{"title":"Perspectives on Technology Use in Social Work: Scale Development and Validation","authors":"Jaclyn M. Williams, Eunyoung Lee","doi":"10.1177/10497315251362758","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251362758","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated technology use in social services, underscoring the need to assess social work students’ readiness for ethical tech integration. Existing tools overlook the ethical context of social work. The Perceptions of Technology Used for Social Work (PTUSW) scale was developed to address this gap, incorporating ethical compatibility, self-efficacy, and perceived usefulness. Method: Experts evaluated items for content validity. A purposive sample of 112 social work students (mean age = 34, 80% female) completed the scale. Factor analyses were conducted to assess model fit, and construct validity was examined. Results: Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor structure. The 18-item PTUSW scale comprises three subscales and demonstrated strong content and factorial validity with good model fit and reliability (stratified α = .91). Discussion: The PTUSW scale supports reflective learning and ethical preparedness in the use of technology for future practitioners. Further validation with more diverse student and practitioner populations is needed.","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"149 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144748195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Saige M. Addison, Emily D. Campion, Miriam J. Landsman, Christabel L. Rogalin, Christopher A. Veeh
{"title":"Making AI Accessible to Social Work Researchers: An Exploratory Analysis of Using ChatGPT to Screen Articles for Systematic and Scoping Reviews","authors":"Saige M. Addison, Emily D. Campion, Miriam J. Landsman, Christabel L. Rogalin, Christopher A. Veeh","doi":"10.1177/10497315251357190","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251357190","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: Title and abstract screening is one of the most time- and resource-intensive steps in systematic and scoping reviews (SRs); however, artificial intelligence (AI) can accelerate this step without sacrificing methodological rigor. We test ChatGPT-4o's ability to accurately screen citations and present an accessible approach, tailored to social work scholars with limited AI experience. Method: Through prompt engineering, we tested how two vectorization techniques, three algorithms, and class weighting impact ChatGPT-4o's classification accuracy for article inclusion in two SRs compared to models run in a native Python environment (Jupyter Notebook). Results: ChatGPT-4o-generated models were comparable to Jupyter Notebook, with the bag of words or term frequency-inverse document frequency and logistic regression models performing well. Additionally, adjusting for class imbalance improved performance across samples and models. Discussion: This approach is effective, promoting accessibility for researchers and practitioners. We encourage future researchers to replicate and extend the use of chatbots in the screening process.","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144715291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Educating for Change: Social Work Students’ Views on LGBTQ+ in Turkey","authors":"Burcu Yakut Cakar, Yuksel Baykara Acar, Hakan Acar","doi":"10.1177/10497315251359140","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251359140","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This study aims to identify the factors influencing social work students’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men in Turkey and to understand how social work education shapes these attitudes. Methods: The research utilized a longitudinal prospective cohort study design, following the same sample of social work undergraduates in Turkey, consisting of 18 participants observed in 2012, 2015, and 2023. Building on an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, quantitative data was collected first using the Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale and then followed up with a qualitative phase consisting of four semistructured in-depth interviews conducted in 2023. Results: The findings revealed a positive attitudinal change over time and the importance of social work education in fostering this progression. Discussion: This research emphasizes the significance of the learning environment in promoting positive attitude shifts toward homosexuals and the need for ongoing professional development and support for social workers.","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"675 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144677262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhancing Consumer Skills in Individuals With Down Syndrome","authors":"Sibel Sümer Öncel, Halime Miray Sümer Dodur","doi":"10.1177/10497315251359144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251359144","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This study evaluated a father-focused family education program to enhance digital consumer skills in individuals with down syndrome. Method: A single-subject multiple probe design was used with four father–child dyads. Fathers received training on simultaneous prompting and taught their children three consumer skills: online bill payment, ordering food, and buying movie tickets. Results: All fathers reached over 90% instructional fidelity, and all children reached 100% accuracy in each target skill. These gains were maintained during follow-up sessions. Social validity data indicated high satisfaction among fathers and perceived improvements in children's confidence and independence. Discussion: Findings support the effectiveness of structured, family-based programs in teaching functional digital skills to individuals with DS. The intervention shows promise for broader implementation in promoting digital inclusion and autonomy.","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144629777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Book Review: Uncommon Cause: Living for Environmental Justice in Kerala by John Mathias MathiasJohn. Uncommon Cause: Living for Environmental Justice in Kerala, University of California Press, 2024. 257 pp., $29.95. ISBN 9780520395510.","authors":"Kathryn R. Berringer","doi":"10.1177/10497315251357209","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251357209","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"109 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144639998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gunilla Fahlström, Elisabeth Furberg, Carl Gornitzki, Per Johansson, Tapio Salonen, Elizabeth Åhsberg
