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RESPONSE 1
Respond to at least two colleagues by doing all of the following:
- Offer an analysis of their evaluations and subsequent recommendation. Note both strengths and areas that could be improved.
- Identify areas where your own original recommendations or evaluation was similar to or different from your colleagues’ original evaluation and explain why.
Colleague 1: Kamran
Chris the social worker and her team of caseworkers are using a strategy that blends elements of geriatric case management with short-term treatment methods, they are primarily using the solution-focused and task-centered models. As part of their continuous practice, the team regularly conducts practice evaluations. To evaluate its practice approach, the team used a multiple-baseline, single-subject design. Each of the full-time case managers on the team selected one client new to the caseload to participate in the study. The research project is explained to clients by their respective case manager and sign informed consent paperwork in order to participate. As part of the practice process, the case manager uses clinical rating scales that are adapted from the task-centered model. At the beginning of each client meeting, the case manager and client collaboratively evaluate how well the practice steps or tasks that are undertaken by the client and/or case manager were completed using a 10-point clinical scale. While concurrently, they evaluated changes to the respective client problems, also using a 10-point clinical scale (Plummer Makris & Brocksen, 2014b).
The outcome of Chris’s study with her client George would lead me to adopt this model of case management with solution focused and task-centered approaches because the basic logic underlying single subject research (SSR) is straightforward. Data on the behavior of interest which is collected over a period of time until the baseline rate is clearly established. The intervention then introduced as data continue to be collected. Repeated measurement of the dependent variables over a period of time, is central to SSR. being accurate with high levels of control and validity (Mattaini, 2010). Also, Chris and her team met many quality indicators, that must be present and adequately addressed for a study to be a credible example of single-subject research which includes a description of participants and setting, dependent variable, independent variable, baseline, experimental control/internal validity, external validity, and social validity (Tankersley, Cook, & Cook, 2008). Chris and her team are doing clinical practice research by using a single-subject design because they are fairly easy to implement and can provide very useful information on a case level. While their empirical strength is often considered weak, their applicability and usefulness make them a good method for clinical practice and, if following multiple baseline designs, they can provide good research data as well (Plummer, Makris & Brocksen, 2014b).
I believe that Chris and her team’s research and the data that they recorded in the study and outcomes are adequate to be considered as evidenced-based research in order to support some types of programs. If Chris and her coworkers wanted to submit the study to an evidence-based practice registry, they may be required to develop and add an evaluation segment to their documentation. Other factors that Chris’s team should consider is how individuals with certain characteristics will respond to the intervention, and how the sampling variability was done. The study Chris and her colleagues conducted is I believe is sufficient to state that it is a form of evidence-based practice. The study might have met their needs for their organization, although it could use more detail in many aspects of their research process to be considered an actual program in an evidenced-based registry (Dudley, 2010).
References
Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books. Chapter 9, “Is the Intervention Effective?” (pp. 226-244)
Mattaini, M. A.(2010). Single-system studies. In B. Thyer (Ed.). The handbook of social research methods (2nd ed., p.241-273). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. (PDF)
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014b). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader]. Social Work Research: Single Subject (pp. 70–72)
Tankersley, M., Cook, B. G., & Cook, L. (2008). A preliminary examination to identify the presence of quality indicators in single-subject research. Education & Treatment of Children, 31(4), 523–548.
Colleague 2: Rachel
Chris is a MSW for a geriatric case management program that wants to evaluate the effectiveness of short-term treatment approach, combining case management was solution-focused and task-centered goals with a practice approach of a multiple-baseline, single-subject design. Chris is client, George enter the program after he was hospitalized for fainting in public. There was no medical reasoning for his feet other than signs of slight cognitive impairments and dementia. The caseworker did an assessment of needs for the client which included personal care, decrease in mobility, and longer-term planning around living arrangement and home safety. At the beginning of each session, the client and social worker evaluated the task-centered approach on a 10 point scale. The results showed that most needs were at least partially addressed and some task were completed. The outcome of Chris’s study with her client George would lead me to adopt the model of case management which solution focused on task centered approach is because it is a collaborative approach including the client. The client is able to generate task with the social worker that are measurable and reachable. George previously lost his wife two years ago, so the task centered model would help to keep him busy with a smaller chance of depression symptoms. Also, the social worker and client are collaboratively scoring the task at the beginning of each session which allows the client to review his progress. One recommendation for improvement Chris could consider is treatment for his slight cognitive impairments and dementia. These factors could greatly improve his scores each session. Due to these factors, he could be doing great at completing tasks at home, but may not be able to recall during his sessions. Although I would personally adopt this model, if Chris wanted to submit their intervention to an evidence-based registry, she would have to provide more research (Plummer, Makris, & Brocksen, 2014).
Reference:
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014b). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].“Social Work Research: Single Subject” (pp. 70–72)