Purpose: Historically, social work research has relied primarily on quantitative methods to investigate practice and research issues. The purpose of this research was to conduct a systematic review of published qualitative research in social work from 1978 to June 2003. This research investigates the extent to which qualitative methods have been represented in social work research over the past 30 years.

Method: Two academic databases, Social Work Abstracts and EBSCO Academic Search Premier were used to conduct a search of key terms including qualitative research/qualitative inquiry and social work; grounded theory and social work; ethnography and social work; methodological issues/research debate and qualitative research in social work; and discourse analysis, heuristic, phenomenology, mixed methods, narrative inquiry and case study and qualitative research in social work. A content analysis approach was used to examine the abstracts for year of publication, type of method used, population and issue studied, and publication journal. Abstracts presenting as dissertation research were also examined for University/College affiliation.

Results: A total of 390 non-duplicated abstracts indicated as qualitative research were identified between 1978 and June 2003. More than half of the research, 65% focused on clinical/practice issues. Another 20% consisted of research/methodological debates. The remaining research focus was that of social work education, culture and ethnicity, organizational culture, and policy and theoretical perspectives. Between 1978 and 1990, published qualitative social work research averaged about 5 per year, with a total of 55. The number increased significantly between 1991 and 2003 to average about 26 per year, with a total of 335. More than 50% of the 335 were published between 1995 to June 2003. Those abstracts indicating a specific qualitative method predominantly used grounded theory, discourse analysis, ethnography, or narrative analysis as their primary mode of inquiry. Mixed methodologies accounted for a little more than 5% of the indicated method approach. Research debates and/or methodological issues accounted for about tenth of the abstracts presented. A little less than a third of the abstracts presented as qualitative research/inquiry with no specific method indicated. Dissertation research accounted for about 20% of the abstracts presented. University affiliations with the strongest representation included University of New York- Albany, Brandeis University, New York University, and Smith College. Overwhelmingly, the total number of qualitative research publications, 65%, was presented in practice or clinically focused journals. Less than a quarter of the total publications were presented in research journals.

Implications: Qualitative research in social work is establishing itself as a legitimate, alternative approach to social investigation. This study suggests that although methodological diversity is represented in social work research, it is primarily seen in clinically focused or practice journals. Research journals will need to show a stronger representation of qualitative research if the research community intends to be a part of this methodological diversity.