social work research areas

199+ Social Work Research Topics [Updated 2024]

In the vast and dynamic field of social work, research plays a pivotal role in shaping interventions, policies, and practices. Social work research is not just an academic pursuit but a powerful tool for effecting positive change in communities. As aspiring researchers delve into this realm, the journey begins with a crucial decision – selecting the right social work research topic.

In this blog, we will explore the significance of choosing the right social work research topics, provide insights into the selection process, highlight popular research areas, discuss emerging trends, offer tips for conducting research, and share valuable resources for social work researchers.

Significance of Choosing the Right Social Work Research Topics

Table of Contents

Impact on Research Quality

The choice of a research topic significantly influences the quality and relevance of the research conducted. A well-chosen topic enhances the researcher’s ability to contribute meaningfully to the existing body of knowledge in social work.

Alignment with Personal Interests and Goals

Selecting a topic aligned with personal interests and career goals fosters a sense of passion and commitment. This alignment not only sustains the researcher’s enthusiasm throughout the process but also increases the likelihood of producing impactful research.

Contribution to the Field of Social Work

The right research topic has the potential to contribute to the broader field of social work by addressing pressing issues, proposing innovative solutions, and advancing our understanding of complex social dynamics.

How to Select Social Work Research Topics?

Understanding the Scope of Social Work: Social work is a multifaceted discipline that encompasses various domains such as mental health, child welfare, community development, and more. Prospective researchers should explore the diverse scopes within social work to identify areas that resonate with their interests and expertise.
Identifying Personal Interests and Passion: Passion fuels research endeavors. Researchers should reflect on their personal experiences, values, and interests to identify areas within social work that evoke a strong sense of commitment.
Considering Relevance to Current Social Issues: Social work research gains significance when it addresses current societal challenges. Researchers should evaluate potential topics based on their relevance to contemporary issues, ensuring that the findings can contribute meaningfully to ongoing dialogues and efforts for social change.

199+ Social Work Research Topics: Category-Wise

Mental health and social work.

The impact of community support on mental health outcomes.
Examining the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in social work.
Exploring stigma surrounding mental health in diverse populations.
Integrating technology in mental health counseling: Challenges and opportunities.
The role of social work in preventing suicide and self-harm.

Diversity and Inclusion in Social Work

LGBTQ+ inclusivity in social work practice.
Addressing microaggressions and bias in social work interactions.
Promoting cultural competence in social work education.
Exploring challenges faced by immigrants and refugees in accessing social services.
Intersectionality in social work: Understanding and addressing multiple identities.

Social Work and Community Development

Evaluating the impact of community gardens on neighborhood well-being.
The role of social workers in disaster response and recovery.
Strategies for combating homelessness and housing insecurity.
Assessing the effectiveness of community-based participatory research in social work.
Social work’s contribution to sustainable community development.

Social Work and Child Welfare

Investigating the long-term outcomes of children in foster care.
The impact of parental substance abuse on child welfare.
Exploring cultural competence in child welfare services.
Innovative approaches to supporting kinship care families.
Assessing the effectiveness of early intervention programs for at-risk children.

Global Perspectives in Social Work Research

Cross-cultural perspectives on social work ethics.
Human rights and social work: An international comparison.
The role of social work in addressing global health disparities.
Social work responses to forced migration and refugee crises.
Comparative analysis of social work systems in different countries.

Technology and Social Work

Ethical considerations in the use of artificial intelligence in social work.
Online therapy and its implications for the future of social work.
Integrating telehealth in social work practice: Challenges and benefits.
Cyberbullying and the role of social workers in prevention and intervention.
The impact of social media on social work advocacy.

Policy and Advocacy in Social Work

Analyzing the impact of welfare reform on vulnerable populations.
Social work advocacy for criminal justice reform.
The role of social workers in shaping healthcare policies.
Addressing disparities in access to education through social work policy.
Environmental justice and the role of social work in sustainability.

Substance Abuse and Addiction in Social Work

Harm reduction strategies in social work practice.
Supporting families affected by substance abuse: A social work perspective.
Exploring the intersection of trauma and addiction in social work.
Assessing the effectiveness of drug prevention programs in schools.
The role of social workers in opioid addiction treatment.

Gerontology and Aging in Social Work

Aging in place: Examining the role of social work in supporting seniors at home.
Social isolation and mental health in the elderly population.
Addressing elder abuse: Strategies for prevention and intervention.
Palliative care and the role of social workers in end-of-life care.
The impact of dementia on families and the role of social work support.

Education and Social Work

The role of school social workers in addressing student mental health.
Inclusive education: Social work interventions for students with disabilities.
Bullying prevention programs in schools: A social work perspective.
Examining the impact of teacher-student relationships on academic outcomes.
Social work support for students experiencing homelessness.

Human Trafficking and Exploitation

Human trafficking prevention and intervention strategies in social work.
The role of social workers in supporting survivors of human trafficking.
Addressing labor exploitation through social work advocacy.
Intersectionality and human trafficking: A comprehensive approach.
Assessing the effectiveness of anti-trafficking policies and programs.

Family Dynamics and Social Work

Impact of divorce and separation on children: Social work interventions.
Foster care reunification: Challenges and success factors.
LGBTQ+ parenting and the role of social work in family support.
Domestic violence prevention programs: A social work perspective.
Blended families: Navigating challenges and fostering resilience.

Health and Healthcare Disparities

Social determinants of health and their impact on vulnerable populations.
Access to healthcare for underserved communities: A social work perspective.
The role of social workers in supporting individuals with chronic illnesses.
Reducing health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities through social work interventions.
Palliative care and the psychosocial aspects of terminal illness.

Human Rights and Social Work

Social work advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights.
Promoting gender equality through social work initiatives.
Indigenous rights and the role of social workers in reconciliation.
Advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities: A social work perspective.
Social work responses to human rights violations and social justice issues.

Disability and Inclusion

Social work interventions for children with developmental disabilities.
The impact of inclusive employment programs on individuals with disabilities.
Accessibility and social work advocacy for people with physical disabilities.
Autism spectrum disorder: Social work support for individuals and families.
Inclusive recreation programs: Enhancing the lives of people with disabilities.

Veterans and Military Social Work

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the role of social workers in veteran support.
Social work interventions for military families experiencing deployment stress.
Transitioning from military to civilian life: Challenges and opportunities.
The impact of substance abuse on veterans and social work prevention strategies.
Access to mental health services for veterans: A social work perspective.

Community Mental Health Programs

Evaluating the effectiveness of community mental health clinics.
Peer support programs in community mental health: A social work approach.
Social work interventions for reducing stigma around mental illness in communities.
Integrating mental health into primary care settings through collaborative care approaches.
Social workers’ roles in school-based mental health initiatives.

Immigration and Social Work

Social work responds to populations of immigrants and refugees’ mental health issues.
The effect of immigration laws on social service accessibility.
Community integration and social work support for immigrants.
Advocacy for immigrant rights: A social work perspective.
Family reunification and the role of social workers in immigration processes.

Social Work in Rural Communities

Access to healthcare in rural communities: Social work interventions.
Substance abuse prevention in rural settings: Challenges and solutions.
Community development strategies for promoting rural well-being.
Addressing mental health disparities in rural populations: A social work approach.
Social work support for families facing economic challenges in rural areas.

Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice

Integrating trauma-informed care into social work practice.
Addressing childhood trauma through school-based interventions.
Trauma-focused therapies and their application in social work.
Vicarious trauma and self-care strategies for social workers.
The role of social workers in supporting survivors of sexual assault.

Social Work in Schools

School-based bullying prevention programs: A social work perspective.
Social work interventions for students with learning disabilities.
The impact of school social workers on academic success.
Mental health support for at-risk youth in school settings.
The role of social workers in addressing the school-to-prison pipeline.

Criminal Justice and Social Work

Reentry programs for formerly incarcerated individuals: A social work approach.
Juvenile justice and the role of social workers in rehabilitation.
Addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system: A social work perspective.
The impact of incarceration on families and social work support.

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)

Principles and applications of community-based participatory research in social work.
Engaging communities in the research process: A CBPR approach.
Evaluating the outcomes of community-based interventions using CBPR.
Challenges and opportunities in implementing CBPR in diverse settings.
Empowering communities through CBPR: Case studies and best practices.

Social Work and Environmental Justice

Climate change and its impact on vulnerable populations: A social work perspective.
Environmental justice and community organizing: Social work interventions.
Sustainable community development and the role of social workers.
Access to clean water and sanitation: A social work advocacy approach.
Indigenous perspectives on environmental justice: A social work lens.

Human Services Administration

Leadership styles in human services administration: A social work perspective.
The role of technology in improving human services delivery.
Strategies for effective human services program evaluation.
Addressing burnout and promoting self-care in human services organizations.
Social work ethics and decision-making in human services administration.

Social Work and Artificial Intelligence

Applications of AI in social work practice: Opportunities and challenges.
The role of chatbots in mental health support: A social work perspective.
Bias and fairness in algorithmic decision-making in social work.
Human-AI collaboration in social work: Enhancing service delivery.

Crisis Intervention and Social Work

Social work responses to natural disasters: Lessons learned and best practices.
Crisis intervention strategies for individuals experiencing acute trauma.
The role of social workers in emergency shelters and disaster recovery.
Trauma-informed care in crisis intervention: A social work approach.
Collaborative approaches to crisis intervention in community settings.

Social Work in the LGBTQ+ Community

LGBTQ+ youth homelessness: Social work interventions and prevention.
Supporting transgender and non-binary individuals in social work practice.
Mental health disparities in the LGBTQ+ community: A social work perspective.
LGBTQ+ inclusive policies in social service organizations.
Social work advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and equal access to services.

Social Work and Aging

Aging in place: Social work interventions for promoting independence.
Social work support for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their families.
End-of-life decision-making and the role of social workers.
Social isolation among older adults: Strategies for prevention and intervention.
Exploring innovative housing models for aging populations.

Faith-Based Social Work

The intersection of faith and social work: Ethical considerations.
Faith-based organizations in community development: A social work perspective.
Pastoral care and counseling: Social work support in religious communities.
Addressing religious discrimination in social work practice.
Interfaith dialogue and its role in fostering social cohesion: A social work approach.

Social Work in Substance Use Prevention

Social work interventions for preventing substance use among adolescents.
The impact of early childhood experiences on later substance use: A social work perspective.
Prevention programs targeting high-risk populations: A social work approach.
Social work support for families affected by parental substance use.
Community-based strategies for preventing opioid misuse: A social work lens.

Global Mental Health and Social Work

Cultural considerations in global mental health: A social work approach.
Collaborative approaches to addressing mental health stigma globally.
The role of social workers in disaster mental health response internationally.
Integrating traditional healing practices into global mental health interventions.
Comparative analysis of mental health policies and services worldwide.

Social Work and Human-Animal Interaction

Animal-assisted therapy in social work practice: Applications and benefits.
The role of therapy animals in reducing stress and promoting well-being.
Animal cruelty prevention and the role of social workers.
The impact of pet ownership on mental health: A social work perspective.
Ethical considerations in incorporating animals into social work interventions.

Refugee Mental Health and Social Work

Trauma-informed approaches in working with refugee populations.
Social work support for refugee children in educational settings.
Addressing mental health disparities among refugee communities.
Cultural competence in providing mental health services to refugees.
Resettlement challenges and social work interventions for refugees.

Community Resilience and Social Work

Building community resilience in the face of adversity: A social work perspective.
Social work interventions for promoting resilience in vulnerable populations.
Resilience-based mental health programs in schools: A social work approach.
The role of social workers in disaster resilience planning.
Collective trauma and community healing: A social work lens.

Technology and Social Work Ethics

Ethical considerations in the use of social media in social work practice.
Privacy and confidentiality in the age of digital record-keeping.
Ensuring equity in access to technology-based interventions: A social work approach.
Social work responses to cyberbullying: Prevention and intervention strategies.
Ethical guidelines for the use of virtual reality in social work practice.

Social Work in Sports

Sports-based youth development programs: A social work perspective.
The role of social workers in promoting mental health in athletes.
Addressing substance use and performance-enhancing drugs in sports: A social work lens.
Inclusive sports programs for individuals with disabilities: A social work approach.
Social work interventions for preventing and addressing sports-related violence.

Social Work in the Arts

Arts-based interventions in social work practice: Applications and outcomes.
The role of creative expression in trauma recovery: A social work perspective.
Using theater and performance arts in social work education and therapy.
Arts programs for at-risk youth: A social work approach.
The impact of the arts on community well-being: A social work lens.

Social Work and Foster Care Adoption

Social work interventions for successful foster care reunification.
Addressing the unique needs of LGBTQ+ youth in foster care.
The impact of foster care placement on child development: A social work perspective.
Post-adoption support services: A social work approach.
Cultural competence in transracial and transcultural foster care and adoption.

