Social Work Research Topics for School

author By Mary Boies
social-work-research-topics-and-ideas

As an academic discipline, social work focuses on helping people cope and overcome challenges associated with life. To develop into a great social worker, mastery of various principles and social work aspects is mandatory. Understanding the concepts equally builds resilience and makes one abide by the core values of social work. These values reflect even when choosing the best social work research topics for your college or university papers.

You will notice that social work research paper topics revolve around social justice, social wellbeing, social change, and social welfare.

Social workers identify the societal challenges and dedicate their understanding/knowledge in developing interventions to alleviate suffering.

We have a comprehensive list of social work research topics that can inspire your research and writing process. Remember, writing a great academic paper begins by having an excellent topic.

How to identify the best Social Work Research Paper Topics

The information conception, development, and analysis stage are important. However, without a perfect topic, you can rest assured that the process can be one that leaves you half frustrated- half fulfilled.

You can use many strategies to get a suitable topic for your social work essay, case study, personal statement, research, or term paper.

While selecting a topic for your social work paper can seem like work half done, it is only a small percentage of success in the entire writing process. There are instances when you are required to write a social work case study. Below is an outline of an excellent social work case study.

The best 150 Plus Social Work Research Paper Topics on the Internet

In this list, you will find interesting, controversial, and relevant social work topics. It is good not to end your quest here. Try expanding your reasoning and thinking beyond this, and you will notice that apart from being a great resource, we help you develop critical thinking and creativity skills. Here is a social work research topics list to consider when writing a research paper, term paper, proposal, thesis, or dissertation.

