Michiel A. van Zyl

The impact of the Solution Based Casework (SBC) practice model on federal outcomes in public child welfare

OBJECTIVE To test the effects of the Solution-Based Casework practice model on federal outcomes of safety, permanency and well-being. The Solution-Based Casework model combines family development theory, solution-focused skills and relapse prevention for the casework process in child protection. METHOD 4,559 public child welfare cases were reviewed through a CQI case review process. RESULTS This study found that cases with high levels of fidelity to the model demonstrated significantly better outcomes in the areas of child safety, permanency and well-being and exceeded federal standards, while cases with low fidelity to the model failed to meet federal standards. CONCLUSION Components of the Solution-Based Casework were significant predictors of these federal outcomes and accounted for variance in these outcomes better than any other casework process factors.

Components of the Solution-Based Casework Child Welfare Practice Model That Predict Positive Child Outcomes

While a number of studies have shown the efficacy of the solution-based casework (SBC) practice model for child welfare (e.g., Antle, Christensen, van Zyl, & Barbee, 2012), the current analysis examines the top ranked behaviors in cases reaching outcomes of safety, permanency, and well-being in both high adherence and low adherence cases. Sixteen top behaviors seem to have the greatest impact on outcomes, all of which are key to the three major theoretical orientations utilized in SBC. Thus, these results not only narrow in on the key behaviors that drive success in the practice model, but also shows the utility of the theoretical underpinnings of the practice model.

Voluntary Counseling and Testing and Celebrity-Based HIV/AIDS Prevention Education: A Pilot Program Implemented in Cape Town Secondary Schools

This study evaluates a newly designed HIV/AIDS program that combined Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) services with online prevention education videos featuring South African celebrities. Learners from five public secondary schools in Cape Town participated in the pilot study (N = 3,271). Results indicated participant reactions to the video were overwhelmingly positive, and there were both significant increases in HIV knowledge and significant decreases in fear of being tested. Eighty-eight percent of learners received HIV tests and indicated much higher rates of VCT uptake than comparable programs implemented in South Africa. Future research possibilities are discussed, as well as recommendations for programs delivering similar services among diverse populations.

Online Adolescent HIV/AIDS Prevention: The Impact of Race on Program Outcomes

This study provides a culture-focused perspective of program impact of a South African HIV/AIDS prevention intervention which uses online videos of local pop culture celebrities and voluntary counseling and testing. Results of this exploratory study indicated that program outcomes were not equal for different racial groups (N = 3,271). Black participants had the highest scores for knowledge gain, program satisfaction, positive perceptions of celebrities, intent to be tested, and helpfulness of the program, followed by Coloureds (mixed race), and then Whites. The priority impact ranking among Black respondents correlates with the high percentage of the video (67%) dedicated to Black celebrity speakers.

Impact of Two Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Interventions on Risky Sexual Behavior: A Three-Arm Cluster Randomized Control Trial

OBJECTIVES To test the efficacy of Reducing the Risk (RTR) and Love Notes (LN) on reducing risky sexual behavior among youths yet to experience or cause a pregnancy. METHODS The four dependent variables were ever had sex, condom use, birth control use, and number of sexual partners at 3- and 6-month follow-up in a 3-arm cluster randomized controlled trial of 1448 impoverished youths, aged 14 to 19 years, in 23 community-based organizations in Louisville, Kentucky, from September 2011 through March 2014. RESULTS At 3 and 6 months, compared with the control condition, youths in RTR reported fewer sexual partners and greater use of birth control. At 6 months, LN participants reported greater use of birth control and condoms, fewer sexual partners, and were less likely to have ever had sex compared with the control condition. CONCLUSIONS We provided additional evidence for the continued efficacy of RTR and the first rigorous study of LN, which embeds sex education into a larger curriculum on healthy relationships and violence prevention.

Identifying Unbiased Items for Screening Preschoolers for Disruptive Behavior Problems

Objective Efficient identification and referral to behavioral services are crucial in addressing early-onset disruptive behavior problems. Existing screening instruments for preschoolers are not ideal for pediatric primary care settings serving diverse populations. Eighteen candidate items for a new brief screening instrument were examined to identify those exhibiting measurement bias (i.e., differential item functioning, DIF) by child characteristics. Method Parents/guardians of preschool-aged children ( N = 900) from four primary care settings completed two full-length behavioral rating scales. Items measuring disruptive behavior problems were tested for DIF by child race, sex, and socioeconomic status using two approaches: item response theory-based likelihood ratio tests and ordinal logistic regression. Results Of 18 items, eight were identified with statistically significant DIF by at least one method. Conclusions The bias observed in 8 of 18 items made them undesirable for screening diverse populations of children. These items were excluded from the new brief screening tool.