The End of Quantitative Research in Social Work? The Threat Posed by Postmodern/Critical Theory's Increasing Colonization of Academia

IF 1.7 4区社会学 Q1 SOCIAL WORK

Research on Social Work Practice Pub Date : 2024-10-16 DOI:10.1177/10497315241288113

David R. Hodge, Brett Drake

{"title":"The End of Quantitative Research in Social Work? The Threat Posed by Postmodern/Critical Theory's Increasing Colonization of Academia","authors":"David R. Hodge, Brett Drake","doi":"10.1177/10497315241288113","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Quantitative research plays an instrumental role in facilitating health and wellness. Effective interventions are developed, assessed, and refined through the application of logic and empirical evidence in a scientific milieu characterized by diverse views. However, the increasing colonization of academic discourse by postmodern/critical theory (PCT) may undermine foundational concepts upon which quantitative research rests. The postpositivist tradition in which quantitative methods are embedded emphasizes probabilistic truth, logic, empirical evidence, and the interplay of diverse, frequently conflicting perspectives. Conversely, some currents of thought within PCT emphasize multiple realities, intuition, personal stories of lived experience, and the exclusion of views that challenge PCT tenets. The increasing adoption of these concepts in academia may limit or even delegitimize quantitative research as currently practiced in social work. We conclude by arguing that social work clients are best served by a scientific discourse that values multiple theoretical frameworks, research methodologies, and scientists operating from different social locations.","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Research on Social Work Practice","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315241288113","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"SOCIAL WORK","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Quantitative research plays an instrumental role in facilitating health and wellness. Effective interventions are developed, assessed, and refined through the application of logic and empirical evidence in a scientific milieu characterized by diverse views. However, the increasing colonization of academic discourse by postmodern/critical theory (PCT) may undermine foundational concepts upon which quantitative research rests. The postpositivist tradition in which quantitative methods are embedded emphasizes probabilistic truth, logic, empirical evidence, and the interplay of diverse, frequently conflicting perspectives. Conversely, some currents of thought within PCT emphasize multiple realities, intuition, personal stories of lived experience, and the exclusion of views that challenge PCT tenets. The increasing adoption of these concepts in academia may limit or even delegitimize quantitative research as currently practiced in social work. We conclude by arguing that social work clients are best served by a scientific discourse that values multiple theoretical frameworks, research methodologies, and scientists operating from different social locations.

查看原文本刊更多论文

社会工作定量研究的终结？后现代/批判理论日益蚕食学术界所带来的威胁

定量研究在促进健康和保健方面发挥着重要作用。在观点纷呈的科学环境中，通过应用逻辑和经验证据，制定、评估和完善有效的干预措施。然而，后现代/批判理论（PCT）对学术话语的日益殖民化可能会破坏定量研究赖以生存的基本概念。定量方法所依托的后实证主义传统强调概率真理、逻辑、经验证据以及各种观点的相互作用，而这些观点往往是相互冲突的。与此相反，后实证主义中的一些思潮则强调多重现实、直觉、个人生活经验故事，以及排斥挑战后实证主义信条的观点。学术界越来越多地采用这些概念，可能会限制目前社会工作中的定量研究，甚至使其失去合法性。最后，我们认为，重视多种理论框架、研究方法和来自不同社会环境的科学家的科学话语，才能更好地为社会工作客户服务。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Research on Social Work Practice SOCIAL WORK-

CiteScore

3.50

自引率

11.10%

发文量

105

期刊介绍： Research on Social Work Practice, sponsored by the Society for Social Work and Research, is a disciplinary journal devoted to the publication of empirical research concerning the methods and outcomes of social work practice. Social work practice is broadly interpreted to refer to the application of intentionally designed social work intervention programs to problems of societal and/or interpersonal importance, including behavior analysis or psychotherapy involving individuals; case management; practice involving couples, families, and small groups; community practice education; and the development, implementation, and evaluation of social policies.