Group Work Research is an essential resource for anyone seeking to conduct research on groups or develop empirically based group work practices. It illustrates how to plan and conduct group work research, including studies of the impact of groups on individual members, group conditions (e.g. cohesiveness, roles, processes, structures), and other systems external to the group. Furthermore, it will walk the reader through the process of conducting group work research, from formulating the research problem to selecting a design, measuring variables, and disseminating the findings. The authors also discuss considerations when the purpose of the research is an evaluation of a group work program.
The amount of research that has been published about group work is not reflective of the technique's extensive use. Laying out all the fundamental details of group work research in a straightforward, reader-friendly manner, Group Work Research will be invaluable to doctoral students and faculty in group work, as well as professionals without formal training in using research to inform their practice.