Purpose: “Why are interventions clearly validated empirically in published research not readily adopted by practitioners, policy makers, or the community?” (Meyer et al., 1998). Within the context of developing evidence-based practices, many scholars/researchers focus a significant amount of time and attention on research methodologies that insure validity and reliability of findings. While these are important elements, scholars/researchers focus so heavily on these aspects that they neglect the more practical or essential components, that being whether or not the findings are actually used by practitioners, policy makers, or the community to establish usable best practices. The term social validity (first introduced by Wolf, 1978) acknowledges that unless we (as scholars/researchers) ask consumers of our research about the acceptability of empirically validated interventions, no amount of scientific rigor and documented effectiveness will result in the adoption of the intervention. Therefore, in order for a study to have high social validity, participants must be active members at all phases of the research and feel a sense of “ownership” in the overall goals and objectives, thereby using the research to change practice.

Methods: Socially valid findings may be achieved through the use of participatory action research, which, in its theoretical orientation, helps bring the results of research closer to adoption because those who are ultimately called on to implement the new best practices were part of the process of validating those evidence-based practices. The three major objectives of participatory action research are to: 1) collaboratively involve “consumers,” “stakeholders,” “community members,” and “researchers” in all phases of the research or learning process, 2) produce knowledge and action directly useful to the community, and 3) empower people through the process of constructing and building upon their own knowledge base. Here, the researcher is not viewed as the “expert” but is part of a larger team that is put together to address an issue.

Results: Utilizing a study completed by the authors, this presentation provides an example of how a social validity approach, combined with rigorous research, can actually bring about the changes that we, as social work researchers, so desperately desire to make. The aforementioned study examined state compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act and involved collaboration with state and tribal leaders in all phases of research planning, execution, and reporting in an effort to establish social validity. Due, in large part, to the engagement of key stakeholders in this validation process, the results of the study led to implementation of recommended changes to address compliance concerns.

Implications: In an ever-increasing effort to bridge the research-practice divide, the social validity approach can be a key element. This approach offers scholars/researchers the opportunity to meet consumer needs in a mutually respectful, ethical, collaborative, and useful way that recognizes the importance of consumer expertise in problem solving and capacity building. This tool allows applied social science scholars/researchers to effectively incorporate the practicality of consumer realities into scholarly pursuits with an overarching goal to define best practices.