Read the case study Social Work Research: Single Subject and criteria for using single-system (subject) designs as evidence of effective practices in this week’s resources.
Read the case study Social Work Research: Single Subject and criteria for using single-system (subject) designs as evidence of effective practices in this week’s resources.
Many people receive their first introduction to the scientific method in their early school years. The first experiments which students undertake typically involve plants, chemicals, or small animals in a tightly controlled experimental environment.
These experiments enable students to establish a relatively clear cause-and-effect relationship between the outcome of the experiment and the manipulation of the variables.
As soon as a researcher introduces a human element, proving a cause and effect relationship becomes more difficult—as the researcher cannot enact total control of another person even in an experimental environment. Social workers serve clients in highly complex real-world environments. Clients often implement recommended interventions outside of social workers’ direct observation.
Yet, evidence-based research calls for social workers to establish cause-and-effect relations between selected interventions and client outcomes as much possible. To meet this challenge, social workers must understand the study designs available to them and all of the variations of that design that can increase the rigor of the experiment and improve the likelihood of verifying a cause-and-effect relationship.
In this week’s case study, you decide whether the social worker in the case study has appropriately chosen a single-system (subject) design and implemented it in such a way that it can be considered an appropriate example of evidence-based research.
To prepare for this Discussion, read the case study Social Work Research: Single Subject and criteria for using single-system (subject) designs as evidence of effective practices in this week’s resources.
Consider whether the study design described in the case study will serve the purpose of evaluating the program’s practice approach (case management with solution-focused and task-centered approaches).
Consider whether these approaches are well suited to evaluation by the types of measurement used in the study. Consider to what objective measurement the numerical scales used to measure problem-change and task completion corresponds. Consider what new knowledge and evidence for the efficacy of the treatment approaches Chris has generated with her study.
Post an evaluation of the proposed study design described in the case study file. Explain whether the outcome of Chris’ study with her client George would lead you to adopt the model of case management with solution-focused and task-centered approaches, and substantiate your choice. Provide recommendations for improvements should Chris and her colleagues wish to submit the study to the evidence-based practice registry. Include a rationale for your recommendations.
Considering the power of words, describe social workers’ responsibility for and influence over those vulnerable clients we work with. Please incorporate the NASW Code of Ethics in your discussion. The power of words can be uplifting, encouraging, and empowering for our clients so we need to be aware of our words and actions when helping clients are job is to be helpful not to do harm. The NASW Code of Ethics states our ethical responsibilities to clients which include the following listed below.1.01 Commitment to Clients which is to promote the well-being of our clients.
1.02 Self-Determination which is to respect and promote the right of clients to self-determination.
1.03 (a-f) Informed Consent which has to do with clients giving consent.
1.04 (a-c) Competence which has to do with the social worker
1.07 (a-r) Privacy and Confidentiality which means a social worker needs to respect a client’s privacy and confidentiality and all the things included under this code.
1.08 (a-b) Assess to Records means the clients have rights to the records and the social worker should protect those records.
1.09 (a-d) Sexual Relationships with Clients a social worker should never have sexual relationships with clients or engage in sexual activities with clients or former clients.