Laura L. Myers

The quest for evidence- based practice: A view from the United States

• Summary: This article describes how a reliance upon social and behavioral science research is the feature distinguishing modern professional social work from prior non-professional efforts at providing social care. A number of formal efforts that attempted to more closely link science and practice are described, including the empirical clinical practice movement, the empirically supported treatments initiative, and, most recently, evidence-based practice (EBP). • Findings: EBP is correctly seen as a process of inquiry intended to help practitioners and their clients make important decisions about the services the clients receive. EBP is a process, a verb, not a noun. There is no such thing as evidence-based practices, since in EBP one decides what services to provide by taking into account not only research evidence but also client preferences and values, situational circumstances, professional ethics, the practitioner’s existing skills, and available resources. • Applications: From this perspective it is a misuse of the term EBP to refer to specific interventions or assessment methods as evidence-based. At best, interventions or techniques may be labeled as empirically supported or research-supported. The current status of EBP within American social work is seen as healthy and growing, although misconceptions regarding this process are common.

An Empirical Evaluation of the Editorial Practices of Social Work Journals

The authors of articles published in 21 North American social work journals during 1998 were contacted and asked to complete a survey evaluating their experiences with these journals’ review processes. Anonymous replies were received from 261 of these 438 potential respondents, yielding a return rate of 60%. This article presents information pertaining to the timeliness of editorial communications, the provision and length of editorial reviewer comments, the helpfulness of these remarks, the respect with which they were framed, the apparent competence of the reviewers, and the overall quality of the editorial review process.

Grandparents raising grandchildren: Case management in a rural setting

Abstract Estimates suggest that there may be over one million children in the United States who are being raised solely by their grandparents. Research in the area of grandparents raising grandchildren in homes where the parents are absent is still sparse, but researchers are beginning to see the importance of understanding these family forms, reasons for increasing numbers, and problems that are experienced by both the grandparents and grandchildren. In this article, the current literature on the issues surrounding this population is presented and the gaps in the literature are discussed. An outline for a case management model for grandparents raising grandchildren in a rural setting is then presented. These guidelines are organized into 10 areas of need that emerged during the intervention period, and include questions to cover during the assessment process, example interventions, and case vignettes.

Religious Discrimination in Social Work Academic Programs: Whither Social Justice?

Recent reports in the media have suggested that social work students are being discriminated against within BSW and MSW programs due to their religious beliefs. We review the substance of these public allegations and provide some further examples of religious discrimination occurring within the classroom, in faculty evaluations of students, and in being unfairly dismissed from social work programs. These individual stories, combined with contemporary empirical research on the topic, lend credence to the charge that religious discrimination within academic social work remains an ongoing problem. This reflects a failure on the part of the profession to promote social justice. Religious bigotry deserves the same attention by social workers as do instances of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, and sexual orientation. Some specific steps to remedy religious discrimination within social work academic programs are presented.

Health Risk Behaviors among Adolescents in the Rural South: A Comparison of Race, Gender, and Age

Risky behaviors contribute to many of the physical and mental health problems of todays adolescents. The present study surveyed more than 2,500 high school and middle school students in a rural county in southwest Georgia in an attempt to identify differences in health risk behaviors, including tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use, violence and gang-related behaviors, and student assessment of high-risk behaviors, based on three demographic characteristics: race, gender, and age. Results show that Caucasian students are more likely to use tobacco and alcohol, whereas African-American students are more likely to engage in violent activities. In addition, older students (aged 15+ years) were more likely to use tobacco, alcohol, and drugs and to participate in violent behaviors, and male students are more likely to use tobacco and drugs and to participate in violent behaviors than female students.

Do Regular Social Work Faculty Earn Better Student Course Evaluations than Do Adjunct Faculty or Doctoral Students

Nationwide, the percentage of faculty who are tenured (or in tenure-earning positions) is declining, with proportionate increases in the amount of instruction provided by adjunct and other part-time instructors, including doctoral students. These trends are mirrored within academic social work and have given rise to some concerns about the potentially adverse effects this could have on the quality of instruction provided to MSW and BSW students. A review of the social work literature, however, failed to locate any systematic investigations published on the topic of evaluating the quality of teaching provided by adjuncts or doctoral students. The authors undertook a comprehensive analysis of the course evaluations obtained from a large urban school of social work in the Southeast over a 3-year period, covering 294 courses (61% BSW, 39% MSW). Of these, 181 classes were taught by regular faculty, 63 classes were taught by community-based adjuncts, and 50 classes by social work PhD students. Inferential tests...

Adult Psychosocial Functioning of Children Raised in an Orphanage

ABSTRACT Recently there has been a resurgence of interest among policy-makers regarding the feasibility of using orphanage care for some of societys dependent children. The assumption among many social service providers is that this kind of care poses long and short-term risks to children placed in them. The present study explores the experiences of 94 residents at the Florida United Methodist Childrens Home (FUMCH), a traditional orphanage. Residents were surveyed using two standardized instruments and a demographic questionnaire developed for this study. Their responses suggest that for many of the residents, the experience was a positive one. Generally, they report average or above average social and economic success. These results call for a more positive reappraisal of the value of orphanage care for dependent youth who cannot remain with their biological families and who are not appropriate for more traditional family-based foster care.

Using the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Evidence-Based Practice Kits in Social Work Education

In todays climate, it is becoming increasingly important to provide social work students with practice knowledge on research-supported social work interventions. CSWE has placed greater emphasis on using research-based knowledge to inform and guide social work practice, and the field has recognized the value of adhering to the evidence-based practice model in all facets of social work practice. It is at this juncture when social work educators are expected, with ever-diminishing resources, to offer training in evidence-based practice to social work students and practitioners that SAMHSA has developed a series of practice kits on a variety of research-supported treatment programs. Structuring portions of social work education around these toolkits would be one way of promoting a more research-supported curriculum content.

Binge Eating Disorder: A Review of a New DSM Diagnosis

In 1994, binge eating disorder (BED) was introduced as a disorder requiring further study in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV). It is now listed as a distinct eating disorder in the DSM-5, along with bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. This article summarizes the information currently available on BED, so social workers will be knowledgeable as they work with clients with obesity, BED, and other eating disorders. Diagnostic criteria for BED are reviewed, as well as changes in the criteria since the diagnosis was first introduced. Prevalence estimates, available assessment instruments, and comorbidity are discussed. An overview of the systematic reviews and meta-analyses that have examined the treatment of clients meeting the criteria for BED is presented, and, finally, questions and issues that have been suggested for future research are offered.

The Association Between Appointment-Keeping and Birth Outcome in a Prenatal Care Program for High-Risk Women

ABSTRACT Objective: To examine possible associations between appointment keeping and birth outcome among a sample of low-income high-risk pregnant women enrolled in a prenatal care program. Method: Perinatal outcome measures were evaluated for high-risk program patients who delivered between January 1, 1994 and June 30, 1994. Of these, perinatal outcomes of women who attended thirteen or more clinic appointments (n = 27) were compared to those of women who attended four or fewer appointments (n = 28). Each comparison group comprised roughly 25% of the total group of 119 patients who delivered during this time frame. Results: Program participants who attended the higher number of clinic appointments delivered infants with significantly greater gestational ages and higher birth weights than did the comparison group. Apgar scores averaged higher for participants who attended more visits than for the comparison group. Conclusions: These more favorable birth outcomes support prenatal care services provided to high-risk patients.