Social Work Research and the Quest for Effective Practice

摘要: This article reports a study assessing the contribution of current social work journal publications to cumulative body research that is capable informing interventions. Thirteen journals published from 1993 mid-1997 were reviewed. Analysis was guided by view focus and design studies should correspond supply knowledge needed perform different practice tasks. Accordingly, articles classified their potential decisions requiring descriptive, explanatory, or control knowledge. Research aiming at knowledge, selection implementation interventions, further evaluated whether interventions outcomes studied sufficiently specified permit reliable replication application in practice. Very few found report on even fewer used designs enable replication. Factors affecting rate quality are also discussed. Key words: functions knowledge; intervention research; for practice; design; purpose Social has long been concerned with strengthening extent which its guiding (see Greenwood, 1957; Kadushin, 1959; Kane, 1982). Over years increasing attention directed toward this purpose. resulted founding 1970s first two dedicated publishing (Social Work & Abstracts Journal Service Research) about 20 later (Research Practice). These advances notwithstanding, concern persists researchers not meeting needs practitioners. Such reflected convening symposium 1996 psychosocial research, cosponsored Institute Advancement Office Behavioral Sciences National Institutes Health, as well publication special issue (September 1997). Emanating similar concerns, reviews assesses contributing effective review based premise must adhere be effectiveness criteria. That is, selected basis empirically demonstrated effectiveness. Because major vehicle accumulating disseminating professional they constitute primary source guidance we examined relation PURPOSE OF PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE The relevant valid core Rosen (1978, 1996) conceptualized related purposes function Three types distinguished: control. Descriptive guides practitioners classifying phenomena encounter into meaningful conceptual categories. Often it deciding what particular manifestation event concern-that considered problem. includes information characteristics, indicators, incidences (for example, poverty, child abuse, maladaptive behavior, mental disorders, community violence). articulation values, helps formulate work's objectives (Rosen, 1978), informs policy services client groups, aids clients problems professionally …