Exploring social work students’ attitudes toward research courses: comparing students in Australia and Switzerland

Abstract

Several studies have confirmed social work students’ reluctance about research courses. However, there remains little understanding of the determinants of students’ interest in research courses. This study aimed to contribute to a more robust understanding of underlying dynamics influencing students’ feelings regarding research courses through a comparison of students entering a BSW programme in Australia and Switzerland. We hypothesized that a) students’ interest in research courses was predicted by students’ fear of research courses and research orientation, b) their research orientation was determined by their fear of research courses, and c) their fear was predicted by their statistics anxiety and general self-efficacy. For data collection, we used an anonymous self-administered online questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analyses and structural equation modelling. The sample included 165 Australian and 245 Swiss students (N=410). In both student groups, interest in research courses was predicted by students’ fear of research courses and their research orientation. Fear of research courses was predicted by general self-efficacy and statistics anxiety. Fear of research courses did not determine research orientation. Regardless of the diverse contexts, in both groups the predictors of research interest proved to be the same.