Social Work in the Gig Economy

The Role of Social Work in Addressing Mental Health Challenges in the Gig Economy
Exploring Social Work Strategies for Supporting Gig Workers’ Financial Stability
Gig Economy and Social Work Advocacy: Ensuring Fair Labor Practices
Navigating Occupational Hazards: Social Work Interventions in Gig Work Environments
Social Work’s Contribution to Promoting Work-Life Balance in the Gig Economy

Emerging Trends in Social Work Research

The Impact of Technology on Social Work Practice: Examine how technology is influencing social work practices and service delivery, considering both advantages and ethical considerations.
Ethical Considerations in the Use of Technology in Social Work Research: Discuss the ethical challenges associated with the integration of technology in social work research and propose guidelines for responsible use.
Cross-Cultural Studies in Social Work: Explore the significance of cross-cultural studies in social work research, promoting a deeper understanding of diverse cultural contexts.
Addressing Global Social Issues through Research: Investigate how social work research can contribute to addressing global social challenges, such as poverty, migration, and climate change.

Tips for Conducting Social Work Research

Developing a Research Question

Craft a research question for social work research topics that is clear, concise, and aligns with the chosen social work research topic. The question should guide the research process and contribute meaningfully to the existing literature.

Choosing Appropriate Research Methods

Select research methods that align with the nature of the research question and the goals of the study. Consider whether qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches are most suitable for addressing the research objectives.

Ethical Considerations in Social Work Research

Prioritize ethical considerations throughout the research process. Ensure informed consent, confidentiality, and respect for the dignity and rights of research participants.

Resources for Social Work Researchers

Journals and Publications

Explore reputable social work journals and publications to stay updated on the latest research, methodologies, and findings. Examples include the “Journal of Social Work” and the “British Journal of Social Work.”

Professional Organizations

Joining professional organizations such as the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) provides access to valuable resources, networking opportunities, and conferences that enhance a researcher’s knowledge and skills.

Online Databases and Research Tools

Utilize online databases like PubMed , Social Work Abstracts, and Google Scholar to access a wide range of social work research articles. Additionally, familiarize yourself with research tools and software that can streamline the research process.

In conclusion, the journey of selecting the social work research topics is a crucial step that requires thoughtful consideration and reflection. The chosen topic should align with personal interests, address current social issues, and contribute meaningfully to the field of social work.

As researchers embark on this journey, they have the opportunity to explore diverse areas, from mental health and child welfare to emerging trends in technology and global perspectives.

By following ethical guidelines, employing appropriate research methods, and leveraging valuable resources, social work researchers can make significant contributions to improving the well-being of individuals and communities.

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Social Work Research Topics & Tips on Finding and Distinguishing Good Ones

Updated 01 Jul 2024

Social work research is the systematic investigation of problems pertaining to the social work field. Alternatively, it can be defined as the application of research methods for addressing/solving problems confronted by social workers in their practice.

Major research areas include studying concepts, theories, principles, underlying methods, employees’ skills and their interaction with individuals and groups as well as internal processes, functioning principles within social entities. For a more specific selection of social work research topics, go to the appropriate section within this article.

Social work is ultimately focused on practical application, hence, the ultimate goal of social work research is understanding the efficacy of various intervention methods aimed at alleviating the conditions of people suffering from social deprivation – this highlights the importance presented by both the field and its associated research. For such difficult topics, you may ask yourself "can I pay someone to write my research paper " - and our professional team is here to help you.

Signs of Good Research Topics

Of all social work research questions, how could one distinguish the ones holding the greatest value or potential? Considering these signs could increase the chances of picking higher quality or more productive social work topics:

Chosen topics are backed up by one or more published studies by research teams from the US or from abroad with solid article-related citation metrics, typically published in prestigious peer-reviewed academic journals (journals with high impact factor).
Social work research topics in question are related to practice – theoretical research is very important, but nothing beats practical knowledge and efficient practical intervention methods and strategies. However, this aspect might depend on other circumstances as well (for students, for instance, theoretical topics are fairly acceptable). To ensure a successful research proposal in the field of social work, consider utilizing research proposal writing services .
Social work research topics are breaking certain stereotypes. People are inclined towards topics that break preconceived notions – such topics naturally receive greater attention. If they bring solid evidence and reasonable arguments while providing/promising real benefits, such topics can simply revolutionize the field.
Chosen social work research topics match current trends. Don’t understand us wrong – not everything that is trendy deserves attention (many things are overhyped). However, trends do have a sound reason for emerging (there is normally value behind the forces driving them). Moreover, delving into a field/topic that has only been recently established often gives significant advantages (career-wise). So watch out for trends in your research field closely, but always scrutinize them for what they are worth.

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Where Can You Find Perfect Topics?

When exploring education research topics or searching for social worker research topics, it might prove useful to follow a few proven strategies (which are equally valid for many other occasions):

Skim through your study literature (e.g. handbooks, course notes) – this is material you already studied, but going through it might help you to systematically visualize all studied topics or subtopics (these can suggest new ideas).
Brainstorming. Access your knowledge base – chances are you have a few interesting topics stored in mind that you’d like to explore in greater detail.
Browse through published article titles in social work journals or, even better, study newsletters/highlights on journal websites. Alternatively, one could search on platforms aggregating field-related news from multiple journals.– while some articles/topics might be overly complicated or specific, these still offer an immense choice.
Browse online for ready research topics for a custom research paper from our research paper writing service – skimming through such lists would bombard you with topics of appropriate complexity and scope /broadness or would inspire new related ideas (e.g. by combining elements from different topics).

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100 Social Work Research Topics

Below is a comprehensive social work research topics list to help get you started with your project.

50 Controversial Research Topics

Group therapy vs individual therapy for increasing autistic children adaptability
Impact on parents having children with autism spectrum disorder.
Role play vs group discussion efficiency in increasing knowledge regarding drug abuse among high-school students.
Addressing the stigma associated with depression.
Measures to counteract condemning stereotypes with regard to depression (explaining and highlighting the biological mechanisms underlying it)
Identifying individuals with suicide predisposition serving in military units.
Life events role in PTSD onset in veterans.
Strategies to prevent PTSD onset in US army veterans.
Social inclusion measures for war veterans.
Most efficient strategies for suicide prevention in academic setting.
Categories are most vulnerable to drug abuse.
Most efficient educational measures to prevent future drug abuse in children
Myths about substance abuse among adolescents.
Family support importance for alcohol addicts rehabilitation.
Workaholics – new type of addicts. Impact on personal and family lives.
Mental retardation in Alzheimer’s disease – how to cope with it as a family member?
Promoting integration for children with Down syndrome.
General considerations for working with children with developmental disabilities.
Educating society with regard to dyslexic children (all target groups could be considered: parents, classmates, teachers, etc.)
Dyslexia cases combined with ADHD – how to approach it?
Dismounting common myths about dyslexia.
Counteracting bullying aimed at dyslexic children.
Early intervention benefits to address language difficulties in case of dyslexic children.
What role should educators, parents, schools, mental health centers, private practice have in addressing dyslexia?
Key prerequisites for building resilience to adverse life events in children
Strategies for building resilience in welfare workers.
Who is responsible for developing resilience in social workers?
Self-help guidelines for social workers to become resilient.
Most common problems encountered by LGBT youth in US schools.
Arming LGBT individuals with coping strategies to face discrimination.
The situation with juvenile delinquents across various US states.
Rationale behind separating juvenile delinquents from adult delinquents.
Factors contributing to high youth incarceration rate in certain US states (Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota).
Most efficient reeducation strategies for juvenile delinquents.
Society inclusion measures for people that served in prison.
Coping with the stigma of having served in prison.
Attitudes of welfare workers towards incarcerated individuals.
Attitudes of correctional officers towards mental health of incarcerated individuals.
Gender differences relevance when working with incarcerated people.
Factors increasing the risk of recidivism in released prisoners.
Incarceration impacts on parent-child relationships.
Incarceration effects on mental health.
Social inclusion role and family support in preventing recidivism by former prisoners.
Circumstances associated with the highest risk of becoming a human trafficking victim.
Ethical rules important when working with human trafficking victims.
Trauma characteristic depiction for human trafficking victims.
What is considered neglecting a child in child welfare?
Prerequisites of a safe childhood and a functional family.
Dealing with child abuse in orphanages.
Types of child maltreatment/abuse.

50 Hot Research Topics for Social Work Students

Difference in approaching children vs adolescents suffering from domestic violence.
Success stories in preventing child abuse in certain regions/states.
Strategies to encourage women to report domestic violence cases.
Damage to families with ongoing domestic violence.
Healing steps for victims of domestic violence.
Effects of child neglect on later academic performance and career.
Removing a child from a setting – when is it justified?
Guidelines on providing testimony in court as a social worker
Peculiarities of social work in health care assistance.
Grief counseling for families that lost a loved one.
Understanding the symptoms of grief.
Risk factors for dangerous grief.
Conduct/communication rules with persons in grief.
Types of elder abuse. Which are the most common ones?
Predictors of elder abuse (related to relationships within families, financial, status).
The integrative concept of human services.
The utility of mentoring programs in social care.
Work with elders experiencing cognitive impairment.
Peculiarities of working with immigrants in social care.
Considerations for working with HIV positive people.
Social research topics about homeless people.
Primary factors contributing to homelessness.
Challenges faced by social care assistants in working with sexually exploited clients belonging to the opposite gender.
Meeting unique needs of sexually exploited children.
Compassion fatigue experienced by welfare worker.
Challenges experienced by single parents and support strategies
Problem of getting medical help when belonging to vulnerable categories
Is there place for spirituality in welfare worker?
Religious beliefs obstructing welfare worker.
Support strategies for low-income families having children with impaired development.
Retrospective views and youth opinions on foster care facilities they have gone through.
Key wishes/demands expressed by foster care facility residents
Strategies employed by welfare worker to avoid burnout.
Importance of building emotional intelligence as welfare worker.
Discussing sexual health with mentally ill or retarded clients.
Spirituality and faith as an essential element in many addiction rehabilitation programs.
Attitude towards older people among welfare workers.
Factors responsible for reluctance to benefit from mental health services among certain population groups.
Differences in working with adolescent and adult drug abusers.
Factors affecting foster youth that impact their higher education retention rate.
Language barrier as an obstructing factor for minorities in benefiting from mental health services.
Cultural competence as social work research topic
Pre and post birth assistance to surrogate mothers. Evaluating impact on mental health.
Challenges and issues arising in families with adoptive children.
Play therapy interventions effectiveness in school-based counseling.
Mental health in hemodialysis patients and corresponding support strategies.
Importance presented by recreational activities for patients with Alzheimer’s.
Intimacy impact on the outcome of group therapy practices for alcohol addiction.
Mental health care outcomes in pedophilia victims.
Alternative practices in social work.

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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

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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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Research Areas

The School of Social Work faculty regularly focus on research that impacts people not only throughout the nation, but throughout the world. Our research can be grouped into four main themes: Family & Child Welfare, Health & Mental Health, Social Innovation & Technology, and Social Work Research in Schools. We are experts in a variety of scientific methods including advanced observational science, advanced statistics, intervention science, qualitative research, and program evaluation.

The School of Social Work faculty and their collaborators are focused on the following research themes:

Family & Child Welfare at the School of Social Work is defined as the social policies, practices, and services aimed at ensuring the safety, permanence and well-being of children and their families. Family and child welfare researchers engage a wide range of issues including the epidemiology of child maltreatment and public health implications, foster care and child welfare service delivery, poverty and economic marginalization, and the impacts of policy on outcomes. Scholars focus their work both locally and nationally in the areas of:

Epidemiology of Child Maltreatment and Public Health – Advancing understanding of the incidence of child abuse and neglect in the United States along with their multi-level, interacting risk and protective factors and making a case for viewing child abuse and neglect in the United States as a critical public health issue
Foster Care and Child Welfare Services – Evaluating the service delivery and outcomes of children involved in public welfare systems and using research to support child welfare systems and agencies to be responsive to needs
Consumer-Perspectives and Experiences – Capturing the perspectives of children, families, and other child welfare professionals and using research to make person-centered-driven recommendations in systems of care
Strengthening Outcomes of Children and Families – Evaluating the degree to which policy, practices and services in Illinois have the intended impacts and using research to support decision makers in Illinois to make system decisions
Economic Security – Determining the impact of developmental approaches on economic well-being and the long-term employment and earning trajectories of children and families living in poverty
Access to Resources – Developing and testing innovative and strategic policy initiatives that increase access to benefits and understanding the ways access to resources effects child and family well-being
Health and well-being – Identifying the effects of poverty on health and well-being of individuals and communities

Informed by a health equity framework, health and mental health research at the School of Social Work are broadly defined as a state in which all individuals have access to the resources necessary to achieve social, physical, and psychological well-being. Researchers at the School focus their work locally and internationally in the areas of:

Developing and testing behavioral health interventions to improve physical and mental health and to reduce substance use and enhance adherence to treatment through community engaged research
Identifying social determinants of health and health disparity among LGBTQ people of color, people with serious mental illness, older adults, and people with disabilities in marginalized urban and underserved rural communities
Detecting risk and protective health factors for perinatal women, children and families, people exposed to violence, and those with chronic health conditions
Determining impact of demographic and epidemiological changes on communities, addressing barriers to accessing and obtaining equitable health care, and tracking the role of technology in treatment

Social Innovation and technology research in the School of Social Work is defined as the use of technology and bottom-up innovation strategies to create new solutions to social problems and transform social systems. Our social innovation research crosses disciplinary boundaries and has a focus on real world impact. Scholars at the School focus on:

Use of advanced mixed reality and virtual reality (VR) software to deliver psychotherapy and health education programming to racial/ethnic minority and vulnerable populations
Understanding the impact of volunteerism on sustainable social development
Developing and testing new tech-based applications to improve mental health and reduce substance use in the U.S. and internationally
Use of technology to deliver behavioral health interventions for older adults
Assessing gender, racial, and geographic inequalities in social enterprise and entrepreneurship

Social Work in Schools research at Illinois addresses multiple aspects of education and schooling and focuses on the promotion of just and equitable learning environments. Scholars at the School focus on:

Identifying aspects and impacts of structural racism and discriminatory practices, developing and evaluating alternatives to suspension
Evaluating the impacts of policy reforms on students, institutions, and communities and the implementation of evidence- based best practices
Developing and conducting evaluation at the school, district, and state levels to assess the impact of programming
Detecting preventative and risk factors, aspects of the social environment, and social emotional well-being that impact academic achievement
The development, implementation, and promotion of prevention, intervention, and remedial strategies and research within schools

225 Social Work Research Topics For College Students – Ideas for College Students

Social work is an important job that helps improve people’s lives, families, and communities. Research is a key part of social work studies. It allows you to look deeply into social issues, understand different views, and contribute to the growing knowledge in this field.

Picking the right research topic can be tough. That’s why we’ve made a list of 225 interesting social work research topics. These topics cover many areas, such as child welfare, mental health, addiction, community development, and social justice.

This list is meant to give you ideas, make you think critically, and provide knowledge to help make a real difference in social work.

Importance of Choosing a Relevant Topic

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Picking a good research topic is super important for a few reasons. First, it makes sure your research fits with current issues and trends in social work. By choosing a topic that deals with challenges happening now or builds on existing knowledge, you can contribute to ongoing talks and help develop effective solutions and rules.

Also, a good topic increases the chances that your research findings will be helpful to social workers, policymakers, and communities. Social work directly impacts people’s lives, and by researching important matters, you can potentially create positive change and inform decision-making.

Furthermore, a well-chosen topic can keep you motivated and involved throughout the research process. When you are truly interested and passionate about the subject, you are more likely to approach the research with enthusiasm and hard work, leading to better results.

It is also important to consider if there are enough resources and data available for your chosen topic. Selecting a topic with plenty of existing writings, reliable data sources, and people to research can make the process smoother and increase the credibility of your findings.

Moreover, a good topic can open up opportunities to collaborate with organizations, agencies, or communities actively working in that area, providing opportunities to apply your research and further explore the subject matter.

Recommended Readings: “ Data Communication And Networking Micro Project Topics: Amazing Guide! “.

Tips for Selecting a Research Topic

Picking a topic for research is an important first step. Your topic should be something you truly care about and want to explore deeply. Here are some tips for choosing an engaging and meaningful social work research topic:

Find Areas You Really Like

Make a list of the social issues or groups of people that you are most interested in. Think about personal experiences, volunteer work, internships, or classes that made you curious and want to learn more. Having a real interest will keep you motivated throughout the whole research process.

Look at Current Information

Look through recent journals, books, and reliable websites related to your interests. Note any gaps in knowledge or questions that come up from the existing information. These gaps can point you toward relevant research topics.

Consider Real-World Impact

Choose a topic that has the potential to inform policies, practices, or ways to help that can create positive social change. Research that can be applied in real-world situations is especially valuable in social work.

Make Sure Data Exists

Ensure there is enough data available to support an in-depth study of your chosen topic. This may include access to case studies, survey data, records, or people to participate in your research.

Narrow Your Focus

While social issues are often very broad and complex, a focused research topic is easier to manage and allows for deeper exploration. Narrow your topic to a specific population, geographic area, or part of the larger issue.

Get Input from Others

Talk to professors, professionals in the field, or experienced researchers for their insights and suggestions on potential topics. Their expertise can help you refine your ideas and identify promising areas for research.

Think About Ethics

As a social worker, it’s important to consider the ethical impacts of your research, such as protecting participants’ rights and well-being, addressing potential biases, and being sensitive to cultural differences.

Be Flexible

While it’s important to have a clear research focus, be open to adjusting your topic as you learn more from reading materials or encounter new perspectives during the research process.

Choosing a well-defined and meaningful research topic is the base for producing valuable social work research that can add to knowledge and drive positive change.

Social work covers a wide range of issues and groups of people, making it a rich and diverse area for research. The 225 topics listed here are just a small part of the many important areas ready for exploration.

From child well-being and mental health to criminal justice and human rights, each topic offers a chance to examine complex societal challenges deeply and contribute to developing impactful solutions.

As students start their research journeys, they have the potential to uncover new insights, challenge existing ways of thinking, and ultimately improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities.

With genuine interest, hard work, and a commitment to ethical and rigorous research, social work students can make meaningful contributions that drive positive change in our constantly changing world.

How do I know if a research topic is relevant to social work?

A relevant research topic in social work addresses current societal issues, aligns with the goals of social work practice, and contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field.

What are some examples of social work research topics related to social justice?

Examples include investigating disparities in access to healthcare, analyzing the impact of systemic racism on marginalized communities, and evaluating policies aimed at promoting social equity.

How can I narrow down a broad research topic in social work?

You can narrow down a broad research topic by focusing on a specific population, geographic location, or aspect of the issue. Conducting a literature review can also help identify gaps and areas for further exploration.

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Social Work Research: Concept, Scope

Last Updated on December 30, 2022 by Team TSW

An effort to create new knowledge or to upgrade existing knowledge either through observation, available facts, evidences or any other method, is research. We often make our mind or take decision, based on our observation about certain objects or phenomena. During whole process we remain unaware of our biases, we do not question them and we attribute our observations entirely to the object being observed. Though it is still possible to arrive at right decision on the basis of wrong reasons or vice versa. This whole thing questions the process of observation. Was the observation error-free? While observing are we aware of our limitations? Every method of observation has certain limitations. Important thing here is to take biases, the errors and limitations into consideration. Social work research is the application of research methods in the field of social work.

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Purpose of social work research is to produce new knowledge or to increase already available knowledge in the field of social work. Social work research gives new dimensions to social work techniques and methods and provides new ways to deal with problems. Social work research attempts to highlight insights about what intervention or treatment is actually helpful in practice and bring the best result. It also throw light on what hinder the attainment of desired goal. It also look for answers to problems faced by practitioners.

Relevance of Research in Social Work

Social work research tries to find answers to questions faced by practitioners and to make existing intervention more effective. The problems are not only professional but personal too. Overall aim is to make existing social work methods and techniques better and more effective.

In social work research, we study the problems from the point of view of professional social work. The designing of research problems, data collection and its interpretation will have to be attempted in a manner as would be useful to professional social work. The process should add new knowledge to social work theory and practice and also to enhance the outcome of professional social workers.

Limitation of Scientific Research Method in Social Work

Social work primarily deals with human behaviour, which is by and large complex and dynamic in nature. This means that different humans tend to behave differently under the same circumstances. One person can be happy in given circumstances and the second may be sad and at the same time others may remain indifferent. So it can easily be deduced that data collected for humans is subjective in nature and means very little for scientific research. Therefore one can not investigate human behaviour under guided conditions as in natural science. This creates many problems for researchers.

Social work will never realize the objective of research as completely as natural science does, but still social work does not completely diminish the importance of scientific research methods.

Social Work is a diverse profession and work almost at all level of social system. Possible broad research areas could be:-

Community health.
Community mental health.
Child welfare.
Women welfare.
Youth welfare.
Juvenile delinquency.
Crime and correction.
Aged welfare.
Poverty alleviation.
Management of Social Welfare Department and Organization.
Disaster Management.
Industrial Social Work.

These are the areas which are very frequently studied by Social workers. Researchers might focus on individuals, families, groups, community or broad social systems.

Facts, events, and evidence help acquire reliable knowledge about various aspects of human behaviour. To get that knowledge, the method of science is still the most commonly used method. Objectivity, replication, prediction and verifiability are the characteristics of scientific approach, which keeps the researchers at bay from their personal biases, beliefs, perceptions, values, attitudes and emotions. With all the limitations and characteristics, scientific research is the best method to arrive at generalization in the field of social work.

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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Published Research

This is the University of Washington School of Social Work’s repository of published research articles, where cutting-edge research and groundbreaking findings come to life. Our faculty and researchers are dedicated to advancing the field of social work through rigorous, impactful research that addresses pressing social issues and promotes well-being across diverse communities. Explore our research to gain insights into the latest developments and contributions that are shaping the future of social work practice and policy.

Anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among early adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Publication: Journal of Adolescence URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jad.12333?casa_token=V0mtl8-olTAAAAAA%3AWu7Pv8N4KXDhnP3wq6oSf903E7ngDAl38VSgGTJCvkO8G8SqWLtgCJAM0XZuLFH0Vl98iQzD05tcEmM

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12333

Google Scholar

The association of alcohol use and heavy drinking with subsequent handgun carrying among youth from rural areas

Authors: Ali Rowhani-Rahbar | Margaret Kuklinski

Publication: The Journal of Rural Health URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jrh.12789?casa_token=HgPSNjylPPUAAAAA%3AEoHr2tfwrKPoIRgGsE5OrAH3oJii-70vvvBPLKWQMqX_CeQfS2w7i1X9C39829w5gG0AqvJp7t2_h9A

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12789

Conceptualization of Firearm-Related Terms Among Rural Adolescents: Definitions Matter

Authors: Margaret Kuklinski | Ali Rowhani-Rahbar

Publication: Youth & Society URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0044118X241263968?casa_token=zS_ZJGrmVOAAAAAA%3A40RLIC5J5qmvDo8F78M4AUpyU4o0izhfU1JpB8TuFZWAsA8XBHAuVy7BGSDCFjW3iSZmY4ThJl7i

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X241263968

Continuity and Change in Substance Use Patterns During the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Examining Changes in Social Roles

Author: Jennifer Bailey

Publication: International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-024-01342-9

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-024-01342-9

Family-Focused Universal Substance Use Prevention in Primary Care: Advancing a Pragmatic National Healthcare Agenda

Author: Margaret Kuklinski

Publication: Prevention Science URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11121-023-01584-4

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-023-01584-4

Longitudinal associations between adult-supervised drinking during adolescence and alcohol misuse from ages 25–31 years: A comparison of Australia and the United States

Publication: Addictive Behaviors URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460324000339?casa_token=XkCQDPwF9GYAAAAA:IoUQ0vz9lQn_vex_2hvG5gNN6KjKq6su88BmT59cb9y_amcsudsGHBjE-_BUPrGy-Zc9PTClIg

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.107984

Long-term Effects of the Raising Healthy Children Intervention on Family Functioning in Adulthood: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial

Authors: Jennifer Bailey | Marina Epstein

Publication: Journal of Prevention URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10935-023-00753-z#citeas

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-023-00753-z

Multiple Perspectives on Motivating Parents in Pediatric Primary Care to Initiate Participation in Parenting Programs

Publication: Academic Pediatrics URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876285923003261?casa_token=V7iJ4wh6Zz0AAAAA:882Z52bVA4Snv4V9x36YVCrIjLqg3TNGnJrYxVGRnFdn4D8gBtcdsiAa6PBZLiRaw09w7zXpjQ

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2023.07.020

Publication: Handbook of Moral and Character Education URL: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003374077-28/positive-youth-development-programs-john-toumbourou-martie-skinner-chisina-kapungu-craig-olsson-elizabeth-westrupp-richard-catalano

Predictors of Housing Insecurity in Young Adulthood

Publication: Emerging Adulthood URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/21676968241253878

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/216769682412538

Faculty & Research

Areas of Expertise

Aging and gerontology, behavioral health, mental health and substance use, children, youth, and families, clinical research methods, community engagement, health and public health, housing and homelessness, military families and veterans, program evaluation methods, racial justice, social policy and poverty, trauma and violence.

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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.

In case you need a personalized research topic, or require a complete social work research paper, you can buy research paper online from StudyCrumb. Particularly, our writers will help you choose social work research paper topics, write papers for you, and proofread the work to ensure there are no grammatical errors.

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Social Work Research Methods

Introduction.

History of Social Work Research Methods
Feasibility Issues Influencing the Research Process
Measurement Methods
Existing Scales
Group Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Evaluating Outcome
Single-System Designs for Evaluating Outcome
Program Evaluation
Surveys and Sampling
Introductory Statistics Texts
Advanced Aspects of Inferential Statistics
Qualitative Research Methods
Qualitative Data Analysis
Historical Research Methods
Meta-Analysis and Systematic Reviews
Research Ethics
Culturally Competent Research Methods
Teaching Social Work Research Methods

Other Subject Areas

Forthcoming articles expand or collapse the "forthcoming articles" section.

