Module 2 Chapter 1: Overview

This brief chapter provides some context for understanding social work intervention. We begin with a brief review of some basic research concepts with direct application to our evaluating social work interventions.

Review of Key Concepts

• A translational science framework includes basic research, intervention research, and implementation science. Basic research includes epidemiology, etiology, and theory about diverse populations, social work problems, and social phenomena. The intervention research aspects of translational science—applying basic research and evidence-informed theory in designing interventions, conducting efficacy and effectiveness studies, and engaging with implementation science are emphasized here.
• Social work research questions need to be specific, feasible to study, and relevant. A funnel runs from a general topic to research questions and ends in specific hypotheses (for quantitative study approaches). There is also potential for bias in research questions that are asked. These same principles apply to social work research questions that lead to a better understanding of interventions—how interventions are studied flows directly from what is asked in the research questions.
• While basic research often explores “background” questions, research about interventions focuses on “foreground” questions—questions about best practices and approaches to screening, assessing, and intervening in social work practice at all levels of intervention (including prevention).
• Three major types of research questions have powerful implications for research design, methodology, and analysis approaches: exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory questions. Much emphasis in intervention research is on explanatory questions where the effects or impact of interventions are what need to be examined (explained). We do, however, also address exploratory and descriptive questions in the context of understanding social work interventions.
• The significant role played by theory remains a very important topic in our understanding of interventions. The design of any intervention is typically informed by theory, although this is not always the case. Theory also helps inform social work practitioners about who might benefit (most or least) from a specific intervention, and about the mechanisms of change involved in how interventions have their impact.
• Locating and understanding empirical literature is critical, and how one might analyze empirical literature to answer questions about diverse populations, social work problems, and social phenomena to inform social work practice decisions and understand interventions.
• Research ethics is highly relevant and important, and much of that information is specific to understanding interventions.
• Basic research content regarding study methods (participants, measures, procedures, data collection approaches), data and statistical analysis, and presenting evidence applies to understanding social work interventions.

There is another free coursebook you can explore to refresh your knowledge and understanding of specific research content as it is re-encountered—references to the relevant information will be presented here.