Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers as Research Participants
Lessons from a Randomized Controlled Trial
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6452664 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jolie R Keemink (0000-0002-4153-4530, University of Kent), Willem Stander (0000-0002-3664-4647, Health Services Management Centre Willem J. Stander, PhD, is research fellow,), Willem J Stander (Health Services Management Centre Willem J. Stander, PhD, is research fellow), Paul Montgomery (0000-0001-8008-1370, School of Social Policy and Society, University of Birmingham Paul Montgomery, PhD, DipSW, is professor of social intervention, , UK), Jörg Schaub (0000-0002-6878-2366, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol Jason Schaub, PhD, MSW, is professor of social care, , UK) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 9-20 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-28 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Social Work Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1545-6838 • E-ISSN: 1070-5309 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1093/swr/svaf002 |
| OpenAlex | W4406902187 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 47 |
Social work research in the UK has significant challenges in building research capacity due to a lack of funding, austerity policies, and the quality of research training within social work degrees. As a result, the workforce has limited understanding of the value and relevance of research to practice. Indeed, previous studies report a substantial lack of social workers as research participants. Although healthcare research includes a wealth of literature providing guidance on recruitment and retention of participants, these suggestions are not automatically applicable to social work research due to the distinct nature of the sector and the differential understanding and valuation of research. Based on the authors’ experiences from a randomized controlled trial, for which they recruited 614 social workers, this article is the first to offer recommendations for the recruitment and retention of social workers as research participants. The authors describe valuable lessons for future research, including advice on meaningful stakeholder involvement, social media strategies, and emphasizing the value of participation for the advancement of the field and the personal experience of the social worker. The authors conclude with a summary list of actionable recommendations that will improve the research involvement of the social work workforce
Economic growth · Economics · Randomized controlled trial · Ethics in Clinical Research · Health and Medical Research Impacts · Health Policy Implementation Science · Medicine · Psychology · Social Work · Clinical Psychology
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Loss Aversion in Riskless Choice
Process evaluation of complex interventions
Working conditions and wellbeing in UK social workers
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LGBTQ+ Young People’s Health and Well-being Experiences in Out-of-home Social Care
Development of the heteronormative attitudes and beliefs scale
Participant Recruitment in Social Work
Exploring stress, coping, and health outcomes among social workers
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Practitioner Research Capacity
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Teaching Research in Social Work
Residential Social Care Experiences of LGBTQ+ Young People in England
Trials and Tribulations
Investing in the Future
Social Work and Social Care
Effectiveness of an LGBTQ+ E-Learning Module for Social Workers
Reflections on the Use of Synchronous Online Focus Groups in Social Care Research
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |