• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.153-180
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to analyze the research articles on social work practice and discuss tasks of social work practice research in broadening and deepening social welfare knowledge body in Korea. First, this paper arranges critical discussion and results on social work practice research since the dawn of history in Korean social welfare research. Second, this paper examines 874 research articles published in Korean Journal of Social Welfare from the volume one in 1998 to the volume 66(4) in 2014. The appearance rate of social work practice research was 16.6%(145 articles), and empirical research in relation to social work practice was 40.5%(363 articles). Among 145 articles, 8.6% were practitioners, and the rest of them were in the position of professors. In addition, 26.2% were researches on program effectiveness, and 29.0% were researches on social worker. Third, this paper was interviewed 8 professors who majored social work practice. They evaluate the present states of social work practice research as positioning to boundary, crisis and confusion. Finally, this paper discusses the tasks of Korean social work practice research in order to more solidly develop the knowledge body of social work practice in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.42
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• pp.225-253
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• 2000

The objective of this study is to analyze the research articles on clinical social work practice effectiveness to build a scientific and scholaristic image of clinical social work practice. The data for analysis were the articles published in 13 professional journals including Korean J. of Social Welfare in the period of 1979 to 1999. The appearance rate of effectiveness studies was 1.28% with only 18 articles. Experimental studies consisted only 4 out of 18, and there were only 10 Quasi-experimental studies. Statistical errors were observed in most studies, so it is too early to call that the clinical social work practice is either effective or not effective. In order to see the comprehensive trends of the clinical social work practice, other clinical papers were also examined. The appearance rate was also as low as 8.75% (effectiveness studies included). While 18 articles were about the therapy model, other clinical papers were about generic practice models. However, those newly developed generic practice models had not yet been widely used nor tested for effectiveness. Thus, the followings were suggested: active research activities with solid methodology, team work with the field, theory and method development, education and re-education, and collaborative team work with other related fields. It was also pointed that the cross analysis of research papers by the publishing period, authors major and other background variables would be useful.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.5-32
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• 2010

Although social work practice skills are one of the important components of social work practice, research on social work practice skills has been very scarce. It seems that the reason might be a lack of standardized instruments used to measure social work practice skills. The purpose of this study is to validate a Korean version of the Practice Skills Inventory(PSI) developed by O'Hare and colleagues. The PSI is the only instrument developed in the field of social work to measure the frequency of social work practice skills that social workers use. A total of 310 social workers working in medical or mental health field were participated in this study. A result of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Korean version of the PSI is composed of 4 factors like its english version. The Korean version of the PSI was also reliable and valid. Implications for social work research, practice and education are provided.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.251-271
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• 2006

The purposes of this study were to investigate the research utilization in social work practice and to examine the factors associated with research utilization. The subjects of this study were social workers participating in social work practice in Korea. The sampling methods used in this study was a multistage sampling strategy. Data were collected by sending mails and follow-up mails to the social workers. Data from 569 of social workers were finally analyzed by ordered regression analysis. The results showed that the level of research utilization by social workers in Korea was very low, but their attitude toward research was positive. The variables affecting research utilization were related to the research ability of social workers, but the variables of research related environment except type of organization were not significant. The variables for research ability of social workers are experiences of utilizing journal articles, experiences of re-education for research methodology, gender, attitude about research usefulness. The variables for research related environment are characteristics of agency setting. The implications of social work research are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.61-91
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• 2005

This study aimed to explore empirically social work practice skills that are being used most frequently in a variety of social work settings in Korea. Out of 669 questionnaire sent, 361 were returned. Exploratory factor analysis revealed 7 underlying axes from 132 most frequently used practice skills. They were named as: casework skills, group work skills, family work skills, community work skills, volunteer managing skills, program development and evaluation skills, and agency managing skills. Second factor analysis explored underlying sub-factors from each of the seven axes. Researcher identified 42 principal skills that can represent the underlying sub-factors explored in the previous stage. Finally, research checked if the different work settings use different practice skill axes. Study results can be used to connect social work education settings and practice fields in Korea. There has been an argument that Korean social work education has been teaching improper practice skills to the to-be-social workers.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.219-236
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• 2006

