MSW Social Work Research and Policy 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The 'two-stream' model of agenda setting in public policy (Kingdon) proposes that policy change occurs when:
- Bipartisan legislation passes both chambers simultaneously
- A policy window opens allowing the problem, policy, and political streams to converge (Correct answer)
- A federal court mandates legislative action within a set timeline
- The President issues an executive order bypassing Congress
Correct answer: A policy window opens allowing the problem, policy, and political streams to converge
Kingdon's Multiple Streams Model holds that durable policy change requires the simultaneous alignment of the problem, policy, and political streams through an open policy window.
Question 2: Which statistical technique is MOST appropriate for analyzing the unique contribution of several predictor variables (e.g., age, income, education) to a single continuous outcome like depression scores?
- Chi-square test of independence
- Multiple linear regression (Correct answer)
- Logistic regression
- Paired-samples t-test
Correct answer: Multiple linear regression
Multiple linear regression models the relationship between multiple independent variables and one continuous dependent variable while controlling for covariates.
Question 3: Which provision of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is MOST relevant to school social workers?
- It mandates annual HIV/AIDS education for all students
- It prohibits schools from sharing student education records without parental consent (Correct answer)
- It requires schools to provide free appropriate public education to students with disabilities
- It establishes Title I funding eligibility criteria
Correct answer: It prohibits schools from sharing student education records without parental consent
FERPA protects the privacy of student education records and generally prohibits their disclosure without the consent of the eligible student or parent.
Question 4: A social worker reviewing a study notes that participants who dropped out of the experimental group were sicker at baseline than those who completed the study. This is an example of which threat to internal validity?
- Instrumentation
- Regression to the mean
- Differential attrition (Correct answer)
- Reactivity
Correct answer: Differential attrition
Differential attrition (also called selective dropout) occurs when participants who leave the study differ systematically from those who remain, biasing outcome comparisons.
Question 5: The concept of 'wicked problems' in social policy refers to issues that are:
- Morally reprehensible and requiring criminal penalties
- Complex, interdependent, and resistant to definitive solutions because solving one aspect creates new problems (Correct answer)
- Caused exclusively by individual moral failure
- Best addressed through punitive enforcement strategies
Correct answer: Complex, interdependent, and resistant to definitive solutions because solving one aspect creates new problems
Wicked problems (Rittel & Webber) are characterized by complexity, interdependence with other issues, and the absence of a clear, final solution — every intervention has unintended consequences.
Question 6: Which method is considered the gold standard for establishing causal inference in social work intervention research?
- Retrospective case record review
- Cross-sectional survey with large sample
- Randomized controlled trial with intention-to-treat analysis (Correct answer)
- Expert consensus panel Delphi study
Correct answer: Randomized controlled trial with intention-to-treat analysis
Randomized controlled trials with intention-to-treat analysis are the gold standard for causal inference because randomization controls for known and unknown confounders.
Question 7: Block grants differ from categorical grants-in-aid in that block grants:
- Require states to match 100% of federal funding
- Give states broad discretion in how to spend funds within a general program area (Correct answer)
- Are distributed based on competitive application review
- Bypass state governments and fund local nonprofits directly
Correct answer: Give states broad discretion in how to spend funds within a general program area
Block grants provide states with lump-sum funding for broad purposes (e.g., community development) with minimal federal restrictions, unlike categorical grants tied to specific activities.
MSW Social Work Research and Policy 5
The 'two-stream' model of agenda setting in public policy (Kingdon) proposes that policy change occurs when: