CHAPTER- 13

Social Work Research

Research is a method, applicable in certain circumstances, for achieving the objective of

transforming the indeterminate situation into a determinate one. 1 Research may be defined as systematic
investigation intended to add to available knowledge in a form that is communicable and verifiable. 2
Social work profession is a new profession and hence it needs a variety of knowledge of theory and
practice to make it more valuable to the mass population.
It is necessary for us that to know about social work research we must know about social research:
I. Social Research
Social Research studious enquiry, usually, critical and exhaustive investigation or experimentation
having for its aim the revision of accepted conclusions in the light of newly discovered facts. (Webster
Dictionary)
Young (1960)
Social research is "a scientific undertaking which, by means of logical and systematized methods,
aim to discover new facts or old facts, and to analyze their sequences, interrelationships, casual
explanations and the natural laws, which govern them"3
Sleisinger and Stevenson (1934)
Social research may be regarded as "a method of studying of analysing and conceptualizing social
life in order to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in the construction of a
theory or in the practice of an art."4
Moser (1961)
"Systematized investigation to gain new knowledge about social phenomena and problems, we call
social research."5
Bogardus (1953)
Social research is the investigation of the underlying processes, operative in the lives of persons,
who are in association.6
On the analysis of these definitions, we find the following characteristics of social research:
1. Social research is related to acquiring knowledge in connection with the social life and social
phenomena. Human beings are studied as members of society.
2. New facts about social life are investigated in social research. Old facts are also verified.
3. Laws are formulated in connection with the social life and social phenomena.
4. Social research investigates the inter-relationships among different social facts.
5. Knowledge about the control of social phenomena is promoted through social research.
Friedlander (1957)
Social research is the systematic and critical investigation of questions in the social welfare field with
the purpose of yielding answers to problems of social work and of extending and generalizing social
work knowledge and concepts.7
II. Meaning of Social Work Research8
Social work research is the application of research methods to solve problems. It Provides
information that can be taken into consideration by social workers prior to making decisions, that affect
their clients or agencies. Social work research methods and techniques are being used in following
situations:
 (1) Social caseworker is interested in assessing the nature and extent of the problem of his clients
who have been facing social and psychological maladjustment. He may be interested in
obtaining information about the actual or potential efectiveness of the client.
(2) Group worker wishes to assess the extent to which the technique of role play is more or less
effective than group discussion in increasing knowledge of drug abuse among school going
children. he also discovers new techniques to develop democratic leadership by using social
work research.
(3) A community organiser wants to know the views of the community before he takes a decision
to change the objectives as well as programme.
(4) A social work administrator is concerned about effectiveness of implementation of new
launched programme.
Ripple (1960)
Social work research begins with practical problems, and its objective is to produce knowledge that
can be put to use in planning or carrying on social work programmes.9
Brij Mohan (1986)
Social work research is an organized scientific endeavour and established professional activity
towards building up a general theory of human behaviour and social functioning involving a coherent
system of interventions.10
Macdonald (1957)
Research in social work may be taken to encompass those questions which are encountered in social
work practice or in planning or administering social work services, which are soluable through research,
and which are appropriate for investigation under social work auspices. 11
Fletcher (1949)
"Research in social work has been defined as the scientific testing of the validity of social work
functions and methods".12
On analysing various definitions we find that social work research has certain points, which may be
enumerated as under.13
1. Social work research is an applied research in that it derives from and contributes to the practice of
social work. The body of social work knowledge, while not a science, may be made more scientific
by means of social work research.
2. Social work research may be addressed to the problems of varying degrees of generality. At one
extreme, the product may be quite abstract, for example, a test of the hypothesis postulating a
positive relationship between acceptance by the case worker and lowering of protective defensive
mechanisms by the client, or between the support of group structure by the group worker and
increasing cohesion of the group. At the other extreme, a private agency may wish merely to know
how many of its clients are non-residents so that the director may use this fact when he testifies
before a legislative commission. The resulting figure is an infinitesimal contribution to social work
knowledge, and it may be pretentious to label as research the simple inquiry that resulted in this
discrete item of information.
3. Information is 'inert knowledge' and theories are proposed to account for relationships among the
facts.
4. While the function of research in social work is to produce useful knowledge, the function may be
discharged sequentially. One investigation may build on others, later investigations may incorporate
the findings of earlier ones.
5. The function of social work research may be conceived to include production of knowledge of
different sorts. The function will be fully discharged only as knowledge is increasingly systematized.
This implied the development of useful concepts and the explication of their relationship, i.e. theory
building.
