Socio-cultural determinants hindering research among social workers in Nigeria

Abstract

Research is done in Nigeria just as it is done in any other country. However, there are socio-cultural determinants that hinder social workers from actively carrying-out research in Nigeria. The importance of research cannot be overemphasized because, it is in searching that we know more and learn new things. Despite this established fact, social workers in Nigeria face hindrances in carrying-out research. Qualitative method was used in this study. Twenty (20) social workers with either a Bachelor of Science (BSc.), Post Graduate Diploma (PGD), Masters of Science (MSc.) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.) participated in the research. This study found out that factors such as poor funding, poor knowledge of research, poor mentorship and coaching on research, hard-to-reach population in data collection, patriarchy systems, cultural and religious belief, limited African literatures theories and books on research that are indigenous in nature, discouragements from the non-utilization of results from study in policy formulation and programmes just to mention a few hindered social work research in Nigeria. In conclusion, the study recommends that measures should be put in place to checkmate these indicated hindrances in a bid to preserve and improve upon knowledge which is what research stands for.