Deck 2: The Politics and Ethics of Social Work Research

Question 1

To pursue goals such as social justice, social work research must inform direct practice, as well as influence and inform policy practice. This requires social workers to:

A) Encourage clients to become directly involved in developing and modifying social policy.
B) Conduct research that will influence policy makers and the general public to make changes in policy.
C) Focus exclusively on the provision of evidence-based practices.
D) Promote access to basic social goods for all deserving individuals and groups.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following entities might fund social work research?

A) The National Institutes of Health (NIH).
B) Federal, state, and local governments.
C) Private for-profit and nonprofit institutions.
D) All of the above.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following represent the two primary factors that help determine research priorities?

A) The extent of knowledge in the field and the amount of attention focused on a particular issue.
B) The qualifications of the applicant and the strength of the proposal.
C) What is politically popular and what is politically safe at any given time.
D) The state of the national economy and the availability of funding for research.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In terms of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, research findings were used in which of the following problematic ways?

A) As an informative tool to guide effective policy formation.
B) To combat negative stereotypes of persons accessing welfare benefits.
C) Both proponents and opponents of welfare expenditures utilized the same research to support conflicting points of view.
D) To determine the most effective course of action rather than support a political ideology.

Question 5

In the case of microcephaly, what factor has contributed to Zika virus receiving more attention than Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs)?

A) Zika virus is easier to prevent.
B) Preventing FASDs is considered an infringement on individual liberty.
C) The Zika virus affects a lot more babies than FASDs.
D) Both a and c.

Question 6

The Belmont Report, the NASW Ethical Guidelines for Research and Evaluation, and Institutional Review Boards exist because of which of the following?

A) Researchers need guidance in conducting methodologically rigorous studies.
B) Many research participants were treated unethically in the past.
C) Many research participants were purposely excluded from research studies in the past.
D) Researchers need oversight to ensure projects do not waste scarce resources.

Question 7

Which of the following population groups would be considered vulnerable in terms of participating in research?

A) Persons living in poverty.
B) Persons with disability.
C) The very young and the very old.
D) All of the above.

Question 8

The Belmont Report outlines three basic ethical principles that should guide ethical decision making in research. The three ethical principles are:

A) Respect for persons, beneficence, and justice
B) Do no harm, maximize benefits while minimizing risks, and control costs.
C) Treat people as autonomous individuals, support informed decision making, and respect diversity.
D) Conduct, promote, and use research findings in a responsible manner.

Question 9

Which of the following represents one of NASW's ethical guidelines for research and evaluation?

A) Social workers engaged in the evaluation of services should discuss collected information with anyone who is interested or needs more information.
B) Social workers who accidentally report errors in their evaluation or research findings are not responsible to correct them after the fact.
C) Social workers should inform participants of their right to withdraw from evaluation and research at any time without penalty.
D) Social workers should promote and facilitate evaluation and research to contribute to the development of knowledge as their caseloads allow for such pursuits.

Question 10

An institutional review board (IRB) is defined by which of the following?

A) A group of highly paid individuals who monitor ongoing research studies to ensure that research participants are protected.
B) A group of individuals who review applications for university research positions to insure that only ethical researchers are hired.
C) A peer/community review committee of volunteers who review and monitor the feasibility of research studies.
D) A peer/community review committee who volunteer their time to review research proposals and monitor ongoing research studies to ensure participant protection.

Question 11

Which of the following research studies poses more than minimal risk?

A) A study of prisoners.
B) A study of secondary data involving no contact with human subjects.
C) A study of economically advantaged individuals.
D) A survey study of non-sensitive topics involving no contact with human subjects.

Question 12

Which of the following best represents informed consent?

A) Research subjects agree in writing or verbally to participate in research when they are informed of the foreseeable risks and potential benefits of participation.
B) Research subjects agree in writing or verbally to participate in research when participation is voluntary and does not reflect mere acquiescence.
C) Research subjects agree in writing or verbally to participate in research when consent is rendered only by an intellectually competent and mature individual.
D) All of the above.

Question 13

Informed consent implies that the potential participant fully understands which of the following?

A) How much funding the researcher has received to support the completion of the study.
B) How and when data will be recorded, stored, and destroyed.
C) The qualifications of the researcher that enable him or her to effectively conduct the study.
D) All of the above.

Question 14

Who cannot legally or reasonably provide informed consent and instead may be asked to sign an assent form?

A) Mentally competent adults.
B) Individuals who are incarcerated.
C) Persons from all population groups considered vulnerable.
D) Persons under age 18.

Question 15

An individual with dementia does not have cognitive capacity to provide informed consent to participate in a research study, thus his legal guardian signs the informed consent form. The individual is still asked verbally if he would like to be involved. This is an example of which of the following?

A) Confidentiality.
B) Assent.
C) Informed consent.
D) All of the above.

Question 16

Which of the following represents a potential challenge of recruiting children in research studies in terms of obtaining parental consent?

A) Children commonly do not want to participate in research studies.
B) Parents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may be less likely to return parental consent forms
C) Parents from all socioeconomic backgrounds are uncomfortable having their children participate in research and may not provide consent.
D) It is difficult to obtain research funding for conducting research with children as this represents a politically sensitive population.

Question 17

Protecting the privacy of research subjects may include which of the following items?

A) Names and addresses.
B) Demographic characteristics.
C) Culturally sacred information.
D) All of the above.

Question 18

Which of the following represents a potentially coercive incentive for participating in research?

A) Covering the cost of transportation to the research site.
B) Providing a small stipend to compensate research subjects for their time.
C) Paying $25 per hour for research participation to individuals who usually make less than minimum wage.
D) Providing a $5 gift certificate to employed individuals who can easily afford to purchase a $5 item whether or not they participate in the research study.

Question 19

Confidentiality refers to:

A) Not revealing the funding source supporting research studies.
B) Promising not to reveal identifying information that the research participant has provided.
C) Keeping the researcher's identity and affiliation private to reduce respondent bias.
D) The agreement not to record a participant's name or other identifying information.

Question 20

Anonymity refers to:

A) Keeping the research purpose hidden from respondents to reduce bias.
B) Safeguarding potentially sensitive research findings from entities that would exploit them or use them in an unethical manner.
C) Promising not to reveal identifying information that the research participant has provided.
D) The agreement not to record a participant's name or other identifying information.

Question 21

Explain the role of institutional review boards (IRBs) in the research process.

Question 22

List five types of information that should be included in a letter of informed consent.

Question 23

List three of NASW's ethical guidelines for research and evaluation.

Question 24

What is the difference between passive consent and active consent?

Question 25

Briefly described the process Fletcher and Hunter (2003) used to a high rate of return for parental consent forms in their study of children's friendships.