III. Difference between Social Research and Social Work Research
General social research and social work research do not have much distinction as both are concerned
to promote the welfare of the humanity by the results of its investigation. The social work research begins
with practical problems whereas social research is to produce such knowledge that can be helpful in
planning and executing the social work programmes, whereas the objective of social research is to
accumulate the knowledge for understanding the social life of human beings. The social work research is
an applied research, which is directed towards the acquisition of knowledge in order to control or change
human behaviour. Social research may be basic as well as applied. Social work research serves the goals
of social work whereas social research has no specific goal. It increases the knowledge of any social
sciences. The social work research helps the social workers in dealing with social problems or problems
relating to their clients (individual, group or community). Social research may be helpful to social work
as it helps in increasing the knowledge of human behaviour.
IV. Scientific Method14
Scientific research always has been characterized by methodological pluralism. No one approach to
inquiry is suitable for answering all questions or for all purposes. There is a sort of hierarchy of methods
arranged in loose order in which we can have confidence in the strength of the conclusions. For example,
observational and correlational studies are seen as generally less persuasive than experimental studies in
terms of making causal inferences. But this hierarchy is very flexible. A poorly designed randomized
controlled study may have considerably less scientific merit than a well-conducted correlational
investigation, or a qualitative case study may prove to be more informative than a quantitative survey.
Such hierarchies are not meant to imply that some methods are intrinsically superior to others, only that,
when well conducted, certain approaches have a better ability to help us sort out causal relationships
than others. Since much research is not about trying to determine causal relationships, angst about
supposed hierarchies of research methods is clearly misplaced. If one wishes to learn about the political
views of M.S. W. students, a survey is a superior methodology relative to an experiment, to give but one
example.
Some disciplines lend themselves more readily to experimentation than do others. For example, take
legitimate scientific fields such as meteorology, geology, astronomy, and paleontology. Here, scientists
primarily rely on observations and correlations among these observations. There are few, if any, genuine
experiments intended to influence the weather, the movement of tectonic plates, the rotation of the
planets, or the placement of fossils in the Earth's strata, yet these disciplines certainly are recognized as
"hard" sciences. True experimentation is also exceedingly difficult in the world of social work, and this
makes those few examples that have been undertaken all the more precious and admirable. We too rely,
to a great extent, on naturalistic observations, correlational methods, and quasi- experiments of less than
ideal design so as to advance knowledge in our field.
Use of Scientific Method in Social Work15
Social Work basically deals with human behaviour, which is complex and dynamic in nature. One
cannot, therefore investigate under guided conditions as in natural and physical sciences. Complexity of
human nature and social relation with problems create many problems to the researcher. The problem
arising out of the nature and content of social work do not seriously diminish the importance of scientific
method for social workers. Notwithstanding the inherent limitations scientific method can be used for the
study of problems related with social work so far as it helps to arrive at valid generalizations.
V. Objectives of Social Work Research
Social work research facilitates the use and generalizability of systematically arrived at facts and
explanations which help to solve the social problems and enhance human functioning! 16 Mass17 indicates
two purposes of social work research: (1) to achieve a better fit between human needs and welfare goals;
(2) to increase the likelihood that these goals can be attained. MacDonald's 18 view is that the function of
the social work research is to contribute to the development of a dependable body of knowledge to serve
the goals and means of social work in all its ramifications. Fletcher19 has mentioned the following
objectives of the social work research:
1. To improve and enlarge the techniques of diagnosis and treatment as they are used in social work
practice.
2. To develop the efficiency and define the function of social work agency as the medium through
which social work is practiced.
3. To appraise and measure the community's needs for social work services.
4. To add to the general knowledge of the etiology of social pathology so that social action can be
directed towards the prevention of problems that might later require social work treatment.
VI. Types of Research in Social Work
Phillip Klein20 has mentioned the following classifications of the types of research in social work:
1. Studies to establish, identify and measure the need for service.
2. Studies to measure the services offered, as they relate to needs.
3. Studies to test, gauge and evaluate results of social work operation.
4. Studies to test the efficacy of specific techniques of offering service.
5. Studies in methodology of research.
Friedlander21 has mentioned the following types:
1. Studies to establish and measure factors that produce social problems and call for social services.
2. Studies of the history of charitable institutions, social welfare legislation, social welfare programmes
and social work concepts.
3. Studies of the expectations, perceptions and situation evaluations of social workers.
4. Studies of intentions, goals and self-images of social workers.
5. Studies of relationship between the social worker's expectations, his intentions and his actions.
6. Studies of the content of social work processes.
7. Studies that test the adequacy of available social services in relation to the individuals, groups and
the community.
