EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGNS IN SOCIAL WORK: THEORY AND APPLICATIONS

Book Details:

• Author: Bruce A. Thyer

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 2024

• ISBN: 9788131613801

• Pages: 400

• Cover: Hardcover

About the Book

Experimental research plays a pivotal role in the field of social work, enabling practitioners to determine which interventions and strategies are most effective for clients. However, despite its value, experimental methods are not commonly taught in social work programs, and critics often argue that experiments are impractical, unethical, or too simplistic to evaluate social work practices adequately.

In this book, Bruce A. Thyer provides a thorough overview of experimental research theory and practice within social work. He introduces the basics of experimental methods before progressing to more complex and refined designs. Through real-world examples, Thyer demonstrates how social workers have successfully applied experimental research to evaluate practice approaches. The book addresses challenges such as the recruitment and representation of marginalized groups, ethical concerns, and the need to ensure that all participants benefit from the interventions.

Whether you're a social work student or a professional practitioner, this comprehensive guide will enhance your understanding of experimental research and its significance in social work. With a focus on practical utility, it shows how these methods can be used to evaluate everything from individual interventions to broader social policies.

Contents

• Why Does Social Work Need Experimental Designs?

• What Are Experiments?

• The Philosophy of the Science of Experimental Designs

• The Purpose of Experimental Designs

• Posttest-Only Experimental Designs

• Pretest–Posttest Experimental Designs

• Refinements in Experimental Designs

• Recruiting Participants from Diverse and Underrepresented Groups

• Alternatives to Group-Randomized Designs for Making Causal Inferences

• Ethical Considerations for the Use of Experimental Designs

About the Author

Bruce A. Thyer is a distinguished research professor and former dean at the College of Social Work at Florida State University. He is also an extraordinary professor with the Optentia Research Unit at North-West University, South Africa. Thyer is the editor of Research on Social Work Practice and coeditor of the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. He has contributed extensively to the field of social work research and is highly regarded for his work in experimental methodologies.