Exploring experienced social workers' practice knowledge in the early stage of gambling counseling

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the practice knowledge of experienced social workers in the early stage of gambling counseling. This study situated its paradigm in Social Constructionism and adopted qualitative research methodology for inquiry. The Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) method was used. In the study, four experienced social workers in a Gambling Counseling Centre were recruited on a voluntary basis. The second and third interviews involved these social workers and their clients were video-taped with clients' consent. In the review sessions on these interviews, these experienced social workers articulated their experience, emotion, feelings and cognitions. These review sessions were analyzed based on two research questions: (1) What kinds of practice knowledge were being used? And (2) How were different kinds of practice knowledge used? This study found that formal knowledge, case experience, service specific knowledge and principles of motivational work and therapeutic alliance were used by these experienced social workers. Among these, case experience, service specific knowledge and principles of motivational work and therapeutic alliance were more commonly used and relevant to their practice. In sum, this study found that the process of IPR could help social workers develop new practice knowledge, improve their practice competence and enhance their sensitivity in the interviews with clients.