
  • The central issues associated with special education.
  • Personal perspective on the obstacles faced by vulnerable populations in search medical help.
  • What is the greatest risk of fetal alcohol exposure?
  • Ways to enhance caseworkers’ mental health.

Social Work Topics for Presentation

Presentation social work topics for research discuss different aspects of the field of social work. The research topics have to be practical for them to be presented well. Below are some good research topics for social work presentation.

  • Strategies to ensure equality during job recruitment.
  • Autism and its risk factors.
  • Causes of depression in kids.
  • What are risk factors of PTSD among victims?
  • Ways to reduce suicide cases in society.
  • Advantages and disadvantages of rehabilitation centers.
  • Community initiatives to cater for the elders.
  • Effects of misdiagnosis of mental illness.
  • Ethics of abortion.
  • Importance of early cancer screening.
  • Strategies to reduce unemployment rate among minority communities.
  • How foster parents can help in countering youth violence.
  • Euthanasia and how various religions view it.
  • Compare societal preparation to COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS.
  • Contemporary ways to substance abuse.
  • Eating disorder and its causes.

Research Topics for Social Work Students

College students also apply social work research topics in their study of related subject, which covers various aspects in the field of social work. Here are some of social work research topics for college students.

  • Resident’s experience in long-term care facilities.
  • Strategies to handle life when both parents suffer from Alzheimer’s.
  • Pregnancy experience among immigrants and how they approach it.
  • How does death affect the collective wellbeing of the family?
  • Enhancing digital literacy among immigrant students.
  • How socioeconomic disparity affects the old.
  • Social and mental effects of loans on students.
  • Social problems that autistic children face.
  • Conversion therapy’s negative effects on the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Impact of science on cancer treatment.

You will find a lot of topics in different fields on our platform. If you are looking for  topics in laws  or mental health research paper topics , just go to our library and find what you need.

Bottom Line on Social Work Research Topic Ideas

Feel free to choose a topic of your choice from the social work research topics examples recommended above. Apply appropriate topic categories during the process of choosing topics depending on your needs, knowledge in the field, and the type of paper you are writing. Practice using the provided examples will make you perfect.

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206 Interesting Social Work Research Topics You Should Consider

social work research topics

Many students struggle to find suitable social work research topics. This field has many subjects that learners can explore in their dissertations. The simplest social work definition describes it as a set of functions that enable you to improve other people’s lives. A social worker helps children and adults cope with daily issues, personal issues, family issues, and relationship troubles.

Considering the scope of this field, selecting an ideal social work research topic can be challenging. Learners have many pressing issues that they can cover in their papers. Nevertheless, choosing an interesting topic is essential in writing a winning dissertation.

Social Work Research Paper Outline

Once you’ve chosen a topic for your social work dissertation or research paper, the next step is to outline it. Your outline should highlight the components of your work, incorporating the argument. Also, identify your stance on an issue, tying up the other parts of the paper because it will enable you to create a thesis statement. Here are the key sections to highlight in your outline.

Introduction: The intro should present your study’s background while providing relevant details of the problem. Use a strong opening phrase to grab your readers’ attention and engage them so they can read the rest of the paper. The introduction should present your study’s context, formulate its primary goal, and end with an effective thesis statement. Main body: This section should feature the main arguments. It highly depends on your research type and the methods you use. It may include a literature review analyzing other scholars’ findings and identifying gaps in previous studies. Also, this section explains the methods you use in your research, results, and discussions. Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the findings and wrap up the dissertation. You can restate your thesis statement to remind readers about your position on the issue and your goal. The best approach is to reward the thesis statement persuasively while encouraging readers to think about the problem. Also, you can recommend further research explaining why the topic is worth exploring.

After drafting an outline, you can proceed to research and write your social work paper. Edit and proofread the work or seek professional assistance to ensure its quality.

General Social Work Research Topics Ideas

Maybe you want to write a thesis on general topics in this study field. In that case, here are ideas you can explore in your paper.

  • How substance abuse influence parenting
  • Teenager adoption- Happiness and hardships that come with it
  • How to address the inclination to commit suicide
  • Should society question the stigma surrounding mental sickness?
  • Foster homes and group therapy- Is it effective?
  • How does the lack of child support affect childcare
  • Investigating autistic children and social displacement
  • How does clinical depression affect adolescent children
  • How does continuous mobility influence orphan toddlers
  • Analyzing the stigma surrounding depression
  • How to manage intrinsic PTSD for medical veterans
  • Exploring the stigma surrounding disability
  • How homelessness influences a person’s psychology
  • How does displacement influence aggressiveness among street children
  • How the works of several agencies affect child protection
  • Exploring perceptions and attitudes of oppression between the community and health professionals
  • Addressing cultural perspectives- Transiting to social work
  • The social worker’s role in deciding to end life
  • Lifelong learning model- Exploring evidence-based practices
  • The reflection law- a learning model or self-indulgence in social work

These are general ideas worth exploring in your social work dissertation. Nevertheless, please select any of these titles when confident you will be comfortable working on them.

Common Social Worker Research Topics

Maybe you’re searching for something your readers can quickly identify with when reading your paper. If so, this section lists some of the best ideas to investigate in your social work thesis.

  • How to create dyslexia patients’ awareness
  • Analyzing similarities and differences between ADHD and dyslexia
  • How alcoholism affects personal, family, and social lifestyle
  • How a family can exacerbate depression
  • Why academic and social integration matter for kids suffering from down syndrome
  • Investigating the social exclusion of kids with down syndrome
  • The effectiveness of anti-depressants- A clinical study
  • How alcoholism affects a person’s psyche
  • The positive impact of sponsors on recovering addicts’ lives
  • Investigating family support and its effects on alcohol recovery
  • Why group therapy matters for foster home children
  • How clinical depression affects teenage girls
  • How the lack of support affects child care in America
  • How ADHD affects foster home children
  • How mental illness misdiagnosis affects people
  • How to address suicidal tendencies in military units
  • Why social interrogation matters when dealing with stigma surrounding mental illness
  • How parents’ bipolar affects their children’s lives and parenting
  • Is childhood displacement the cause of antisocial lifestyle among foster children?
  • The joys and struggles of teenagers’ adoption
  • Investigating the undisclosed rape violence cases among military women- How it affects their service and lives
  • How substance abuse affects parenting
  • Child-parent separation- Investigating the stigma it brings
  • Positive impacts of divorce on children’s lifestyle and health
  • Addressing substance abuse issues among teenagers
  • How death affects a family’s well-being
  • Family support study- Is it a viable option for alcohol recovery?

Most people will identify with these topics because they touch on issues with which they are familiar. However, investigate the matter you select carefully to develop a winning dissertation.

Exciting Social Work Research Questions

Maybe you want to answer a question in your thesis paper. If so, consider any of these questions as a topic for your essay.

  • How can you support an adult living with a disability?
  • What are the social and psychological impacts of student loans?
  • What are the psychological, physical, and emotional effects of incarceration of pregnant mothers?
  • What challenges do minority children face in foster homes?
  • Transformative change- Can police brutality enhance it?
  • How can society deal with the rising obesity in America?
  • How can we support bipolar patients?
  • What are the effects of incarcerated individuals’ entry into the community?
  • What is the percentage of incarcerated adults among minority groups?
  • Does substance misuse increase alcoholism cases?
  • How does community violence affect LGBT lives?
  • What is the difference between Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2?
  • Can trauma inform children’s education in foster homes?
  • Can protesting police brutality promote transformative change?
  • Does divorce affect all children’s psyches negatively?
  • Does foster homes’ trauma cause kids’ disappearance from the facility?
  • Can implementing learning curriculums with a positive impact on dyslexic students enhance academics?
  • Does trauma-informed learning reflect parenting?
  • Do food and house security affect foster children throughout their lives?
  • Has the criminal justice system failed social lifestyle in America?
  • What are the primary workplace trauma signs?
  • How can society address workplace violence?
  • How do scarcity and poverty affect young children’s psychology?
  • How can you identify depression in a teenager?
  • Has the American healthcare system failed minority groups?
  • What are the risks of kids-parent separation?
  • What are the impacts of living with dyslexia?
  • Is depression a mental disorder?
  • What are the effects of racial disparity?

Any of these questions can be an excellent title for your dissertation. Nevertheless, consult various information sources to write a high-quality paper.

Human Services Research Paper Topics

Human services is a part of the social work field dealing with issues related to human services, factors affecting them, and how to address the challenges. Here are ideas to consider in this category.

  • How to address panic, anxiety, and depression in young children
  • The psychological impact of human trafficking on victims
  • Psychological effects of child trafficking
  • Similarities between adult incarceration and juvenile delinquency
  • How unemployment affects people
  • Factors that increase depression cases among the youth
  • Police system- Defunded, reformed, or abolished?
  • How the carceral system in America affects minority and low-income homes
  • Social integration of dyslexic and down syndrome patients
  • Effective ways to enhance welfare conditions
  • Food banks and their adverse psychological effects
  • The benefits of food banks on American lives
  • The impact of home violence on children
  • The result of high school bullying
  • Why welfare workers need support groups and therapy
  • How to enhance love in foster homes
  • Resilience practice among social workers
  • Juvenile delinquency impacts in America
  • The shortcomings of America’s carceral system
  • How to address the homophobia issue in the U.S
  • How homophobia affects LGBT+ adults
  • What causes family violence?
  • How to address spousal violence
  • How family cruelty affects lives
  • Undiagnosed bipolar cases and their effects
  • Impacts of misdiagnosed mental illnesses
  • How to enhance LGBTQ+ kids’ support systems
  • The result of home insecurity on the homeless
  • How to bridge the gap between community members and formerly incarcerated individuals
  • Incarceration- Abolished or reformed?

These human services topics are worth investigating in a research paper. However, take the time to research your chosen title to write an exciting piece.

Controversial Topics In Social Work

Some social work essay topics are controversial. Some people find these titles controversial because they provoke public interest. Here are some of them.

  • Flood and hurricane survivors and their hidden trauma
  • How hurricanes affect low-income neighborhoods
  • Trafficking- How it affects a society’s social well-being
  • Unreported abuse cases in homes and how they promote violence
  • Social, health, and psychological implications of the abortion ban for rape victims
  • Why the community should enhance awareness of AIDS stigmatization
  • Therapy continuous cycle- Why a therapist requires therapy
  • The unnoticed and hidden trauma among therapists and counselors
  • How court-sanctioned confinement promotes mental illness instead of facilitating correlation
  • How to address violence- Is it a social problem in the correctional system?
  • Sexual health education- Is it vital for incarcerated women?
  • How social media affects a person’s mental health and well-being
  • The effectiveness of different types of therapy for treating mental health disorders.
  • The prevalence of Eating Disorders in developed countries.
  • The role of family dynamics in the development and treatment of Eating Disorders.
  • How do different cultures view mental health and mental illness?
  • Is there a link between creativity and mental illness?
  • Does psychiatric medication use lead to higher recovery rates from mental illness?
  • What are the most effective interventions for helping people with substance abuse problems?
  • How to deal with grief and loss?
  • How can we better support people with chronic physical health conditions?
  • Drug abuse- Is it increasing in low-income neighborhoods?
  • The negative impacts of incarceration on the imprisoned people’s psychological well-being
  • Reasons to investigate confinement and its dangers
  • Ways to help addicts facing high drug vulnerability
  • How cognitive-behavioral therapy enhances the relationship between social workers and their situations or environments
  • The health benefits of hypnosis on individuals
  • Why treatment is essential for less represented groups
  • Distinguishing undiagnosed depression and clinical depression
  • A qualitative investigation of dyslexia among adolescents
  • How empathy can enhance the social work sector
  • Why qualitative examination of foster homes for peace and child safety matters

These are controversial topics to consider in this academic field. Prepare to take a stance and defend it if you pick any of these social work project ideas.

Social Work Topics For Presentation

Maybe you want to include a presentation in your paper. That’s because social work is a practical field requiring some displays. Consider the following titles for your essay if you want to include a presentation.

  • What are Stockholm syndrome and its effects?
  • How to understand syndrome victims better
  • How incest affects homes
  • Investigating sexually violated kids
  • Why free healthcare matters in foster homes and low-income neighborhoods
  • How adult incarceration and juvenile delinquency affect society
  • Juvenile delinquency and trauma
  • LGBTQ+ children trauma and adolescent transitioning
  • Foster kids and neglect-syndrome
  • Why diversity matters in the social work sector
  • Social workers- Understanding their trauma
  • Foster parenting- What are the positive impacts?
  • Do foster homes create a safe space?
  • Foster parents and their roles in preventing violence
  • Social workers and their role in preventing drug abuse
  • The effects of domestic violence
  • Psychological violence and its damages
  • How spirituality affects techniques in social works
  • Social works and their historical development
  • Social work and its importance in schools
  • Why teenagers’ therapy matters
  • Exploring the challenges facing social workers in the forensics sector
  • Investigating the struggles facing the minority groups
  • Studying abuse and violence in middle-class homes
  • Why finance matters in social works sustenance
  • The impact of compassion fatigue
  • Modern social workers and their challenges
  • Drug abuse and its effects on children
  • Why inclusivity matters in social works
  • Same-sex relationships- Why they matter to a social worker
  • Why high schools need drug sensitization
  • Investigating depression stereotypes

Pick any of these ideas and use them to draft a paper that includes a presentation. Nevertheless, research your topic extensively to prepare a winning dissertation.

Interesting Social Work Topics

Some issues in social work draw more attention than others because they are unique. Here are such topics.

  • The impacts of pregnancy on teenage mothers
  • The increasing pressure and effects of social media on teenagers’ lives
  • How welfare systems relate to low-income neighborhoods
  • Why are rehabilitation centers are essential in America than carceral systems
  • How cultural beliefs and gender roles affect marriages
  • Low labor and its role in workplace abuse
  • How the increasing housing cost affects young millennials
  • The part of abortion bans on psychological issues
  • How birth control roles affect society negatively
  • How are teenagers, the general community, and school related?
  • Analyzing first-time menstrual experiences and their impact on teenage girls within foster homes
  • Wellness therapy and its sustainability
  • Investigating poverty prevalence in the American Deep South- How it prevents the growth
  • The implications of relationships on social workers’ interactions
  • The negative impact of conversion therapy on the LGBTQ+ community
  • How an inclusive and functional healthcare system enhances social growth
  • Shelter homes women- Investigating their life experiences
  • The prevalent racial disparity in food bank systems in America
  • Understanding social relegations and stigma of welfare mothers
  • Client-therapist relationship- Investigating psychiatric therapists and their work

These topics address relevant issues that society often neglects. Pick any idea in this category and explore it further through research and analysis.

Social Work Thesis Topics

Educators will ask you to write different papers when pursuing social work studies. A sociology thesis is among the documents you might write when pursuing a master’s or Ph.D. studies. Here are topics to consider for these papers.

  • Investigating expecting mothers’ postpartum depression
  • How interdependency differs from codependency among youth adults
  • Emotional unavailability in homes- Does it enhance codependency?
  • Codependency- Is it a displacement feature?
  • Foster kids and future attachment methods
  • Social work and disability disparity
  • Disability challenges facing the healthcare system
  • Compassion integration in social works
  • ADHD- What are the most common myths about it?
  • How emotionally immature parents affect their adult children psychologically
  • Drug addiction and treatment plans
  • Addressing challenges facing visually impaired students
  • Investigating foster homes and child abuse
  • The emotional impact of a transition into a nursing home
  • Exploring immigrant families and parenthood
  • The intricacies of child labor

These are exciting topics to consider for your social work thesis. Nevertheless, prepare adequate time and resources to investigate any of these titles to develop a paper that will earn you the best grade.

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233 Social Work Research Topics: Helpful List For Students

social work research topics

Social work research topics deal with many things. They look into some of the problem generating areas within the social works field and the use of research methodology to understand these problems. They also try to sort these problems out and address some of the challenges encountered both in the lives of social workers and their primary field of practice.

Like every other research writing, writing a social work research topic requires the carrying out of in-depth research finding on the subject which requires the application of theories, the use of concepts, understanding the basic and advanced principles of social works, observing the intricacies within the field of study, finding ways to address these social issues through the use of experimental, survey, analytic, cause and effect researching procedure.

To craft an intriguing and compelling essay topic on social works, all of the aforementioned will need to be present as they help you not just in the topic formulation process but also in the research writing. Every research writing follows a particular style and writing on social works partakes in this process. Here are some social work-related research topics to put into consideration.