Abolitionist Perspectives in Social Work
Randomized Controlled Trials in Social Work
Social Work Practice with Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth
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Social Work Research Methods by Allen Rubin LAST REVIEWED: 14 December 2009 LAST MODIFIED: 14 December 2009 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780195389678-0008

Social work research means conducting an investigation in accordance with the scientific method. The aim of social work research is to build the social work knowledge base in order to solve practical problems in social work practice or social policy. Investigating phenomena in accordance with the scientific method requires maximal adherence to empirical principles, such as basing conclusions on observations that have been gathered in a systematic, comprehensive, and objective fashion. The resources in this entry discuss how to do that as well as how to utilize and teach research methods in social work. Other professions and disciplines commonly produce applied research that can guide social policy or social work practice. Yet no commonly accepted distinction exists at this time between social work research methods and research methods in allied fields relevant to social work. Consequently useful references pertaining to research methods in allied fields that can be applied to social work research are included in this entry.

This section includes basic textbooks that are used in courses on social work research methods. Considerable variation exists between textbooks on the broad topic of social work research methods. Some are comprehensive and delve into topics deeply and at a more advanced level than others. That variation is due in part to the different needs of instructors at the undergraduate and graduate levels of social work education. Most instructors at the undergraduate level prefer shorter and relatively simplified texts; however, some instructors teaching introductory master’s courses on research prefer such texts too. The texts in this section that might best fit their preferences are by Yegidis and Weinbach 2009 and Rubin and Babbie 2007 . The remaining books might fit the needs of instructors at both levels who prefer a more comprehensive and deeper coverage of research methods. Among them Rubin and Babbie 2008 is perhaps the most extensive and is often used at the doctoral level as well as the master’s and undergraduate levels. Also extensive are Drake and Jonson-Reid 2007 , Grinnell and Unrau 2007 , Kreuger and Neuman 2006 , and Thyer 2001 . What distinguishes Drake and Jonson-Reid 2007 is its heavy inclusion of statistical and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) content integrated with each chapter. Grinnell and Unrau 2007 and Thyer 2001 are unique in that they are edited volumes with different authors for each chapter. Kreuger and Neuman 2006 takes Neuman’s social sciences research text and adapts it to social work. The Practitioner’s Guide to Using Research for Evidence-based Practice ( Rubin 2007 ) emphasizes the critical appraisal of research, covering basic research methods content in a relatively simplified format for instructors who want to teach research methods as part of the evidence-based practice process instead of with the aim of teaching students how to produce research.

Drake, Brett, and Melissa Jonson-Reid. 2007. Social work research methods: From conceptualization to dissemination . Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

This introductory text is distinguished by its use of many evidence-based practice examples and its heavy coverage of statistical and computer analysis of data.

Grinnell, Richard M., and Yvonne A. Unrau, eds. 2007. Social work research and evaluation: Quantitative and qualitative approaches . 8th ed. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

Contains chapters written by different authors, each focusing on a comprehensive range of social work research topics.

Kreuger, Larry W., and W. Lawrence Neuman. 2006. Social work research methods: Qualitative and quantitative applications . Boston: Pearson, Allyn, and Bacon.

An adaptation to social work of Neuman's social sciences research methods text. Its framework emphasizes comparing quantitative and qualitative approaches. Despite its title, quantitative methods receive more attention than qualitative methods, although it does contain considerable qualitative content.

Rubin, Allen. 2007. Practitioner’s guide to using research for evidence-based practice . Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

This text focuses on understanding quantitative and qualitative research methods and designs for the purpose of appraising research as part of the evidence-based practice process. It also includes chapters on instruments for assessment and monitoring practice outcomes. It can be used at the graduate or undergraduate level.

Rubin, Allen, and Earl R. Babbie. 2007. Essential research methods for social work . Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks Cole.

This is a shorter and less advanced version of Rubin and Babbie 2008 . It can be used for research methods courses at the undergraduate or master's levels of social work education.

Rubin, Allen, and Earl R. Babbie. Research Methods for Social Work . 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks Cole, 2008.

This comprehensive text focuses on producing quantitative and qualitative research as well as utilizing such research as part of the evidence-based practice process. It is widely used for teaching research methods courses at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels of social work education.

Thyer, Bruce A., ed. 2001 The handbook of social work research methods . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

This comprehensive compendium includes twenty-nine chapters written by esteemed leaders in social work research. It covers quantitative and qualitative methods as well as general issues.

Yegidis, Bonnie L., and Robert W. Weinbach. 2009. Research methods for social workers . 6th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

This introductory paperback text covers a broad range of social work research methods and does so in a briefer fashion than most lengthier, hardcover introductory research methods texts.

Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on this page. Please subscribe or login .

Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here .

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Adolescent Depression
Adolescent Pregnancy
Adolescents
Adoption Home Study Assessments
Adult Protective Services in the United States
African Americans
Aging out of foster care
Aging, Physical Health and
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Problems
Alcohol and Drug Problems, Prevention of Adolescent and Yo...
Alcohol Problems: Practice Interventions
Alcohol Use Disorder
Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
Anti-Oppressive Practice
Asian Americans
Asian-American Youth
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Baccalaureate Social Workers
Behavioral Health
Behavioral Social Work Practice
Bereavement Practice
Bisexuality
Brief Therapies in Social Work: Task-Centered Model and So...
Bullying and Social Work Intervention
Canadian Social Welfare, History of
Case Management in Mental Health in the United States
Central American Migration to the United States
Child Maltreatment Prevention
Child Neglect and Emotional Maltreatment
Child Poverty
Child Sexual Abuse
Child Welfare
Child Welfare and Child Protection in Europe, History of
Child Welfare and Parents with Intellectual and/or Develop...
Child Welfare Effectiveness
Child Welfare, Immigration and
Child Welfare Practice with LGBTQ Youth and Families
Children of Incarcerated Parents
Christianity and Social Work
Chronic Illness
Clinical Social Work Practice with Adult Lesbians
Clinical Social Work Practice with Males
Cognitive Behavior Therapies with Diverse and Stressed Pop...
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Community Development
Community Policing
Community-Needs Assessment
Comparative Social Work
Computational Social Welfare: Applying Data Science in Soc...
Conflict Resolution
Council on Social Work Education
Counseling Female Offenders
Criminal Justice
Crisis Interventions
Cultural Competence and Ethnic Sensitive Practice
Culture, Ethnicity, Substance Use, and Substance Use Disor...
Dementia Care
Dementia Care, Ethical Aspects of
Depression and Cancer
Development and Infancy (Birth to Age Three)
Differential Response in Child Welfare
Digital Storytelling for Social Work Interventions
Direct Practice in Social Work
Disabilities
Disability and Disability Culture
Domestic Violence Among Immigrants
Early Pregnancy and Parenthood Among Child Welfare–Involve...
Eating Disorders
Ecological Framework
Elder Mistreatment
End-of-Life Decisions
Epigenetics for Social Workers
Ethical Issues in Social Work and Technology
Ethics and Values in Social Work
European Institutions and Social Work
European Union, Justice and Home Affairs in the
Evidence-based Social Work Practice: Issues, Controversies...
Families with Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Parents
Family Caregiving
Family Group Conferencing
Family Policy
Family Services
Family Therapy
Family Violence
Fathering Among Families Served By Child Welfare
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Field Education
Financial Literacy and Social Work
Financing Health-Care Delivery in the United States
Forensic Social Work
Foster Care
Foster care and siblings
Gender, Violence, and Trauma in Immigration Detention in t...
Generalist Practice and Advanced Generalist Practice
Grounded Theory
Group Work across Populations, Challenges, and Settings
Group Work, Research, Best Practices, and Evidence-based
Harm Reduction
Health Care Reform
Health Disparities
Health Social Work
History of Social Work and Social Welfare, 1900–1950
History of Social Work and Social Welfare, 1950-1980
History of Social Work and Social Welfare, pre-1900
History of Social Work from 1980-2014
History of Social Work in China
History of Social Work in Northern Ireland
History of Social Work in the Republic of Ireland
History of Social Work in the United Kingdom
HIV/AIDS and Children
HIV/AIDS Prevention with Adolescents
Homelessness
Homelessness: Ending Homelessness as a Grand Challenge
Homelessness Outside the United States
Human Needs
Human Trafficking, Victims of
Immigrant Integration in the United States
Immigrant Policy in the United States
Immigrants and Refugees
Immigrants and Refugees: Evidence-based Social Work Practi...
Immigration and Health Disparities
Immigration and Intimate Partner Violence
Immigration and Poverty
Immigration and Spirituality
Immigration and Substance Use
Immigration and Trauma
Impaired Professionals
Indigenous Peoples
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Supported Employmen...
In-home Child Welfare Services
Intergenerational Transmission of Maltreatment
International Human Trafficking
International Social Welfare
International Social Work
International Social Work and Education
International Social Work and Social Welfare in Southern A...
Internet and Video Game Addiction
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Intervention with Traumatized Populations
Intimate-Partner Violence
Juvenile Justice
Kinship Care
Korean Americans
Latinos and Latinas
Law, Social Work and the
LGBTQ Populations and Social Work
Mainland European Social Work, History of
Major Depressive Disorder
Management and Administration in Social Work
Maternal Mental Health
Medical Illness
Men: Health and Mental Health Care
Mental Health
Mental Health Diagnosis and the Addictive Substance Disord...
Mental Health Needs of Older People, Assessing the
Mental Health Services from 1990 to 2023
Mental Illness: Children
Mental Illness: Elders
Microskills
Middle East and North Africa, International Social Work an...
Military Social Work
Mixed Methods Research
Moral distress and injury in social work
Motivational Interviewing
Multiculturalism
Native Americans
Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders
Neighborhood Social Cohesion
Neuroscience and Social Work
Nicotine Dependence
Organizational Development and Change
Pain Management
Palliative Care
Palliative Care: Evolution and Scope of Practice
Pandemics and Social Work
Parent Training
Personalization
Person-in-Environment
Philosophy of Science and Social Work
Physical Disabilities
Podcasts and Social Work
Police Social Work
Political Social Work in the United States
Positive Youth Development
Postsecondary Education Experiences and Attainment Among Y...
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Practice Interventions and Aging
Practice Interventions with Adolescents
Practice Research
Primary Prevention in the 21st Century
Productive Engagement of Older Adults
Profession, Social Work
Program Development and Grant Writing
Promoting Smart Decarceration as a Grand Challenge
Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Theory
Psychoeducation
Psychometrics
Psychopathology and Social Work Practice
Psychopharmacology and Social Work Practice
Psychosocial Framework
Psychosocial Intervention with Women
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NASW Journals' Most Cited Articles

Social work.

Social Work is the premiere journal of the social work profession. Widely read by practitioners, faculty, and students, it is the official journal of NASW and is provided to all members as a membership benefit. Social Work is dedicated to improving practice and advancing knowledge in social work and social welfare.

2021 Journal Impact Factor™: 2.855

Voices from the Frontlines: Social Workers Confront the COVID-19 Pandemic Laura S. Abrams, PhD, Alan J. Dettlaff, PhD Translating Trauma-Informed Principles into Social Work Practice Jill Levenson, PhD, LCSW The Perils of Privatization: Bringing the Business Model into Human Services Jennifer R. Zelnick, MSW, ScD, Mimi Abramovitz, DSW Sharing Psychotherapy Notes with Patients: Therapists’ Attitudes and Experiences Hannah Chimowitz, Stephen O’Neill, Suzanne Leveille, Katrina Welch, Jan Walker Methods to Decrease Disparities in Age of Autism Diagnosis and Treatment Access among Latinx Children Kristina Lopez, Jessica M Marroquin, Courtney Gutierrez

Social Work Research

Social Work Research publishes exemplary research to advance the development of knowledge and inform social work practice. Widely regarded as the outstanding journal in the field, it includes analytic reviews of research, theoretical articles pertaining to social work research, evaluation studies, and diverse research studies that contribute to knowledge about social work issues and problems.

