Standards of Care for Research in Group Work

ABSTRACT The Standards of Care for Research in Group Work were developed in partnership between the Association for Assessment in Research in Counseling (AARC) and the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW). The purpose of these standards is to highlight empirically validated and literature-supported practices for conducting research in group work, as there are methodological and design considerations that are unique to group work research. These include, but are not limited to, small sample sizes that are often inherent in group work, the dependence of variables when measured in a group setting, historical lack of empirical rigor in group work research, and the need for theoretical and methodological congruence in qualitative research. During the development of this document, the committee used extant research standards to guide and center our efforts, and it was our intent for these standards to be used in conjunction with other established research standards. We also recognized the need to emphasize quantitative and qualitative research guidelines to encompass the importance of both types of research in the counseling field; and to highlight the importance of recognition and attention to concerns related to conducting group work research with participants from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.