Saturday, January 10, 2009

Welcome to Research Methods for Social Work Practice! Try and contain your excitement :)
In all seriousness, research and social work practice are not as far apart as you might think. In fact, most of you have engaged in research . . . you just may not have understood that was what you were doing. During this class, we will assist you in applying the appropriate research terms for the everyday activities in which you most likely already engage. To start this discussion, I am posting a link to the NASW website. This page will outline the use of Evidence Based Practice in Social Work. Check out the link and comment about the use of evidence based practice in the world of social work.



55 comments:

  1. Original Comment By Daphne Arnold

    I know that I stated that I hated this research class, but that doesn't mean that I don't understand the necessity of it in the social work curriculm. I, however, do question the use of research in the actual practice of generalist social work. I have not seen, experienced,or heard of a social worker working on the generalist level that acutally uses these type of research techniques in order to find appropriate resourches and/or interventions for their clients. I can not think of any use for this extensive type of research being necessary unless I am going into the field of social work research or trying to apply and/or write for a federal grant. With that being said, I did read the information on Evidence-Based Practice(EBP) on the NASW website. As I have read and understood EBP is the practice of finding interventions that have been tested and have been found to actually work for the clients. I think that the idea of EBP is great, however, I do question some of the "so called" evidence that proves that it works. The one thing that I have learned taking research in undergraduate school is that measurements and outcomes can be skewed into saying just what the researches want it say. I had learned to always look to see how the research outcomes are measured and what was the actual method that were used. If there are no type of biases, the research outcomes are both valid and reliable, and no persons were treated unethically, then I think that EBP can be a very useful tool to guide social workers to find the most appropriate resources and interventions for their clients.

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  2. Original Comment by Shija Brooks

    I believe in the saying, "You must know where you come from to stand where you are, and get where you’re going." I think of Evidence- Based Treatment and Practice on the same terms because as a social worker we must know the who, what, when, and where in terms of background information about our clients we dealing with and then we (client and worker) as a “team” must know what we want the outcome to be. Different tactics worker for different people and according to textbook, Evidence- Based Practice, the client’s benefits are first priority. Research had to have a starting point and continues to be built upon each time to improve the research and to acquire the evidence. Today the majority of agencies are not using tactics that have not been proven to have worked in the past and sometimes are not compensated. I think that all things, especially if it is for the well being of others should be rooted in EBT because you would know if it would or would not work due to the evidence gathered after the research.

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  3. Original post by Deidre Houston

    Research is a vital tool in Social Work. As I study research I hope to gain the knowledge that was expounded on in this article. This article by the NASW was very informative in breaking down the meaning of Evidence Base Practice and Evidence Base Treatment. In reviewing this article, it taught me to always research different treatments and interventions that will improve those individuals who I have contact with throughout my practice. I must admit that I am excited to learn how to use research in my profession. Evidence Base Practice will allow me to learn how assit my clients with the correct intervention for their illness. I work with individuals who have a SMI. Their illnesses are very serious, if they are not given the proper medication and treatment they can have a bad reaction that may cause hospitalization. With the proper research the correct treatment can be given to those who are in need. Over all, this article is very informative for the use of social work practice.

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  4. I have little or no experience in actually being a social worker. Evidence-Based practice does sound like an ideal way to practice, treat and intervene as a social worker. Although you would still have to take the time to do some research at least the information would be at hand so you would not in essence be experimenting with your own consumer. In just the few days in which I have been doing my field work I have been exposed to consumers who have been diagnosed and are being treated. I am not sure that the workers used evidence-based practice to determine their diagnosis or treatment but they had to base their decisions on knowledge they obtained and I am guessing it came from research. The only other question left in my mind is how often do they utilize this tool. One key point made in the article read was that evidence-based practice must be personalized for individuals. Do the professionals take the time to do the research with each of their new consumers? I am not sure this would be feasible due to time constraints. So if the professional does not use EBT to diagnose and treat each patient then are they judging each consumer to a previous one to determine what the diagnosis is or treatment should be for that consumer. This article was very informative but did leave me with lots of questions.

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  5. Original Post by Kristi Maddox

    According to the NASW Code of Ethics social workers should continuously strive to learn more and promote greater development of their professional expertise. This is achieved through continuing education and experience through practice. This can also include the use of Evidence Based Practice and Treatment. Social workers seek to assist clients with their needs by researching and determining the best information they can find on the client’s particular issues. This data may include previously tested information and outcomes. Since all people are different, I believe that EBT and EBP can be useful but it should also be used with caution and flexibility. The same treatment options may not always be the best approach for all people with similar issues. However, according to the textbook there are three different elements to EBP. These include the external data and research (evidence), the client’s values and expectations and the expertise of the professional. Taking into consideration that all these elements are considered, I feel that EBP would be an ideal way for social workers to practice. However, due to the extreme demands and large caseloads managed by many social workers it would be difficult to use on a consistent basis.

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  6. Comment post by Diane Watson

    I am going to comment on Daphne's post. In my post I have lots of questions as to the use of EBT in actual practice. Daphne states she has had experience in the social work field and she states she has never seen it used in actual practice. I would really like to have some feedback from someone who does use it in their everyday practice. By the way I did not write that the previous post was mine and it was an orignal not a comment. Forgive me this time.

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  7. Response to Diane Watson's Original Post
    By Kristi Maddox

    I don't think that many social workers would feel that they have enough time to consistently have the time to practice EBT. In my past experience I have often relied on agency training and on knowledge gained through my education to guide my work. There have been times when I felt that I did not know enough about a client's disorder or situation so then I would research the issues. However, I do understand how the consistent use of EBP and EBT would be beneficial.

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  8. Original Post RE: Evidence Based Practice
    By:Melanie Reeves

    I reviewed the link from the NASW website regarding Evidence Based Practice and determined that some form of research is involved in everyday social work practice as social workers "research" options to address their client's needs. For example, a client may come into a social service agency to inquire about housing or financial assistance programs, thus it is your job as a social worker, to refer them to the appropriate resources that will meet thier needs. Another example can be illustrated through the field of medical social work, as case managers and social workers, make referrals to home health agencies, hospice, or psychiatric hospitals, depending upon the client's individual needs. Further, an example of Evidence Based Treatment can be illustrated through a referral for substance abuse treatment or individual and family counseling,which are examples of resources that have been implemented due to their benefical results for the patient. Another form of research can be illustrated by the concept of gathering information on a client for a social summary, so they can be referred for additional services, in an attempt to achieve the case plan. In summary, research is an important tactic utilized in a variety of social service agencies, as a means of addressing the needs of the client.

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  9. In response to Kristi's comment regarding time management,the lack of effectively implementing EBP in the field of social work due to time constraints and caseload requirements,can become problematic in the field of child welfare, as some children become involved in the foster care system as a result of an inadequate relative search. Therefore, it is always important to research possible resources.

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  10. Original Post-Tameka L. Askew
    Evidence-Based Research

    To be honest, I never thought in a million years I would ever have to use research methods. I hated research in undergrad and really did not see how it was going to benefit me in the social work field. I had the persona that all I needed to was how to help people.I was mistakenly wrong. I have learned that in receiving govermental funds, you have to prove that your program is effective and it works. To prove this,you have to conduct evidence-based research.In reading the article, it mainly focuses on social workers in the clinical and mental health setting. I feel that all social work fields use evidence-based practice in some shape or form. I do agree with the article that Social Workers and other professinals must be skilled in assessment and diagnosis;What client wants to be served by a professinal that does not know what they are talking about? I wouldnt'. Social Workers are important in developing research that helps with intervention and prevention programs. What it all comes down tois that as Social Workers, we must condcut evidence-based research to better server our clients.

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  11. Comment-Tameka L. Askew

    In responding to Melanies response, evidence-based research is used in all fields of social work.Research is a very important tactic that helps us serve our client's better by assessing their needs.Research is very beneficial to the Soical Work field.

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  12. Original Post - Kristen Anton

    Research is a word that sends me running in the other direction - one of the reasons I chose to be a social worker and not a psychologist. With that said, I do believe it is important. I don't have a lot of experience thus far in the field of social work, but so far with my field placement, I'm finding that handling situations with clients change on a case by case situation. There is a lot in understanding who the client is and the relevant background before you know how to help them - or if you need to help them. I've already seen many of our clients helped by getting them a means to pay power bills (etc), and I've also already seen some be turned away just because they want free services (when they have the money to cover the charges in the first place). So, I guess for me - I'm relying on experience from others (as opposed to "research") in my particular job setting. Maybe if I was in a more specified job setting (i.e., with certain types of groups) - I would see the need for relying on research within that context.

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  13. Response to Melanie's posting; by Kristen Anton:

    Melanie brought up an excellent point that makes me want to disregard my first comment (in part). She mentions that social workers are supposed to refer clients out to the specific agencies that can meet their needs. One of my projects in my new placement has been updating our resource manual for Coffee County. It didn't occur to me that this could be an example of EBP. I suppose it's a great example because all of the agencies listed in this book have proved to be helpful to us in meeting the needs of our clients.

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  14. Original Post by: Julie Lindsey

    I believe that evidence based practice is extremely important for social workers. Social workers employed by DHR in child welfare make life changing decisions involving children every day. When working with a child regarding their safety, permanency, and stability, evidence based practice is not only a good idea, but a necessity. Evidenced based practice just makes sense.
    I think that DHR realized the importance of evidence based practice while going through the RC lawsuit. A lot of time and research was conducted to assist caseworkers and social workers in making accurate assessments to determine how to better meet the individual needs of each child. Among other things, DHR realized that children need stability as well as need to maintain family connections.
    It is my opinion that social workers need to be more proactive in research. It seems that often times we do not become concerned about a situation until a problem presents itself. I believe that by utilizing evidence based practice; social workers will be able to anticipate potential barriers.

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  15. Response to Tameka Askew;by Deidre Houston

    In response to Tameka points the article was center around mental health,I actually thought that it was informative information because I work as a mental health case manager and is doing my plaecment through my agency homeless department. I must say that it is giving me room to grow and to actually enquire research for this program.

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  16. Response to Kristi from Julie Lindsey

    I agree with Kristi. Evidence Practice is difficult for social workers to consistently practice due to large caseloads. However, in larger agencies, such as DHR I believe that EBP is being utilized. I think that this is evidenced by the frequent change in policy. One change I have seen is that DHR has put an emphasis on family preservation by the implementation of increased in home services. I am not certain, but I can see where this emphasis could have been a result of research and utilizing EBP.

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  17. Original Post by Melinda Lanier

    Evidence-based practice requires living beyond ourselves. It means we have to get out of our boxes and look at practices and treatments that have validity. It definitely seems easier to take social work and put it in a box. For those type A personalities like myself, this can become trying. I like to be in control and know what the best possible solution is in every situation. I like to be right and know that I did the right thing. These are my unrealistic expectations. I have to guard against these tendencies in order to put clients first and look out for his or her best interest. In life and especially Social Work, there aren’t always right and wrong answers. Good practice instead is measured by the ability to think critically and build upon those who have gone before us. What may work for one client, may not work for another client. Therefore, we have to be willing to be constantly learning from those around us whether is clients, peers or professors.

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  18. After reading the article, the first thing that came to mind with me was the term "outcomes." As an employee of DHR so much of our practice is reviewed by the State QA team in regards to what outcomes are occurring with the client. When services are provided to families, social workers need to be mindful as to whether or not the intended results are being produced and effective. Does a family need to be involved in counseling for the next year? Are there other effective methods of dealing with a client's issues? These questions cannot be answered without some level of "research", that includes individualizing the client's plan to address their needs, instead of going through the motions because a particular service or plan has worked before.

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  19. Response to Melinda Lanier's Original Post:
    I can relate to the issue with being a "Type A" personality and pursuing a career in social work. Especially in the arena of child welfare, there are times that workers are just not sure if they made the right decision. However, the validation that you will recieve as to whether or not the right decision was made is based on the safety and well being of a child. I am not so sure that my response to your post was "research driven", but that's how I feel. In conclusion, just to put in a plug for research, I wonder if there has ever been a study conducted on the level of burn out with Type A personality social workers? Just a thought.......

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  20. Response to Kristen Anton's Original Post:
    It is interesting to read that you chose social work over psychology in an effort to avoid research. Sounds familiar, as in Chapter 1 of the Royse text when he states that a large number of individuals come into the profession with the intent of helping others, but staying as far away from research as possible. However, you are probably conducting some manner of research in your field placement, you just do not realize it. In my opinion, just the idea of gathering the information from the client, in assessing their ability to pay their power bill, is a method of research.

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  21. Original Post for Evidence-Based Practice
    by: Shante' Hamm

    It seems Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in the “world of social work” can be very complicated and challenging; being “a process” that involves detailed research so that it is effective for each unique client and practitioner. I’m sure it is rewarding as well when a successful EBT is established. Thankfully, there are websites and guidebooks to help those who would like to inquire such research. I must admit that I’m not too familiar with EBP and look forward to learning this semester.

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  22. Shanté’s response to Tameka Askew’s posting

    I will honestly agree that I had not thought about research, in this sense, in the field of social work. I took a program evaluation class in undergrad and enjoyed it. However, when I read the NASW’s website, I did not feel the same. I think it was the clinical and mental terms and settings that “hindered” my excitement. After reading your posting I found my joy again. When I thought about it, it really is what you said, and that is evaluating (researching) what changes need to be done to effectively serve the clients.

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  23. Shanté’s response to Tameka Askew’s posting

    I will honestly agree that I had not thought about research, in this sense, in the field of social work. I took a program evaluation class in undergrad and enjoyed it. However, when I read the NASW’s website, I did not feel the same. I think it was the clinical and mental terms and settings that “hindered” my excitement. After reading your posting I found my joy again. When I thought about it, it really is what you said, and that is evaluating (researching) what changes need to be done to effectively serve the clients.

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  24. Original Post for Evidence-Based Practice
    By Patricia Ford

    The article illustrated the importance of utilizing EBT in practice to ensure clients’ needs are being addressed using the best method approaches. Its importance can not be stressed enough. However, some social workers resist using EBT because it differs from the methods they are most comfortable with or their agencies prefer they continue providing the same treatment the agency has always provided in the past. Such practice robs the clients being served. Social workers must continually seek to improve their knowledge base and stay abreast on the most current research and practice methods because they have a responsibility to their clients, their profession, and themselves.

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  25. Original Post-Misty Macon

    As I was reading the information in Chapter One of the Gibbs text, it occured to me that most people practice some form of EBP on a daily basis. We research safety features on cars before purchasing them, research medications and side effects before giving them to our children, we research the best places to take a vacation, all in hopes of making the best possible decision for our families, our health, and our happiness. Why then, would we expect any less for our clients? It has not been at the forefront of my mind to think that as social workers we should be doing research on a regular basis just because most of the time I feel we should be about the business of "helping people". I guess that research is a big part of what we do on a daily basis, but it does not feel like research because we are not filling out surveys or interviewing thousands of people. We are simply using the best information given to assist clients in making the best decisions possible to enhance their lives.

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  26. Original Post
    by Jaclyn Turner

    Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)is essential to the world of social work. Research is used to find the best individualized treatment for each client. EBP incorporates a clients needs as well as culture and other variuos factors. Studying research helps social workers make decisions on how to help their clients. I think that EBP is complicated and confusing to learn about. Research classes are not fun to take but they put the real world into perspective.

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  27. Response to Original Post by Melinda Lanier:

    I agree that we must be able to think outside the box when it comes to social work practice, but there must be some sort of foundation for the thinking in the first place. We must have a starting point from which to build on ideas in order to help our clients. It makes me think of building blocks that when stacked get higher and higher and smaller and smaller in size until the goal is obtained. The base block, the largest one, is the question that first started the process rolling. Each block that is stacked grows smaller in size as bad information is weeded out and eventually all that is left is the solution to the beginning issue. This is how we must look at helping our clients, one step at a time, until they are able to see the issue and obtain their goal.

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  28. Response to Shante' Hamm's Original Post

    I agree with Shante', Evidence-Based Practice is complicated and challenging. Helping a client by finding the most appropriate treatment based on their needs is the purpose of EBP. Actually helping the client is rewarding.

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  29. Original Comment by Julia Rigsby

    Evidence-Based Practice can be very effective in the social work field when working with families, children, or adults because it has been tried and researched and has been proven to be effective or not. The problem with Evidence-Based Practice is that everyone is created different and we are unique creatures. The same treatment that worked for one person or even for 10 people may not work for the next person or the next ten people. I do think Evidence-Based Practice can be effective and has its benefits, but like everything else, has many flaws. I think it adds insight to many treatments and methods of doing things and also find it to be interesting information. I think as long as EBT is used with an open mind and not as a cure all it is more effective.

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  30. RESPONSE TO MELINDA LANIER'S ORIGINGAL POST
    BY PATRICIA FORD

    I agree that social workers need to think outside the box. We need to be willing to research and find the best solutions for our clients and not rely on the easiest, most practiced, or most readily available methods. We are the future of social work and as such we must be accountable to practice the highest standards.

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  31. Response to Brent Eubanks Original Post
    By: Julia Rigsby

    "Outcomes" is also a word that sticks out in my mind. Unfortunately at DHR families are not followed for long periods of time to measure their outcomes. Often times the same families come back for more help or their children will become invovled with DHR once they are older and have families of their own. Brent is right in that each family's plan is individualized and while we can try the same things that have worked with other families, it may not be what that particular family is needing long term.

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  32. Original Post for Evidence-Based Practice
    By. Marashia S. McCormick

    In my opinion, evidence based practice (EBP) justifies a standard of social work practice. I will admit that I’m no junkie for research, but I understand the importance of assessing treatments, interventions, and programs. Without scientific evaluation there is no method of measuring effectiveness. How would we know that that the methods we use truly helping our clients? Every profession operates from some standard of practice. I assume that medical doctors base their treatment on evidence from the medical community, and that judges base their decision on the laws of the land. Why should our profession be any difference? EBP ensures that we are doing more than just going through the motions or offering friendly advice to our clients. It ensures that the treatments, interventions, and programs we provide have been tested and have the potential to benefits clients.

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  33. Response to Kristi Maddox by Melinda Lanier
    Flexibility and caution are part of thinking critically which I think is a success factor of evidence-based practice. I don’t believe that evidence-based practice will succeed if you expect that one person will always respond a certain way if 30 other people responded that way. However, it’s also not the case the we completely write off the value of evidence-based practice. This is where the three elements come in to make evidence-based practice a functional method of practice.

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  34. Response to Patricia Ford
    By Marashia McCormick

    Patricia makes and valid point that I overlooked in my original post. If social worker sdo not stay up-to-date on the latest most improved evidenced based treatment, there is potential to do harm. For example, while most credit Sigmund Freud as the father of psycho-analysis, there aren’t many people that would fully apply his theory to treatment today. This is because of the enormous amounts of evidenced based research that has either built onto or reexamined his idea. Without insight to this research, social workers may be inclined to assume a child is suffering from penis envy. This may be a bit of an extreme example, but it defiantly validates Patricia’s statement, “social workers must continually seek to improve their knowledge base and stay abreast on the most current research and practice methods.”

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  35. Originial Post: Week 1
    April Mills

    I have been practicing as a Licensed Bachelor Social Worker for five years now. All of my experience has been with the Department of Human Resources. I have primarily worked in preservation and yet Social Work Research has not made it into my daily routine of Social Work practice. I acknowledge that this is an unfortunate reality. However, in every day practice on a general level it can become almost impossible to research every area of your practice. It can become a challenge to simply find appropriate and affordable resources for your clients let alone research the service and/or treatment that you do find for them. I realize that locating these services may be classified as some form of research but to extensively research the effectiveness of the services does not often happen. Although I see the challenges and time restraints for Social Workers like myself I also see the need to implement Evidence-Based Practice. Often times a service is offered to a client that is not effective. Therefore, I appreciate the blog for this week and the information that it provides. Thorough and in depth research can be seen as a nuisance but actually it is a necessity if we wish to achieve success for our clients. But again my only concern is how will general Social Workers be able to implement more extensive research into their daily work? It is required for Social Workers who are for example seeking to obtain grants from the government for programs. But it is not mandatory for all services that are rendered at an agency like DHR.

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  36. Reponse to Kriti Maddox post by Shija Brooks

    I agree that caseloads for social workers are extremely high and too little time for EBT. I do think if there was enough time management to include EBT social work practice would run smoother. I also agree that all clients’ backgrounds and situations are not the same and must use EBT with caution. I think in the future agencies will begin to use EBT practice when dealing with clients.

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  37. Response Post to Diane Watson: Week 1
    April Mills

    As I said in my original post the time constraints are there and it is almost impossible to effectively meet every clients needs with EBP. That is not to say that there is not a great need for it. I have been in Social Work for some time now and I still have many guest ions myself. Mostly, how can I find more effective treatment for my clients and how can I successfully obtain them financially? More money more research more success. The experience that we are gaining in our classes and in our filed placements will hopefully answer some of our questions and enable us to find the means that we need to meet our clients needs effectively.

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  38. Tomi Williams

    I really have mixed feelings about research....any research class but I am learning to appreciate the practice.I am interested in knowing how much research really affects the modification of policy? Hopefully new findings concerning the behaviors of individuals influences social workers to modify their use of practice as well as policy makers. I promise to dedicate myself to trying to understand how social work research works.

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  39. Response to Patricia Ford's Orig. Response

    I agree that social workers should began or continue to use EBT within practice. Just think if a client has to go to court and the worker must present and prove how their actions were necessary. Using EBT will allow the social worker's steps to be traced and justified. I personally had to learn the had way.

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  40. Original Post by Kipp Heatherly


    I am not going to try to refute the argument for evidence based practice in social work, as I’m sure it has some utility (and I wouldn’t presume that I’m capable of pulling that off anyway). However, I think there is a reason the concept originated in medicine and is probably more relevant to that field than to social work. It would seem that factors such as race, religion, sexual preference, social environment, etc. are not generally determining factors in the treatment of most medical issues. So, naturally, it makes sense to use statistically proven methods for treating conditions such as tumors or the common cold. But social work is a different animal and those aforementioned variables must all be considered during treatment planning...and I fail to see how evidence based practice could possibly address the diversity among clientele populations encountered in social work.

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  41. Response to Kristi Maddox’s post by Kipp Heatherly

    I agree that the sheer demands of large caseloads make it difficult to utilize research in social work. For me, the problem does not lie specifically in the numbers, but in the differences with each individual client. The application of evidence based practice just seems futile when working with thirty different clients from thirty different backgrounds who have three hundred different needs. Perhaps the use of research would seem much more appealing if given the opportunity to work with more targeted groups.

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  42. Original Post by Jean Fields

    Since Social Work is meant to be a helping profession, it makes since that most of its practice and methods would come from EBT. I must admit that research has never been my favorite thing to do, but I think it is necessary that MSW student and every level of social work alike should familiarize themselves with knowing more about research within our field. If we know about the tried a true methods then chances are we will know the best delivery of services for our clients. Even on my job in case management, I find myself using the same group of counselors and therapists for my clients if I find that they are reliable, consistent, and are knowledgeable about what it takes to get the best outcome with the client. In my opinion, that is a form of research I am doing daily. Nonetheless, research will be interesting for me this semester and I am looking forward to learning more about something that I am naturally ambivalent about.

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  43. Original Post by Jean Fields

    Since Social Work is meant to be a helping profession, it makes since that most of its practice and methods would come from EBT. I must admit that research has never been my favorite thing to do, but I think it is necessary that MSW student and all levels of social work alike should familiarize themselves with knowing more about research within our field of social work. If we know about the tried a true methods then chances are we will know the best delivery of services for our clients. Even on my job in case management, I find myself using the same group of counselors and therapists for my clients if I find that they are reliable, consistent, and are knowledgeable about what it takes to get the best outcome with the client. In my opinion that is a form of research I am doing daily. Nonetheless, research will be interesting for me this semester and I am looking forward to learning more about something that I am naturally ambivalent about.

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  44. Response to April Mills by Jean Fields

    I myself have been an employee of the Department of Human Resource for a while. While I find the statement you make correct that most of the services that are offered are not effective with our clients, but I must I do find myself doing using the services that I feel are the best quite frequently. I agree that in agencies like DHR research is not used at all at least from where I see things as a caseworker.

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  45. Original Post by Carrie Wells

    Using research in social work practice can be very beneficial to both the social worker and the client. Social workers who use EBP in their practice can formulate treatment plans that have been proven effective for the clients they are serving. When evaluating research, it is imperative that social workers understand not only the outcomes of particular studies, but understand how the outcomes were developed. Social workers must evaluate the validity of the data, the method in which the research was conducted, the demographics of the research, and the relevance of the evidence to the particular client(s) the social worker is serving. Basically, social workers must be astute critical thinkers in order to get the most benefits out of using EBP in developing effective treatment plans for clients.

    Note: This comment was posted late due to difficulties signing on.

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  46. Comment to Diane Watson
    By Carrie Wells

    I have no social work experience also and am equally curious about how social workers are able to conduct the required research in order to provide proper treatment for clients. I often hear about social workers not having enough time to thoroughly assess clients due to large caseloads and time constraints. If agencies are pressuring social workers to complete caseloads knowing that they have not had the adequate amount of time needed to evaluate research, wouldn’t that be considered unethical on the part of the agency? Having social workers treat clients without knowing the relevant evidence and research that supports specific treatment could be harmful to the clients. For time restricted social workers, becoming a member of the NASW can be very helpful in keeping up with the latest research. There are numerous links on the website related to research including “Research in the News.”

    (As noted in my original post, I had problems signing on which caused my posts to be late.)

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  47. Reply Comment to Julie Lindsey by Daphne Arnold

    I agree that EBP is important for social workers to understand and if used correctly can benefit the client populations that we serve. I,do however, think that there are flaws within this approach. What I have learned so far in research has led me to be suspicious about the true accuracy and effectiveness of the targeted interventions. I have learned how research can be shewed to say whatever the researchers want it to say. I also have learned to look at these studies and experiments to make sure that they are generalizable and representative to the target population. I have learned to be careful to look at what and how measurements for success are measured and how that will affect the outcome for these studies. So, bascially what I am trying to say is that while I think EBP is a great idea, in actuality it is very hard to gage and put into actual practice, especially at the generalist practice level. You are right, social workers are making life changing decisions that affect individuals ability to led productive lives, but I would caution everyone to really thoroughly research the "research" to make sure that we are doing more good than harm in the lives of our clients.