2021 Journal Impact Factor™: 1.844

Social Work in the Age of a Global Pandemic Charlotte Lyn Bright Exposure to Community-Based Violence on Social Media among Black Male Emerging Adults Involved with the Criminal Justice System Robert O. Motley, Jr., Yu-Chih Chen, Carnayla Johnson, Sean Joe Using a Trauma-Informed, Socially Just Research Framework with Marginalized Populations: Practices and Barriers to Implementation Laura A. Voith, Tyrone Hamler, Meredith W. Francis, Hyunjune Lee, Amy Korsch-Williams State-Level Immigration Policy Context and Health: How Are Latinx Immigrant Parents Faring? Cecilia Ayón The Association of Acculturation with Overt and Covert Perceived Discrimination for Older Asian Americans Keith Chan

Health & Social Work

For 20 years, human services professionals have relied on Health & Social Work for the latest advances in areas such as aging, clinical work, long-term care, oncology, substance abuse, depression, and maternal health. Articles also cover research, policy, specialized services, quality assurance, in-service training, and other topics that affect the delivery of health care services

2021 Journal Impact Factor™: 1.896

What Have Hospital Social Workers Been Prepared for COVID-19 from SARS, MERS, and H1N1? Johnson Chun-Sing Cheung Secondary Traumatic Stress and Related Factors in Australian Social Workers and Psychologists Samantha Rayner, Cindy Davis, Matthew Moore, Tamara Cadet Body Appreciation and Health Care Avoidance: A Brief Report Mackenzie Cook, Virginia Ramseyer Winter, Elizabeth A. O’Neill Veteran Suicide Risk Factors: A National Sample of Nonveteran and Veteran Men Who Died by Suicide David S. Wood, Bethany M. Wood, Aislinn Watson, Devan Sheffield, Helena Hauter Trans Men’s Access to Knowledgeable Providers and Their Experiences in Health Care Settings: Differences by Demographics, Mental Health, and Degree of Being “Out” to Providers Kristie L. Seelman, Shanna K Kattari, Penny Harvey, Matthew Bakko

Children & Schools

Children & Schools publishes professional materials relevant to social work services for children. The journal publishes articles on innovations in practice, interdisciplinary efforts, research, program evaluation, policy, and planning. Topics include student-authority relationships, multiculturalism, early intervention, needs assessment, violence, and ADHD. Children & Schools is a practitioner-to-practitioner resource.

Evidence-Based Assessment Tools for Common Mental Health Problems: A Practical Guide for School Settings Jack H. Andrews, Evelyn Cho, Siena K. Tugendrajch, Brigid R. Marriott, Kristin M. Hawley Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline: A Trauma-Informed, Critical Race Perspective on School Discipline Stacey Dutil Structural Racism in Schools: A View through the Lens of the National School Social Work Practice Model Jandel Crutchfield, Kate L. Phillippo, Andy Frey School Social Worker Voice during COVID-19 School Disruptions: A National Qualitative Analysis Gordon Capp, Kate Watson, Ron A Astor, Michael S Kelly, Rami Benbenishty Should Esports Be a Co-Curricular Activity in School? Hok-Lai Shum, Chin-Hei Lee, Johnson Chun-Sing Cheung

Source: Clarivate 2022

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School of Social Work >
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Explore the Social Work Profession >

What is Social Work and What Do Social Workers Do?

Apply Now button image links to application website https://ubgradconnect.buffalo.edu.

Social work is a profession in which trained professionals are devoted to helping vulnerable people and communities work through challenges they face in everyday life. Social workers practice in a wide variety of settings, united in their commitment to advocating for and improving the lives of individuals, families, groups and societies.

Who do social workers help?

Social workers work directly with, and on behalf of, a wide variety of populations. Some examples are:

Children and adolescents
Individuals with disabilities
Individuals who are experiencing poverty or homelessness
Medical patients
LGBTQ+ individuals
Individuals struggling with addiction
Individuals with mental health concerns
Refugees and immigrants
Aging individuals
Couples and families
Victims of violence or trauma
Individuals who are incarcerated or in the criminal justice system

Social workers are uniquely positioned to help our fellow members of society who are vulnerable, oppressed or marginalized.

Ask yourself: Who are you most passionate about helping? Chances are you can make a difference with that population as a social worker!

Scope of social work practice

Social workers create change in many ways — from high, systems-level change (macro practice) to the individual level (micro practice). Social workers make an impact at all levels of practice.

When most people think of social workers, they think of micro-level social workers. These are the individuals who are working with people one-on-one to help them create change in their lives. Examples of micro-level social workers include:

School social workers who help students to cope with problems they are facing at school and at home
Child and family case workers at a county social services department helping a variety of at-risk populations
Legal advocates helping individuals navigate the criminal justice system
Clinical social workers who provide counseling services (addictions, mental health, marriage and family, trauma, etc.)
Medical social workers that provide and coordinate services for patients during and after their treatment

Social workers at the mezzo (or middle) level, tend to work with larger groups or institutions as opposed to individuals, or they may have an administrative role overseeing a program or service delivery. Some examples of mezzo social work roles include:

Social workers who supervise a team of others who provide direct practice interventions
Leaders of non-profit or community agencies
Community organizers who work with community members to create change within neighborhoods, towns or regions
Health educators who provide training to various groups about public health issues
Faculty members at a university teaching and training new social workers

Social workers at the macro level are working to create high-level change. While they don't necessarily work with populations directly, the changes they are making in programs, policy, research and other areas trickle down to affect many. Some examples of macro-level social work include:

Social work researchers and data analysts
Policymakers and grant writers
Local, state and federal representatives, lobbyists and political advocates
Program development and evaluation specialists

Macro-level social workers less frequently have the words "social worker" in their official job title as compared to micro-level social workers, but they are still able to step into a myriad of roles as a result of their comprehensive graduate education.

Where are social workers employed?

There are a diverse range of agencies that employ social workers, and the job descriptions for social workers vary greatly depending on where they work. Some examples of places that employ social workers are:

Schools (all levels, including higher education)
Hospitals and health care agencies
Government agencies (local, state, federal), including Veteran's Affairs (VA) agencies and the military
Community development and outreach agencies
County, state and federal legal agencies (courts, prisons, etc.)
Clinics and counseling agencies

Some social workers are also self-employed in private practice as licensed clinical social workers (LCSW).

What are the education and license requirements for social work?

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is the national accrediting body for all bachelor's and master's level social work programs.

Some entry-level social work positions only require a bachelor's degree in social work (BSW) or another related field. Many individuals find, however, that in order to expand their job opportunities and earning potential, they need a Master of Social Work degree (MSW), as individuals with MSW degrees have more in-depth training, which leads to different and higher level job responsibilities.

Many jobs may also require a social work license. Depending on the state, individuals may need to have their master's in social work (MSW) in order qualify for licensure.

Individuals do not need to have a bachelor's degree in social work (BSW) in order to obtain their master's in social work (MSW). Many MSW programs (including ours!) admit students from all kinds of undergraduate programs. Psychology, sociology, criminal justice, English and other liberal art majors are often found in MSW programs, but any bachelor's degree can prepare students well to become social workers. Read more about our MSW admissions prerequisites here.

Social work licensure varies from state to state.

Each state licensing board determines the different kinds of licenses social workers can earn, what level of degree is required and the scope of practice (what they are allowed to do). View the licensure requirements and types of credentials for your state or province on the ASWB page .

In New York State, social workers are only licensed at the master's level, which means they first need to earn their MSW degree. The New York State Office of the Professions is the official licensing body for a variety of licensed professions, including social work. There are a few different kinds of licenses individuals with an MSW degree can earn.

NY Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)

Not all states have the equivalent of New York's LMSW, which is the initial general practice social work license individuals can earn once they complete their MSW degree from an accredited program and pass a licensure exam. Many, but not all, social work positions in New York State require an LMSW.

NY Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

All states require a license to practice clinical social work. Clinical social workers offer therapeutic counseling to clients struggling with health, mental health, addiction, and other issues. Social workers holding clinical licensure are qualified to make diagnoses and provide clinical treatment.

In New York State, this license is the LCSW, which stands for "Licensed Clinical Social Worker." The LCSW is an advanced license for those interested in clinical practice. Not all social workers need to get their LCSW, as it is just for individuals who want to practice this specific subset of social work.

LCSWs in New York need to have an MSW degree that includes clinical coursework and post-graduate supervised work experience in a clinical setting before they can take the licensing exam.

Social workers with their LCSW can then work towards obtaining the additional supervised practice hours to add their "R" (which would update their license to LCSW-R). The "R" indicates that the social worker has psychotherapy privileges.

Learn more: Reliable resources for information about the profession

The Occupational Outlook Handbook is compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and includes information about all kinds of careers, including social work. In addition to information about the profession, it also has data regarding average salary and future job outlook.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is a professional organization whose membership is made up of social workers from across the country. The NASW website includes educational information about choosing the profession of social work, in addition to helpful information for social work practitioners.

The Grand Challenges for Social Work are championed by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. They call for scientific and interdisciplinary solutions to large societal issues. The Grand Challenges include some great examples of issues social workers care about and are working to mitigate.

The inSocialWork Podcast has been produced here in the UB School of Social Work for more than 10 years, and new episodes are released monthly. We bring in experts from across the country to discuss different social work topics and issues. Listening is a great way to explore the different populations and issues relevant to social work, as well as to learn about the variety of roles they fill in our society.

If you aren't sure where to start, here are our top five episode recommendations in no particular order (but feel free to look for other topics you are interested in!)

Imposter Syndrome Within the Social Work Profession: Recognizing Your True Potential (Episode 237)
Exploring the Integration of Social Workers into the Library Setting (Episode 264)
Wanted: Social Workers on Capitol Hill (Episode 203)
Smart Decarceration (Episode 212)
Multisystemic Therapy: A Strengths-Based, Collaborative Approach for Working with Negative Adolescent Behaviors (Episode 201)

High-Growth Careers in the Social Work Field

11 Min Read

Professionals in search of a fulfilling career in addition to success and job security have long been drawn to social work as a top choice. Social work careers have a lot to offer, such as the opportunity to impact lives, give back to your community, further social justice issues and much more. Today, social work job growth far outpaces the national average.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects an 8% growth in employment for all community and social service occupations between 2022 and 2032, which is about three times the national average. Of all 22 job fields tracked by the BLS, community and social services ranks fourth for expected growth. 1

With a 7% increase in job openings predicted this decade, careers in social work can expect about 63,800 open positions per year through 2032. 2 These open roles are likely to exist in a variety of environments, with the current top employers of social workers including individual and family service organizations, local and state governments, educational services and rehabilitation centers. 2

Many societal factors contribute to the projected expansion of careers in the social work field. Below, learn more about the circumstances influencing this growth.

Factors Driving Social Work Job Growth

What’s causing this rapid expansion in social work careers? The growth of America’s aging population is one major factor. By 2032, people aged 65 and older are expected to make up 25.2% of the overall U.S. population, with 11.8% of the nation aged 75 and older. 1 This is expected to lead to an increased need for geriatric services, including more jobs for palliative care social workers and elder care social workers.

The growth of substance use disorder and the opioid epidemic is another contributing factor. In 2021, a reported 2.5 million people experienced opioid use disorder, and roughly 1 in 10 had alcohol use disorder. 1 This has led to a sharp increase in demand for counselors and social workers who specialize in mental health and substance abuse across the U.S.

Finally, the recent increase in the number of people seeking mental healthcare has also spurred the growth of careers in the social work field. Between 2004 and 2022, the percentage of Americans seeing a mental health expert on a regular basis increased from 13% to 23%, largely due to efforts to destigmatize therapy, generational shifts toward mental health and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 1 With mental health systems struggling to meet demand, growth in openings for social workers specializing in mental health support and counseling is also expected to rise.

While job growth is expected across the social work occupation, some areas of the field are expanding faster than others. Keep reading to learn about the fastest growing social worker career paths.

Growing Careers in Social Work

Mental health social work.

Social workers who specialize in mental health provide support to clients who are facing emotional and psychological challenges. Depending on their specific role, these professionals may provide counseling, collaborate with medical professionals, help clients find mental health resources and more.

Social work job growth in the area of mental health is even higher than growth in the overall occupation, with an overall 11% increase in mental health social work jobs expected across the U.S. by 2032. 3 In the state of Montana, job openings are expected to surpass the national rate at 12%. 3 Wondering how to become a social worker specializing in mental health? You’ll need to earn an MSW as well as meet the additional requirements for licensing in your state .

Featured Career: Mental Health Counselor

Annual Salary: $52,490 4

Mental health counselors work with clients to promote psychological wellness and build happier lives. These counselors may support clients with a range of mental health concerns, or they may specialize in areas such as trauma processing, stress management, aging and more. The job outlook for mental health counselors is strong, with a projected 21% increase in job openings in the state of Montana through 2030. 5

Substance Abuse Social Work

Substance abuse social workers support individuals with substance use disorder. They may work in private therapy clinics, rehabilitation centers, medical facilities and other environments. Social workers who specialize in substance abuse need training to treat substance use disorder, so educational requirements for this area of the field include earning an MSW as well as additional certification or licensing, which may vary by state.

Substance abuse is another quickly growing area of social work, with an 11% increase in jobs expected across the U.S. this decade, amounting to approximately 9,500 openings per year. 3 Montana again tops the national projection with a 12% increase in demand for substance abuse social workers expected in the state. 3

Featured Career: Substance Abuse Counselor

Annual Salary: $52,490 6

Substance abuse counselors treat clients who have substance use disorder in relation to alcohol, opioids, methamphetamine, and other substances. In some cases, they may also treat other addictions, such as gambling. Demand for substance abuse counselors is growing at a fast pace, with a 21% increase in job openings projected in the state of Montana by 2030. 7

Family, Child and School Social Work

Family, child and school social workers specialize in supporting the well-being of children and their families. They may collaborate with teachers, assist in adoptions, place children in foster care, and provide other necessary services. Social worker career paths in this area require at least a bachelor’s degree and can include foster care social worker, case manager, youth services specialist, family service worker and more. Earning an MSW can help you advance to leadership positions.

