Technology Trauma

Abstract

While most social workers might agree that increasing the use of technology in agencies may be important for developing efficiency and effectiveness, little is known about the obstacles of doing so. In an NIDA-funded demonstration project to increase technology in agencies that serve drug abusing populations, researchers logged all email and memorandum communication for a two and a half year period. These communications documented the progress of the intervention from inception to implementation. Using a qualitative methodology, researchers for this analysis examined the communication documents, noting themes. A core theme focusing on barriers to implementing technology emerged from the data. These barriers included: agency personnel's lack of computer proficiency, lack of motivation for agency personnel to participate in the intervention, and agency personnel not following intervention protocols, having computer hardware and networking problems, the agency's physical structure (lack of space/computers), and the researchers/interventionists having restricted access to agency personnel.

Key Words:

• Technology
• barriers to change
• qualitative methodology
• system intervention
• social work
• computer use
• drug abuse