MSW Social Work Research and Policy 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: 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:
- Attrition
- History effects
- Selection bias (Correct answer)
- Testing effects
Correct answer: Selection bias
Without random assignment, non-equivalent comparison groups may differ systematically at baseline, making selection bias the primary threat to internal validity.
Question 2: The Social Determinants of Health framework used in social work policy advocacy most directly addresses which root cause of health disparities?
- Individual genetic predispositions
- Lack of access to specialty medical care
- Structural conditions like income, housing, education, and neighborhood environment (Correct answer)
- Patient non-adherence to prescribed medications
Correct 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.
Question 3: When conducting a systematic literature review, the PRIMARY advantage of registering the review protocol in advance (e.g., in PROSPERO) is to:
- Guarantee faster peer review of the final manuscript
- Prevent outcome reporting bias by documenting methods before data collection (Correct answer)
- Obtain IRB exemption for secondary data use
- Secure funding priority from federal agencies
Correct 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.
Question 4: Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Essential Health Benefits must include which of the following service categories relevant to social work?
- Cosmetic procedures and elective surgery
- Mental health and substance use disorder services with parity (Correct answer)
- Unlimited long-term care in skilled nursing facilities
- Vision correction surgery for adults
Correct 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.
Question 5: In grounded theory research, 'theoretical saturation' is reached when:
- The sample size equals the predetermined quota set by the IRB
- New data no longer generate new theoretical categories or properties (Correct answer)
- The researcher has conducted exactly 30 interviews
- All participants have been member-checked
Correct 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.
Question 6: Which policy instrument describes a government benefit provided directly to individuals based on demonstrated financial need, such as Medicaid?
- Universal entitlement
- Social insurance
- Means-tested benefit (Correct answer)
- Block grant
Correct answer: Means-tested benefit
Means-tested benefits like Medicaid require applicants to demonstrate income or asset levels below specified thresholds to qualify for assistance.
Question 7: A social worker conducting participatory action research (PAR) differs from conventional research primarily in that:
- PAR uses larger sample sizes and randomization
- Community members are co-researchers who shape the research agenda and interpretation (Correct answer)
- PAR relies exclusively on secondary quantitative datasets
- The researcher withholds findings until after publication
Correct 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.
MSW Social Work Research and Policy 4
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: