Construcciones ontológicas, epistémicas y metodológicas en la investigación de pregrado de estudiantes de trabajo social dentro de una Facultad de salud y ciencias sociales en Chile

Introduction: research is a fundamental pillar in higher education, particularly in Social Work, as it facilitates the understanding and transformation of social realities. This study examines the ontological, epistemic, and methodological constructs in undergraduate research in the Social Work program at a private Chilean university. The objective of this research is to analyze the ontological, epistemic, and methodological frameworks in the undergraduate theses of Social Work students (2017-2022) to improve research training and professional preparation. Method: a descriptive-exploratory documentary analysis of 71 theses was carried out, categorizing the constructs into ontological, epistemic, methodological, and ethical dimensions. The data were evaluated through content analysis and grounded theory, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with Chilean data protection legislation. Results: ontological constructs predominantly followed a comprehensive-interpretive approach (85,92 %), while epistemic frameworks were mostly phenomenological (76,05 %). Methodologically, semi-structured interviews (52,11 %) and in-depth interviews (28,17 %) were the most used. Ethical constructs were often based on informed consent, but 76,05 % lacked adherence to formal ethical codes. Conclusions: the research highlights a focus on qualitative methodologies, emphasizing phenomenological and interpretive frameworks. To advance social work research, it is essential to incorporate quantitative and mixed methods. Strengthening ethical adherence and methodological diversity is critical to developing strong research competencies.