Social Work Research Topics

Social work as a field of work and field of study deals primarily with practicality. Even though the understanding of some of its underlying principles requires first the use and application of theories, social workers deal with practical applications daily. Writing a research topic on this field, therefore, requires that each topic will have undertones of practicality woven within it.

This is necessary as the primary goal of both social work research writing and the field itself is in carrying out investigations and the understanding of various issues that impact the lives of individuals and how they could be addressed. Research social worker research topics on it can look like.

  • The importance of group therapy for children in foster homes
  • Impacts of clinical depression on teenage girls
  • Lack of child support and its impact on child care in America
  • A look into depression and the stigma associated with it.
  • ADHD within foster homes and its impacts on children
  • The impacts of constant mobility in the lives of orphaned toddlers
  • Addressing the inherent PTSD in the lives of medical veterans
  • The social relegation of Autism children
  • Addressing the stigma surrounding disability
  • Disability and how it affects the lives of middle-aged parents
  • The recurring case of displacement and its violent effects on street children
  • How homelessness impacts people psyche
  • Misdiagnosed mental illness and its negative impacts on people
  • Suicidal tendencies within military units and possible ways to address them.
  • The need for the social interrogation of mental illness stigma
  • Parents living with Bipolar and how it impacts their parenting and children’s lives
  • How early childhood displacement amounts to antisocial lifestyle in foster children
  • Adoption of teenagers: the struggles and joys associated within
  • A look into the undisclosed cases of rape violence amongst women in the military and how it impacts their lives and service
  • Substance abuse and how it affects parenting
  • Understanding the trauma associated with child-parent separation
  • How divorce positively impacts the health and lifestyle of children
  • A close analysis of the myths associated with Welfare mothers
  • Addressing the issue of substance abuse amongst teenagers
  • Death and how it impacts the collective well-being of the family
  • A study into family support as a viable way for alcohol recovery
  • Alcoholism and its impacts on a person’s psyche
  • How sponsors positively impact the lives of recovering addicts
  • A clinical study of anti-depressants and their current effectiveness
  • The breeding of social exclusion of children with Down syndrome
  • Why social and academic integration is important for children with Down syndrome
  • Depression and how family exacerbates it
  • Alcoholism: it impacts on social, family, and personal lifestyle
  • An analysis of the difference and similarities between Dyslexia and ADHD
  • Creating awareness for Dyslexic patients

Social Work Research Questions

Social works as a field of study fall within the social sciences, as a result of this the field of study deals with the use of questioning as an approach to arrive at a conclusive and reflective answer (empirical evidence). This is why research in this field deals with data collection, data analysis, experimentations, investigation, etc. The research questions asked when researching within social works are important as it’s through it that informative research is carried out and meanings derived through it. Here are some social work research questions.

  • How does trauma inform the education of children in foster homes?
  • The protest of police brutality, does it have the potential of promoting transformative change?
  • Why does society insist that divorce impacts the psyche of all children negatively
  • Is informed trauma in foster homes the primary cause of children disappearing from foster homes?
  • Does the implementation of learning curriculums that positively impacts Dyslexic students improve their academics?
  • Is trauma-informed learning reflective of parenting?
  • Do house and food insecurity impact the lives of foster children for life?
  • How does community violence have effects on the lives LGBT+ community?
  • What are the ways the criminal justice system is failing America’s social lifestyle?
  • What are the signs of identifying workplace trauma
  • Workplace violence: how can it be addressed?
  • How do poverty and scarcity affect the psychology of young children?
  • What are the ways through which the American healthcare system is failing minority groups
  • What are the ways the misuse of substances breeds addictive behaviors?
  • How to point out the early signs of depression in teenagers?
  • Who is at greater risk of child-parent separation?
  • What are the consequences of living with Dyslexia?
  • Why is depression diagnosed as a mental disorder?
  • What are the defining differences between Bipolar I and Bipolar II?
  • How can bipolar patients receive support?
  • What percentage of incarcerated adults is from minority groups?
  • What are the results of racial disparity in America?
  • How does America’s racial disparity manifest in the healthcare system?
  • What are the challenges experienced by minority kids in foster homes?
  • How can the American government support welfare parents more?
  • How can addiction be controlled?
  • How does alcohol abuse affect college students’ academic performance?
  • What are the ways community reentry proves challenging for formerly incarcerated people?
  • What are the physical, emotional, and psychological effects of pregnant incarcerated mothers?
  • How can cases within addiction be curbed in America?
  • What are the ways to approach America’s carceral system?
  • What are the ways nursing homes can be better equipped for old folks?
  • What are the social and psychological impacts of student loans?
  • How can assistance be extended to adults with learning disabilities?
  • How can America’s rise in obesity be addressed?

Human Services Research Paper Topics

Human services research papers also fall within the social work research topics ideas to look into. This area of social works essay topics deal with issues which are primarily related to human service, how it’s being impacted, and ways to understand and address some of its challenges. Human services research paper topics that fall within it include.

  • How America’s carceral system affects low-income and minority homes majorly.
  • Social integration of Down syndrome and Dyslexic people
  • How the government can improve welfare conditions
  • The negative psychological impacts of food banks
  • How food banks benefit the lives of many Americans.
  • How home violence affects children
  • Understanding the effects of high school bullying
  • Welfare workers and why they need therapy and support groups
  • How to build love in foster care
  • The practice of resilience amongst social workers
  • The effects of juvenile delinquency in America
  • Understanding America’s carceral shortcomings
  • Minority groups at the expense of America’s carceral system
  • Addressing the issue of homophobia in America
  • Homophobia and how it impacts LGBTQ+ adults
  • Factors contributing to family violence
  • Spousal violence and how to address it
  • Family cruelty and how it impacts lives
  • Undiagnosed cases of Bipolar and its effects
  • Misdiagnosed mental illness and its effects
  • Improving support systems for LGBTQ+ kids
  • Home insecurity and how it impacts the homeless
  • Bridging the disparity of formerly incarcerated people
  • Understanding gender inequality when dealing with incarcerated people
  • The failure of America’s correctional system
  • Incarceration: Reformed or abolished?
  • Police system: Reformed, defunded, or abolished?
  • Factors contributing to increase in youth depression
  • Unemployment and its effects on people
  • Similarities between juvenile delinquency and adult incarceration
  • Psychological impacts of child trafficking
  • Human trafficking and its psychological effects on victims
  • Addressing depression, anxiety, and panic in little children

Interesting Social Work Topics

Within the field of social works, there are some topics and issues that draw extra attention due to their uniqueness. These topics often make for interesting research topics as they often draw on several relevant but often neglected issues or topics that are not paid due attention to. There are so many interesting social work topics that talk within this category and some of them include.

  • Understanding the experiences of women living within shelter homes
  • The racial disparity prevalent in America’s food bank system
  • A study and understanding of the stigma and social relegations welfare mothers are subjected to.
  • The challenges of living with both parents suffering from Alzheimer’s
  • A sociological and environmental outlook into the academic transition from high school to college and how it manifests in the lives of students.
  • An analysis of the client-therapist relationship of psychiatric therapists
  • An evaluation of the sociological impact of including sex education in the high school curriculum
  • An in-depth analysis of the emotional and psychological effects of induced child labor
  • Psychological, emotional, and physical effects of abusive parenting
  • Verbal and physical abuse in families and how it manifests in the lives of children
  • How emotional and psychological abuse encourages low self-esteem
  • A study of children raised in abusive homes
  • How physical abuse affects spousal intimacy
  • A critical study of the learning challenges of disabled children
  • How inclusivity in the social system will impact disabled children
  • Why there’s the need to encourage more flexible social structures for disabled people
  • A case study of the inherent challenges of interracial marriages
  • A case of study of how a functional and inclusive healthcare system improve social growth
  • How conversion therapy negatively impacts the LGBTQ+ community
  • How religion impacts social workers interaction with social issues
  • A study of the prevalence of poverty in the American Deep South and the ways it impedes growth
  • Sustainability of wellness therapy
  • An in-depth analysis of how first-time menstrual experiences impacts teenage girls in foster homes
  • The relationship between teenagers, school, and the general society
  • The negative impacts of birth control laws
  • How abortion bans are leading to more psychological issues
  • How the increases in the cost of housing in America is affecting young millennials
  • How low paid labor propagates workplace abuse
  • The impacts of gender roles and cultural beliefs in marriages
  • Why America needs more rehabilitation centers than carceral systems
  • The relationship between welfare systems and low-income neighborhoods
  • How teenage pregnancy impacts teenage mothers
  • The growing effect and pressure of social media in the lives of teenage children

Controversial Topics in Social Work

Social worker’s research topics also look into areas within the field of study that are often regarded as controversial. These topics are referred to as so due to their nature of occurrence which usually has provoked significant public interest. When writing on controversial topics in social work in this field, here are some of the topics that fall well within this category.

  • Rising cases of drug abuse in low-income neighborhoods
  • How incarceration negatively impacts the psychological well-being of incarcerated people
  • The dangers of confinement and why it should be looked into
  • Drug vulnerability and how to help addicts
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy and how it enables social workers to relate more to their environment and situations
  • Hypnosis and its health benefits on an individual
  • Therapy for the less represented groups and why it’s important
  • A clear distinction between clinical depression and undiagnosed depression
  • Misdiagnosis: how it’s affecting the lives of mentally challenged people
  • Understanding ADHD and the stigmas associated with it
  • An investigative study into the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy to improve the livelihood of incarcerated people
  • Understanding adolescents development about kids in foster cares
  • The social effects of living within an immigrant home in America
  • Social workers remuneration and how it impacts their dedication and diligence to their work
  • The negative impact of child-parent legally signed separation and ways through which it can be contained
  • A qualitative study of dealing with Dyslexia as an adolescent
  • Catering safe spaces for minority groups and the impacts of community on their mental health.
  • Child poverty, food insecurity, house insecurity: how they impact the academic abilities of children
  • Examining the use of empathy to facilitate the improvement of the social work sector
  • Why there needs to be more qualitative examining of foster homes for child safety and peace
  • The positive impacts within the foster home system and why it should be championed
  • Understanding sexual health education for incarcerated women
  • Addressing violence as a social problem within the correctional system
  • Court sanctioned confinement, how it promotes mental illness rather than facilitate correction
  • The hidden and unnoticed trauma prevalent in counselors and therapists
  • The continuous cycle of therapy: why therapists need therapy
  • The need to facilitate awareness on the stigma associated with AIDS
  • The social and health implication of abortion ban on women in low-income neighborhoods
  • The psychological, health, and social implications of abortion ban on rape survivors
  • The unreported cases of abuse in homes and how it propagates violence
  • Trafficking: the impacts of it on the social well-being of a society
  • Exploring the challenges of the hurricanes in low-income neighborhoods
  • The hidden trauma of hurricane and flood survivors

Social Work Thesis Topics

As a field of study on its own, social work will require you to write series of papers, research assignments and essays on a select topic of your choice. This is also compulsory if you are doing your master’s program or your Ph.D. You’ll be required to carry out evaluative or qualitative research on your area of interest. Some interesting social work essay topics to consider include the following ones.

  • The psychological impacts of adult children of emotionally immature parents
  • The treatment plan for diagnosed drug addiction
  • Navigating the challenges of visually impaired learners in the academia
  • Evaluating child abuse in foster care
  • The emotional effect of transitioning into nursing homes
  • A study of parenthood in immigrant families
  • The psychological weight of child abuse
  • Understanding child labor and its intricacies
  • Encouraging cognitive-behavioral therapy for foster parents
  • Trauma: Understanding the challenges of the foster kid
  • Abortion illegality as the increasing cause of teenage pregnancy
  • Understanding displacement and its nuances
  • The distinction between the displacement of children in war areas and children in foster homes
  • The psychological impacts of growing within a war zone
  • The barrier to working faced by formerly incarcerated people
  • Juvenile delinquency: how it harms rather than benefits children
  • Examining the American rehabilitation system
  • Examining the gender disparity in correctional facilities
  • The use of empathy: social workers in the discharge of duty
  • How to address compassion fatigue amongst counselors and social workers
  • The effects of structural racism on the welfare systems
  • Understanding depression from the welfare mom’s perspective
  • Myths associated with ADHD
  • Integrating compassion in social works
  • Building an inclusive system for foster kids
  • The disability challenges in the healthcare system
  • Disability disparity in the social works department
  • Future attachment styles in foster kids
  • Codependency: a feature of displacement
  • Home emotional unavailability as the rising cause for codependency
  • Understanding interdependency for the codependent
  • Distinctions between codependency and interdependency in youth adults
  • Prepatrum depression in expecting mothers

Social Work Topics for Presentation

One of the social work project ideas to look into while writing your paper is the possibility of including a presentation. As a practical field, social works research requires some level of presentation included. Here are some social work topics for presentation.

  • The historical development of social works
  • Importance of social works in school
  • Importance of therapy for teenagers
  • An exploration of challenges faced in forensic social works
  • Understanding the struggles of minority groups
  • A study of abuse in middle-class homes
  • Importance of finance in sustaining social works
  • The overall effect of compassion fatigue
  • Challenges of modern-day social works
  • Psychological impacts of child drug abuse
  • Importance of inclusivity in social works
  • Understanding same-sex relationships for the social worker
  • Importance of drug sensitization in high school
  • The abuse of drugs in low-income neighborhoods as an economic factor
  • Depression stereotypes
  • Effects and impacts of spirituality as a social works technique
  • Damages of psychological violence
  • Domestic violence and its impacts
  • Role of social workers in the prevention of drug abuse
  • Role or foster parents in the prevention of violence
  • Role of foster homes in creating a safe space
  • Positive impacts of foster parenting
  • Understanding trauma for the social worker
  • Importance of diversity in the social works sector
  • Understanding the neglect-syndrome of foster kids
  • Adolescent transitioning and trauma of LGBTQ+ children
  • Trauma and juvenile delinquency
  • Juvenile delinquency and adult incarceration
  • Importance of free healthcare for foster children and children in low-income neighborhoods
  • A study of sexually violated children
  • Understanding the impacts of incest in homes
  • The victim syndrome and how to better understand it
  • Understanding Stockholm syndrome

We have provided above a list of interesting social work topics that social science students, whether they are college students or master’s students, can choose from. But if you are hoping to meet up with your college or university essay deadlines, there are professional ENL US writers, including some of the best professors for hire online. They can assist you with fast and top-notch essays that will get you high grades all at a cheap rate. You will be provided with custom, amazing assignments that will attain you high grades.

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

  • Choosing a Title
  • Purpose of Guide
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The title summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study. A good title contains the fewest possible words needed to adequately describe the content and/or purpose of your research paper.

Importance of Choosing a Good Title

The title is the part of a paper that is read the most, and it is usually read first . It is, therefore, the most important element that defines the research study. With this in mind, avoid the following when creating a title:

  • If the title is too long, this usually indicates there are too many unnecessary words. Avoid language, such as, "A Study to Investigate the...," or "An Examination of the...." These phrases are obvious and generally superfluous unless they are necessary to covey the scope, intent, or type of a study.
  • On the other hand, a title which is too short often uses words which are too broad and, thus, does not tell the reader what is being studied. For example, a paper with the title, "African Politics" is so non-specific the title could be the title of a book and so ambiguous that it could refer to anything associated with politics in Africa. A good title should provide information about the focus and/or scope of your research study.
  • In academic writing, catchy phrases or non-specific language may be used, but only if it's within the context of the study [e.g., "Fair and Impartial Jury--Catch as Catch Can"]. However, in most cases, you should avoid including words or phrases that do not help the reader understand the purpose of your paper.
  • Academic writing is a serious and deliberate endeavor. Avoid using humorous or clever journalistic styles of phrasing when creating the title to your paper. Journalistic headlines often use emotional adjectives [e.g., incredible, amazing, effortless] to highlight a problem experienced by the reader or use "trigger words" or interrogative words like how, what, when, or why to persuade people to read the article or click on a link. These approaches are viewed as counter-productive in academic writing. A reader does not need clever or humorous titles to catch their attention because the act of reading research is assumed to be deliberate based on a desire to learn and improve understanding of the problem. In addition, a humorous title can merely detract from the seriousness and authority of your research. 
  • Unlike everywhere else in a college-level social sciences research paper [except when using direct quotes in the text], titles do not have to adhere to rigid grammatical or stylistic standards. For example, it could be appropriate to begin a title with a coordinating conjunction [i.e., and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet] if it makes sense to do so and does not detract from the purpose of the study [e.g., "Yet Another Look at Mutual Fund Tournaments"] or beginning the title with an inflected form of a verb such as those ending in -ing [e.g., "Assessing the Political Landscape: Structure, Cognition, and Power in Organizations"].