{"title":"Effects, Experiences, and Ethical Aspects of Active Labor Market Programs in Social Work for Long-Term Social Assistance Recipients: A Systematic Review","authors":"Gunilla Fahlström, Elisabeth Furberg, Carl Gornitzki, Per Johansson, Tapio Salonen, Elizabeth Åhsberg","doi":"10.1177/10497315251346057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251346057","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: To assess the effects of supporting labor market interventions for adults outside the labor market who are long-term social assistance recipients, and to present participant experiences of return-to-work interventions. Method: A systematic review where direct and indirect client interventions were synthesized. We included 26 quantitative studies (seven randomized and 19 based on register data about 5.8 million persons), and 14 qualitative studies. Results: Effective programs to enable long-term social assistance recipients to enter and retain employment are workplace training, extensive or long-term training, work support programs in regular activities (moderate certainty of evidence). Up until February 2022, this report updates previous knowledge about the effects of education, internships and work practice, and employer subsidies together with new knowledge about the effects of case managers’ working methods for the target group. Evidence gaps are addressed. Discussion: Strengths and limitations, practice, policy and research implications, and ethical considerations are discussed.","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144629778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Suet Lin Hung, Ziqi Peng, Chi Yuen Lai, Kwok Kin Fung
{"title":"Effect of Integrating Body Movement and Deconstruction Approaches on Young Women with Body Ideals-Related Distress: A Quasi-Experimental Study","authors":"Suet Lin Hung, Ziqi Peng, Chi Yuen Lai, Kwok Kin Fung","doi":"10.1177/10497315251352835","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251352835","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This study aims to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention model that integrates body movement and deconstruction approaches for young women with body ideals-related distress. Methods: A quasi-experimental research design was used to compare the changes between the experimental group ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> <jats:sub>1</jats:sub> = 322) and the control group ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> = 78). The experimental group received six group sessions with three time point measurements. Results: The time × group repeated-measures analysis suggested the experimental group has a significant reduction in sociocultural pressure related to appearance (partial η <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = .029), thin body ideals (partial η <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = .029), body attractiveness (partial η <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = .018), and media (partial η <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = .014) than the control group. Additionally, the paired sample <jats:italic>t</jats:italic> -test results showed that experimental group participants showed greater improvement in self-esteem and self-mastery and a greater reduction in perceived stress. Conclusions: The findings support the effectiveness of the integration of body movement and deconstruction approaches to address young women's distress related to body ideals.","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144565678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Theoretical and Methodological Shifts in Social Work Research: An AI-Driven Analysis of Postmodern and Critical Theory at the SSWR Annual Conference","authors":"Brian E. Perron, Zia Qi","doi":"10.1177/10497315251352838","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251352838","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This study empirically documents temporal patterns in social work research's engagement with postmodern and critical theory (P/CT) frameworks. Methods: Large language models (LLMs) were used to analyze 19,134 conference abstracts presented at the Society for Social Work and Research (2012–2025) for P/CT alignment and methodology. Multimodel evaluation demonstrated excellent reliability across six frontier LLMs (kappa = .73). Results: Temporal analysis revealed substantial increases in P/CT engagement, with “Aligned” presentations growing 7.7-fold and “Partially Aligned” tripling between 2012 and 2025. This growth was distinctly concentrated in qualitative research, reaching 9.28% aligned and 47.81% partially aligned by 2025. The share of quantitative research declined (66.03%–48.36%), while qualitative research expanded (18.43%–31.20%). These trends accelerated after 2019. Discussion: Findings validate increased P/CT presence as methodological concentration, not uniform adoption. This provides empirical data for disciplinary discourse and demonstrates artificial intelligence's utility for large-scale content analysis.","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144520593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Guest Editorial: Turning Your Research into a Best-Seller—An Innovative Approach to Knowledge Mobilization and Becoming Newsworthy","authors":"Michael Ungar","doi":"10.1177/10497315251352828","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251352828","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"65 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144513232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Feasibility of a Social Work Practice-Framework for Family Caregivers in Kerala, India: A Pretest-Posttest Study","authors":"Lorane Scaria, Saju Madavanakadu Devassy","doi":"10.1177/10497315251352832","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251352832","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: The study assessed the effectiveness of a social work intervention incorporating cognitive behavioural and family engagement strategies, in reducing depression and burden among caregivers of people with disability. Methods: The single-arm, pre-post experimental feasibility trial was tested among 47 caregivers, identified from a community in Kerala, India. The intervention employed a tiered approach, tailoring strategies of varying intensity based on caregivers’ depression severity, as assessed using standardized scales. Results: A significant decrease was observed on both outcome measures, depression and caregiver burden following the intervention. Subgroup analysis based on baseline depression severity indicated a significant decrease in depression scores among caregivers with moderate or higher levels of depression, while caregiver burden decreased across all groups. Discussions: By customizing intervention strategies based on the severity of depression, this study contributes to the theoretical understanding of how tiered interventions can be more effective than a one-size-fits-all approach.","PeriodicalId":47993,"journal":{"name":"Research on Social Work Practice","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144513308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}