The job outlook for family, child and school social workers is projected to grow faster than average at a rate of 5% between 2022 and 2032, amounting to about 29,500 job openings per year across the U.S. 8 This is another area of social work in which job growth in Montana is outpacing the national average, with an expected 11% increase in employment. 8

Featured Career: School Social Worker

Annual Salary: $47,070 9

School social workers support children in an educational setting by intervening when they suspect abuse or neglect, ensuring children have the resources they need and working with teachers to identify students who need extra support. Employment of social workers in K-12 schools is expected to see average job growth in the next decade, but social work openings in colleges and universities are projected to increase between 4% and 6%, which is faster than average. 10

Healthcare Social Work

Healthcare social workers help individuals and families access the health resources they need and provide psychosocial support to cope with chronic, acute or terminal illnesses. This includes mental health therapy, case management, health interventions and more. Healthcare social workers also make referrals for other services and work to remove barriers to care for their clients.

Social workers specializing in healthcare can expect job growth that’s much faster than average over the next decade, with a projected 10% increase in open positions between 2022 and 2032 — about 18,700 openings each year. 11 In Montana, the projected growth is slightly higher at 11%. 11 Employment as a healthcare social worker requires an MSW as well as the correct certification or license. In many states, healthcare social workers must pass the licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) exam.

Featured Career: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Annual Salary: $66,350 12

Licensed clinical social workers provide clients with mental health therapy as well as support in accessing resources to improve their lives. This can include helping individuals access healthcare, find affordable housing, apply for public assistance and more. Common employers of licensed clinical social workers include hospitals, medical clinics and rehabilitation centers.

Geriatric Social Work

Social workers who specialized in geriatric services provide a wide range of support for aging individuals. This may include providing case management, intervening in elder abuse, assisting with end-of-life planning and more. Roles in this area of the field include palliative care social worker, elder care social worker, nursing home social worker and several others. Social workers in geriatrics are typically employed by hospitals, hospice centers, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and rehabilitation centers.

With a projected population of 82 million people over the age of 65 by 2050 and more older adults living alone than ever before, the U.S. faces a gap in elder care.13 Experts expect job growth for caretakers, including geriatric social workers, to increase with rising need.

Featured Career: Long-Term Care Social Worker

Annual Salary: $55,700 14

Social workers employed in long-term care facilities provide a range of support to aging individuals and their families. They ensure clients are receiving the care they need, communicate with family members, collaborate with facility staff and keep clients safe by watching for signs of abuse and neglect. Between 2022 and 2032, a 5% increase in positions for social workers is expected in nursing and residential care facilities. 10 In continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities, job growth projections are even higher at 10%. 10

Veteran and Military Social Work

Veterans and members of the military have needs that require specialized care from professionals who understand the strains of military service as well as the benefits available to those who have served. Depending on their specific career path, veteran and military social workers may provide direct mental health counseling to service members, assist veterans in accessing their benefits, help members of the military find affordable housing or provide other forms of support.

Featured Career: VA Social Worker

Annual Salary: $58,380 2

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the largest employer of social workers in the U.S., with more than 20,000 MSW-prepared social workers currently on staff. 15 In the VA, social workers have the opportunity to work in a variety of programs and provide many types of services, including mental health, palliative care, long-term care, suicide prevention, caregiver support and homelessness intervention.

Take the Next Step in Your Social Work Career

Be better prepared to advance in a high-growth area of social work by applying to the University of Montana’s online MSW program . Learning in flexible online courses, you’ll explore a curriculum that emphasizes integrated practice, trauma-informed care and social justice. You can graduate in just three years with the educational requirements to pursue a clinical social worker license* and honor the dignity and worth of each client you serve.

UM’s program is CSWE-accredited and has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Best School for Social Work. 16 Request more information about this 100% online MSW today.

Disclaimer and Sources

*Licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) requirements vary by state. Check the Social Work License Map to learn more about requirements in your state.

Rieley, Michael. “Projected employment growth for community and social service occupations, 2022–32.” Beyond the Numbers . U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Feb. 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024 from https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-13/projected-employment-growth-for-community-and-social-service.htm .
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Social Workers.” April 17, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024 from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm .
O*NET OnLine. “Montana Employment Trends: Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.” Retrieved July 11 from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/21-1023.00?st=MT .
O*NET OnLine. “Montana Wages: Mental Health Counselors.” Retrieved July 11 from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/21-1014.00?st=MT .
O*NET OnLine. “Montana Employment Trends: Mental Health Counselors.” Retrieved July 11 from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/21-1014.00?st=MT .
O*NET OnLine. “Montana Wages: Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors.” Retrieved July 11 from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/21-1011.00?st=MT .
O*NET OnLine. “Montana Employment Trends: Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors.” Retrieved July 11 from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/21-1011.00?st=MT .
O*NET OnLine. “Montana Employment Trends: Child, Family, and School Social Workers.” Retrieved July 11 from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/21-1021.00?st=MT .
O*NET OnLine. “Montana Wages: Child, Family, and School Social Workers.” Retrieved July 11 from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/21-1021.00?st=MT .
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Employment Projections: Social Workers, all other.” Retrieved July 11, 2024 from https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=21-1029&ioType=o .
O*NET OnLine. “Montana Employment Trends: Healthcare Social Workers.” Retrieved July 16 from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/21-1022.00?st=MT .
Payscale. “Average Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Salary.” Retrieved July 16 from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Licensed_Clinical_Social_Worker_(LCSW)/Salary .
Mather, Mark and Scommegna, Paola. “Fact Sheet: Aging in the United States.” Population Reference Bureau. Jan. 9, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024 from https://www.prb.org/resources/fact-sheet-aging-in-the-united-states/ .
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates NAICS 623000 – Nursing and Residential Care Facilities.” Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics . April 3, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024 from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics3_623000.htm .
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Career as a VA social worker.” National Social Work Program . Retrieved July 16, 2024 from https://www.socialwork.va.gov/VA_Employment.asp .
U.S. News and World Report. “Best Schools for Social Work.” Retrieved July 2, 2024 from https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/social-work-rankings .

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Research Coordinator

🔍 stanford, california, united states.

Stanford University is seeking a Social Science Research Professional 1 to perform work to support research or develop public programs and policies, applying basic knowledge and understanding of scientific theory. Duties include: ● Plan and perform research tasks requiring initiative and judgment by applying basic knowledge and understanding of scientific theory when precedents do not provide specific guidance. General instruction provided by the supervisor as needed. May interpret study results in collaboration with supervisor or PI. ● Participate in the development and administration of survey instruments and rating scales requiring judgment in applying non-routine procedures. Analyze and summarize results for review with supervisor. Audit the accuracy and validity of data ● Review and audit case report forms for completion and accuracy with source documents, and ensure compliance with research protocols. ● Identify, select, extract and summarize data and structured information. Present summary of findings to supervisor. ● Conduct literature searches, and write literature summaries and manuscripts, requiring preliminary judgments after the supervisor outlines conceptual approach. ● Build and organize data as requested by principal investigator or supervisor; use common statistical programs requiring the application of job control language in generating and organizing data. ● Adapt new, nonstandard methods outlined by supervisor in designing and evaluating phases of research projects, (i.e.,educational materials, questionnaires, strategies for recruitment, data quality control procedures and processes). May follow up with Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure renewals are approved and completed, seeking guidance where·necessary. ● Assist with development, communication and design of research findings to internal and external audiences, which may include web updates, social media, and/or white papers, for use in recruitment, educational, or awareness of programs, with guidance from supervisor. ● May orient and train new staff or students. * - Other duties may also be assigned

Stanford School of Medicine, in collaboration with the Stanford Center on Early Childhood , an initiative of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning , seeks a full time Research Coordinator to join our team. This position will be assisting in an evaluation of a guaranteed basic income and systems alignment in San Mateo County. Note: This position is a 1-year fixed term appointment that may be renewed based on performance and funding. This position is eligible for a remote work agreement and limited travel may be required for convenings and events. Interested applicants should submit a resume and a cover letter describing why they are interested in this position at this stage of their career. Candidates must be eligible to work in the US. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. ABOUT US Housed at Stanford Graduate School of Education, the Stanford Accelerator for Learning is the first university-wide initiative connecting scholars across disciplines and with external partners to bridge research, innovation, practice, and policy, and bring quality scalable and equitable learning experiences to all learners, throughout the lifespan. The Stanford Accelerator for Learning focuses on learning challenges most in need of new discoveries, evidence, and solutions and where we believe Stanford can make the most difference. Those include: adult & workforce learning, digital learning, early childhood education and development, equity in learning, learning differences, and policy & systems change. The Stanford Center on Early Childhood (SCEC) is an initiative of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning. The SCEC leverages the current moment of revolutionary science and fosters deep omnidirectional collaboration across sectors, seeking to change the way that research in early childhood is conducted, communicated, and utilized, with the overarching goal that each and every child thrives from the start. POSITION SUMMARY The Stanford Center on Early Childhood seeks a full-time Research Coordinator to support in recruiting new mothers to participate in our study. The evaluation seeks to determine if coordinating systems or providing a Guaranteed Basic Income for mothers improves long-term outcomes, both in health and early childhood development, in comparison to the standard of care received as a MediCal patient in San Mateo County. Under direct supervision of Dr. Ryan Padrez at the School of Medicine, and in close collaboration with the Baby Bonus and San Mateo County Program Manager at the Stanford Center on Early Childhood, the Research Coordinator will recruit participants at Stanford’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospita l by determining the eligibility of mothers for the study, explaining the study to interested candidates, and enrolling consenting participants. Research Coordinators will randomize patients into one of three cohorts, and coordinate with Community Health Workers to ensure patients are connected to appropriate resources and support for the Coordinate Care portion of the evaluation. Following protocol guidelines, Research Coordinators will conduct surveys using RedCap with patients both in the hospital and throughout the study, documenting study materials and communications within appropriate systems, conduct qualitative interviews, and review survey answers. The Research Coordinator will contribute to writing reports and documentation, and conduct literature reviews to understand the current landscape of Guaranteed Basic Income Pilots and Care Coordination when necessary. They will manage project tasks while maintaining open and transparent communication with the Baby Bonus/SMC Program Manager. We encourage candidates with diverse experience and backgrounds to apply. The ideal candidate should be personable, compassionate, and able to connect with the mothers in the study during a pivotal time in their lives. To meet the needs of these mothers and the schedule of the Lucile Packard Children’s Nursery, ideal recruitment times will primarily be between 4:00 pm-7:00 pm, therefore this position will require evening and/or weekend availability. We are looking to hire 2-3 Research Coordinators, who would foster a collaborative and supportive team environment, working staggered schedules to ensure recruitment 7 days a week. Schedules may vary between 11:00 am-7:00 pm and 12:00-8:00 pm, with Research Coordinators supporting each other and covering needed shifts to maintain coverage and optimize recruitment times. This position does not have any direct supervision responsibilities. Your primary responsibilities will include: ● Plan and perform research tasks requiring initiative and judgment by applying basic knowledge and understanding of scientific theory when precedents do not provide specific guidance. General instruction is provided by the supervisor as needed. May interpret study results in collaboration with supervisor or PI. ● Participate in the development and administration of survey instruments and rating scales requiring judgment in applying non-routine procedures. Analyze and summarize results for review with your supervisor. Audit the accuracy and validity of data. ● Identify and recruit patients for enrollment. ● Review and audit case report forms for completion and accuracy with source documents, and ensure compliance with research protocols. ● Identify, select, extract and summarize data and structured information. Present summary of findings to supervisor. ● Conduct literature searches, and write literature summaries and manuscripts, requiring preliminary judgments after the supervisor outlines conceptual approach. ● Build and organize data as requested by principal investigator or supervisor; use common statistical programs requiring the application of job control language in generating and organizing data. ● Adapt new, nonstandard methods outlined by the supervisor in designing and evaluating phases of research projects, (i.e., educational materials, questionnaires, strategies for recruitment, data quality control procedures and processes). May follow up with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure renewals are approved and completed, seeking guidance where necessary. ● Assist with development, communication and design of research findings to internal and external audiences, which may include web updates, social media, and/or white papers, for use in recruitment, educational, or awareness of programs, with guidance from supervisor. ● May orient and train new staff or students. To be successful in this position, you will bring: ● Bachelor of Arts degree in an applicable social science-related field or combination of education and relevant experience in an applicable social science. ● General understanding of scientific theory and methods, typically gained through completion of an undergraduate degree in a related field. ● General computer skills and ability to quickly learn and master computer programs. ● Ability to work under deadlines with general guidance. ● Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated ability to complete detailed work accurately. ● Effective oral and written communication skills. ● Ability to work with human study participants. Preferred Education & Experience: ● Familiarity with RedCap or other online survey tools ● Experience using SPSS, R and/or other data management and analysis software ● Demonstrated ability using collaborative tools such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Slack, MS Teams, in an academic and/or professional context ● Spanish/English language bilingual fluency ● Experience with the community of San Mateo Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the University reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs. The pay range for this position working in the California Bay area is $26.44- $36.54/ hour.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: ● Familiarity with RedCap or other online survey tools ● Demonstrated ability using collaborative tools such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Slack, MS Teams, in an academic and/or professional context ● Spanish/English language bilingual fluency ● Experience with the community of San Mateo EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE (REQUIRED): Bachelor of Arts degree in an applicable social science-related field, or combination of education and relevant experience in an applicable social science. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (REQUIRED): ● General understanding of scientific theory and methods, typically gained through completion of an undergraduate degree in a related field. ● General computer skills and ability to quickly learn and master computer programs. ● Ability to work under deadlines with general guidance. ● Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated ability to complete detailed work accurately. ● Effective oral and written communication skills. ● Ability to work with human study participants CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES: None PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*: ● Frequently perform desk-based computer tasks, grasp lightly/fine manipulation, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds. ● Frequently stand/walk, sit, use a telephone, writing by hand, and sort/file paperwork or parts. ● Rarely twist/bend/stoop/squat, kneel/crawl, rarely reach/work above shoulders, and operates foot and/or hand controls. * - Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job. WORKING CONDITIONS: ● May be exposed to blood borne pathogens. ● May be required to work non-standard, extended or weekend hours in support of research work.