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  48. Reply Comment to Julie Lindsey by Daphne Arnold

    I agree that EBP it is extremely important for social workers to understand. I, do however, think that there are flaws within this approach. I have learned that the "evidence" can be skewed by researchers to say just about anything that they want it to say. I have learned that social workers should be suspicious about and check the reliability and validity of all research. I have learned that just because an intervention may be statistically significant that this still may not be the best course of action for the target population. I have also learned that the means and methods of these experiments should be clearly stated. It is also important for social workers to look at how these studies measure success because often times these terms can have more than one meaning. I am saying this to say, that as social workers we are charged with helping our clients to better their situations not to hurt them. You are right when you say that social workers are helping clients to make life changing decisions; so it is important to for us to have a thorough understanding of how to effectively do research. I still do not think that generalist social worker professionals will have time to do this type of extensive research, but it is good to know how to in case we are called upon to do so.

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  49. Reply Comment to Julie Lindsey by Daphne Arnold

    I agree that EBP it is extremely important for social workers to understand. I, do however, think that there are flaws within this approach. I have learned that the "evidence" can be skewed by researchers to say just about anything that they want it to say. I have learned that social workers should be suspicious about and check the reliability and validity of all research. I have learned that just because an intervention may be statistically significant that this still may not be the best course of action for the target population. I have also learned that the means and methods of these experiments should be clearly stated. It is also important for social workers to look at how these studies measure success because often times these terms can have more than one meaning. I am saying this to say, that as social workers we are charged with helping our clients to better their situations not to hurt them. You are right when you say that social workers are helping clients to make life changing decisions; so it is important to for us to have a thorough understanding of how to effectively do research. I still do not think that generalist social worker professionals will have time to do this type of extensive research, but it is good to know how to in case we are called upon to do so.

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  50. This is my original response to the article on Evidenced Based Practices
    I support the use of evidenced based practices when it comes to clients benefitting from the best services available. My concern for EBP’s would not be the amount of information available for social workers to use, but the amount of time available to study, learn and put into practice. Understandably, the services must be tailored to fit the client’s culture, interests and circumstances while balancing with resources available. Most workers have caseloads that prevent the kind of tailoring needed for most clients. Sure there will be some clients that present with similar problems and would benefit from the same type of service. However, most of us know that workers only have a limited amount of time to tailor services to a client. My hope is that I become efficient at assessments and diagnosing to be able to take advantage of such a tool.
    Malinda S.

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  51. Shiji
    Research is involved in almost everything we do as social workers and lay individuals as well. We ourselves are researchers in a sense. If we have made referrals to a particular agency and the agency has not performed as promised and the desired goal not achieved, then not only is that research, but research with results. The next referral will be with a different agency to achieve the desired results. That’s results you can sink your teeth into. I am sure there are evidenced based research that has been proven to work in the social service field.
    Malinda S.

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  52. Deidre
    I agree that the article is informative for the field of social work. It brings together several points of interest. However, the article also points out the inconsistencies in the field of research, including those that does not factor in different backgrounds, culture and other medical conditions of the clients.
    Malinda S.

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  53. Response to Tomi Willisams

    I would like to comment on Ms. Williams question about research affecting the modification of policy. With translational research - putting the results of research into practice - I think that we will see much more research actually being used rather than gathering dust on the shelves. NIH has placed an emphasis on translational research.

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  54. The response to Tomi Williams was by Denise Cleveland.

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  55. Original Post:
    Denise B. Cleveland

    Utilization of EBP in the social work field is important. As we are charged with being brokers of resources, being able to identify and utilize empirical data for our clients is a must as we want to be able to use something that works when we apply theory to practice. I think it is important to integrate a client's preference (self-determination), the needs, strengths, and values into EBP. I agree that it is a challenge, but one that I believe is valuable when met. It is human nature to be fearful of the unknown, and I look forward to learning more about EBP in this class.

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