Appiah, Kingsley Richard et al. “Structural Organisation of Research Article Titles: A Comparative Study of Titles of Business, Gynaecology and Law.” Advances in Language and Literary Studies 10 (2019); Hartley James. “To Attract or to Inform: What are Titles for?” Journal of Technical Writing and Communication 35 (2005): 203-213; Jaakkola, Maarit. “Journalistic Writing and Style.” In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication . Jon F. Nussbaum, editor. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2018): https://oxfordre.com/communication.

Structure and Writing Style

The following parameters can be used to help you formulate a suitable research paper title:

  • The purpose of the research
  • The scope of the research
  • The narrative tone of the paper [typically defined by the type of the research]
  • The methods used to study the problem

The initial aim of a title is to capture the reader’s attention and to highlight the research problem under investigation.

Create a Working Title Typically, the final title you submit to your professor is created after the research is complete so that the title accurately captures what has been done . The working title should be developed early in the research process because it can help anchor the focus of the study in much the same way the research problem does. Referring back to the working title can help you reorient yourself back to the main purpose of the study if you find yourself drifting off on a tangent while writing. The Final Title Effective titles in research papers have several characteristics that reflect general principles of academic writing.

  • Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study,
  • Rarely use abbreviations or acronyms unless they are commonly known,
  • Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest,
  • Use current nomenclature from the field of study,
  • Identify key variables, both dependent and independent,
  • Reveal how the paper will be organized,
  • Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major hypothesis,
  • Is limited to 5 to 15 substantive words,
  • Does not include redundant phrasing, such as, "A Study of," "An Analysis of" or similar constructions,
  • Takes the form of a question or declarative statement,
  • If you use a quote as part of the title, the source of the quote is cited [usually using an asterisk and footnote],
  • Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first words and last words capitalized, including the first word of a subtitle. All nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the first and last words of the title are also capitalized, and
  • Rarely uses an exclamation mark at the end of the title.

The Subtitle Subtitles are frequently used in social sciences research papers because it helps the reader understand the scope of the study in relation to how it was designed to address the research problem. Think about what type of subtitle listed below reflects the overall approach to your study and whether you believe a subtitle is needed to emphasize the investigative parameters of your research.

1.  Explains or provides additional context , e.g., "Linguistic Ethnography and the Study of Welfare Institutions as a Flow of Social Practices: The Case of Residential Child Care Institutions as Paradoxical Institutions." [Palomares, Manuel and David Poveda.  Text & Talk: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Language, Discourse and Communication Studies 30 (January 2010): 193-212]

2.  Adds substance to a literary, provocative, or imaginative title or quote , e.g., "Listen to What I Say, Not How I Vote": Congressional Support for the President in Washington and at Home." [Grose, Christian R. and Keesha M. Middlemass. Social Science Quarterly 91 (March 2010): 143-167]

3.  Qualifies the geographic scope of the research , e.g., "The Geopolitics of the Eastern Border of the European Union: The Case of Romania-Moldova-Ukraine." [Marcu, Silvia. Geopolitics 14 (August 2009): 409-432]

4.  Qualifies the temporal scope of the research , e.g., "A Comparison of the Progressive Era and the Depression Years: Societal Influences on Predictions of the Future of the Library, 1895-1940." [Grossman, Hal B. Libraries & the Cultural Record 46 (2011): 102-128]

5.  Focuses on investigating the ideas, theories, or work of a particular individual , e.g., "A Deliberative Conception of Politics: How Francesco Saverio Merlino Related Anarchy and Democracy." [La Torre, Massimo. Sociologia del Diritto 28 (January 2001): 75 - 98]

6.  Identifies the methodology used , e.g. "Student Activism of the 1960s Revisited: A Multivariate Analysis Research Note." [Aron, William S. Social Forces 52 (March 1974): 408-414]

7.  Defines the overarching technique for analyzing the research problem , e.g., "Explaining Territorial Change in Federal Democracies: A Comparative Historical Institutionalist Approach." [ Tillin, Louise. Political Studies 63 (August 2015): 626-641.

With these examples in mind, think about what type of subtitle reflects the overall approach to your study. This will help the reader understand the scope of the study in relation to how it was designed to address the research problem.

Anstey, A. “Writing Style: What's in a Title?” British Journal of Dermatology 170 (May 2014): 1003-1004; Balch, Tucker. How to Compose a Title for Your Research Paper. Augmented Trader blog. School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Tech University; Bavdekar, Sandeep B. “Formulating the Right Title for a Research Article.” Journal of Association of Physicians of India 64 (February 2016); Choosing the Proper Research Paper Titles. AplusReports.com, 2007-2012; Eva, Kevin W. “Titles, Abstracts, and Authors.” In How to Write a Paper . George M. Hall, editor. 5th edition. (Oxford: John Wiley and Sons, 2013), pp. 33-41; Hartley James. “To Attract or to Inform: What are Titles for?” Journal of Technical Writing and Communication 35 (2005): 203-213; General Format. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Kerkut G.A. “Choosing a Title for a Paper.” Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology 74 (1983): 1; “Tempting Titles.” In Stylish Academic Writing . Helen Sword, editor. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012), pp. 63-75; Nundy, Samiran, et al. “How to Choose a Title?” In How to Practice Academic Medicine and Publish from Developing Countries? A Practical Guide . Edited by Samiran Nundy, Atul Kakar, and Zulfiqar A. Bhutta. (Springer Singapore, 2022), pp. 185-192.

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Graduate research methods in social work

(2 reviews)

research title social work

Matt DeCarlo, La Salle University

Cory Cummings, Nazareth University

Kate Agnelli, Virginia Commonwealth University

Copyright Year: 2021

ISBN 13: 9781949373219

Publisher: Open Social Work Education

Language: English

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Reviewed by Laura Montero, Full-time Lecturer and Course Lead, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 12/23/23

Graduate Research Methods in Social Work by DeCarlo, et al., is a comprehensive and well-structured guide that serves as an invaluable resource for graduate students delving into the intricate world of social work research. The book is divided... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Graduate Research Methods in Social Work by DeCarlo, et al., is a comprehensive and well-structured guide that serves as an invaluable resource for graduate students delving into the intricate world of social work research. The book is divided into five distinct parts, each carefully curated to provide a step-by-step approach to mastering research methods in the field. Topics covered include an intro to basic research concepts, conceptualization, quantitative & qualitative approaches, as well as research in practice. At 800+ pages, however, the text could be received by students as a bit overwhelming.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Content appears consistent and reliable when compared to similar textbooks in this topic.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book's well-structured content begins with fundamental concepts, such as the scientific method and evidence-based practice, guiding readers through the initiation of research projects with attention to ethical considerations. It seamlessly transitions to detailed explorations of both quantitative and qualitative methods, covering topics like sampling, measurement, survey design, and various qualitative data collection approaches. Throughout, the authors emphasize ethical responsibilities, cultural respectfulness, and critical thinking. These are crucial concepts we cover in social work and I was pleased to see these being integrated throughout.

Clarity rating: 5

The level of the language used is appropriate for graduate-level study.

Consistency rating: 5

Book appears to be consistent in the tone and terminology used.

Modularity rating: 4

The images and videos included, help to break up large text blocks.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Topics covered are well-organized and comprehensive. I appreciate the thorough preamble the authors include to situate the role of the social worker within a research context.

Interface rating: 4

When downloaded as a pdf, the book does not begin until page 30+ so it may be a bit difficult to scroll so long for students in order to access the content for which they are searching. Also, making the Table of Contents clickable, would help in navigating this very long textbook.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not find any grammatical errors or typos in the pages reviewed.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I appreciate the efforts made to integrate diverse perspectives, voices, and images into the text. The discussion around ethics and cultural considerations in research was nuanced and comprehensive as well.

Overall, the content of the book aligns with established principles of social work research, providing accurate and up-to-date information in a format that is accessible to graduate students and educators in the field.

Reviewed by Elisa Maroney, Professor, Western Oregon University on 1/2/22

With well over 800 pages, this text is beyond comprehensive! read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

With well over 800 pages, this text is beyond comprehensive!

I perused the entire text, but my focus was on "Part 4: Using qualitative methods." This section seems accurate.

As mentioned above, my primary focus was on the qualitative methods section. This section is relevant to the students I teach in interpreting studies (not a social sciences discipline).

This book is well-written and clear.

Navigating this text is easy, because the formatting is consistent

Modularity rating: 5

My favorite part of this text is that I can be easily customized, so that I can use the sections on qualitative methods.

The text is well-organized and easy to find and link to related sections in the book.

Interface rating: 5

There are no distracting or confusing features. The book is long; being able to customize makes it easier to navigate.

I did not notice grammatical errors.

The authors offer resources for Afrocentricity for social work practice (among others, including those related to Feminist and Queer methodologies). These are relevant to the field of interpreting studies.

I look forward to adopting this text in my qualitative methods course for graduate students in interpreting studies.

Table of Contents

  • 1. Science and social work
  • 2. Starting your research project
  • 3. Searching the literature
  • 4. Critical information literacy
  • 5. Writing your literature review
  • 6. Research ethics
  • 7. Theory and paradigm
  • 8. Reasoning and causality
  • 9. Writing your research question
  • 10. Quantitative sampling
  • 11. Quantitative measurement
  • 12. Survey design
  • 13. Experimental design
  • 14. Univariate analysis
  • 15. Bivariate analysis
  • 16. Reporting quantitative results
  • 17. Qualitative data and sampling
  • 18. Qualitative data collection
  • 19. A survey of approaches to qualitative data analysis
  • 20. Quality in qualitative studies: Rigor in research design
  • 21. Qualitative research dissemination
  • 22. A survey of qualitative designs
  • 23. Program evaluation
  • 24. Sharing and consuming research

Ancillary Material

About the book.

We designed our book to help graduate social work students through every step of the research process, from conceptualization to dissemination. Our textbook centers cultural humility, information literacy, pragmatism, and an equal emphasis on quantitative and qualitative methods. It includes extensive content on literature reviews, cultural bias and respectfulness, and qualitative methods, in contrast to traditionally used commercial textbooks in social work research.  

Our author team spans across academic, public, and nonprofit social work research. We love research, and we endeavored through our book to make research more engaging, less painful, and easier to understand. Our textbook exercises direct students to apply content as they are reading the book to an original research project. By breaking it down step-by-step, writing in approachable language, as well as using stories from our life, practice, and research experience, our textbook helps professors overcome students’ research methods anxiety and antipathy.  

If you decide to adopt our resource, we ask that you complete this short  Adopter’s Survey  that helps us keep track of our community impact. You can also contact  [email protected]  for a student workbook, homework assignments, slideshows, a draft bank of quiz questions, and a course calendar. 

About the Contributors

Matt DeCarlo , PhD, MSW is an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at La Salle University. He is the co-founder of Open Social Work (formerly Open Social Work Education), a collaborative project focusing on open education, open science, and open access in social work and higher education. His first open textbook, Scientific Inquiry in Social Work, was the first developed for social work education, and is now in use in over 60 campuses, mostly in the United States. He is a former OER Research Fellow with the OpenEd Group. Prior to his work in OER, Dr. DeCarlo received his PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University and has published on disability policy.

Cory Cummings , Ph.D., LCSW is an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at Nazareth University. He has practice experience in community mental health, including clinical practice and administration. In addition, Dr. Cummings has volunteered at safety net mental health services agencies and provided support services for individuals and families affected by HIV. In his current position, Dr. Cummings teaches in the BSW program and MSW programs; specifically in the Clinical Practice with Children and Families concentration. Courses that he teaches include research, social work practice, and clinical field seminar. His scholarship focuses on promoting health equity for individuals experiencing symptoms of severe mental illness and improving opportunities to increase quality of life. Dr. Cummings received his PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Kate Agnelli , MSW, is an adjunct professor at VCU’s School of Social Work, teaching masters-level classes on research methods, public policy, and social justice. She also works as a senior legislative analyst with the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), a policy research organization reporting to the Virginia General Assembly. Before working for JLARC, Ms. Agnelli worked for several years in government and nonprofit research and program evaluation. In addition, she has several publications in peer-reviewed journals, has presented at national social work conferences, and has served as a reviewer for Social Work Education. She received her MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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Research on Social Work Practice

Research on Social Work Practice

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  • Description
  • Aims and Scope
  • Editorial Board
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There is a growing movement in social work toward a more empirical selection of therapies and interventions because, to be effective, you have to know what works. As the community of practitioners, scholars and students interested in applying scientific methods of analysis to social work problems continues to grow, the need for a publication dedicated to social work practice outcomes has never been greater. Research on Social Work Practice is the first professional social work journal to focus on evaluation research and on validating methods of assessment in social work practice.

Vital Information Research on Social Work Practice is a disciplinary journal devoted to the publication of empirical research concerning the assessment methods and outcomes of social work practice.  Social work practice is broadly interpreted to refer to the application of intentionally designed social work intervention programs to problems of societal or interpersonal importance.  Interventions include behavior analysis and therapy; psychotherapy or counseling with individuals; case management; education; supervision; practice involving couples, families, or small groups; advocacy; community practice; organizational management; and the evaluation of social policies.

The journal primarily serves as an outlet for the publication of:

  • Original reports of evidence-based evaluation studies on the outcomes of social work practice.
  • Original reports of empirical studies on the development and validation of social work assessment methods.
  • Original evidence-based reviews of the practice-research literature that convey direct applications (not simply implications) to social work practice.  The two types of review articles considered for publication are: 1) reviews of the evidence-based status of a particular psychosocial intervention; and 2) reviews of evidence-based interventions applicable to a particular psychosocial problem.

Comprehensive Coverage Each issue of Research on Social Work Practice brings you the latest scholarship to help bridge the gap between research and practice. Regular features include: Outcome Studies New Methods of Assessment Scholarly Reviews Invited Essays Book Reviews

In-Depth Special Issues Research on Social Work Practice frequently supplements its broad coverage with in-depth studies of topics of particular concern through Special Issues or Special Sections. Previous examples include:

  • Research on Social Work Practice in Chinese Communities (Vol.12, n.4)
  • Honoring Walter W. Hudson (Vol.12, n.1)
  • Flexner Revisited (Vol.11, n.2)
  • Research on Social Work Practice in Ireland (Vol.10, n.6)
  • Technology and Social Work (Vol.10, n.4)
  • Australian Social Work Research (Vol.10, n.2)

By connecting practice and research in an artful and readable fashion, RSWP has provided a synergy for the helping professions — the vital recognition that without research, practice is blind; and without practice, research is mute. — Martin Bloom Professor, School of Social Work, University of Connecticut In the relatively few years since its inception, Research on Social Work Practice has become one of the most highly respected and frequently cited journals in our field. Researchers, practitioners, and students have all found its contents to be invaluable in their work. — Dianne Harrison Montgomery Dean and Professor, School of Social Work, Florida State University   The unique manner in which the editors cover the broad spectrum of research on social work practice is destined to make the journal become a classic in the field. This is a must reading for all engaged in any level of practice research. — Moses Newsome, Jr. Dean, School of Social Work, Norfolk State University Past-President, Council on Social Work Education This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) .

Research on Social Work Practice , sponsored by the Society for Social Work and Research, is a disciplinary journal devoted to the publication of empirical research concerning the methods and outcomes of social work practice. Social work practice is broadly interpreted to refer to the application of intentionally designed social work intervention programs to problems of societal and/or interpersonal importance, including behavior analysis or psychotherapy involving individuals; case management; practice involving couples, families, and small groups; community practice education; and the development, implementation, and evaluation of social policies.

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Guidelines for Authors

Research on Social Work Practice (RSWP) is a peer-reviewed disciplinary journal devoted to the publication of empirical research concerning the outcomes of social work practice. Social work practice is broadly interpreted to refer to the application of intentionally designed social work intervention programs to problems of societal and/or interpersonal importance. Interventions include, but are not limited to, behavior analysis and therapy, psychotherapy or counseling with individuals, cognitive therapy, case management/care coordination, education, supervision, practice involving couples, families, or small groups, advocacy, community practice, organizational management, and the evaluation of social policies. At least one author of a submitted article must be a professional social worker, and/or the interventions evaluated must have been provided by professional social workers.

The journal will primarily serve as an outlet for the publication of:

1. Original reports of empirically-based evaluation studies on the outcomes of social work practice;

2. Systematic reviews or meta-analyses of the practice-research literature that convey direct applications (not simply implications) to social work practice. The only two types of systematic reviews considered for publication are:

A. Systematic reviews of the evidence-based status of a particular psychosocial intervention or assessment method, or B. Systematic reviews of different psychosocial interventions applicable to clients with a particular psychosocial problem.