~ All members of the Department of Pediatrics are engaged in continuous learning and improvement to foster a culture where diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are central to all aspects of our work. The Department collectively and publicly commits to continuously promoting anti-racism and equity through its policies, programs, and practices at all levels. ~

Schedule: Full-time
Job Code: 4234
Employee Status: Regular
Department URL: http://pediatrics.stanford.edu/
Requisition ID: 104293
Work Arrangement : On Site

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A Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) is an informal correspondence which is written by a Requesting Office and distributed to communities within a specific program area, to attract individuals eligible under a Visiting Scientist, Engineer, and Educator (VSEE) appointment, an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignment and/or a Federal Temporary appointment. These letters may be circulated in paper form through internal mail, distributed electronically using listservs or accessed through NSF.gov’s Career Page.

Senior Advisor

Application timeline, position summary.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking qualified candidates for a Senior Advisor position within the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), Office of the Assistant Director (OAD) in Alexandria, VA.

SBE has an immediate and urgent need for the following:

The formulation of the Directorate's scientific goals, objectives and priorities.
The integration of scientific and technical priorities into effective policies, strategies, and programs.
The implementation of program planning, implementation and evaluation procedures for the SBE Directorate, which includes four divisions.
The Senior Advisor will serve as a member of the SBE senior leadership team and assist the Assistant Director.
The Senior Advisor will work with the Assistant Director and other senior SBE officials to facilitate the directorate's planning for and coordination of activities related to the social, behavioral and economic sciences. This includes the development of mission statements and goals, strategic plans, long-range plans, budgets and operating plans.
The Senior Advisor will develop analyses, advice and recommendations on policy issues facing SBE, with major attention to their scientific aspects.
The Senior Advisor will also play a central part in planning to ensure that program implementations effectively reflect policy decisions relative to social, behavioral and economic sciences research and education.

Position Description

This position is in the Office of the Assistant Director, Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), National Science Foundation (NSF). The Senior Advisor serves as a member of the SBE leadership team and assists the Assistant Director in a) the formulation of the Directorate's scientific goals, objectives and priorities, b) the integration of scientific and technical priorities into effective policies, strategies, and programs, and c) the implementation of program planning, implementation and evaluation procedures for the SBE Directorate, which includes four major components. The Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, the Division of Social and Economic Sciences, and the SBE Office of Multidisciplinary Activities support disciplinary and multidisciplinary research and education activities. The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics is the nation's principal producer of policy-relevant, policy-neutral statistical information on the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. The Senior Advisor participates with the Assistant Director in the coordination and overall management of Directorate activities with the directorate's senior managers and a staff of approximately 144.

Many of the directorate's activities have significant interagency dimensions in terms of scientific policy and programmatic development and operations. The incumbent, who takes a lead role in high-level interagency efforts, serves as a Senior Advisor for SBE by preparing analyses that will provide a basis for major decisions in priority setting, directorate and program planning and internal management, and for translating scientific decisions into effective budgetary and operational activities. Knowledgeable in the trends of research in the full range of the directorate's fields, is cognizant of current and proposed initiatives impacting the SBE directorate and provides advice on the implications of such on the Directorate's future programs and budgets.

II. MAJOR DUTIES

Works with the Assistant Director and other senior SBE officials to facilitate the directorate's planning for and coordination of activities related to the social, behavioral and economic sciences. This includes the development of mission statements and goals, strategic plans, long-range plans, budgets and operating plans.
Develops analyses, advice and recommendations on policy issues facing SBE, with major attention to their scientific aspects.
Plays a central part in planning to assure that program implementations effectively reflect policy decisions relative to social, behavioral and economic sciences research and education.
Analyzes and integrates scientific input and policy guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Congress, the National Academy of Sciences, professional societies, the National Science Board, NSF policy groups, the SBE Advisory Committee, other agencies and organizations into the directorate's plans, and works with appropriate staff to formulate and assess major budget and program initiatives.
Provides critical analyses for use by the Assistant Director in presentations, hearings and congressional testimony, and ensures that materials properly reflect the directorate's scientific priorities.
Coordinates and monitors activities that assess the overall effectiveness of the directorate's research portfolios and ensures performance measures are examined annually and reconfigured for maximum effectiveness.
Establishes procedures and processes to monitor organizational goals and objectives. Upon request of the Assistant Director, functions as the Acting Deputy Assistant Director for SBE in the absence of the latter.
Serves, as assigned, as the organizational representative on senior level policy and planning bodies, both technical and managerial, such as NSF-wide task groups, private and public bodies both foreign and domestic, and working committees.
Furthers equal employment opportunity through fair treatment of women, minority group members and individuals with disabilities, brings sensitivity to the issues involving these groups in terms of staff assistance and advice rendered, and participates in the development of SBE procedures to acquire and develop a well-qualified workforce.
Assesses the risk, cost, and work required to achieve goals for new projects and initiatives and facilitates completion.
Responsible for relaying information between executive team members and other staff members. Attends board meetings and provides an overall picture of productivity to executives and stakeholders and transmits information to the various department heads.
Substantial research and strong evidence of scholarship and leadership in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences or a closely related field as evidenced in publications and other professional contributions.
Ability to support the senior leadership of SBE in recommending and implementing new or modified policies and plans in scientific, fiscal, and administrative matters to improve the activities of management.
Demonstrated ability to conceptualize effectively and communicate with others regarding complex issues and ideas in a clear and concise manner.
Experience in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research areas, preferably including participation in a team research environment.
Experience in interagency interaction and outreach to the scientific community.

Appointment options

The position recruited under this announcement will be filled under the following appointment option(s):

Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Assignment: Individuals eligible for an IPA assignment with a Federal agency include employees of State and local government agencies or institutions of higher education, Indian tribal governments, and other eligible organizations in instances where such assignments would be of mutual benefit to the organizations involved. Initial assignments under IPA provisions may be made for a period up to two years, with a possible extension for up to an additional two-year period. The individual remains an employee of the home institution and NSF provides the negotiated funding toward the assignee's salary and benefits. Initial IPA assignments are made for a one-year period and may be extended by mutual agreement.

Eligibility information

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General. https://www.nsf.gov/careers/Definition-of-Foreign-Talent-HRM.pdf .

Applications will be accepted from U.S. Citizens. Recent changes in Federal Appropriations Law require Non-Citizens to meet certain eligibility criteria to be considered. Therefore, Non-Citizens must certify eligibility by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application. Non-Citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered eligible. Non-Citizens are not eligible for positions requiring a security clearance.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Qualifications

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in an appropriate field related to the social, behavioral, or economic sciences, plus after award of the Ph.D., candidates must have six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position.

Quality Ranking Factors : Final ranking is based on an evaluation of experience, education, and training as they relate to the knowledge, skills and abilities specified in the following factors:

Knowledge of SBE research and of current and emerging trends in SBE research and education.
Awareness of existing and potential academic-industry-government partnerships necessary for furthering the frontiers of SBE research and innovation.
Knowledge of the relevance of SBE science to national priority areas such as building a resilient future, supporting emerging industries, designing infrastructure of the future, and creating human-centered technologies and technology rich environments that will enable people to pursue more satisfying and productive lives.
Recognized professional standing in academe, industry, or government for the SBE sciences as evidenced by a sustained record of scholarship, professional, or and leadership activities.
Demonstrated ability to anticipate, design, plan, coordinate, and manage policy-related tasks to achieve organizational objectives.
Ability to effectively and convincingly communicate policies and plans to peer groups, high-level decision making and policy groups, and Congressional staff, with major attention to STEM education research and policy.

How to apply

You are highly encouraged to address the following professional skills within your cover letter, which will be used to evaluate your experience, education and training as related to the knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position during the review process.

Your application should contain the following information: 1. CV format. Information about your education, your field, and research focus and year of degree(s); and Information about all your work experience, including job titles, duties, and accomplishments, employer's name and phone number, starting and ending dates (month and year), and salary. If you have held various positions with the same employer, describe each separately. 2. Narrative statement addressing your background in terms of the required Quality Ranking Factors highlighting your qualifications and professional skills should be addressed. Your responses should be clear and concise and show the level of responsibility, and the level of accomplishment associated with your experience. You are strongly encouraged to submit a current performance appraisal and/or letter(s) of recommendation and a cover letter that describes your background in terms of the professional skills associated with this position. This information will be used in the evaluation process. Transcripts are not required; however, please indicate the year that each degree was obtained on your application materials.

Applicants should indicate the position they are applying to within their cover letter and the subject line of the email. Please submit your curriculum vitae to Anthony Teolis, SBE Directorate Operations Officer, [email protected] Applications are reviewed by the SBE AD and senior executives. A few candidates are selected for telephone and/or NSF on-site or virtual interviews. Applicants will receive an acknowledgment of their application and a status update by email when selections occur. For more information about these openings, you may send an inquiry to [email protected] . Nominations from the community are also encouraged. A nomination email can be sent to [email protected] .

The University of Chicago The Law School

Federal criminal justice clinic—significant achievements for 2023-24.

The Federal Criminal Justice Clinic is the nation’s first legal clinic devoted to representing indigent clients charged with federal felonies, pursuing impact litigation through criminal cases in federal court, and spearheading systemic change within the federal criminal system to combat racial, economic, and other inequities. Professor Alison Siegler, the Clinic’s Founding Director, and Professor Judith Miller work together with students to advocate in these areas.

Freedom Denied Systemic Reform Project

Students working with Professor Siegler on the FCJC’s Freedom Denied Project have continued to drive systemic change nationally in the area of federal pretrial jailing and detention, building on the Clinic’s study, Freedom Denied: How the Culture of Detention Created a Federal Jailing Crisis (2022). In this report, the FCJC identified a federal jailing crisis and presented hard data to judges and other stakeholders about various ways in which people’s rights are violated during federal bail hearings. Since then, the FCJC has been pulling every possible lever to address this crisis, reduce federal jailing rates, and reduce the accompanying racial disparities.

In ten of the federal courts where the FCJC engaged in district-specific interventions, federal jailing rates decreased by fifteen percent on average. Over the five years since our work began, federal jailing rates have decreased by five percent nationwide. While it is difficult to know what part of the decrease is attributable to the Clinic’s efforts, many judges and policymakers have informed Professor Siegler that the Clinic’s work is fundamentally reshaping how the federal system addresses pretrial detention and release.

This year, the FCJC distributed a bound hard copy of our 300-page Freedom Denied report to 700 federal judges, including every Chief US District Court Judge and every US Magistrate Judge in the country who makes pretrial jailing decisions. We received many letters and emails from judges nationwide, thanking us and reflecting on our report as an excellent and practical resource for the judiciary. (The printing, binding, and mailing of the report was made possible by an additional and very generous gift from the Astor Street Foundation.)

In our report, the FCJC was the first to identify a massive access-to-justice problem, and our interventions on that issue are creating monumental change. Specifically, our investigation revealed that in one-quarter of the federal courts in this country, judges regularly detain people in jail without lawyers. This is a clear violation of federal laws that require the appointment of counsel during the first court hearing, known as the initial appearance.

The FCJC advocated to the Department of Justice and the Judicial Conference of the United States, and they responded by working with us to rectify the access-to-counsel problem. In 2023, the DOJ issued a new directive requiring federal prosecutors to recognize the statutory right to counsel. After that, FCJC students and Professor Siegler conducted an extensive additional investigation to identify the federal courts where the right-to-counsel crisis is most acute, and approached the Judicial Conference with our findings. In response, Judicial Conference committees ultimately issued a directive in March 2024 requiring federal judges to appoint counsel to represent every indigent defendant during their initial appearance hearing, stating: “Courts that do not currently ensure that every defendant has active representation by counsel during the initial appearance must comply with the governing statute and rules.” This is an enormous milestone.

While awaiting this directive, Professor Siegler published an op-ed in USA Today to further educate stakeholders about the crisis and spread nationwide attention and awareness, explaining: “Our [Clinic’s] findings document the shocking number of people denied public defenders at their first bail hearing, which virtually guarantees that they will be jailed rather than released home to their families.” In the wake of these changes, we have been heartened to learn that federal courts that for decades had an entrenched practice of locking defendants in jail without lawyers are now regularly appointing counsel.