8. Studies that test, gauge and evaluate the effects of social work operations and investigate the
competence required for social work practice.
9. Studies of client expectations, goals, perceptions and evaluation of situations.
10. Studies of client's behaviour in relation to their reactions to social work practice.
11. Studies of formal and informal definition of the role of social workers, their interrelationships.
12. Studies of the values and priority preferences of social groups in the community, upon which social
welfare practice relies for support and development
13. Studies of the patterns of interaction between different components in social agency settings and of
their influence upon clients and agency staff.
14. Studies in the methodology of the social work research.
It has been recognized that social work research needs to develop and define its own conceptual
tools and selecting and adapting concepts from the social sciences.
VII. Functions of Social Work Research22
Functions of social work research may be broadly categorised as follows :
A. As a Method of Social Work
· Evaluate the effectiveness of intervention techniques.
· Make comparison of alternative intervention techniques.
· Innovate Interventions.
· Assess programme effectiveness.
B. Research in Social Work
· To test theories, principles, values of social work.
 · To examine the knowledge base of social work.
· To study the problems or difficulties faced by social work
practitioners in the practice of their profession.
· To study the social work education struc-ture, curriculum theory and
practice.
Social work is a practice profession. As such, the major objective of social work research is to search
for answers to questions raised regarding interven-tions or treatment effectiveness in social work practice.
In other words, social work research attempts to provide knowledge about what interventions or treatments
really help or hinder the attainment of social work goals. Ultimately, it helps in building knowledge base
for social work theory and practice.
It is obvious that in social work research the study of a problem is from the point-of-view of
pro-fessional social work. The designing of research problems, data collection and its interpretation will
have to be attem-pted in a manner as would be useful to professional social work which would add new
knowledge to the social work theory and practice and improve the efficiency of professional social
workers.
VIII. Scope of Social Work Research23
Social work profession has a scientific base, which consists of a special body of knowledge; tested
or validated knowledge, hypothetical knowledge and assumptive knowledge. Assumptive knowledge
requires transformation into hypothetical knowledge, which in turn needs transformation into tested
knowledge. Social work research has significant role in transforming the hypothetical and assumptive
knowledge to tested knowledge.
Not all concepts or theories that are used by professional social workers have been tested and
validated. Concerted efforts through social work research are very much required to conceptually
articulate and validate the concepts and theories, which will, in turn, strengthen the scientific base of
professional social work.
On the theoretical side, social work research re-examines the special body of knowledge, concepts and theories and tries
to evolve a systematic theory and valid concepts, in the area of social work practice. Social work research may be conducted to
know the efficacy of different methods of social work as also to search for alternate interventions and treatments.
Identification of social work needs and resources, evaluation of programmes and services of social work agencies are
some of the areas in which social work researches are undertaken. Social work research may be conducted to know the
problems faced by professional social workers in social work agencies and communities in its concern with social work
functions. Thus, social work research embraces the entire gamut of social work profession; concepts, theories, methods,
programmes, services and the problems faced by social workers in their practice.
The areas of social work research may be broadly categorised as follows:
