Evidence-Based Social Work Practice: Application and Evaluation

Step 1: Problem Formulation

Evidence-based social work practice is defined as the judicious and skillful application of the best evidence, based on research merit, clinical impact, and applicability, using evaluation to ensure desired results are achieved. The evidence-based practice (EBP) model is best understood as a process used for making practice decisions that require practitioners to integrate the best available research evidence with their practice expertise and with client attributes, values, preferences, and circumstances.

The written assignments in this course will take you through the process of EBP by developing papers proposing the application of this evidence-based social work practice model to a real-world practice situation of your choosing—either micro or macro-based. While you will not be asked to apply the practice to your client or client system, the assignment requires that you propose how you would do so and evaluate that experience.

The assignment is worth 100 total points and structured so that work on it will be evaluated throughout the semester. Details of the assignment are outlined in the following three steps. While the assignment is divided into three phases with different submission dates throughout the semester, you are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to review the full three steps from the beginning of the semester. Previous students' feedback about their experience suggested that having a "map" to help anticipate all the steps enable students to understand better the full scope of the assignment and how each specific step is related to the previous and next steps as well as to the course content.

1. Think of a client or client system (e.g., a family, a group, a community, an organization) you are currently working with or recently worked with. You can choose a client from fieldwork either in the current or previous year or from your paid job. You must focus on one particular client, preferably on your clients in general.

2. Briefly (no more than one page) provides relevant background and current information about your client/client system and the problem with which they present—focus of a CONCISE identification of client's characteristics, background information, and issues.

3. Formulate a researchable PRACTICE question related to that client or client system's situation, using the EBP practice process you have learned in this course. The question you pose must be answerable, and sufficiently narrow to help your work with the client system you propose. Explain how knowing the answer can inform your practice with the client. What are you choosing to highlight about the client or system that you wish to know better, to guide your best practice?

Step 2: Search and Appraise

4. Discuss why you have chosen to highlight the particular aspects, i.e., explain why you included in your question specific client characteristics rather than others and how knowledge about these characteristicsabout the client situation that may potentially inform/guide your work with this client.Be sure to present a clear rationale for your decisions and use relevant literature to inform and support your reasoning.

For example, if you opt to include the client's gender/race/age etc. in the question, cite literature that indicates the importance of these demographic characteristics relative to the client's situation and the question related to it.

This part of the assignment is due on 10/03/2020. It is expected to be up to three pages, double-spaced, 12 font. Include a reference page applying APA guidelines.

This assignment's goal is to help you develop your skills for critiquing the of empirical studies.

State your practice related researchable question that you developed for Step 1 (or its revised version based on the feedback to your first assignment). Use electronic resources to search for studies that provide empirical evidence to inform your practice question and decision. Focus on social work practice (i.e., not psychiatric, medical, etc.). Relevant databases relative to EBP are identified on the last page of the syllabus.You are strongly encouraged to prefer the use of available specialized databases (e.g., Cochrane, Campbell, Psychinfo, Family and Society Studies, SAMHSA, National Institute of Mental Health, PsychArticles, SocIndex, Social Work Abstract, Social Services).

1. Search—Identify the following:
2. The search termsyou have used in your work
3. The databasesor other sources you have used
4. The resultsyou get from this process (i.e., how many articles you found, which were the most useful data sources)

Note: An excellent example of reporting such searches is available on p. 364 of the article: Byrne, M., Carr, A., & Clark, M. (2004). The Efficacy of Behavioral Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couple Distress. Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal, 26(4), 361-387.

Description: From the articles you identify, choose two that offer the best available evidencerelevant to your practice question and acquire them. State the rationale that informed your choice of the studies discussed in these particular articles. For each of these articles, address the following points:

Identify the purposeof the study and briefly (4-5 sentences) summarize in your own words the method including a) design (e.g., case study, randomized clinical trial, systematic review, etc.), b) sampling strategy, sample type, and size

Measurement (including the instrument, type, and the number of items, validity, and reliability)

Data analysis (i.e., which strategies, such as statistical test or content analysis were used to conclude the data regarding the research question/s)

Ethical aspects. Do not report findings. You are encouraged to use the structure of abstracts in journals as a template for presenting a concise summary of the study.

Critique: This is an essential part of the assignment.CRITICALLY appraise this evidence using the criteria you have learned in this course. Evaluate the rigor of the evidence-basedon aspects such as validity and reliability of measurements, appropriateness of design for the question, sample, and data collection strategies. You are expected to address data analysis strategies just to the degree that you learned about them in the foundation research class (i.e., chi-square, t-test, and correlations). Some of the studies may have used more sophisticated statistical analysis about which you did not learn, and you are not expected to critique those. Identify a minimum of one strength and one limitation using the criteria provided in the textbooks and discussed in class. Justify your evaluation, i.e., explain why you see these as limitation/strength.

Do Not Summarize The Articles.Focus On Reporting The Relevant Research Aspects And Processes.

Write In Your Own Words What The Researcher/S Did And How They Did It Rather Than Quoting The Author'S Description

The main goal is to demonstrate your critical view of the studies' methodologies. This focus should be reflected in the weight (and space) you dedicate to the critique. While an accurate and specific description is essential, it needs to be concise, whereas the critique should be elaborate.

Critique the study(what was done) rather than the article (how it is written).

Focus on addressing the specific questions identified in the assignment.

Summary: Which of the studies offers the most robust scientific evidence(NOT which article is the most precise or most applicable to your client; instead, which study is the strongest from the methodological viewpoint)? Articulate clearly the rationale for your choice and support by evidence.  

This part of the assignment is due on 10/20/2020. It is expected to be up to10 pages, double-spaced, 12 font.

Step 3: Proposed Implementation and Evaluation Plan (20%)

a) What finding/s of the studies that you reviewed you decided to employ with the client /client system that you discussed for step of this assignment?

b) How might you plan to recruit input from your client and involvement in your plan of action?

c) How do you propose evaluating and monitoring your client's or client system's progress/outcome?

d) Be as specific as possible relative to the details of the evaluation plan– rather than making general statements, address issues of exactly how, where, when, and WHY you plan to monitor your client’s progress. 

e) Conceptualize, i.e., use concepts that you learned to discuss procedures and strategies that you choose to apply. 

f) What are some strengths and limitations of your proposed design and measures for monitoring the client's progress (NOT of the intervention plan)?

g) Provide a summary and reflection of the overall experience of this assignment. 

What did you learn from using an evidence-based practice approach?

based practice approach?