The Clinic engaged in additional systemic change efforts to address the broader federal jailing crisis this year, including:

Widely distributing the Clinic’s template motions for pretrial release via the Westlaw Forms database to ensure that federal criminal defense attorneys have access to effective legal tools.
The centerpiece of this year’s trainings was a presentation at the Seventh Circuit Judicial Conference, an upcoming panel at the Tenth Circuit Judicial Conference, and a multi-day national bail workshop for Federal Public Defenders.
Additional speeches included presentations at the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies 50 th Annual Conference and Training, a presentation at the annual national conference of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and a speech at a conference organized by the Honorable Salvador Mendoza of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Retroactivity Project

Under Professor Judith Miller’s leadership, FCJC student teams represented four incarcerated clients in motions to have their sentences reduced under the newly passed Amendment 821 to the Sentencing Guidelines. The Sentencing Commission issued the retroactive Amendment in light of new data showing that two components of the Guidelines overstated certain individuals’ risk of recidivism. Under this Amendment, incarcerated individuals can ask the court to reduce their sentences to the low-end of their new, amended Guideline range. Once the court determines that the individual is eligible for a reduction, it applies the usual factors under the sentencing statute, 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), to determine whether a reduction is warranted.

The FCJC recognized that the Clinic could play an important role by representing clients who might be eligible for release after the change in the law. In this project, Clinic students used their outstanding research, writing, and investigation skills to help individuals in need of counsel push novel legal and factual issues posed by the new Amendment. As of early July 2024, one client has been released, one client’s sentence has been reduced, and two cases are still pending.

Two of the Clinic’s four cases were ultimately uncontested. Of the uncontested cases, our released client is now home with her family, after receiving a twenty-one-month sentence reduction. This was an especially sweet victory as the Clinic had previously represented this client at trial in 2019. In the second case, student advocacy persuaded the government to agree to the reduction. If granted, the motion will reduce our client’s sentence by nearly a year, to his mandatory minimum sentence.

As for the two contested pending cases, both present fascinating and important legal issues. In the first, students successfully persuaded the Court to grant the client an eighteen-month sentence reduction. This victory was an uphill battle. Both Probation and the government initially concluded that the client was ineligible for relief. Students nonetheless persuaded Probation to change its position, and the government then conceded eligibility after reading the students’ motion.

The student team argued that our client’s sentence should be reduced to account for dramatic changes in sentencing law that robbed him of the benefit of his earlier bargain, among other things. Years before we began representing him, our client received an agreed 150-month sentence in exchange for the government dropping additional charges that could have led to a thirty-year mandatory minimum sentence. The student team argued that our client was eligible for relief under a recent Supreme Court case, contrary to the government’s claims. Clinic students extensively researched the legal issues, documented our client’s post-sentencing success in prison, worked closely with our Clinic’s social worker, delved into the social science of age and recidivism, and drafted the motion.

After reading the Clinic’s briefing, the Court quickly concluded that our client deserved a sentence reduction, highlighting the same points the students raised in their briefing. Among other things, the Court observed that our client had obtained jobs requiring “technical expertise and trust,” and “demonstrate[d] a strong network of family and friends who vouch for his character.” The team looks forward to celebrating our client’s freedom once he is released.

The second contested case raises a circuit split over our client’s eligibility for relief in the first place. Our motion argues that Seventh Circuit case law conclusively entitles our client to relief. The § 3553(a) factors likewise support reducing our client’s grossly unfair sentence—he was sentenced twice for the very same conduct. The original federal judge intended for our client to serve a 196-month sentence, but a subsequent state sentence added an unexpected twenty-four months on top of that. Clinic students investigated and documented the double-sentencing, strategized over how to frame the issue, researched the circuit split, and drafted the motion. If the Clinic’s motion is granted, our client will receive a twenty-five-month sentence reduction.

Advocacy in Stash House Cases

FCJC students under Professor Siegler’s supervision partnered with a team led by Professor Erica Zunkel and students in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic in filing a motion for compassionate release on behalf of a client currently serving a thirty-five-year sentence in a fake stash house case. This case builds on the Clinic’s prior federal impact litigation alleging unconstitutional racial discrimination in stash house cases in the Chicago area. The FCJC previously co-counseled cases on behalf of forty-three clients, nearly all of whom were released with time-served sentences. Additional people ensnared in the Chicago stash house operations were subsequently released thanks to compassionate release litigation led by Professor Zunkel.

Given these prior successes, the Clinics’ current client is one of just two people still serving a decades-long sentence for the stash house operation, which the federal government has now repudiated. He has already served seventeen years in federal prison. We are requesting his immediate release.

The Drugs on the Docket Podcast recently featured two episodes about the FCJC’s contributions to the stash house litigation. In Episode one , Professor Siegler discusses the Clinic’s pretrial litigation and how we ultimately helped shut down this racially discriminatory policing tactic nationwide. In Episode two , Professor Zunkel discusses the subsequent compassionate release litigation she led, which convinced judges to release eight other clients, most of whom were serving twenty-five-year sentences, sparing each approximately ten additional years in prison.

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Practice research and social work co-exist within an environment of collaboration and interdisciplinary cooperation, where social workers collaborate with researchers, policymakers, and other professionals to collectively address complex social issues. There is a need for holistic research methodologies to develop approaches that address the multifaceted needs of individuals and communities ...
Social Work Research
Social Work Research publishes exemplary research to advance the development of knowledge and inform social work practice. Widely regarded as the outstanding journal in the field, it includes analytic reviews of research, theoretical articles pertaining to social work research, evaluation studies, and diverse research studies that contribute to knowledge about social work issues and problems ...
Journal of Social Work: Sage Journals
The Journal of Social Work is a forum for the publication, dissemination and debate of key ideas and research in social work. The journal aims to advance theoretical understanding, shape policy, and inform practice, and welcomes submissions from all … | View full journal description. This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication ...
Social Work Research Methods
What is social work research? Learn more about the data-driven research designs and social work research methods that drive modern policy and practice.
Research Areas
Research Areas. The School of Social Work faculty regularly focus on research that impacts people not only throughout the nation, but throughout the world. Our research can be grouped into six main themes: Child Welfare, Health and Mental Health, Poverty, Social Innovation, Social Work Research in Schools, and Workforce Development. We are ...
225 Social Work Research Topics For College Students
Explore our comprehensive list of 225 social work research topics for college students covering diverse areas like child welfare, mental health, addiction, community development, and more. Perfect for college students seeking insightful research ideas.
Social Work Research: Concept, Scope
Concept. Purpose of social work research is to produce new knowledge or to increase already available knowledge in the field of social work. Social work research gives new dimensions to social work techniques and methods and provides new ways to deal with problems. Social work research attempts to highlight insights about what intervention or ...
How to Bring Research Into Social Work Practice
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 ...
Published Research
This is the University of Washington School of Social Work's repository of published research articles, where cutting-edge research and groundbreaking findings come to life. Our faculty and researchers are dedicated to advancing the field of social work through rigorous, impactful research that addresses pressing social issues and promotes ...
Issues
An official journal of the National Association of Social Workers. Publishes exemplary research to advance the development of knowledge and inform social work practice.
Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research
JSSWR publishes a wide range of perspectives, research approaches, and types of analyses that advance knowledge useful for designing social programs and interventions, developing innovative public policies, and improving social work research and practice globally.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of Expertise BU School of Social Work researchers are transforming social work practice through high-impact prevention and intervention research and scholarship, characterized by trans-disciplinary and inter-professional collaborations. Get to know more about our expertise.
Social Work Policy Research
Social Work Policy Research & Data. These reports examine issues related to the work of social workers, including how to serve people who have complex needs and how public agencies and other organizations deliver health and human services.
Back to the Future: Using Social Work Research to Improve Social Work
Abstract This article traces themes over time for conducting social work research to improve social work practice. The discussion considers 3 core themes: (a) the scientific practitioner, including different models for applying this perspective to research and practice; (b) intervention research; and (c) implementation science. While not intended to be a comprehensive review of these themes ...
300 Social Work Research Topics & Ideas 2023
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?
Social Work Research Methods
Social work research means conducting an investigation in accordance with the scientific method. The aim of social work research is to build the social work knowledge base in order to solve practical problems in social work practice or social policy. Investigating phenomena in accordance with the scientific method requires maximal adherence to ...
SLWK 380
Bibliographic coverage of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare, social policy, and community development. Abstracts and indexes serials, journal articles, dissertations, and more.
Research on Social Work Practice: Sage Journals
This disciplinary publication focuses on evaluation research and on validating methods of assessment in social work practice. Each issue works to bridge the gap...
NASW Journals' Most Cited Articles
Widely regarded as the outstanding journal in the field, it includes analytic reviews of research, theoretical articles pertaining to social work research, evaluation studies, and diverse research studies that contribute to knowledge about social work issues and problems. 2021 Journal Impact Factor™: 1.844. Social Work in the Age of a Global ...
Types of Social Work
Types of Social Work. Social workers are found in every facet of community life, including schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior centers, elected office, private practices, prisons, military, corporations, and in numerous public and private agencies. Some social workers help clients who face a disability or a life-threatening ...
What is Social Work and What Do Social Workers Do?
What is Social Work and What Do Social Workers Do? Social work is a profession in which trained professionals are devoted to helping vulnerable people and communities work through challenges they face in everyday life. Social workers practice in a wide variety of settings, united in their commitment to advocating for and improving the lives of individuals, families, groups and societies.
High-Growth Social Work Careers and Job Outlook in 2024
The job outlook for family, child and school social workers is projected to grow faster than average at a rate of 5% between 2022 and 2032, amounting to about 29,500 job openings per year across the U.S. 8 This is another area of social work in which job growth in Montana is outpacing the national average, with an expected 11% increase in ...
Social Work (Four Corners Program)
1. Rationale: Identify significant factors that influenced your decision to pursue a master of social work (MSW) degree and how you intend to use it in the future. (1-2 paragraphs) 2. Social work values and ethics: Social work is guided by professional values and ethics that often serve as a compass when facing ethical or value-based dilemmas.
2024 Most Valuable Online Colleges Programs Ranking in ...
Simmons University offers a Master's degree in Social Work with a 71% graduation rate. The program lasts 14 months and costs $71,500. All students receive financial aid, and the acceptance rate is 84%. With 3,884 online students enrolled, this program provides a flexible and accessible option for those interested in pursuing a career in social ...
Research Coordinator
Stanford University is seeking a Social Science Research Professional 1 to perform work to support research or develop public programs and policies, applying basic knowledge and understanding of scientific theory. Duties include:
Senior Advisor
This position is in the Office of the Assistant Director, Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), National Science Foundation (NSF). The Senior Advisor serves as a member of the SBE leadership team and assists the Assistant Director in a) the formulation of the Directorate's scientific goals, objectives and priorities, b) the integration of scientific and technical ...
Federal Criminal Justice Clinic—Significant Achievements for 2023-24
The Federal Criminal Justice Clinic is the nation's first legal clinic devoted to representing indigent clients charged with federal felonies, pursuing impact litigation through criminal cases in federal court, and spearheading systemic change within the federal criminal system to combat racial, economic, and other inequities. Professor Alison Siegler, the Clinic's Founding Director, and ...

199+ Social Work Research Topics [Updated 2024]

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Impact on Research Quality

Alignment with Personal Interests and Goals

Contribution to the Field of Social Work

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199+ Social Work Research Topics: Category-Wise

Diversity and Inclusion in Social Work

Social Work and Community Development

Social Work and Child Welfare

Global Perspectives in Social Work Research

Technology and Social Work

Policy and Advocacy in Social Work

Substance Abuse and Addiction in Social Work

Gerontology and Aging in Social Work

Education and Social Work

Human Trafficking and Exploitation

Family Dynamics and Social Work

Health and Healthcare Disparities

Human Rights and Social Work

Disability and Inclusion

Veterans and Military Social Work

Community Mental Health Programs

Immigration and Social Work

Social Work in Rural Communities

Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice

Social Work in Schools

Criminal Justice and Social Work

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)

Social Work and Environmental Justice

Human Services Administration

Social Work and Artificial Intelligence

Crisis Intervention and Social Work

Social Work in the LGBTQ+ Community

Social Work and Aging

Faith-Based Social Work

Social Work in Substance Use Prevention

Global Mental Health and Social Work

Social Work and Human-Animal Interaction

Refugee Mental Health and Social Work

Community Resilience and Social Work

Technology and Social Work Ethics

Social Work in Sports

Social Work in the Arts

Social Work and Foster Care Adoption

Social Work in the Gig Economy

Emerging Trends in Social Work Research

Tips for Conducting Social Work Research

Resources for Social Work Researchers

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Social Work Research Methods That Drive the Practice

Data-Driven Work

Quantitative vs. Qualitative

Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research

Mixed Methods Research

The Importance of Research Design

Research Methods in Social Work

Program Evaluations

Needs Assessments

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Descriptive Studies

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Research Areas