Social Work Research and Policy Flashcards

A social worker is conducting a program evaluation using a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent comparison group. The PRIMARY threat to internal validity this design addresses less well than a true experiment is:

Answer: Selection bias

Without random assignment, non-equivalent comparison groups may differ systematically at baseline, making selection bias the primary threat to internal validity.

The Social Determinants of Health framework used in social work policy advocacy most directly addresses which root cause of health disparities?

Answer: Structural conditions like income, housing, education, and neighborhood environment

The Social Determinants of Health framework emphasizes that structural and environmental factors — not individual behavior or biology alone — are the primary drivers of health inequities.

When conducting a systematic literature review, the PRIMARY advantage of registering the review protocol in advance (e.g., in PROSPERO) is to:

Answer: Prevent outcome reporting bias by documenting methods before data collection

Pre-registration establishes the review's methods and outcomes of interest before data are examined, preventing selective reporting of favorable findings.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Essential Health Benefits must include which of the following service categories relevant to social work?

Answer: Mental health and substance use disorder services with parity

The ACA requires all marketplace plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder services as Essential Health Benefits, with parity to medical/surgical benefits.

In grounded theory research, 'theoretical saturation' is reached when:

Answer: New data no longer generate new theoretical categories or properties

Theoretical saturation occurs when additional data collection and analysis add no new insights to the emerging theory, signaling that sampling can stop.

Which policy instrument describes a government benefit provided directly to individuals based on demonstrated financial need, such as Medicaid?

Answer: Means-tested benefit

Means-tested benefits like Medicaid require applicants to demonstrate income or asset levels below specified thresholds to qualify for assistance.

A social worker conducting participatory action research (PAR) differs from conventional research primarily in that:

Answer: Community members are co-researchers who shape the research agenda and interpretation

PAR is characterized by meaningful community partnership throughout the research process, with affected community members participating in design, data collection, analysis, and action planning.