1. To undertake studies to establish, identify and measure the need for services.
2. To measure the services offered as they related to the needs.
3. To test, gauge and evaluate results of social work intervention.
4. To ascertain the efficacy of specific techniques of offering services.
5. To conduct studies in methodology of social work.
IX. Relationship of Social Work Research to other Disciplines
Social work operates on the basis of variegated bodies of knowledge. Important contributions have been made
by social and biological sciences, i.e sociology, psychology, economics, education, public administration,
medicine, psychiatry, biology and law to develop social work as a profession. Social work research is the
formulation and testing of social work knowledge but its achievements are peripheral to the developing
body of knowledge. "Social work knowledge in the coming years either must formulate and test its own
knowledge on a substantial scale, supplementing it with critical use of social science knowledge, or it
must surrender its professional functions of new and more vigorous disciplines, hereby assigning its
practitioners the role of useful technicians and abandoning the hope of attaining full professional status
for the field."24 The social work research has so far developed its knowledge of the following areas:
knowledge of the history of social work and the relationship of social work, as a profession, to the society
in which it operates, knowledge of social agency organization, administration, operation and function;
skill in interpreting social welfare programme and services; knowledge of community resources relevant
to problems that clients bring to social agencies; knowledge of the nature of human needs which social
welfare programmes are designed to meet; knowledge of the relationships between the different units of
net work of social services in the community and skills in using this network on behalf of the social
agency client; knowledge of appropriate professional behaviour in relation to clients, colleagues and
other professional persons; knowledge and acceptance of the values and philosophical orientations of
social work and of the ethics of the profession; knowledge and acceptance of the role of social work and
the social worker in relation to the client; skills in developing, sustaining and managing a relationship
with clients of social agencies; skill in the application of the scientific method-study, diagnosis and
treatment in helping the social agency client; skill in interviewing, discussion leadership and committee
chairmanship in a social agency setting for social work purposes; skills in constructively using social
work supervision and consultation and knowledge about such supervisory and consultative relationships
and skill in recording in line with the agency's needs.25
X. Problems in Social Work Research
Greatest problem in social work research is to bring together knowledge of the field and knowledge
of method. The researcher must have a thorough knowledge of practice, practice theory, other relevant
theories and concepts and findings of other researches in the fields. This knowledge can be achieved only
through the study of social work or its any branch and other related social sciences. But the problem is
that the authorities of social work have never been researchers and experts in research field and have
seldom been expert in some branch of social work. This has created new types of problems in the research
fields of social work. The first type is the abortive study that fails due to a lack of competence in the
application of an appropriate research methodology. The second type is the irrelevant study that fails to
contribute to social work knowledge because the research design does not utilize concepts and variables
that are meaningful in terms of social work theory.26
Optimum conditions for the advance of research in social work suggest three requirements: (1) an
intimate and profound grasp of social work knowledge relevant to the problems; (2) grasp of relevant
knowledge from other disciplines or professions and (3) methodological competence in undertaking the
given inquiry.27
References
1. Ripple, L.: Problem Identification and Formulation in Social Work Research (ed) Polansky, Norman A., The
University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1960, p. 24.
2. Macdonald, M.E.: Quoted by Ripple, L., op. cit., p. 24.
3. Young, P.V.: Scientific Social Survey and Research, Asia Publishing House, Bombay, 1960, p. 44.
4. Sleisinger Donald and Stevenson, M.; 'Research' in Encyclopedia of Social Sciences, p. 330.
5. Moser, C.A.: Survey Methods in Social Investigation, Heinnmann, London, 1961, p. 3.
6. Bagardus, E.S.: Sociology, p. 543.
7. Friedlander, W.A. : Introduction to Social Welfare Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall, 1957, p. 191.
8. Lal Das, D.K. : Practice of Social Research : A Social Work Perspective, Rawat, Jaipur, 2000.
9. Ripple, L.: op cit., p. 24.
10. Brij Mohan: 'Social Work Research: An Innovative Process' in Horizons of Social. Work (ed.) by Singh, S. and
Soodan, K.S., op. cit., p. 145.
11. Macdonald, Mary E.: "Research in Social Work" in Social Work Year Book, 1957, p. 490.
12. Fletcher, Ralph Carr: Research and Studies in Social Work Social Work Year Book, 1949.
13. Macdonald, M.E.: "Social Work Research: Perspective in Social Work Research (ed) by Polausky N.A., op. cit., p. 5.
14. Thyer, B.A. : Introductory principles of Social work Research stage publication, USA, 2010.
15. Lal Das, D.K.: Social Work Research : Meaning, Importance and Scope http://www.ignou.ac.in/upload/Bswe-003%20Block-4-UNIT-
16-small % 20 size. pdf.
16. Brij Mohan: op cit., p. 146.
17. Mass. H.S.: 'Research in Social Work' Encyclopedia of Social Work, II NASW, New York, 1977, p. 1185.
18. Macdonald, M.E. : op. cit, p. 1.
19. Fletcher, R.C.: "Research and Studies in Social Work" Social Work Year Book, AASW, 1949, p. 436.
20. Klein Philip and Merrian, I.C. : The Contribution of Research to Social Work, American Association of Social Workers, New York, 1948, p.
46.
21. Friedlander, W.A.: op. cit. pp. 295-96.
22. Lal Das, D.K.: Quantitative Research in Social Work, Encyclopaedia of Social Work in India, New Royal Book Company, Luclknow 2012,
p. 954-955
23. Ibid.
24. Kahn, A.J.: "The Nature of Social Work Knowledge-New Directions in Social Work (ed) Cora Kasius, Harper and Brothers, New York,
1954, pp. 210-211.
25. Kahn, A.J.: Issues in American Social Work, Columbia University Press, New York, 1959, pp. 46-47.
26. Macdonald, M.E.: op. cit., p. 19.
27. Ibid.

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