Exploring MSW students’ attitudes toward research: What predicts them and do they change over time?

Micki Washburn; L. Christian Carr; Rebecca Mauldin; Wen Xu; Joshua Awua

doi:10.1921/jpts20572622

Authors

Micki Washburn University of Texas at Arlington https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1486-2501
Christian Carr University of Houston
Rebecca Mauldin https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7820-9141
Wen Xu City University of Macau, Faculty of Health and Wellness, Department of Innovative Social Work https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4522-4628
Joshua Awua University of Texas at Arlington https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2488-1079

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/jpts20572622

Keywords:

Attitudes towards research, social work practice, social work education, evidence-based practice

Abstract

Students’ attitudes toward specific content areas can shape their academic performance and future professional competence. Identifying students who hold negative perceptions of subjects such as research methods allows educators to determine whether additional support is needed. This study examined attitudes toward research among a diverse sample of master’s-level social work students (n = 113). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and three subscales of the Revised Attitudes Toward Research Scale (R-ATR) at the beginning and end of the semester to (1) assess changes in research-related attitudes and (2) determine whether demographic characteristics predicted these changes. Students’ positive research dispositions were associated with perceptions of research usefulness and lower levels of research-related anxiety. Overall, research anxiety decreased over the semester, and several demographic variables were linked to variation in gain scores. Findings highlight the utility of the R-ATR for monitoring students’ attitudes in research courses and future engagement in evidence-based practice. Recommendations are offered to strengthen students’ capacity to engage in evidence-based practice by enhancing their ability to integrate research knowledge into decision-making and outcome evaluation.

Author Biographies

Micki Washburn, University of Texas at Arlington

Dr. Micki Washburn is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work. She frequently integrates aspects of technology into her scholarship and has expertise in virtual reality (VR) intervention development and telehealth. Her current research focuses on the development of innovative culturally grounded interventions for individuals experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. One of her current projects focuses on the development and testing of a modular virtual reality digital therapeutic that can be customized to the individual client for the adjunctive treatment of substance use disorders. Dr. Washburn’s other work focuses on the implementation of large scale system improvements to better serve LGBTQ+ youth and families with child welfare system involvement. For over 20 years, Dr. Washburn has worked with people experiencing co-occurring mental health, substance abuse and physical health concerns. In addition, she has substantial program evaluation experience related to mental health, substance abuse and child welfare system improvement projects. Her extensive practice experience brings real world knowledge to the classroom to further develop the knowledge base and skills of the next generation of social work professionals.

Christian Carr, University of Houston

Dr. Christian Carr was a Post-doctoral fellow at the University of Houston at the time of manuscript preparation. Dr. Carr now works in private industry. He has significant expertise in advanced statistical analysis and novel analytic methods.

Rebecca Mauldin

Rebecca Mauldin, PhD, LMSW, studies social connectedness. She focuses on the social relationships of older adults, the factors that support them forming and maintaining positive relationships, and the ways in which their relationships affect their health, well-being, and access to vital resources and information. In addition, she uses social network analysis to investigate human and organizational networks and their role in contributing to individual and community well-being. In her teaching, Rebecca is passionate about using and developing open educational resources. She earned her doctorate in Social Work from the University of Houston, her Master in Social Work from the University of Houston, and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Wen Xu, City University of Macau, Faculty of Health and Wellness, Department of Innovative Social Work

Dr. Wen Xu is an Assistant Professor Faculty of Health and Wellness at the City University of Macau. Her research interests include: Maternal and child health, Mental Health, Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Social Determinants of Health, Implementation Research, Social Work Education, Intervention Development and Evaluation

Joshua Awua, University of Texas at Arlington

Dr. Joshua Awua is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work. He received his PhD in Addictive Disorders and Recovery Studies from Texas Tech University in 2024 and an MPhil in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, in 2018. His research focuses on understanding how social networks impact youth and young adults’ substance use to identify areas for intervention development. Dr Awua uses advanced statistical methods such as social network analysis, multilevel modeling, and structural equation models to understand social factors that influence substance use. He is specifically interested in understanding how interpersonal communication and perceived norms are associated with substance use. His current project focuses on the development and testing of virtual reality digital therapies that can be customized to individual clients for the treatment of substance use disorders.

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