Research In Social Work
Practice
Salem State University
School of Social Work
Class Two
Jeff Driskell, MSW, PhD
2
Today’s class
• Check-in/Question
▫ Syllabus questions
▫ Announcements
• Lecture
▫ Evidence-Based Practice
▫ Weekly Comments
Identify 3 uses for research…
1.
2.
3.
Your supervisor at the social service agency you
work at has asked you to be part of a committee
that is organizing a way to evaluate one of your
programs/interventions. During a planning
meeting, a staff member asks you to help them
understand the difference between qualitative
and quantitative research. Explain how you
would differentiate the two.
Evidence-Based Practice
Moving Forward
The lens in which you will use for this course:
Evidence Based Practice Framework
CSWE Core Competencies
Evidence Based Practice Defined
In brief, what is your understanding of
evidence based practice?
EBP Definition
“A process in which practitioners make practice
decisions in light of the best research evidence
available. This is an integrative model” (Rubin &
Babbie, 2001)
“It is a guide for thinking about how decisions are
made. It acknowledges that client preferences
rather than clinician’s preferences should be
considered first whenever possible to do so”
(Devereau & Guyatt, 2002)
Integrative Model
EvidenceBased
Practice
Client
Attributes
Practitioners
Expertise
Best
Research
Evidence
Car Purchase….Huh?
Controversies about EBP
Social Work Values and Ethics
What do you see as the link between EBP and
the values/ethics of the social work
profession?
Youth Villages
• Give an example of how Youth Villages used
research as it relates to their program.
• Locate research on Evidentiary Family
Restoration
• http://vimeo.com/47034848
EBP- STEPS TO SUCCESS
Nature of Evidence Based Practice:
Client-Centered Approach
 Requires critical thinking
 Be active in the process, not passive
 Tracking down current best available evidence
 Requires understanding research designs and
methods
Bridging the Gap- Access to
Knowledge (Kirk, 1979)
• Research findings should be practice relevant
• Specific applications to practice should be
contained in research reports
• Research findings should be disseminated
effectively
• Practitioners should possess both the skill and
the incentive to assess and change their practice
bx based on research knowledge
Activity: Steps in EBP
• Each group will be assigned two steps associated
with the Evidence-Based Practice Model.
• As a GROUP- discuss the purpose and
actions taken in that particular step.
Activity: EBP Application
• Each group will formulate research questions to
guide your treatment decision. Create questions
about effectiveness, best predictors, which
assessment tools to use, and what it is like
having the clients experience. (4 questions)
Case:
• You are working with a 9 year old African
American boy who has experienced sexual abuse
and witnessed domestic violence in the home.
He has been given a diagnosis of PTSD and
conduct disorder.
Steps in Evidence-Based Practice
 Step 1: Formulate a Question to Answer Practice
Needs
 Step 2: Search for the Evidence
 Step 3: Critically Appraise the Relevant Studies
You Find
 Step 4: Determine Which Evidence-Based
Intervention Is Most Appropriate for Your
Particular Client(s)
 Step 5: Apply the Evidence-Based Intervention
 Step 6: Evaluation and Feedback
Step 1: Formulate a Question to Answer
Practice Needs
 Questions should:
− Target practice decisions
− Consider variations in client characteristics
 Question formulation if one or more
interventions are specified in advance: CIAO
− C: client characteristics
− I: intervention being considered
− A: alternative intervention (if any)
− O: outcome
Step 2: Search for the Evidence
 Computerized library searches
 Searches of professional literature databases
 Internet search engines
 Search terms
 Approaches to searching:
− Top-down
− Bottom-up
Step 3: Critically Appraise the Relevant
Studies You Find
 Main questions for practice effectiveness studies:
− Was treatment outcome measured in a reliable, valid,
and unbiased manner?
− Was the research design strong enough to indicate
conclusively whether the intervention or something else
most plausibly explains the variations in client
outcomes?
 Different research hierarchies for different research
questions
©2011, Brooks/Cole Publishing, A Division of Cengage
Learning, Inc.
Step 4: Determine Which Evidence-Based
Intervention Is Most Appropriate for Your
Particular Client(s)
 Even evidence based interventions are not
effective with every client or situation.
 Consider:
– Quality of the evidence
– Client characteristics and context
– Values and expectations of client
©2011, Brooks/Cole Publishing, A Division of Cengage
Learning, Inc.
Step 5: Apply the Evidence-Based
Intervention
 Obtain training in the intervention and
readings on how to implement the
intervention including treatment manuals
 Arrange for consultation or supervision
 Formulate measurable treatment goals with
client to aid in evaluation intervention
effectiveness
©2011, Brooks/Cole Publishing, A Division of Cengage
Learning, Inc.
Step 6: Evaluation and Feedback
 Collaborative measurement and evaluation of
set treatment goals
 Ongoing discussion of evaluation and
outcomes with client
 Share what you have learned
− Communicate findings with relevant colleagues
©2011, Brooks/Cole Publishing, A Division of Cengage
Learning, Inc.
Evidence Based Practice Example
• What is the problem area being addressed?
• How might you use this knowledge to advance
your practice with clients?
• http://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_ho
w_to_make_stress_your_friend.html
28
…and then there were “NUTs”
Discussion of Pignotti & Thyer article:
Weekly Comment Review
▫ Based on the Pignotti (2009) article:
 Choose one of the following interventions/programs:
DARE, Scared Straight Programs, Rebirthing, or
Facilitated Communication for Autism.
 Provide brief description
 Identify if the program/intervention is supported or
not supported empirically.
Activity- Problem Exploration
• Step 1- Identify a problem area with a specific
population
• Step 2- Formulate and EBP question
• Step 3- Locate 2 articles to help answer your
question.
• http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/
• http://www.cochrane.org/cochrane-reviews
• http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/AdvancedSearch
.aspx
Evaluating Research Strategies
• Questions to ask….
http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/AboutNREPP.asp
x (PDF link)
Next Week
• Everyone is to locate and print out an article that
involves evaluation of a program, policy or
intervention.
• The article should address one of the following
problem areas:
▫ Depression
▫ Domestic violence
▫ Aging
Weekly Comments Next Week
• Based on your assigned Group article for today▫ What type of research design?
▫ Identify the type of evaluation that takes place
within the study.
▫ What is your understanding to why you would use
this type of evaluation?
▫ Identify and describe the intervention used in the
article.