Critical Realism in Social Work Research: Examining Participation of People with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Critical realism has not been taken up readily within social work research and this may be due to the difficulty of the language and lack of practice examples of its applicability. This paper outlines the basic precepts of critical realism, the implications of these for methodology, and then offers a practical example of its application to social work research in the area of intellectual disability using some of the techniques of more familiar qualitative research methodologies. In response to the increased influence of poststructuralist ideas within social work along with the somewhat contradictory call for evidence-based practice, this paper suggests critical realism as a way of developing empirically based knowledge about the effects of interventions while at the same time accounting for the complexity involved in social work practice.

社会工作研究中不大采用批判现实主义，这也许是因为语言障碍以及缺乏其应用性的实际范例。本文阐述了批判现实主义的基本含义及其在方法论上的意义。作者还介绍了批判现实主义应用于社会工作的实例，如使用定性方法研究智障。针对后结构主义思想在社会工作中影响的增长以及对询证实践的矛盾诉求，本文提出用批判现实主义形成有关干预效果的实证知识，同时用它说明社会工作实践的复杂性。

Keywords:

• Critical Realism
• Social Work Research
• Research Methodology
• Participation of People with Intellectual Disability