MSW Research and Program Evaluation 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A social work agency wants to know if its substance use intervention works across different racial groups. Which analytical approach best addresses this?
- Moderation analysis (interaction testing) (Correct answer)
- Mediation analysis
- Factor analysis
- Bivariate correlation
Correct answer: Moderation analysis (interaction testing)
Moderation analysis tests whether the relationship between treatment and outcome differs across subgroups such as racial categories.
Question 2: Which research design is most appropriate for exploring the lived experience of aging adults in assisted living facilities?
- Phenomenological study (Correct answer)
- Single-subject design
- Quasi-experimental design
- Systematic review
Correct answer: Phenomenological study
Phenomenology examines the essence of lived human experience and is well suited to capturing the subjective perspectives of individuals in a given situation.
Question 3: The Belmont Report's principle of justice in research primarily requires:
- Fair distribution of research burdens and benefits across populations (Correct answer)
- Maximizing benefits and minimizing harms to participants
- Full disclosure of study procedures and voluntary consent
- Independent review by an ethics board
Correct answer: Fair distribution of research burdens and benefits across populations
The justice principle mandates equitable selection of research participants so that vulnerable groups are neither exploited nor excluded from potential benefits.
Question 4: A researcher uses Cohen's d = 0.80 to describe an intervention effect. According to Cohen's conventions, this is:
- A large effect size (Correct answer)
- A small effect size
- A medium effect size
- A negligible effect size
Correct answer: A large effect size
Cohen's conventions classify d = 0.20 as small, d = 0.50 as medium, and d = 0.80 as large.
Question 5: In single-subject design (SSD), the baseline phase is labeled:
- A phase (Correct answer)
- B phase
- AB phase
- Intervention phase
Correct answer: A phase
In SSD notation, 'A' refers to the baseline (no-treatment) phase and 'B' refers to the intervention phase.
Question 6: Which statistical test is most appropriate for comparing the mean anxiety scores of three different treatment groups?
- One-way ANOVA (Correct answer)
- Chi-square test
- Paired t-test
- Pearson correlation
Correct answer: One-way ANOVA
One-way ANOVA compares means across three or more independent groups while controlling the familywise error rate.
Question 7: An evaluator collects data from program staff, clients, and community members to assess a housing program. This strategy exemplifies:
- Triangulation of data sources (Correct answer)
- Purposive sampling
- Replication logic
- Theoretical saturation
Correct answer: Triangulation of data sources
Triangulation uses multiple sources or methods to corroborate findings and strengthen the credibility of conclusions.
MSW Research and Program Evaluation 4
A social work agency wants to know if its substance use intervention works across different racial groups.
Which analytical approach best addresses this?