Scott P. Sells

Teaching Ethnographic Research Methods in Social Work: A Model Course.

This article describes a social work course that incorporates instruction on ethnographic research, a contemporary qualitative methodology. The authors describe each of the seven course modules used to teach students ethnographic research methods. They cover sampling strategies, data collection, data analysis, theory development, presentation of findings, and practical application within a clinical setting. Findings from student evaluations of the usefulness and relevance of the course are also described, as are the educational and research implications of teaching ethnographic research methods within a social work curriculum.

Reducing Adolescent Substance Abuse and Delinquency: Pilot Research of a Family-Oriented Psychoeducation Curriculum

ABSTRACT Ninety-three parents and 102 adolescents were referred by juvenile court and treated for substance abuse and a co-morbid diagnosis of either oppositional defiant or conduct disorder using a parent education program over a six-week period. The goals of this study were to assess whether or not active parent involvement and the concurrent treatment of severe behavior problems would reduce teen substance as measured by the adolescent SASSI scale. In addition, if the SASSI scale indicated a significant reduction in substance abuse would these changes be maintained after a 12-month follow-up period as measured by re-arrest rates through juvenile court records? The results indicated that a parents participation in their teens treatment of substance abuse and other severe behavioral problems did have a major positive impact. Even though the adolescents attitudes and defensiveness towards drugs or alcohol did not significantly change their substance abuse did. This was demonstrated by both the statistically significant changes on the adolescents SASSI scores and the fact that 85% did not relapse over the course of an entire year after treatment was completed.