生物、基因和社會工作：研究方法、實務運用與未來發展

Biology, Genes and Social Work: Research Methods, Practice Implications and Future Directions

儘管社會工作長期支持生物─心理─社會的全人觀點，但缺乏系統性介紹生物層面的知識，並融入在社會工作的教育、實務工作與研究層面。當前國際社會如火如荼地發展生物─社會整合性知識，並應用在人群服務領域，臺灣社會工作幾乎沒有文獻討論這些議題，此知識缺口將有礙社會工作發揮職責與阻礙專業發展。這波新興的生物相關研究發展，可幫助社會工作細緻地認識社會與心理因素如何影響個體的生理發展；同等重要地也能深度瞭解生理因素如何形塑個體社會功能，以及環境適應的狀況，進而透過全人觀的直接服務與健全的福利政策才能促進人民的福祉。本研究介紹這波生物─社會知識的發展與相關研究方法，並透過瞭解國外社會工作的回應，以進一步探討臺灣社會工作如何及早準備或是調整以回應這波新知識潮流。

Despite the long support for the biopsychosocial perspective in social work, knowledge of biology is still not well integrated into the building process and daily practice of social work, or in social work education. Moreover, transdisciplinary research is a developing trend among biology, genetics and social science internationally; practical implementation has begun to incorporate biology, genetics and psychosocial research findings. However, this kind of transdisciplinary research and practice is limited in the social work literature in Taiwan. This knowledge gap impedes social workers from fulfilling their professional roles. The development of biology/gene-social knowledge not only improves social workers’ understanding that bio-psycho-social factors are inextricably interlinked, but also promotes social work practice and policy to improve people’s well-being. This paper aims to fill this gap. This paper starts with a summary of the development of new biology/ gene-social knowledge, how social work in America responds to this ongoing trend, the challenges social workers face and the progress so far. The paper then introduces genetic research methods, epigenetics and neuroplasticity. Ways to apply this knowledge to inform social work practice and research are also discussed, with examples provided. Lastly, suggestions for the development of social work in Taiwan are also offered. The main emphases are to cultivate social workers’ curiosity about biology, to equip social workers with biology-related knowledge through tertiary level and continuous education, to prepare social workers with the ability and skills to engage in interdisciplinary research, and to increase social workers’ awareness of ethical and social justice issues related to this area.