  1. Boundaries and Dual Relationship
  2. Human trafficking and migration
  3. Role of technology in human trafficking
  4. The juvenile justice system
  5. Trauma-informed care for youths in Foster care
  6. Effective interventions for patients with psychotic disorders following childhood trauma
  7. Housing policies for young people
  8. Reintegration of survivors of sexual abuse in society
  9. Role of social workers in sex education and literacy
  10. Leadership skills for social workers
  11. Working with violent youths who are part of gangs
  12. Cohousing options for older adults to age in place
  13. Aging in place versus aging in elderly care facilities
  14. Depression and Acculturation among older U.S immigrants
  15. Impacts of teenage pregnancy
  16. The Impact of Neoliberalism on Contemporary Social Work Practice
  17. The use of technology in mental health therapy
  18. Homelessness and Poverty in America
  19. Early interventions to prevent sexual exploitation among children
  20. Understanding somatic psychotherapy
  21. Use of social media in following up with patients
  22. Substance abuse in women prisons
  23. Importance of supervision for social workers
  24. Impacts of solitary confinement in juvenile correctional facilities
  25. CBT for adults with intellectual disabilities
  26. Inclusion classrooms for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
  27. Working with children experiencing trauma in schools
  28. Treating children whose parents are undergoing domestic violence
  29. Role of interdisciplinary teams in a hospice
  30. Integrating spirituality into psychotherapeutic approaches
  31. Trauma-informed care in Grade schools
  32. The challenges of social work
  33. Role of social workers in reintegrating formerly incarcerated individuals
  34. Handling bullying for dyslexic children - a social worker's perspective
  35. Relationship-building skills for social workers
  36. Importance of interviewing skills for social workers
  37. Overview of the social work helping process
  38. Comparison between the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and the International Social Work Code of ethics
  39. Personal philosophy of a social worker
  40. Religious beliefs and the social worker
  41. Goal setting process for social workers
  42. Role of reflection and journaling for social workers
  43. Change oriented strategies in social work
  44. Motivational interviewing process
  45. Solution-focused methods used by social workers
  46. Forming and assessing social workgroups
  47. Assessing family functioning in diverse cultural contexts and family settings
  48. Exploring the ecological systems
  49. Strength-based framework in social work practice
  50. Role of self-awareness in social work practice
  51. Assessment protocols such as PIE, genograms, ecomaps, network maps, and group composition
  52. Home Games and Video as Correlates of Aggression among Teenagers
  53. PTSD prevention strategies among the veterans
  54. Power imbalances between the social worker and client and agency and client
  55. Family therapy in schizophrenic patients
  56. Addressing stigma associated with People Living with HIV/AIDS
  57. Addressing child abuse in foster care
  58. Childhood trauma due to domestic violence
  59. Mental health impacts of incarceration
  60. Disparities in access to mental healthcare services
  61. Telehealth e-health in delivering mental care services
  62. Role of social workers in primary care
  63. Postpartum mood disorders in men
  64. Postpartum depression among women
  65. School-based counseling programs and substance abuse
  66. Benefits of school-based mental health programs
  67. The link between mental health and cognitive development in children
  68. AA and alcohol addiction
  69. Mental health in law enforcement
  70. Cognitive processing therapy in adults with PTSD
  71. Elderly abuse by children and relatives
  72. Role of social workers in college campuses
  73. Role of Animal-Assisted interventions in addressing PTSD and Depression
  74. Factors contributing to burnout among social workers
  75. Self-care and secondary traumatic stress
  76. Culturally-oriented interventions to support immigrant children separated at the border
  77. Mental health services for incarcerated individuals
  78. Role of social workers in post-adoption support
  79. Non-pharmacological interventions for patients with Dementia
  80. PTSD among child, sex, and human trafficking survivors
  81. Theraplay in treatment of older children with attachment issues
  82. Exposure Response Prevention and OCD
  83. Psychotherapy for children with eating disorders
  84. Impacts of social media on the social and emotional support of teens
  85. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) in the treatment for co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders
  86. Doulas and Domestic Violence services
  87. Factors causing infidelity in marriage
  88. Holistic therapy approach by social workers
  89. Role of social workers in end-of-life decisions
  90. Role of agencies in protecting the rights of children
  91. Social workers as a solution to the mental health provider shortage
  92. Role of art therapy in treating mental health disorders
  93. Social workers during interracial adoption
  94. The gender pay gap in social work
  95. Suicide prevention strategies for youths
  96. Restorative community programs for indigenous communities
  97. Access to mental health by LGBTQIA+
  98. Role of Conversion therapy
  99. Grief counseling for families facing the loss of a member
  100. Conflict Resolution- Interest-Based Negotiation
  101. Social workers and policy advocacy
  102. Critical social work policy analysis
  103. Influences of social policies : A global and local perspective
  104. Sustainable Development Goals and community wellbeing
  105. Agenda-building and advocacy in social work
  106. Significant players in the social policy development process
  107. Interprofessional collaboration to address client needs
  108. Advocacy work testimony
  109. Effects of Response Cost Procedure on Adderall Use
  110. Design a wellness-increasing procedure/game/task/intervention
  111. Extending Foster Care Services For Older Youth Problem/Cause - Many youths who age out of the foster care system become homeless with no family supports or connections.
  112. Opioids, the role of social workers in drug abuse recovery
  113. What are the attitudes of social workers on using medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for treating opioid-dependent patients
  114. What are the impacts of substance use disorders on children and families?
  115. What is the impact of technology (social media and text messaging) in preventing vaping among teens in the United States?
  116. Medication-Assisted Treatment: A Tool to Support Addiction Recovery
  117. The knowledge and perceptions of Social Workers on the Effectiveness and Acceptability of Medication Assisted Treatment of Substance Use Disorders
  118. Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice
  119. Promoting Evidence-Based, Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice
  120. Strategies used by social workers to address compassion fatigue
  121. Integration of spirituality when caring for patients
  122. Social workers and prescription of psychotropic medications
  123. Roles of social workers in palliative care
  124. Social worker shortage in the USA
  125. The shortage of behavioral care workforce in the U.S.
  126. Substance Abuse Interventions
  127. Child-centered practice
  128. Roles of broker, advocate, group facilitator, and mediator in group therapy
  129. Role of social workers in mitigating the impacts of Covid-19
  130. Impacts of covid-19 on social work practice
  131. Ethical challenges faced by social workers during the Covid-19 pandemic
  132. Safety and wellbeing of social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
  133. Role of social workers during a quarantine
  134. Sociological analysis of social workers in hospitals
  135. Role of social workers in hospital/clinical settings
  136. Spiritually integrated care for veterans who are trauma survivors
  137. Success factors in caring for individuals with dual diagnosis
  138. Postadoption experience of birth mothers
  139. Significance of cultural competence among social workers
  140. Social workers' perception of parental involvement in schools
  141. Gang affiliation and trauma during childhood
  142. Strategies for harm reduction in social workers
  143. The use of yoga for treating eating disorders among the youth
  144. Case management : harm reduction for chemically addicted clients
  145. Agency support and secondary trauma
  146. Animal-assisted therapy in children
  147. Psychosocial impacts of Methadone maintenance treatment on individuals
  148. Impacts of domestic violence on society
  149. Competency of clinical social workers in dealing with same-sex couples
  150. The perceptions of social workers on professional boundaries within mental health care facilities
  151. Play therapy from the point of view of the social work practitioners
  152. Agency support for self-care and burnout among licensed social workers
  153. Burnout among child protection workers
  154. Feminist perspective of social workers
  155. Barriers and enablers of person-centered care in social work practice
  156. Significance of Research among social workers

These social work research topics examples can be a good point to brainstorm for the best topics for your social work paper. The list is not exhaustive but meant to give you a head start on where to begin and how to choose a good social work research title for your paper.

Social Work Case Study Outline

As a student social worker, you will have a 99% chance to handle a social work case study. The case studies are as important as other pieces of writing that social work students undertake.

Case studies give social work students a flavor of the myriad of issues/challenges that real-life social workers face in their daily duties.

There are different parts of a professionally written social work case study, as outlined below. However, note that the requirements vary and depend on the case study prompt given from class.

All right, let us now describe the parts of a social work case study.

The guide above highlights some aspects of a critical social work case study. If you are stuck with your case study, you can hire a social work case study writer from our website.

Social work Case Study Outline Example

Introduction The introduction should include the background of the case, the purpose of the case study analysis, and information, including the psychological theory used in the case study.
Background of the case

Once you have your social work case study introduction, it is important to now offer a brief summary of the case. The summary will contain:

Demographics - age, gender, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, religion, faith-based affiliation, sexual orientation and preference, disability/ability, marital status, level of education, geographic location, residence, living situation, family, and among others.

Reasons for referral/ presenting issues - Here, you will detail the basis for the client being allocated to you and why they were referred to your agency. Describe the services available, agency, clients served, and if the referral is involuntary or voluntary.

Provide the presenting issues from the perspective of the social worker and the client.
Assessment

This section entails presenting problems and prioritizing care based on the risks and needs that are to be addressed.

The section also entails describing the strengths and vulnerabilities or weaknesses of the client, including biological and psychological domains.

Biological Assessment - entails the previous and current history of mental and physical health issues such as illnesses, medications, hospitalizations, history of substance use and abuse, nutrition, racial/cultural, spiritual, emotional, sexual trauma, and genetic predisposition to mental health issues or learning disability.

Psychological Assessment - entails the developmental accomplishments and raptures in the course of the life of the client. It might entail the family and extended family systems. This is where you list things such as divorce, separation, adoption history, incarceration, probation, parole, and other significant relationships and life events of the client.

You can also present the genogram, PIE, genograms, ecomaps, and network maps in this section to analyze the social/cultural issues surrounding the client.
DSM Diagnosis You will then formulate an appropriate DSM diagnosis for the client, including the differential diagnosis, to help in treatment planning.
Case Conceptualization

Here you will conceptualize the strengths and vulnerabilities, develop an appropriate treatment plan, and detail the treatment process grounded within a given theoretical paradigm.

Short and long-term goals - describe the view of the client on goals and how the goals have been agreed upon.

Interventions/ Treatment plan - note the type of relevant interventions such as CBT, CPT, Exposure therapy, counseling, etc., relevant to the client's issue. A short summary, review, and evaluation of your actions in terms of both outputs (what you did) and outcomes (the consequences and changes you may have been able to support or bring about).

Transference/Countertransference - discuss the understanding of these themes and how they apply to the case study.

Impasses - describe any ethical dilemmas or impasses that are evident in the case study.
Summary and Conclusion This section concisely summarizes the work you did, assessing what went well, what went less well, and the next actions or piece of work which may be required.

Factors to consider when writing a social work case study

  • An analysis and report on the services and interventions involved in the case
  • Law and policy relevant to the case
  • Critical analysis of applied social work values, theories, and approaches
  • Consideration of safeguarding, risk, needs, strengths
  • The case as seen from the view of the recipients of your services
  • The case as seen from the view of other practitioners, agencies, and the community
  • Understanding and commitment to anti-oppressive practice
  • Critical self-reflection : what ˜I' did and how and why I did it
  • Links to social work professional requirements (PCF and HCPC)

Reference:

  1. Smith College School for Social work case study guide
  2. Case analysis of social work

You have the topic, but no time. What next?

With our comprehensive list of social work topics for research papers, we are sure that you either got a topic or inspiration to develop one on your own.

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