The journal welcomes empirical research appropriately derived from a variety of etiological and intervention theories, as well as studies which focus on evaluations not based upon formal theoretical frameworks. Studies using diverse methodologies, such as group or single-system research designs, qualitative approaches, mixed methods approaches, and interdisciplinary works are welcome to be submitted. Replication studies are welcome, as are well-designed studies with negative findings or reports of treatment failures. Authors are encouraged to submit only articles of the highest quality for editorial review and possible publication. The submission of seriously flawed or marginal studies is discouraged. Reports of inferential statistics involving significant differences must be accompanied by suitable measures of effect sizes and their appropriate confidence intervals, and include a discussion of the practical impact indicated by these effects.

Articles reporting original research involving data collection from human beings must include a statement indicating the source of Institutional Review Board Approval (blinded in the original submission) or a clear statement addressing why IRB review was not necessary.

Manuscripts which do not fit into one of the above two categories should not be submitted, and if received will be promptly returned to the author un-reviewed. Occasionally other types of submissions are published in the journal (e.g., guest editorials, conference proceedings, research center descriptions), but these are usually invited and accepted at the discretion of the Editor.

Inappropriate Submissions: The journal does not usually publish narrative case studies, surveys, program descriptions, theoretical, philosophical or conceptual works, correlational investigations, historical reviews, retrospective predictor studies, purely methodological articles, descriptive studies, or needs assessments. The journal no longer accepts for review psychometric studies, reports of the development and validation testing of measurement methods useful for research or practice . Authors are urged to submit such studies to the many other social work journals which do not have the intervention-research focus of Research on Social Work Practice . The journal publishes occasional special issues devoted to a particular topic and readers with an interest in proposing a topic for such a special issue and to serve as a Guest Editor for that issue are welcome to contact the Editor.

Authors are encouraged to make pre-publication use of a data-depository ( http://www.nature.com/sdata/policies/repositories#general ) to ensure post-publication access to their data and to indicate this in the submitted manuscript. At a minimum, reports of original data-based research should include a statement from the authors indicating where qualified researchers may obtain a copy of the data and data-coding manual (this is usually the corresponding author). This stipulation is to encourage transparency in the reporting process and to promote re-analysis and replication efforts by independent scholars.

Authors whose native language is not English are encouraged to have their submission carefully edited by English language experts prior to submission. Sage Publications Inc. offers such a service, which can be located at: http://languageservices.sagepub.com/en/

Authors not familiar with current APA style are encouraged to review the free online style guides provided by the American Psychological Association, which can be located at:

http://www.apastyle.org/index.aspx?_ga=1.161514751.2121075784.1468782120 . Submissions out of compliance with APA style will be returned un-reviewed.

As part of our commitment to ensuring an ethical, transparent and fair peer review process Sage is a supporting member of ORCID, the Open Researcher and Contributor ID . 

ORCID provides a unique and persistent digital identifier that distinguishes researchers from every other researcher, even those who share the same name, and, through integration in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, supports automated linkages between researchers and their professional activities, ensuring that their work is recognized. 

We encourage all authors and co-authors to link their ORCIDs to their accounts in our online peer review platforms. It takes seconds to do: click the link when prompted, sign into your ORCID account and our systems are automatically updated. We collect ORCID iDs during the manuscript submission process and your ORCID iD then becomes part of your accepted publication’s metadata, making your work attributable to you and only you. Your ORCID iD is published with your article so that fellow researchers reading your work can link to your ORCID profile and from there link to your other publications.

If you do not already have an ORCID iD please follow this link to create one or visit our ORCID homepage to learn more.

Research on Social Work Practice (RSWP)  may accept submissions of papers that have been posted on pre-print servers; please alert the Editorial Office when submitting and include the DOI for the preprint in the designated field in the manuscript submission system. Authors should not post an updated version of their paper on the preprint server while it is being peer reviewed for possible publication in the journal. If the article is accepted for publication, the author may re-use their work according to the journal's author archiving policy.

If your paper is accepted, you must include a link on your preprint to the final version of your paper.

Visit the Sage Journals and Preprints page for more details about preprints.

Guidelines for Preparing Quantitative Outcome Studies

The journal requires that accepted quantitative manuscripts be formatted in compliance with the Journal Article Reporting Standards (JARS) found in the sixth edition of the APA Publication Manual . Note that apart from general guidelines, there are separate additional guidelines for reporting quasi-experimental and experimental studies, as well as for meta-analyses. There are also guidelines for reporting a study participant flow chart, which should be included in nomothetic outcome studies. Mixed methods papers including quantitative analyses should have these elements of the article compliant with these guidelines. Causal inferences, if any, should be made conservatively and not go beyond the limits imposed by the presented methods and data.

Single-case research studies which build upon traditional case narrative reports by adding the systematic and empirical measurement of clinically relevant variables (e.g., client’s problems or strengths) before, during and after treatment begins, are welcome submissions. Outcome measures must have acceptable levels of reliability and validity, the intervention must be well-described, and any causal inferences drawn must not go beyond those legitimately derived from the data. Data must be presented in the form of line graphs. The guidelines by Kratochwill et al. (2010) are recommended in this regard.

Articles reporting the results of a quasi-experimental outcome study must follow the standards found in the Transparent Reporting of Evaluation Studies using Nonrandomized Designs (TREND) checklist. Include a completed TREND Checklist as an appendix to your paper. See http://www.cdc.gov/trendstatement/ .

Articles reporting a randomized controlled trial must follow the Consolidated Reporting Standards for Randomized Trials (CONSORT), and include a completed CONSORT Checklist. See http://www.consort-statement.org/consort-statement/ . The authors of outcome studies evaluating non-pharmacological interventions (e.g., psychosocial treatments) are urged to familiarize themselves with relevant guidelines useful for reporting such studies. Grant et al. (2013) is a recommended resource for authors to consult, as is Boutron, Ravaud and Moher (2012).

Authors submitting a randomized clinical trial (RCT) or quasi-experimental outcome study for review and publication are strongly encouraged to have pre-registered their study protocol in a suitable clinical trials registry , such as clinicaltrials.gov. The article by Harrison and Mayo-Wilson (2014) can provide guidance regarding the rationale for and process of pre-registering their protocol. The submitted article should include a statement giving the reference to any clinical trials registry they have submitted their protocol to.

Guidelines for Preparing Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

RSWP welcomes well-crafted empirically-based reviews of the treatment literature. Such manuscripts should present either the evidence regarding a particular psychosocial intervention , various interventions for a particular psychosocial problem or a critical review of treatment studies focused on a particular disorder, problem or condition. Review articles should have a clear social work focus, and cite the relevant social work literature, if any exists, in addition to pertinent findings from the broader behavioral and social sciences. Manuscripts of this type should provide the reader with clear and compelling applications to practice, not untested implications.

Articles claiming to be a Systematic Review should adhere to the guidelines for preparing systematic reviews developed by the Cochrane Collaboration (Higgins & Green, 2009) or the Campbell Collaboration (2014). In addition, the authors of systematic reviews and meta-analyses must follow the guidelines found in the PRISMA Statement ( Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses ), found at: http://www.prisma-statement.org/ .

If the article does not follow these standards, the paper should be titled as A Narrative Review, or simply A Review , and the specific term Systematic Review should be avoided.

Authors submitting a systematic review for review and publication are strongly encouraged to have pre-registered the review protocol in a suitable registry, such as PROSPERO ( www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO ). The article by Stewart, Moher and Shekelle (2012) can provide guidance regarding the rationale for and process of pre-registering systematic review protocols. The submitted article should include a statement giving the reference to any registry in which the protocol is published.

The EQUATOR Network (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency of Health Research) is a recommended resource for authors preparing studies for submission to RSWP which deal with the general topic of health care. See http://www.equator-network.org/ .

Completed copies of relevant TREND, CONSORT or PRISMA checklists should be included as a separate supplemental file when submitting the manuscript online.

Guidelines for Preparing Qualitative Studies

RSWP welcomes well-written rigorous qualitative outcome studies. Studies of the processes of an intervention, absent credible evidence that the intervention actually produces positive effects, are not invited for submission. Authors are encouraged to judiciously take advantage of the journal’s lack of a page limitation and craft a manuscript that details the context and methods to provide transparency of the study. The qualitative methodology used must be consistent throughout the study. The sampling, data collection, and analysis should make sense considering the chosen research question and the method. Authors should describe strategies employed to ensure the trustworthiness and credibility of the study, and provide a replicable audit trail. Qualitative data analysis software may be appropriately used in the analysis, but is not required. For suggestions on creating well-written qualitative article consult Fawcett et al. (2014), Staller and Krumer-Nevo (2013) and Pratt (2009).

How to submit a manuscript: The journal requires authors to use the MANUSCRIPT CENTRAL web-based portal to submit their manuscripts. The submission portal is available via http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/rswp

Use of the Journal Article Reporting Standards: All submissions are required to be prepared using the formatting standards found in the 6th Edition (2010) of the APA Publication Manual. Authors of data-based papers are specifically asked to adhere to the relevant Journal Article Reporting Standards (JARS). The Editor is available to consult with you about any questions you may have regarding complying with these standards. They have been adopted to help promote consistency in research reporting, to try and further elevate the standards of work appearing in Research on Social Work Practice , and to ultimately improve the credibility of research findings available to the profession and the public. The abstracts of research articles must include the following headings: Purpose:, Methods:, Results:, Conclusions:. Manuscripts not adhering to current APA style conventions will be returned to the authors un-reviewed and with a request to revise their paper and to resubmit it. A very common error is for authors to inappropriately include the issue number following the volume number, in citations to articles appearing in journals paginated by year. See the APA manual if you are not clear when issue numbers should and should not be included. Some bibliographic software programs automatically include issue numbers, and these should be manually deleted, if necessary.

All manuscripts should include an abstract on a separate page that contains no more than 150 words, and also a separate title page (designated as Title Page) which includes: 1) title of the article; 2) corresponding author's full name, current position, affiliation, institutional and email address, telephone and fax numbers; 3) co-author(s)' full name(s) and affiliation(s); 4) up to five key words as they should appear if they were to be published. Manuscripts will not be considered for submission if they do not include these elements. Tables and/or Figures are to be included when necessary to depict the results. There is no specific limit on the total number of pages, tables or figures.

Authors submitting manuscripts are protected by common law against the unauthorized use of their unpublished work. Specifically, an unpublished manuscript is considered to be a confidential or privileged paper. All reviewers will be asked to destroy or return the manuscript after their review is completed; in addition, reviewers will be asked not to circulate, quote, cite, or refer to the unpublished work in any way unless specific permission is granted by the author.

Artwork Submissions

High-resolution figures should be uploaded as separate electronic files, with callouts for each in the text. Figure legends should include full explanations of the figures and be typewritten double-spaced with numbers corresponding to those on the figure files themselves. All figures must be specifically referred to in the text and numbered in order of appearance in the text. Acceptable file formats for figures include TIFF, EPS, and JPEG, and PDF Microsoft Application Files are acceptable for vector art (line art). Permission for use of the copyrighted material is the responsibility of the author. All artwork must be camera ready.

Tables should be numbered consecutively corresponding to in-text citation. Each table should be prepared on a separate page at the end of the text document and preferably should be no larger than a single page. Include a brief descriptive title of the table and a footnote with explanation of any abbreviations. All tables must be specifically referred to in the text for placement and numbered in order of appearance in the text. Elements in tables should be separated by tabs, not cells or lines.

Conflict of Interest

Authors are required to disclose any commercial, financial, or other associations that could pose a conflict of interest in connection with their submitted article and these must be disclosed on the title page at the time of submission.

Financial Disclosure/Funding

Authors should list all funding sources (and ID numbers, as appropriate) related to the study and to the article preparation.

Once a manuscript is accepted for publication, the corresponding author will be required to complete an electronic copyright transfer form. From SageTRACK website “Corresponding Author Center” choose the correct manuscript from “Manuscripts with Decisions” and from the ACTION box on the far right side, choose “Contributor Form.” After reading the form and completing the appropriate boxes, clicking the “I accept” box will confirm appropriate copyright transfer.

Authors are required to submit written permission from the original publisher to reprint copyright-protected material, including quoted material of 300 words or more from a single source (journal article or book).

Submission of a manuscript implies commitment to publish in this journal. Authors submitting manuscripts to the journal must not simultaneously submit them to another journal, nor should manuscripts have been published elsewhere in substantially similar content. All authors of a submitted manuscript must be made aware of and consent to the submission.

Publish Ahead of Print With OnlineFirst

OnlineFirst is a feature in which completed articles are published online prior to their inclusion in a print issue, offering authors the advantage of making their research accessible to the public in a more timely manner. Only online subscribers can view these PDFs, but abstracts are available to the public to view for free. Each OnlineFirst manuscript is citable by the publication date of the manuscript’s first online posting and the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), providing a persistent, permanent way to identify manuscripts published in the online environment. You can cite OnlineFirst articles as follows:

Author’s last name, first initials. Article title. Journal title. Pre-published month day, year; DOI: 10.1177/ 0123456789123456

Once your article has completed the production process and before it is published in a print issue, it will be posted online. You can access RSWP OnlineFirst articles on the Web at http://rswp.sagepub.com/pap.dtl . Once posted online, articles may not be retracted or edited. If your article is not completed prior to its publication date, it will not go on OnlineFirst but will be posted online with the issue in which it is published.

The journal uses a blind peer review system to evaluate manuscripts, and the expertise of the Editorial Board members is augmented by the extensive use of Guest Reviewers. Most authors receive an initial editorial decision within two months of submission, accompanied by constructive peer commentary. Most articles eventually accepted for publication undergo extensive author-completed revisions, based on peer-review commentary, prior to acceptance. The journal has a modest backlog of accepted manuscripts, thus authors of accepted manuscripts can expect a lag of about 12 months or less, from final acceptance to print publication. However, the journal has a publish-ahead-of-print service in that the final, corrected and accepted version of their paper will be published electronically on the journal’s website, with a ‘doi’. This will permit its ready access to the community of scholars, students, and practitioners months ahead of print publication. These articles will be both citable and downloadable. Articles are published in the general order of their acceptance.

Boutron, I., Ravaud, P. & Moher, D. (2012). Randomized clinical trials of nonpharmacological treatments. New York: CRC Press.

Campbell Collaboration. (2014). Campbell Collaboration systematic review: Policies and guidelines. The Campbell Collaboration. Available from www.campbellcollaboration.org

Fawcett, S. E., Waller, M. A., Miller, J. W., Schwieterman, M. A., Hazen, B. T., & Overstreet, R. E. (2014). A trail guide to publishing success: Tips on writing influential conceptual, qualitative, and survey sesearch. Journal of Business Logistics , 35 (1), 1-16.

Grant, S., Montgomery, P., Hopewell, S., Macdonald, G., Hoher, D. & Mayo-Wilson, E. (2013). Developing a reporting guideline for social and psychological intervention trials. Research on Social Work Practice, 23, 595-602.

Harrison, B. A. & Mayo-Wilson, E. (2014). Trial registration: Understanding and preventing

bias in social work research. Research on Social Work Practice, 24, 372-376.

Kratochwill, T. R., Hitchcock, J., Horner, R. H., Levin, J. R., Odom, S. L., Rindskopf, D. M. &

Shadish, W. R. (2010). Single-case designs technical documentation . Retrieved from What Works Clearinghouse website: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Document/229

Pratt, M. G. (2009). From the editors: For the lack of a boilerplate: Tips on writing up (and reviewing) qualitative research. Academy of Management Journal , 52 , 856-862.

Staller, K. M., & Krumer-Nevo, M. (2013). Successful qualitative articles: A tentative list of cautionary advice. Qualitative Social Work , 12 , 247-253.

Stewart, L., Moher, D. & Shekelle, P. (2012). Why prospective registration of systematic reviews makes sense. Systematic Reviews, 1 :7. doi:10.1186/2046-4053-1-7

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Home > College of Social and Behavioral Sciences > Social Work > Social Work Theses

Social Work Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Theses/projects/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Caregivers of Dialysis Patients , Alyssa Bousquet and Amelia Murillo

BARRIERS TO AND FACILITATORS OF CARE: EXPLORING HOW LOW-INCOME WOMEN ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE IN A RURAL COMMUNITY , Sydney Taylor Casey

PROGRESSION OF BLACK WOMEN IN TENURE RANKED POSITIONS , Unique Givens

MAJOR FACTORS OF SUSTAINING RECOVERY AFTER RELAPSE FROM A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER , Amanda Tei Sandhurst

THE UTILIZATION OF MUSIC AND AUTONOMOUS SENSORY MERIDIAN RESPONSE IN REDUCING STRESS , Robert Scott

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2023 2023

PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO CONGREGATE CARE AND FOSTER YOUTH OUTCOMES , Tiffany Acklin

YOU CALL US TREATMENT RESISTANT: THE EFFECTS OF BIASES ON WOMEN WITH BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER , Cassidy Acosta

EXAMINING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED CALIFORNIA STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED FROM PROJECT REBOUND , Ashley C. Adams

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO POLICE INTERVENTIONS WHEN RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISES INCIDENTS , Karen Rivera Apolinar

Understanding Ethical Dilemmas in Social Work Practice , Arielle Arambula

IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROFESSORIAL-STUDENT RACIAL MATCH AND ACADEMIC SATISFACTION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS , Ashlei Armstead

NON-SPANISH SPEAKING LATINOS' EXPERIENCES OF INTRAGROUP MARGINALIZATION AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR ETHNIC IDENTITY , Marissa Ayala

SERVICES AVAILABLE IN THE MIXTEC COMMUNITY AND THE BARRIERS TO THOSE SERVICES , Currie Bailey Carmon

IMPACT OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ON THE SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND COMFORT LEVEL OF BLACK AND BROWN GIRLS , Nathan Benham

THE ROLE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT RESOURCE CENTERS PLAY IN SUPPORTING UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION , Cynthia Boyzo

Program Evaluation of Teen Parent Support Group , Brianne Yvonne Irene Brophy

THE IMPACT THE JOB STRESS OF A CHILD WELFARE SOCIAL WORKER HAS ON THE QUALITY OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR INTIMATE PARTNER , Nadine Cazares

Adverse Effects for Siblings Who Witness Child Abuse , Leslie Chaires

ASIAN DISCRIMINATION: IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL WORK , Sunghay Cho

PERCEIVED FINANCIAL STRAIN AND ITS EFFECTS ON COLLEGE STUDENTS’ WELFARE , Monica Contreras and Clarissa Adrianna Martinez

The Media and Eating Disorders , Diane Corey

INCREASING TEACHER AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH IN CHILDREN , Sarah Alexis Cortes

The Investigation of Knowledge and Practice of Child Welfare Workers Providing Case Management to Children with Disabilities , Giselle Cruz

Examining The Relationship Between Technological Skills and Success In Higher Education Among Formerly Incarcerated Individuals , Ebony Cubias

SUPPORT FOR SOCIAL WORKERS TREATING ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE ABUSERS , Monica DeLucia and Kethura Solano

MINORITIZED GROUPS AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND RECOVERY CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT IN MUTUAL AID FELLOWSHIPS , Kaelyn Doyle and Benjamin Wahl

EXAMINING EDUCATORS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PREPAREDNESS ON THE NEEDS OF UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS , Imelda Duran Herrera

RESILENCY AND FATHERLESS HOUSEHOLDS , Joshua Ellis-Kennedy and Crystal Angelica Orellana

THE INCREASE OF SUICIDE RISKS AMONGST INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC , Joanna Flores

Staff Turnover in Child Welfare , Maleena Flores

SOCIAL WORK STUDENT'S PERCEPTION, KNOWLEDGE, AND PREPAREDNESS IN SERVING UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT CHILDREN , Miriam Flores Portillo and Estela Flores-Portillo

PERCEPTIONS OF THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL MENTAL HEALTH ON ADULT CHILDREN , Samantha Ann Gallo-Vargas and Queray McMihelk Jr.

HOW ARE MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS EQUIPPED WITH ADEQUATE TRAINING TO DETECT AND REPORT ELDER ABUSE IN HOSPICE , Crystal Garcia and Katherine Barba

How Stigma Impacts the Utilization of Mental Health Services Among Young Adults' Within Three Different Ethnic Minority Communities , Ivette Garcia and Melissa E. Gomez

THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON CHILD ABUSE INVESTIGATION OUTCOMES , Kelly Gasso

INTERVENTIONS AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH OPPOSITIONAL DIFIANT DISORDER: A SCOPING REVIEW , Megan George and Jacqueline Laitano

HOW DOES HAVING A PET DURING THE CORONAVIRUS-19 PANDEMIC AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AFFECT ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION , Sugey Gonzalez-Escobedo and Jessica Morales Sanchez

SCHOOL FACULTY’S KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS , Bianca Gonzalez Vargas and Cristal Cortes-Vazquez

HOW LATINO PARENTS COPED WITH FINANCIAL CHALLENGES DURING COVID-19 , Melissa Gradilla and Valerie Malagon

ASSESSING RURAL NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FOSTER PARENT RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES , Ava M. Hagwood

SOCIAL WORK’S ROLE IN ADDRESSING POLICE OPPRESSION: SOCIAL WORKERS’ PERSPECTIVES , Jess Husband

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE , Adelola Ige

EXAMINING THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE , Aida Justiz Skipper and Ericka Ross

PROMOTING RESILIENCE FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE , Brenda Lara

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS AND THE SEXUAL HEALTH OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE INLAND EMPIRE , Irad Leon

HOW HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IMPACTED CLIENTS OF THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT CENTER , Daniella Loera

FACTORS THAT INCREASE SOCIAL WORKER LONGEVITY IN CHILD WELFARE SERVICES , Heather Lovejoy

SAFETY ORGANIZED PRACTICE TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTATION IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA , Alison Lucado

Indigenous Women and Traditional Paths to Healing , Lisa Mariano-Grise

SERVICES FOR AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKA NATIVES FOSTER YOUTH VICTIMS OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: THE SOCIAL WORKER’S PERSPECTIVE , Maria Marquez

RESIDENTIAL CARE STAFF VIEWS ON THE TRAINING THAT THEY RECEIVE AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS ON PREPAREDNESS IN REGARD TO WORKING WITH RESIDENTS , Deziray Sorieya Marroquin

EFFECTS OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT ON PARENTS , David Martinez and Linda Saleh Borghol

THE CHALLENGES HOMELESS MEN WITH HIV/AIDS FACE WHEN SEEKING HOUSING , Rosey Yvette Martinez

EXAMINING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FAMILY COHESION AND THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE IN OFFSPRING , Angelica Mendoza

MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AND ATTITUDES TOWARD MENTAL HEALTH HELP-SEEKING AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS OF NON-MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONS , Hannah Metz

EFFECTIVE RESOURCES FOR ONLINE LEARNING A STUDY ON ELEMENTARY AGED CHILDREN , Marlene Mora-Lopez

FOSTER PARENT TRAINING, RETENTION, AND SATISFACTION: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY , Dennisse Moreno Romo and Dulcinea Catota

AGED OUT YOUTH'S PERCEPTION ON THE NEEDS OF EMANCIPATED FOSTER YOUTH , Linda Murillo

Attitudes of Social Work Students on the Use of Psychedelics as a Mental Health Treatment in Clinical Settings , Amanda Nickles

CHRONIC SORROW AND THE IMPACT ON PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES , Rhianna Mayra Nordlund

BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES THAT LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS FACE WHEN ACQUIRING MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES. , Stephanie Nunez-Rivera

Examining the Obstacles in Rehoming the Homeless with Substance Use Addiction , Denise Ortuno

Access to Gender-Affirming Care and Mental Health of Transgender Individuals , Paola Osuna Berumen

EXAMINING SUPPORT SEEKING BEHAVIORS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT AMONG CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS , Ashley Padilla

THE BARRIERS DIRECT SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS FACE WHEN WORKING WITH INCARCERATED YOUTH , Elizabeth Padilla and Valerie Mercado

UNDERSTANDING VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING: IDENTIFYING MACRO AND MICRO-LEVEL MENTAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS , Abbigail Pereyra

COVID-INDUCED STRESS AND SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS , Quenea Popoca and Christina Ngo

STUDENTS' EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR HYBRID MSW PROGRAM , Carolina Profeta

Preserving Placement for Children with Behavioral Issues: A Qualitative Study of Child Welfare Social Workers in the United States , Jessica Katelyn Quin and Tara Belle Beam

Does the use of Social Media Have an Impact on Young Adults Body Identification? , Glycell Robledo Felix and Ashley Olmedo

ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND STRESS DURING COVID-19: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LATINO DREAMERS IN COLLEGE , Vanessa Robles and Janelly Molina

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL WORK INVOLVEMENT IN HOSPICE CARE TRANSITIONS FOR ILL CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES , Natalie Rodas and Guillermina Morales

SOCIAL WORKERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF DISPROPORTIONALITY AND DISPARITY IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM , Nelyda Rodriguez

EXAMINING HOMELESSNESS AND ITS EFFECTS ON FUNCTIONING AMONG FOSTER CARE ALUMNI , Silvia Romero

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE ON SOCIAL ISOLATION AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG YOUNG ADULTS , MARIANA ROMO

Incarceration Effects on Children and Families , Sharon Rose

IMPACTS OF POVERTY ON LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT HOW LOW SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS STUDENTS ARE AT AN ACADEMIC DISADVANTAGE , Farbod Samari

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE PLACEMENT DISCONTINUITY IN FOSTER CARE , Michelle Sepulveda and Angela Williams

HOW LANGUAGE, HEALTHCARE INSURANCE STATUS, STIGMA, AGE, AND EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT INFLUENCED THE UTILIZATION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AMONG THE LATINO MALE POPULATION , Esmeralda Solis and Annika Coe

THE BENEFITS OF SUPPORT GROUPS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO EXPERIENCE AUDITORY AND VISUAL HALLUCINATIONS , Joseph Stewart

Social Justice Theatre and the Impact on Theatre Artists , Stevie Taken

School-based Suicide Prevention Program for LGBTQ Students , Ching Lok Tse

Exploring Permanency Rates Within the Southern California Counties of Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego , Karrene Turner

Placement instability and its effects on the mental health of foster youth , Tyra Turner and Shalynn Burton

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND GANG MEMBERSHIP , Johanna Ulloa

SOCIAL WORKERS PERSPECTIVE ON BARRIERS TO FAMILY REUNIFICATION , Laura Velasquez and Annamarie C. Merrill

FIRST-GENERATION SOCIAL WORK LATINAS BALANCING LIFE AND CAREER , Angelica Venegas

FORMER FOSTER YOUTH AND THE UTILIZATION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION , Jacqueline Viadas and Liliana Lua

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resilience in Social Work , Margeaux Wilkins and Jazmine Salazar

PARENT-CHILD ATTACHMENT WHEN PARENTING A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY , Giulianna Zocchetti

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2022 2022

SOCIAL WORKER STUDENT’S ANXIETY, AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC , David Adler

Measuring Competency in Social Work: LGBTQIA Populations , Desirae Nicole Aguirre and Samantha Raquel Stephens

PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE USE AMONG LATINX WOMEN WITH POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS , Mayra Alvarado

A NEED FOR SUPPORT SERVICES AMONG HISPANIC FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS , Evelyn Arellano and Jessica Cazares Armenta

PARENTIFICATION: THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON THE PARENTIFIED ADULT , Andrea Monique Armas

UTILIZATION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND CULTURE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF MONOLINGUAL SPANISH SPEAKING PARENTS IN THE INLAND EMPIRE , Valeria Armentilla Cecena

IMMIGRATION AND SOCIAL WORK: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF SCHOOLS IN LIBERAL STATES , Yenicka Avila and Stephanie Ibarra

The Effects of Burn Out in Public Child Welfare Workers , Leandra Barcenas

BARRIERS AMONG MEN SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES , Karen Barone

COLLEGE-AGED STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE , Emily Bautista and Marijane Garcia

Page 1 of 16

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Social Work Research Methods That Drive the Practice

A social worker surveys a community member.

Social workers advocate for the well-being of individuals, families and communities. But how do social workers know what interventions are needed to help an individual? How do they assess whether a treatment plan is working? What do social workers use to write evidence-based policy?

Social work involves research-informed practice and practice-informed research. At every level, social workers need to know objective facts about the populations they serve, the efficacy of their interventions and the likelihood that their policies will improve lives. A variety of social work research methods make that possible.

Data-Driven Work

Data is a collection of facts used for reference and analysis. In a field as broad as social work, data comes in many forms.

Quantitative vs. Qualitative

As with any research, social work research involves both quantitative and qualitative studies.

Quantitative Research

Answers to questions like these can help social workers know about the populations they serve — or hope to serve in the future.

  • How many students currently receive reduced-price school lunches in the local school district?
  • How many hours per week does a specific individual consume digital media?
  • How frequently did community members access a specific medical service last year?

Quantitative data — facts that can be measured and expressed numerically — are crucial for social work.

Quantitative research has advantages for social scientists. Such research can be more generalizable to large populations, as it uses specific sampling methods and lends itself to large datasets. It can provide important descriptive statistics about a specific population. Furthermore, by operationalizing variables, it can help social workers easily compare similar datasets with one another.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative data — facts that cannot be measured or expressed in terms of mere numbers or counts — offer rich insights into individuals, groups and societies. It can be collected via interviews and observations.

  • What attitudes do students have toward the reduced-price school lunch program?
  • What strategies do individuals use to moderate their weekly digital media consumption?
  • What factors made community members more or less likely to access a specific medical service last year?

Qualitative research can thereby provide a textured view of social contexts and systems that may not have been possible with quantitative methods. Plus, it may even suggest new lines of inquiry for social work research.

Mixed Methods Research

Combining quantitative and qualitative methods into a single study is known as mixed methods research. This form of research has gained popularity in the study of social sciences, according to a 2019 report in the academic journal Theory and Society. Since quantitative and qualitative methods answer different questions, merging them into a single study can balance the limitations of each and potentially produce more in-depth findings.

However, mixed methods research is not without its drawbacks. Combining research methods increases the complexity of a study and generally requires a higher level of expertise to collect, analyze and interpret the data. It also requires a greater level of effort, time and often money.

The Importance of Research Design

Data-driven practice plays an essential role in social work. Unlike philanthropists and altruistic volunteers, social workers are obligated to operate from a scientific knowledge base.

To know whether their programs are effective, social workers must conduct research to determine results, aggregate those results into comprehensible data, analyze and interpret their findings, and use evidence to justify next steps.

Employing the proper design ensures that any evidence obtained during research enables social workers to reliably answer their research questions.

Research Methods in Social Work

The various social work research methods have specific benefits and limitations determined by context. Common research methods include surveys, program evaluations, needs assessments, randomized controlled trials, descriptive studies and single-system designs.

Surveys involve a hypothesis and a series of questions in order to test that hypothesis. Social work researchers will send out a survey, receive responses, aggregate the results, analyze the data, and form conclusions based on trends.

Surveys are one of the most common research methods social workers use — and for good reason. They tend to be relatively simple and are usually affordable. However, surveys generally require large participant groups, and self-reports from survey respondents are not always reliable.

Program Evaluations

Social workers ally with all sorts of programs: after-school programs, government initiatives, nonprofit projects and private programs, for example.

Crucially, social workers must evaluate a program’s effectiveness in order to determine whether the program is meeting its goals and what improvements can be made to better serve the program’s target population.

Evidence-based programming helps everyone save money and time, and comparing programs with one another can help social workers make decisions about how to structure new initiatives. Evaluating programs becomes complicated, however, when programs have multiple goal metrics, some of which may be vague or difficult to assess (e.g., “we aim to promote the well-being of our community”).

Needs Assessments

Social workers use needs assessments to identify services and necessities that a population lacks access to.

Common social work populations that researchers may perform needs assessments on include:

  • People in a specific income group
  • Everyone in a specific geographic region
  • A specific ethnic group
  • People in a specific age group

In the field, a social worker may use a combination of methods (e.g., surveys and descriptive studies) to learn more about a specific population or program. Social workers look for gaps between the actual context and a population’s or individual’s “wants” or desires.

For example, a social worker could conduct a needs assessment with an individual with cancer trying to navigate the complex medical-industrial system. The social worker may ask the client questions about the number of hours they spend scheduling doctor’s appointments, commuting and managing their many medications. After learning more about the specific client needs, the social worker can identify opportunities for improvements in an updated care plan.

In policy and program development, social workers conduct needs assessments to determine where and how to effect change on a much larger scale. Integral to social work at all levels, needs assessments reveal crucial information about a population’s needs to researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders. Needs assessments may fall short, however, in revealing the root causes of those needs (e.g., structural racism).

Randomized Controlled Trials

Randomized controlled trials are studies in which a randomly selected group is subjected to a variable (e.g., a specific stimulus or treatment) and a control group is not. Social workers then measure and compare the results of the randomized group with the control group in order to glean insights about the effectiveness of a particular intervention or treatment.