The purposes of this study are to investigate the research attitude of social work students and to examine the factors associated with research attitude. The subjects of this study are social work students around capital city in Korea. The sampling methods used in this study is a purposive sampling strategy. Data were collected by answering the questionnaire in class. Data from 321 of social work students were finally analyzed by regression analysis. The results show that the level of research attitude by social work students in Korea is relatively lower than previous study. The variables affecting importance and usefulness of research are related to the attitude of research class and the attitude of nature for social work practice. The implications of social work research education are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.337-362
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• 2009

This study investigated the relation between social worker's reflective thinking levels and the usage of social work practice skills. Dewey definded reflective thinking as active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief. And social work practice skills refer to those purposeful intervention activities, that are intended to alleviate client's distress, enhancing a client's coping abilities. Reflctive thinking levels consists of intensive reflection, reflection, understanding and habit action. The key of social work practice skills can be categorized into three major categories: supportive skills, therapeutic coping skills and case management skills. These categories were designed to apply to a diverse range of client populations. This paper proves that social work's reflective thinking ability and interactions with other workers have an effect on the intervention activities. In conclusion, this research indicates that if social works have a higher reflective thinking levels, they will creat practice siklls and social work practice knowledge.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.40
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• pp.131-156
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• 2000

Many different intervention methods have been developed to resolve the problem of clients, but research studies evaluating the effectiveness of such practices can be overwhelming to social workers because of the conflicting results of them. In this study, meta-analysis was used to make sense of this research, offering the general effect size of social work practice. Meta-analysis can answer the question, "how effective is the intervention?" beyond the question, "is the intervention effective?". It can integrate the fragmentated results of research studies and provide the guidelines for best practice. Combining the results of the 16 research studies, this study computed the general effect size of social work interventions. The mean d index was. 6636 (95 percent confidence interval of .5355, .8018). Conversion to Cohen's $U_3$ statistics allows for the inference that three-fourths (74.7%) of the clients who participated in an intervention group did better than the average clients of non-intervention group. This means that social work interventions are practically helpful to seven of every 10 clients who experience them. In conclusion, this study recommended the usefulness of meta-analysis, which can provide the intervention strategies based on empirical research and guide the best approaches.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.85-108
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• 2009

The quickening pace of international migration in the last twenty years brought fundamental demographic and social changes to the Korean society. Increasing number of marriage-based immigrant families imposes new challenges on social work community; however, the social work community has not been equipped with necessary practice models, sets of skills and professionals with cultural competency. This study aims to explore an integrative framework of social work practice with this client group. Research foci include the profile of marriage-based immigrant families in Korea, available social services at the time, challenges and issues they face, the compatibility of the empowerment based social work practice, and micro/mezzo/macro level concerns that arise for the effective service provision. Challenges among marriage-based immigrant families are converged into personal/familial, community related, and larger social-cultural issues. Empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process to help people gain control over their lives; a process that fosters power in people, for use in their lives, their communities and in their society. Empowerment based social work practice can be the most competent framework for working with multi-cultural families considering their multi-faceted acculturation issues while they navigate thru Korean society. Issues of educating and training of culturally competent social workers are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.33-58
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• 2010

This study explores the changes and implications of identity in social work profession following the introduction of voucher in Korea. For this purpose, it was conducted qualitative research using depth-interview. It was sampled 20 social workers who delivers social services by voucher. The data were analyzed by Glaser and Strauss's coding methods(open coding and axial coding) and thematic analysis. The results of research are follow: 1) The introduction of voucher in social work practice resulted in identity confusion in social work profession 2) Role of social workers(practicing by voucher) was changed into mediator and manager. 3) The relationship between clients and social workers was changed into business centered relationship. 4) The increase of bureaucratic control and mechanism of profit-making resulted in these changes. As a result of this process, autonomy of social workers was decreased. 5) These changes in social work profession can be interpreted as reconstruction of social work practice, increase in repression of managerialism, and establishment of quasi-marketing structure in social work practice.