Randomized controlled trials are easily reproducible and highly measurable. They’re useful when results are easily quantifiable. However, this method is less helpful when results are not easily quantifiable (i.e., when rich data such as narratives and on-the-ground observations are needed).

Descriptive Studies

Descriptive studies immerse the researcher in another context or culture to study specific participant practices or ways of living. Descriptive studies, including descriptive ethnographic studies, may overlap with and include other research methods:

  • Informant interviews
  • Census data
  • Observation

By using descriptive studies, researchers may glean a richer, deeper understanding of a nuanced culture or group on-site. The main limitations of this research method are that it tends to be time-consuming and expensive.

Single-System Designs

Unlike most medical studies, which involve testing a drug or treatment on two groups — an experimental group that receives the drug/treatment and a control group that does not — single-system designs allow researchers to study just one group (e.g., an individual or family).

Single-system designs typically entail studying a single group over a long period of time and may involve assessing the group’s response to multiple variables.

For example, consider a study on how media consumption affects a person’s mood. One way to test a hypothesis that consuming media correlates with low mood would be to observe two groups: a control group (no media) and an experimental group (two hours of media per day). When employing a single-system design, however, researchers would observe a single participant as they watch two hours of media per day for one week and then four hours per day of media the next week.

These designs allow researchers to test multiple variables over a longer period of time. However, similar to descriptive studies, single-system designs can be fairly time-consuming and costly.

Learn More About Social Work Research Methods

Social workers have the opportunity to improve the social environment by advocating for the vulnerable — including children, older adults and people with disabilities — and facilitating and developing resources and programs.

Learn more about how you can earn your  Master of Social Work online at Virginia Commonwealth University . The highest-ranking school of social work in Virginia, VCU has a wide range of courses online. That means students can earn their degrees with the flexibility of learning at home. Learn more about how you can take your career in social work further with VCU.

From M.S.W. to LCSW: Understanding Your Career Path as a Social Worker

How Palliative Care Social Workers Support Patients With Terminal Illnesses

How to Become a Social Worker in Health Care

Gov.uk, Mixed Methods Study

MVS Open Press, Foundations of Social Work Research

Open Social Work Education, Scientific Inquiry in Social Work

Open Social Work, Graduate Research Methods in Social Work: A Project-Based Approach

Routledge, Research for Social Workers: An Introduction to Methods

SAGE Publications, Research Methods for Social Work: A Problem-Based Approach

Theory and Society, Mixed Methods Research: What It Is and What It Could Be

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Want to learn more about the program and application process? Get in touch with the form below.

Bachelor’s degree is required to attend.

The link between social work research and practice

When thinking about social work, some may consider the field to solely focus on clinical interventions with individuals or groups.

There may be a mistaken impression that research is not a part of the social work profession. This is completely false. Rather, the two have been and will continue to need to be intertwined.

This guide covers why social workers should care about research, how both social work practice and social work research influence and guide each other, how to build research skills both as a student and as a professional working in the field, and the benefits of being a social worker with strong research skills. 

A selection of social work research jobs are also discussed.  

  • Social workers and research
  • Evidence-based practice
  • Practice and research
  • Research and practice
  • Build research skills
  • Social worker as researcher
  • Benefits of research skills
  • Research jobs

Why should social workers care about research?

Sometimes it may seem as though social work practice and social work research are two separate tracks running parallel to each other – they both seek to improve the lives of clients, families and communities, but they don’t interact. This is not the way it is supposed to work.

Research and practice should be intertwined, with each affecting the other and improving processes on both ends, so that it leads to better outcomes for the population we’re serving.

Section 5 of the NASW Social Work Code of Ethics is focused on social workers’ ethical responsibilities to the social work profession. There are two areas in which research is mentioned in upholding our ethical obligations: for the integrity of the profession (section 5.01) and for evaluation and research (section 5.02). 

Some of the specific guidance provided around research and social work include:

  • 5.01(b): …Social workers should protect, enhance, and improve the integrity of the profession through appropriate study and research, active discussion, and responsible criticism of the profession.
  • 5.01(d): Social workers should contribute to the knowledge base of social work and share with colleagues their knowledge related to practice, research, and ethics…
  • 5.02(a) Social workers should monitor and evaluate policies, the implementation of programs, and practice interventions.
  • 5.02(b) Social workers should promote and facilitate evaluation and research to contribute to the development of knowledge.
  • 5.02(c) Social workers should critically examine and keep current with emerging knowledge relevant to social work and fully use evaluation and research evidence in their professional practice.
  • 5.02(q) Social workers should educate themselves, their students, and their colleagues about responsible research practices.

Evidence-based practice and evidence-based treatment

In order to strengthen the profession and determine that the interventions we are providing are, in fact, effective, we must conduct research. When research and practice are intertwined, this leads practitioners to develop evidence-based practice (EBP) and evidence-based treatment (EBT).

Evidence-based practice is, according to The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) , a process involving creating an answerable question based on a client or organizational need, locating the best available evidence to answer the question, evaluating the quality of the evidence as well as its applicability, applying the evidence, and evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the solution. 

Evidence-based treatment is any practice that has been established as effective through scientific research according to a set of explicit criteria (Drake et al., 2001). These are interventions that, when applied consistently, routinely produce improved client outcomes. 

For example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) was one of a variety of interventions for those with anxiety disorders. Researchers wondered if CBT was better than other intervention options in producing positive, consistent results for clients.

So research was conducted comparing multiple types of interventions, and the evidence (research results) demonstrated that CBT was the best intervention.

The anecdotal evidence from practice combined with research evidence determined that CBT should become the standard treatment for those diagnosed with anxiety. Now more social workers are getting trained in CBT methods in order to offer this as a treatment option to their clients.

How does social work practice affect research?

Social work practice provides the context and content for research. For example, agency staff was concerned about the lack of nutritional food in their service area, and heard from clients that it was too hard to get to a grocery store with a variety of foods, because they didn’t have transportation, or public transit took too long. 

So the agency applied for and received a grant to start a farmer’s market in their community, an urban area that was considered a food desert. This program accepted their state’s version of food stamps as a payment option for the items sold at the farmer’s market.

The agency used their passenger van to provide free transportation to and from the farmer’s market for those living more than four blocks from the market location.

The local university also had a booth each week at the market with nursing and medical students checking blood pressure and providing referrals to community agencies that could assist with medical needs. The agency was excited to improve the health of its clients by offering this program.

But how does the granting foundation know if this was a good use of their money? This is where research and evaluation comes in. Research could gather data to answer a number of questions. Here is but a small sample:

  • How many community members visited each week and purchased fruits and vegetables? 
  • How many took advantage of the transportation provided, and how many walked to the market? 
  • How many took advantage of the blood pressure checks? Were improvements seen in those numbers for those having repeat blood pressure readings throughout the market season? 
  • How much did the self-reported fruit and vegetable intake increase for customers? 
  • What barriers did community members report in visiting and buying food from the market (prices too high? Inconvenient hours?)
  • Do community members want the program to continue next year?
  • Was the program cost-effective, or did it waste money by paying for a driver and for gasoline to offer free transportation that wasn’t utilized? What are areas where money could be saved without compromising the quality of the program?
  • What else needs to be included in this program to help improve the health of community members?

How does research affect social work practice?

Research can guide practice to implement proven strategies. It can also ask the ‘what if’ or ‘how about’ questions that can open doors for new, innovative interventions to be developed (and then research the effectiveness of those interventions).

Engel and Schutt (2017) describe four categories of research used in social work:

  • Descriptive research is research in which social phenomena are defined and described. A descriptive research question would be ‘How many homeless women with substance use disorder live in the metro area?’
  • Exploratory research seeks to find out how people get along in the setting under question, what meanings they give to their actions, and what issues concern them. An example research question would be ‘What are the barriers to homeless women with substance use disorder receiving treatment services?’
  • Explanatory research seeks to identify causes and effects of social phenomena. It can be used to rule out other explanations for findings and show how two events are related to each other.  An explanatory research question would be ‘Why do women with substance use disorder become homeless?’
  • Evaluation research describes or identifies the impact of social programs and policies. This type of research question could be ‘How effective was XYZ treatment-first program that combined housing and required drug/alcohol abstinence in keeping women with substance use disorder in stable housing 2 years after the program ended?’

Each of the above types of research can answer important questions about the population, setting or intervention being provided. This can help practitioners determine which option is most effective or cost-efficient or that clients are most likely to adhere to. In turn, this data allows social workers to make informed choices on what to keep in their practice, and what needs changing. 

How to build research skills while in school

There are a number of ways to build research skills while a student.  BSW and MSW programs require a research course, but there are other ways to develop these skills beyond a single class:

  • Volunteer to help a professor working in an area of interest. Professors are often excited to share their knowledge and receive extra assistance from students with similar interests.
  • Participate in student research projects where you’re the subject. These are most often found in psychology departments. You can learn a lot about the informed consent process and how data is collected by volunteering as a research participant.  Many of these studies also pay a small amount, so it’s an easy way to earn a bit of extra money while you’re on campus. 
  • Create an independent study research project as an elective and work with a professor who is an expert in an area you’re interested in.  You’d design a research study, collect the data, analyze it, and write a report or possibly even an article you can submit to an academic journal.
  • Some practicum programs will have you complete a small evaluation project or assist with a larger research project as part of your field education hours. 
  • In MSW programs, some professors hire students to conduct interviews or enter data on their funded research projects. This could be a good part time job while in school.
  • Research assistant positions are more common in MSW programs, and these pay for some or all your tuition in exchange for working a set number of hours per week on a funded research project.

How to build research skills while working as a social worker

Social service agencies are often understaffed, with more projects to complete than there are people to complete them.

Taking the initiative to volunteer to survey clients about what they want and need, conduct an evaluation on a program, or seeing if there is data that has been previously collected but not analyzed and review that data and write up a report can help you stand out from your peers, be appreciated by management and other staff, and may even lead to a raise, a promotion, or even new job opportunities because of the skills you’ve developed.

Benefits of being a social worker with strong research skills

Social workers with strong research skills can have the opportunity to work on various projects, and at higher levels of responsibility. 

Many can be promoted into administration level positions after demonstrating they understand how to conduct, interpret and report research findings and apply those findings to improving the agency and their programs.

There’s also a level of confidence knowing you’re implementing proven strategies with your clients. 

Social work research jobs

There are a number of ways in which you can blend interests in social work and research. A quick search on Glassdoor.com and Indeed.com retrieved the following positions related to social work research:

  • Research Coordinator on a clinical trial offering psychosocial supportive interventions and non-addictive pain treatments to minimize opioid use for pain.
  • Senior Research Associate leading and overseeing research on a suite of projects offered in housing, mental health and corrections.
  • Research Fellow in a school of social work
  • Project Policy Analyst for large health organization
  • Health Educator/Research Specialist to implement and evaluate cancer prevention and screening programs for a health department
  • Research Interventionist providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia patients participating in a clinical trial
  • Research Associate for Child Care and Early Education
  • Social Services Data Researcher for an organization serving adults with disabilities.
  • Director of Community Health Equity Research Programs evaluating health disparities.

No matter your population or area of interest, you’d likely be able to find a position that integrated research and social work. 

Social work practice and research are and should remain intertwined. This is the only way we can know what questions to ask about the programs and services we are providing, and ensure our interventions are effective. 

There are many opportunities to develop research skills while in school and while working in the field, and these skills can lead to some interesting positions that can make a real difference to clients, families and communities. 

Drake, R. E., Goldman, H., Leff, H. S., Lehman, A. F., Dixon, L., Mueser, K. T., et al. (2001). Implementing evidence-based practices in routine mental health service settings. Psychiatric Services, 52(2), 179-182. 

Engel, R.J., & Schutt, R.K. (2017). The Practice of Research in Social Work. Sage.

National Association of Social Workers. (n.d). Evidence Based Practice. Retrieved from: https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Research-Data/Social-Work-Policy-Research/Evidence-Based-Practice

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11.1 Evaluation research

Learning objectives.

  • Describe how to conduct evaluation research
  • Define inputs, outputs, and outcomes
  • Identify the three goals of process assessment

As you may recall from the definition provided in Chapter 1, evaluation research is research conducted to assess the effects of specific programs or policies. Evaluation research is often used when some form of policy intervention is planned, such as welfare reform or school curriculum change. The focus on interventions and social problems makes it natural fit for social work researchers. It might be used to assess the extent to which intervention is necessary by attempting to define and diagnose social problems in social workers’ service areas, and it might also be used to understand whether their agencies’ interventions have had their intended consequences.  Evaluation research is becoming more and more necessary for agencies to secure and maintain funding for their programs.  The main types of evaluation research are needs assessments, outcomes assessments, process assessments, and efficiency analyses such as cost-benefits or cost-effectiveness  analyses.  We will discuss two types in this section:  outcomes assessments and process assessments .

research title social work

Outcomes Assessments

An outcomes assessment is an evaluation designed to discover if a program achieved its intended outcomes. Much like other types of research, it comes with its own peculiar terminology.  Inputs are the resources needed for the program to operate. These include physical location, any equipment needed, staff (and experience/knowledge of those staff), monetary funding, and most importantly, the clients. Program administrators pull together the necessary resources to run an intervention or program. The program is the intervention your clients receive—perhaps giving them access to housing vouchers or enrolling them in a smoking cessation class. The outputs of programs are tangible results of the program process. Outputs in a program might include the number of clients served, staff members trained to implement the intervention, mobility assistance devices distributed, nicotine patches distributed, etc. By contrast, outcomes speak to the purpose of the program itself.  Outcomes are the observed changes, whether intended or unintended, that occurred due to the program or intervention. By looking at each of these domains, evaluation researchers can obtain a comprehensive view of the program.

Let’s run through an example from the social work practice of the wife of Matt DeCarlo who wrote the source material for much of this textbook. She runs an after-school bicycling club called Pedal Up for children with mental health issues. She has a lot of inputs in her program. First, there are the children who enroll, the volunteer and paid staff members who supervise the kids (and their knowledge about bicycles and children’s mental health), the bicycles and equipment that all clients and staff use, the community center room they use as a home base, the paths of the city where they ride their bikes, and the public and private grants they use to fund the program. Next, the program itself is a twice weekly after-school program in which children learn about bicycle maintenance and bicycle safety for about 30 minutes each day and then spend at least an hour riding around the city on bicycle trails.

In measuring the outputs of this program, she has many options. She would probably include the number of children  participating in the program or the number of bike rides or lessons given. Other outputs might include the number of miles logged by the children over the school year, the number of bicycle helmets or spare tires distributed, etc. Finally, the outcomes of the programs might include each child’s mental health symptoms or behavioral issues at school.

Process Assessments

Outcomes assessments are performed at the end of a program or at specific points during the grant reporting process. What if a social worker wants to assess earlier on in the process if the program is on target to achieve its outcomes? In that case a process assessment is recommended, which evaluates a program in its earlier stages. Faulkner and Faulkner (2016) describe three main goals for conducting a process evaluation.

The first is program description , in which the researcher simply tries to understand how the program looks like in everyday life for clients and staff members. In our Pedal Up example, assessing program description might involve measuring in the first few weeks the hours children spent riding their bikes, the number of children and staff in attendance, etc. This data will provide those in charge of the program an idea of how their ideas have translated from the grant proposal to the real world. If, for example, not enough children are showing up or if children are only able to ride their bikes for ten minutes each day, it may indicate that something is wrong.

Another important goal of process assessment is program monitoring . If you have some social work practice experience already, it’s likely you’ve encountered program monitoring. Agency administrators may look at sign-in sheets for groups, hours billed by clinicians, or other metrics to track how services are utilized over time. They may also assess whether clinicians are following the program correctly or if they are deviating from how the program was designed. This can be an issue in program evaluations of specific treatment models, as any differences between what the administrators conceptualized and what the clinicians implemented jeopardize the internal validity of the evaluation. If, in our Pedal Up example, we have a staff member who does not review bike safety each week or does not enforce helmet laws for some students, we could catch that through program monitoring.

The final goal of process assessments is quality assurance. At its most simple level, quality assurance may involve sending out satisfaction questionnaires to clients and staff members. If there are serious issues, it’s better to know them early on in a program so the program can be adapted to meet the needs of clients and staff. It is important to solicit staff feedback in addition to consumer feedback, as they have insight into how the program is working in practice and areas in which they may be falling short of what the program should be. In our example, we could spend some time talking with parents when they pick their children up from the program or hold a staff meeting to provide opportunities for those most involved in the program to provide feedback.

Needs Assessments

A third type of evaluation research is a needs assessment. A needs assessment can be used to demonstrate and document a community or organizational need and should be carried out in a way to better understand the context in which the need arises. Needs assessments focus on gaining a better understanding of a gap within an organization or community and developing a plan to address that gap. They will often precede the development of a program or organization and are often used to justify the necessity of a program or organization to fill a gap. Needs assessments can be general, such as asking members of a community or organization to reflect on the functioning of a community or organization, or they can be specific in which community or organization members are asked to respond to an identified gap within a community or agency.

Needs assessments should respond to the following questions:

  • What is the need or gap?
  • What data exist about the need or gap?
  • What data are needed in order to develop a plan to fill the gap?
  • What resources are available to do the needs assessment?
  • Who should be involved in the analysis and interpretation of the data?
  • How will the information gathered be used and for what purpose?
  • How will the results be communicated to community partners?

In order to answer these questions, needs assessments often follow a four-step plan. First, researchers must identify a gap in a community or organization and explore what potential avenues could be pursued to address the gap. This involves deciphering what is known about the needs within the community or organization and determining the scope and direction of the needs assessment. The researcher may partner with key informants within the community to identify the need in order to develop a method of research to conduct the needs assessment.

Second, the researcher will gather data to better understand the need. Data could be collected from key informants within the community, community members themselves, members of an organization, or records from an agency or organization. This involves designing a research study in which a variety of data collection methods could be used, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, community forums, and secondary analysis of existing data. Once the data are collected, they will be organized and analyzed according to the research questions guiding the needs assessment.

Third, information gathered during data collection will be used to develop a plan of action to fill the needs. This could be the development of a new community agency to address a gap of services within the community or the addition of a new program at an existing agency. This agency or program must be designed according to the results of the needs assessment in order to accurately address the gap.

Finally, the newly developed program or agency must be evaluated to determine if it is filling the gap revealed by the needs assessment. Evaluating the success of the agency or program is essential to the needs assessment process.

Evaluation research is a part of all social workers’ toolkits. It ensures that social work interventions achieve their intended effects. This protects our clients and ensures that money and other resources are not spent on programs that do not work. Evaluation research uses the skills of quantitative and qualitative research to ensure clients receive interventions that have been shown to be successful.

Key Takeaways

  • Evaluation research is a common research task for social workers.
  • Outcomes assessment evaluate the degree to which programs achieved their intended outcomes.
  • Outputs differ from outcomes.
  • Process assessments evaluate a program in its early stages, so changes can be made.
  • Inputs- resources needed for the program to operate
  • Outcomes- the issues the program is trying to change
  • Outcomes assessment- an evaluation designed to discover if a program achieved its intended outcomes
  • Outputs- tangible results of the program process
  • Process assessment- an evaluation conducted during the earlier stages of a program or on an ongoing basis
  • Program- the intervention clients receive

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Foundations of Social Work Research Copyright © 2020 by Rebecca L. Mauldin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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140 Amazing Social Work Research Topics for Students

Table of Contents

If you are a student who is pursuing a degree in social work, then during your course of study your professor will for sure ask you to submit a social work research paper. Usually, while giving the research assignments, your professors will provide a list of social work research topics for you to choose from. In case, your professors fail to provide the topics list, you need to explore and spot a good topic for your research paper. Basically, it is a challenging process to search and find an ideal research paper topic .

Therefore, to help you out in finding a good topic, here, in this blog post, we have added a list of excellent social work research topics and ideas along with some topic selection tips. In case, you run short of ideas, take help from this blog post.

What is a Social Work Research Paper?

It is an academic paper that is composed on any social work topics after performing in-depth research. Basically, social work research is a kind of investigation that is done in compliance with scientific methods. In simple terms, it can also be identified as the application of a research method that is primarily used to fix the problems faced by social workers.

The ultimate aim of the social work research paper is to widen the social work knowledge of students. Besides that, it also aims to identify accurate solutions for the real-time troubles that are present in society. Your professors will mainly ask you to write this academic paper at the end of the course to evaluate how well you have gained knowledge of social work concepts.

Social Work Research Paper Topic Selection Tips

In the research paper writing process, topic selection is the first and most important step. As the topic plays a vital role in the success of your research paper, at the time of topic selection, you should be more careful. Find here, some key topic selection tips that will help you in identifying a good social work research paper topic.

  • Always choose a unique and practical topic that matches your field of interest.
  • Give preference to a topic that breaks social stereotypes.
  • Go with a topic that is flexible to conduct research and analysis.
  • Select a topic that is associated with social work application theories and principles.
  • Pick a social work research question that allows you to generate reasonable solutions or arguments.
  • Give importance to a topic that has extensive information and many sources of reference and practical examples.
  • Avoid picking frequently discussed topics from the field of social work.
  • Finalize the topic only if it satisfies the social work research paper writing guidelines shared by your university or professor.

After you selected a topic for your academic paper, discuss it with your supervisor and get approval. Seeking advice from supervisors before you begin writing the paper will help you to improve the quality of your writing and get impressive grades.

See Also – Top Sociology Research Topics and Ideas for Students

List of the Best Social Work Research Paper Topics

Are you struggling to find a good topic for your social work research paper? Cool! Just explore the entire list presented below and spot a topic that syncs with your interest. In the list, you can find numerous social work research topics and ideas related to different trending issues that exist in our society.

Top Social Work Research Topics

  • What is the role of a social worker in end-of-life decisions?
  • Explain how social workers can prevent school dropout.
  • Discuss the influence of adolescence’s physical changes on the psyche of children.
  • Analyze the impact of media on preschool behavior.
  • What are the effects of parents’ drug use on their children?
  • Describe the role of social work in helping students to build their value system.
  • Explain how to prevent stereotypes related to depression.
  • Write about the historical development of social work.
  • Analyze the effect of being a workaholic on the family.
  • Explain the causes and prevention of youth recidivism.
  • Discuss the effects of bullying on preschool students.
  • Describe the role of social workers in preventing teenage pregnancies.
  • A study on women who have sexually addictive spouses.
  • Explain the role of social workers in handling children with disabilities.
  • Analyze the risks of HIV among women.
  • Measures to counteract condemning stereotypes with regard to depression (explaining and highlighting the biological mechanisms underlying it)
  • General Considerations for working with children with developmental disabilities
  • Most efficient re-education strategies
  • Attitudes of correctional officers towards the mental health of incarcerated individuals.
  • The significance of group therapy at foster homes.
  • Absence of child support and its impact on child care in America.
  • The social displacement of Autistic children.
  • Effect of clinical depression on adolescent children.

Awesome Social Work Research Ideas

  • Discuss the major issues juvenile delinquents faces globally.
  • Explain how to deal with people who are experiencing homelessness.
  • Suggest the best strategy to counteract the bullying of disabled children.
  • Write about the best pre and post-birth assistance to surrogate mothers.
  • Describe the challenges that single-parent face while raising their children.
  • Study the increase in suicide rates among people who are serving in the military.
  • How to meet the unique needs of sexually exploited children.
  • Explain how to approach dyslexia cases.
  • Discuss the effect of interracial adoption on the growth of children.
  • Explain how to build resilience in welfare or social workers.
  • What causes child abuse in orphanages?
  • Explain the ethical issues associated with human trafficking.
  • What are the major types of child abuse in society?
  • How does childhood trauma affect their growth?
  • Explain how domestic violence affects a family.
  • Ethical rules are important when working with human trafficking victims.
  • Inclination towards committing suicide- Method to deal with the issue.
  • Impact of alcoholism on society, personal lifestyle, and the family of the person.
  • The percentage of incarcerated adults from the minority group.
  • Best ways to offer support to bipolar patients.
  • Consequences of incarcerated people reentering their community.
  • Is there a connection between divorce and the health and lifestyle of children?
  • Analyzing the trauma of parent-child separation.
  • Discuss the concept of substance abuse among teenagers.
  • Identify the similarities and distinctions between ADHD and Dyslexia.

Interesting Social Work Research Paper Topics

  • Analyze the effect of play therapy interventions in school counseling.
  • Write about alternative social work practices.
  • How does diversity affect various communities?
  • Explain the impact of sexual violence on adolescent girls.
  • How should social workers deal with pedophilia victims?
  • Explain how to work with immigrants in social care.
  • How does poverty influence the proper growth of children?
  • Discuss the common types of elder abuse.
  • Analyze the challenges faced by deported women globally.
  • What is the greatest risk of fetal alcohol exposure?
  • How social workers should prevent burnout?
  • Explain the effect of corporate social responsibility on the well-being of society.
  • Study the problems faced by vulnerable people who get medical help.
  • Explain how environmental social work is undertaken.
  • Discuss the positive and negative effects of health care reforms.
  • Case study analysis- Inclusive and functional healthcare system improves social development.
  • How can death affect the integrated wellness of a family?
  • The role of a family in exacerbating the occurrence of depression.

High-quality Social Work Research Topics

  • What are the best social service strategies for refugees?
  • How can backyard farming be used to empower women?
  • Explain how the generation gap affects culture.
  • Describe the influence of unemployment on immigrants.
  • Explain the importance of peer service providers in addressing reproductive health.
  • Share the importance of gender sensitivity in helping the LGBT community.
  • Present the major problems faced by social workers in social work.
  • Analyze the effects of alcohol and drug abuse among young people.
  • Discuss the effectiveness of the prohibition of liquor.
  • Share the major reasons for the increased rate of crime in society.
  • Discuss the major factors that lead to incest.
  • Explain the effect of the welfare scheme on the performance of workers.
  • Present the central issues associated with special education.
  • Analyze the effect of street hawking among teenage girls.
  • How to establish a high school service-learning program.

Fascinating Social Work Research Topics

  • Investigate the experience of AIDS caregivers.
  • How should social workers handle gay and lesbian adoption?
  • Examine the health experiences of older women in rural areas.
  • Explain the roles of social workers in Palliative Care.
  • What are the factors that influence racism globally?
  • Share the importance of couple therapy in building relationships.
  • Explain the consequences of living with Dyslexia.
  • Discuss the effects of community violence on the lives LGBT+ community.
  • Evaluate the overall effect of social work in the USA.
  • Examine the living modes of stigmatized women in society.

Brilliant Social Work Thesis Topics

  • How does death affect the collective well-being of the family?
  • Share the effects of ADHD within foster homes on children.
  • Analyze the social problems faced by Autism children.
  • How to handle life when both parents suffer from Alzheimer’s?
  • Have a closer look at the myths associated with Welfare mothers.
  • Analyze the negative effects of conversion therapy on the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Explain how socioeconomic disparity affects the old.
  • How to address workplace violence.
  • Analyze the connection between welfare systems and low-income neighborhoods
  • Discuss the social and mental effects of loans on students.

Captivating Social Work Research Topics

  • Explain the effective ways to improve the participation of adolescents in the development of the local community.
  • Analyze the effectiveness of family therapy in a mental health setting.
  • Explain the development of successful smoking cessation programs.
  • Discuss the reasons why people become shopaholics.
  • What are the core concepts to be followed while delivering human services?
  • Analyze the successes and failures of drug rehabilitation programs.
  • Focus on youth development across different countries.
  • Examine the importance of illness burden on socioeconomic status.
  • How to enhance the academic performance of a student from a very backward community.
  • Investigate the relationship between income and behavioral health.

Awesome Social Work Research Questions

  • Describe the factors that cause family violence.
  • Examine the suicide prevention protocols in your location.
  • Analyze the risk factors associated with secondary traumatic stress.
  • How does substance abuse affect parenting?
  • Explain how homophobia affects LGBTQ+ adults.
  • Write about prenatal depression in expecting mothers.
  • How can bipolar patients receive support?
  • Explain how to cope with the stigma of having served in prison.
  • Discuss the challenges experienced by minority kids in foster homes.
  • How to encourage women to report domestic violence.
  • Review the undisclosed latest cases of rape violence amongst women in the military and how it impacts their lives and service
  • Analyse why social and academic integration is important for children with Down syndrome
  • Descriptive analysis of the difference and similarities between ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and Dyslexia
  • Discuss the risk factors of dangerous grief and how it impacts the future life of someone
  • How a social worker can undertake grief counseling for families that have lost a loved one?
  • Describe the most effective healing strategies for and ways to meet the unique needs of sexually exploited children and adolescents
  • Describe the best ways to work with elders experiencing any kind of cognitive impairment
  • Describe the impact of positive and negative attitudes of social workers on the old age people

Impressive Social Work Research Topics

  • What are the effects of the Russian-Ukraine war on society?
  • Explain the Effects of diversity on children with disabilities.
  • Discuss the power issues in divorce mediation.
  • Explain the benefits associated with social health education among incarcerated women.
  • Analyze the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community.
  • Explain the importance of religion in reducing stereotypes.
  • Discuss the role of the media in shaping antisemitism stereotypes.
  • Write about the damages caused by psychological violence.
  • Discuss the major problems faced by welfare workers.

Wrapping Up

From the list of ideas suggested above, feel free to choose any topic of your interest and craft an outstanding social work research paper. In case you need any other unique research topic or if you want expert help to prepare your social work research paper without plagiarism, then quickly contact us. On our platform, we have numerous academic writers who are masters in the field of social work to offer you high-quality assignment help . Right from the social work research paper topic selection phase to proofreading, our subject professionals will provide amazing support 24/7. Moreover, utilizing our social work assignment help service would aid you in completing your research paper in advance of your submission date and securing top grades.

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How to Find an Article

Much of the time you will need scholarly journal articles for your research. If you're just getting started and need to find articles on a particular topic, you will need to start your search in an article database, such as those listed below.

If you are looking for a particular journal title, browse or search the  Journals List . If you already have citation information (author, journal title, volume, issue, etc.) to a particular article, you can enter the information into the  Citation Linker  to locate the article.

Recommended Databases

Social Work is an interdisciplinary field, so you may find yourself researching in a wide range subject areas. These databases all contain articles relating to Social Work and are the best place to start your research.

  • Academic Search Ultimate A great place to start your search for both popular and scholarly articles on almost any topic. It contains a large number of journals, the majority of which are peer-reviewed, from numerous subject areas and goes as far back as 1865.
  • JSTOR Includes extensive online journal backfiles for a wide range of disciplines.
  • APA PsycINFO  A comprehensive, international database covering the academic, research and practice literature in over 1,900 leading psychological, psychiatric, and related publications.
  • PsycARTICLES Includes full text articles for journals published by the American Psychological Association, including those relating to Social Work topic
  • Sociological Collection  Index to specialized collection of journal articles in sociology and culture.
  • SocINDEX with Fulltext The world's most comprehensive and highest-quality sociology research database. Includes over 10,000 author profiles.
  • Social Work Abstracts    Provides abstracts for more than 450 social work and human services journals dating back to 1977.

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Book Title: Graduate research methods in social work

Subtitle: A project-based approach

Authors: Matthew DeCarlo; Cory Cummings; and Kate Agnelli

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Book Description: Our textbook guides graduate social work students step by step through the research process from conceptualization to dissemination. We center cultural humility, information literacy, pragmatism, and ethics and values as core components of social work research.

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This book is a cloned version of Graduate research methods in social work by Matthew DeCarlo, Cory Cummings, and Kate Agnelli, published using Pressbooks by Open Social Work under a CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license. It may differ from the original.

Graduate research methods in social work Copyright © 2021 by Matthew DeCarlo, Cory Cummings, Kate Agnelli is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Social work

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What do social workers do?

Social workers protect the vulnerable, connect people to resources, provide counseling, research best practices for care and public policy, challenge discrimination and give a voice to the voiceless. They can be found in hospitals, juvenile corrections, social services for the elderly, mental health and substance abuse programs, disability services and child protective services, to name a few. In short, just about any place where people face challenges, you can find a social worker promoting well-being. If you want to make positive change in the world, we can prepare you for success.

Why earn a BSW degree at UGA?

A bachelor’s degree in social work earned at UGA gives you the knowledge, skills and critical perspective that enables you to start creating effective, sustainable change for those who need it most.

Our BSW program not only prepares you to begin addressing human needs in social service settings, but to analyze and address policies that underlie pervasive problems. Thanks to an innovative curriculum, you will not only acquire knowledge in the classroom, but hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of power, oppression, social justice, evidence-informed practice, advocacy and diversity.

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First-ever Social Work Census aims to assess profession and shape its future

Findings will identify skills and knowledge needed for education and licensure.

The Association of Social Work Boards, in collaboration with the Social Work Workforce Coalition, today launched the first-ever Social Work Census across the United States and Canada. The most comprehensive profession-wide study to date, the Census will generate an up-to-date picture of who today’s social workers are and what they are doing in their practice. Findings will help support the development of a more inclusive and equitable social work workforce and will be used in designing future competence assessments for social work licensure.

Photograph of a group of women at a table during a conference. There are other tables in the background with groups sitting and talking. Stacey Hardy-Chandler is speaking to the participants in the foreground.

Participating in the Social Work Census gives every member of the social work community a platform to share their voice and an opportunity to help bring about positive change for the future of the profession. — ASWB CEO Stacey D. Hardy-Chandler, Ph.D., JD, PGDip, LCSW

Complying with standards for professional regulatory associations, ASWB regularly conducts a practice analysis to assess knowledge and skills needed for entry into the profession. The online Census will expand upon practice analyses of previous years, incorporating the most comprehensive social work workforce study to date. The Census will survey current and retired social workers, social work educators, social work students, and others who work in the social work field. This research will include the collection of data on key demographic characteristics from each respondent — including gender, race, ethnicity, geography, and language use — as well as information on their educational and licensure backgrounds, and their employment and practice characteristics.

“The Social Work Census has implications for the entire profession, regardless of what organizations or interest groups you are a part of,” said Dexter Voisin, Ph.D., LCSW, President of National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work, who serves as a member of the Social Work Workforce Coalition. “It represents important common ground and would give us crucial data which will allow us to address workforce development, strategize around service delivery gaps, and advocate for competitive salaries for social workers.”

It represents important common ground and would give us crucial data which will allow us to address workforce development, strategize around service delivery gaps, and advocate for competitive salaries for social workers. — NADD President Dexter Voisin, Ph.D., LCSW

ASWB convened the Social Work Workforce Coalition, a cross-sectional group of leading U.S. and Canadian social work organizations, to contribute questions to the Census and to promote participation among their constituencies. The Coalition hopes to gain greater insights into questions such as the amount of debt incurred by social work students during their education and the degree of pay disparity across the profession.

“This data will be invaluable in providing a more complete picture of the profession,” said Lavina Harless, MSW, LCSW, senior director of examination services at ASWB. “In seeking input from as many people as possible, the Social Work Census will help ensure that our profession’s licensing competence measures are even more reflective of today’s practice by informing the scope and topics on the next generation of social work competence assessments.”

The Census is the latest undertaking in a series of research projects being led by ASWB. As part of its research-based initiatives, ASWB worked with the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO), with support from The CODE Group, to conduct a series of Community Conversations , which allowed people from across the social work profession to share their unique lived experiences surrounding exam preparation, administration, and outcomes. ASWB is also funding research on social work licensure and regulation and selected three research groups — reflecting diverse national leadership and expertise — to receive a total of nearly $400,000 to evaluate exam pass rates and their implications, regulatory rules that affect the earnings of public safety and social workers, and long-term impacts of licensure changes on the workforce. Findings will be used to inform the continued development of fair, reliable, and valid competence assessments and to shape future efforts aimed at increasing equity and inclusion in the licensure process.

Social workers and social service workers can take the Census between March 1 and May 31, 2024, by visiting SWCensus.org . Each participant will be eligible to earn two hours of continuing education credit and will be invited to select from a list of charitable causes to receive a donation of $1.00. ASWB is pledging up to a total of $100,000 to support 13 organizations identified by members of the Social Work Workforce Coalition.

To participate or learn more about the Social Work Census, visit SWCensus.org .

The Moscow Social Space: Features and Structure

  • URBAN DEVELOPMENT
  • Published: 26 December 2019
  • Volume 9 , pages 383–395, ( 2019 )

Cite this article

  • O. I. Vendina 1 ,
  • A. N. Panin 2 &
  • V. S. Tikunov 2  

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The article presents the results of a study on analyzing intracity differences in Moscow. The concept of “social space” as a dual reality is used as the theoretical framework of the work, derived simultaneously from social relations and properties of an urban area. In the study, heterogeneous quantitative indicators were used for each of Moscow’s 125 districts. Sources of information are a census; current socioeconomic, demographic, migration, and electoral statistics; real estate data; surveys of residents in districts of the city. Based on these, the indices of the ethnic mosaic, demographic shifts, development of the urban amenities, people’s moods, and the reputation of place are calculated; districts are categorized by typology, taking into account factors of location and territorial proximity; maps are compiled, reflecting different dimensions of the city’s social space. Comparative analysis showed that the rather egalitarian social space of Soviet Moscow in past years has become more fragmented and polarized: the boundaries of differences have become more marked. The increase in unevenness has led to tangible divisions in improvement of the urban environment, saturation of the urban well-being of some districts, and the impoverishment of others. The authors conclude that, in order to reduce the risks of urban segregation, it is necessary to strengthen the coherence of the urban space and social environments, and to bring the level of diversity of the urban environment in line with that of the population of Moscow districts. Such policies and activity are most required where rapid growth of ethnocultural diversity occurs against a lack of development, relative transport isolation of districts, and social exclusion.

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The study was carried out at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration with the financial support of the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 15-18-00064 “New Approaches and Methods for Regulating Ethno-Political Relations in Russia’s Largest Urban Agglomerations”). Analytical part of the research was fulfilled within the framework of the state-ordered research theme of the Institute of Geography RAS, no. 0148-2019-0008 (“Problems and Prospects of the Russia’s Territorial Development in Terms of its Unevenness and Global Instability”).

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Vendina, O.I., Panin, A.N. & Tikunov, V.S. The Moscow Social Space: Features and Structure. Reg. Res. Russ. 9 , 383–395 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079970519040117

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Received : 13 February 2019

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Accepted : 11 July 2019

Published : 26 December 2019

Issue Date : October 2019

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079970519040117

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International Women’s Day: What is it and why do we need it?

International Women’s Day is observed on 8 March every year.

International Women’s Day is observed on 8 March every year. Image:  Unsplash/ThisisEngineering RAEng

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This article was first published in 2022 and updated.

  • 8 March is International Women’s Day – devoted to celebrating the achievements of women and seeking gender equality.
  • The campaign theme in 2024 is #InspireInclusion , while the official theme of the UN observance of the day is ‘ Invest in women: Accelerate progress ’.
  • It will take another 131 years to reach gender parity, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023 .

Gender equality is central to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) – and a perennial item on the Secretary-General's annual priority list.

SDG5 calls for the world to " Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls " by 2030.

Empowering women can boost economies and help the peace process, believes António Guterres, but it needs to happen faster.

"We are promoting women's full and equal participation and leadership in all sectors of society, as a matter of urgency," he told the UN General Assembly, outlining the agency's priorities on 7 February 2024.

It will take another 131 years to reach gender parity , according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023.

The continued fight for women’s rights is marked each year by International Women’s Day (IWD).

What is International Women’s Day and when did it start?

IWD takes place on 8 March every year.

It began life as National Women’s Day in the United States back in February 1909. The following year, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, women’s rights activist Clara Zetkin called for an international women’s day to give women a greater voice to further their demands for equal rights.

It was unanimously approved by the female attendees from 17 countries, including Finland’s first three women MPs. International Women’s Day was marked for the first time in March 1911 – and the date was fixed as 8 March in 1913. The UN celebrated it for the first time in 1975 and in 1996 it announced its first annual theme: "Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future".

How is the day marked around the world?

International Women’s Day is celebrated as a national holiday by countries across the globe, with women often given flowers and gifts – and there are IWD events in major cities worldwide .

On 8 March 1914, there was a women’s suffrage march in London, calling for women’s right to vote, at which high-profile campaigner Sylvia Pankhurst was arrested.

In 2001, the internationalwomensday.com platform was launched to reignite attention for the day, celebrate women’s achievements and continue to call for gender parity.

On the centenary in 2011, sitting US President Barack Obama called for March to be known as Women’s History Month. He said: “History shows that when women and girls have access to opportunity , societies are more just, economies are more likely to prosper, and governments are more likely to serve the needs of all their people.”

The World Economic Forum has been measuring gender gaps since 2006 in the annual Global Gender Gap Report .

The Global Gender Gap Report tracks progress towards closing gender gaps on a national level. To turn these insights into concrete action and national progress, we have developed the Gender Parity Accelerator model for public private collaboration.

These accelerators have been convened in twelve countries across three regions. Accelerators are established in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico and Panama in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank in Latin America and the Caribbean, Egypt and Jordan in the Middle East and North Africa, and Japan and Kazakhstan in Asia.

All Country Accelerators, along with Knowledge Partner countries demonstrating global leadership in closing gender gaps, are part of a wider ecosystem, the Global Learning Network, that facilitates exchange of insights and experiences through the Forum’s platform.

Have you read?

In these countries CEOs and ministers are working together in a three-year time frame on policies that help to further close the economic gender gaps in their countries. This includes extended parental leave, subsidized childcare and making recruitment, retention and promotion practices more gender inclusive.

If you are a business in one of the Gender Parity Accelerator countries you can join the local membership base.

If you are a business or government in a country where we currently do not have a Gender Parity Accelerator you can reach out to us to explore opportunities for setting one up.

What is the theme of International Women’s Day in 2024?

Each year, there are effectively two different themes: one proposed as a campaign theme by the IWD website, which this year is #InspireInclusion , and the UN's official, which this year is " Invest in women: Accelerate progress ".

UN Women and the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs jointly publish an annual update on the progress towards SDG5.

In the latest – Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2023 – they reveal there's an "alarming" $360 billion annual deficit in spending on gender-equality measures.

A gender-focused SDG stimulus package to deliver transformational results for women, girls and societies.

UN Women has outlined areas that need joint action to ensure women are not left behind:

Investing in women: A human rights issue

"Gender equality remains the greatest human rights challenge. Investing in women is a human rights imperative and cornerstone for building inclusive societies. Progress for women benefits us all."

Implementing gender-responsive financing

"Due to conflicts and rising fuel and food prices, recent estimates suggest that 75% of countries will curb public spending by 2025 . Austerity negatively impacts women and crowds out public spending on essential public services and social protection."

Shifting to a green and caring economy

"The current economic system exacerbates poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation , disproportionately affecting women and marginalized groups. Advocates for alternative economic models propose a shift towards a green and caring economy that amplifies women’s voices."

Supporting feminist change-makers

"Feminist organizations are leading efforts to tackle women’s poverty and inequality. However, they are running on empty, receiving a meagre 0.13% of total official development assistance ."

What is the state of gender parity globally?

The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2023 found that, although the global parity score has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, "the overall rate of change has slowed down significantly".

The index benchmarks 146 countries across four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival and Political Empowerment) and tracks progress towards closing gender gaps over time.

Of the four gaps tracked, Political Empowerment remains the largest, with only 22.1% closed – a 0.1 percentage point increase on 2022.

The gender health gap: It's more than a women’s issue. Here’s why

Why clear job descriptions matter for gender equality, buses are key to fuelling indian women's economic success. here's why, what is the gender pay gap.

The gender gap in Economic Participation and Opportunity remained the second largest of the gaps, with only 60.1% closed so far (up slightly from 58% in 2022). The pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis is having a disproportionate impact on women .

The gender pay gap is the “difference between the average pay of men and women within a particular group or population” according to the Fawcett Society, which campaigns for equal pay in the UK.

Each year, the charity marks Equal Pay Day in the UK, the day of the year at which women stop earning relative to men. In 2023, that date was 22 November.

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  • Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation >
  • Teaching at UB >
  • Course Development >
  • Learning Science & Theory >

Constructivism

Creating experiences that facilitate the construction of knowledge.

On this page:

What is constructivism.

Constructivism is the theory that says learners construct knowledge rather than just passively take in information. As people experience the world and reflect upon those experiences, they build their own representations and incorporate new information into their pre-existing knowledge (schemas).

Related to this are the processes of assimilation and accommodation.

  • Assimilation refers to the process of taking new information and fitting it into an existing schema.
  • Accommodation refers to using newly acquired information to revise and redevelop an existing schema.

For example, if I believe that friends are always nice, and meet a new person who is always nice to me I may call this person a friend, assimilating them into my schema. Perhaps, however, I meet a different person who sometimes pushes me to try harder and is not always nice. I may decide to change my schema to accommodate this person by deciding a friend doesn’t always need to be nice if they have my best interests in mind. Further, this may make me reconsider whether the first person still fits into my friend schema.

Consequences of constructivist theory are that:

  • Students learn best when engaged in learning experiences rather passively receiving information.
  • Learning is inherently a social process because it is embedded within a social context as students and teachers work together to build knowledge.
  • Because knowledge cannot be directly imparted to students, the goal of teaching is to provide experiences that facilitate the construction of knowledge.  

This last point is worth repeating. A traditional approach to teaching focuses on delivering information to students, yet constructivism argues that you cannot directly impart this information. Only an experience can facilitate students to construct their own knowledge. Therefore, the goal of teaching is to design these experiences.

From the CATT blog

Image of a group of students in a UB classroom.

Consequences for the Classroom

There are many consequences for teaching and the classroom if you adhere to constructivist principles. The following chart from the Teaching and Learning Resources wiki compares traditional and constructivist classrooms across several components

Essential Components to Constructivist Teaching

There are several main components to include if you plan on adhering to constructivist principles in your classroom or when designing your lessons. The following are from Baviskar, Hartle & Whitney (2009):

  • Elicit prior knowledge New knowledge is created in relation to learner’s pre-existing knowledge. Lessons, therefore, require eliciting relevant prior knowledge. Activities include: pre-tests, informal interviews and small group warm-up activities that require recall of prior knowledge.
  • Create cognitive dissonance Assign problems and activities that will challenge students. Knowledge is built as learners encounter novel problems and revise existing schemas as they work through the challenging problem.
  • Apply knowledge with feedback Encourage students to evaluate new information and modify existing knowledge. Activities should allow for students to compare pre-existing schema to the novel situation. Activities might include presentations, small group or class discussions, and quizzes.
  • Reflect on learning Provide students with an opportunity to show you (and themselves) what they have learned. Activities might include: presentations, reflexive papers or creating a step-by-step tutorial for another student.

Examples of Constructivist Classroom Activities

  • Reciprocal teaching/learning Allow pairs of students to teach each other.
  • Examples of Inquiry-Based Labs (Video)
  • Inquiry-Based Labs: A Case Study in Biological Sciences (Video)
  • Assessment Options for Inquiry-Based Labs: Summative Assessment in Biological Sciences Example (Video)
  • PBL In Action in Medical School (Video)
  • Mercer University School of Medicine PBL (Video)
  • Cooperative learning Students work together in small groups to maximize their own and each other's learning. Cooperative learning differs from typical group work in that it requires interdependence among group members to solve a problem or complete an assignment.

Additional Resources

  • Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching & Learning Online workshop from Thirteen.org on constructivism in the classroom. Resources include video demonstrations and tips for implementation.
  • Abbott, M. L., & Fouts, J. T. (2003). Constructivist Teaching and Student Achievement: The Results of a School-Level   Classroom Observation Study in Washington. Technical Report.
  • Ayaz, M. F., & Sekerci, H. (2015). The Effects of the Constructivist Learning Approach on Student's Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Study.  Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET ,  14 (4), 143-156.
  • Bada, S. O., & Olusegun, S. (2015). Constructivism learning theory: A paradigm for teaching and learning.  Journal of Research & Method in Education ,  5 (6), 66-70.
  • Baviskar 1, S. N., Hartle, R. T., & Whitney, T. (2009). Essential criteria to characterize constructivist teaching: Derived from a review of the literature and applied to five constructivist‐teaching method articles.  International Journal of Science Education ,  31 (4), 541-550.
  • Cetin-Dindar, A. (2016). Student Motivation in Constructivist Learning Environment.  Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education ,  12 (2).
  • Hein, G. (1991) . Constructivist learning theory.  Institute for Inquiry. Available at: http://www. exploratorium.edu/ifi/resources/constructivistlearning.html .
  • Kim, J. S. (2005) . The effects of a constructivist teaching approach on student academic achievement, self-concept, and learning strategies.  Asia pacific education review ,  6 (1), 7-19.
  • Saunders, W. L. (1992). The constructivist perspective: Implications and teaching strategies for science.  School Science and Mathematics ,  92 (3), 136-141.
  • Semerci, Ç., & Batdi, V. (2015) . A meta-analysis of constructivist learning approach on learners’ academic achievements, retention and attitudes. Journal of Education and Training Studies , 3(2) doi:10.11114/jets.v3i2.644
  • Siemens, G. (2014). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age.
  • Travis, H., & Lord, T. (2004). Traditional and constructivist teaching techniques.  Journal of College Science Teaching ,  34 (3), 12.

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