Evidence Based Practice

Accessing & Using Evidence in Social Work Practice: Evidence Based Intervention Brian Meadows Wayne State University School of Social Work, SW3810, Dr. Anthony King March 7, 2013

Evidence Based Practice

Research Question & Evidence Source My concentration area of interest is young children and adolescents. During those early years, many changes occur to the physical, mental, emotional and behavioral development of an individual. Based on my individual life experiences, we are very impressionable in our preadolescence years. The older we become, the more freedom we are allowed. What we learn early on is supposed to guide us in the right direction and keep us out of trouble, which may or may not happen. The occurrence of good or bad behavior, and/or individual choices can be attributed to the amount of positive interaction we have with parents, teachers and programs that aim to influence a child in the right way. My research question is: what intervention focuses on conduct problem and disorder occurrences in urban adolescents? Conduct problems are often classified as anti-social behaviors, which include violence, aggression, substance abuse, etc. While the research question isnt too specific, I feel that it fits the study because anyone, male or female, is capable of disruptive behavior that has the potential to profoundly affect their lives in a negative manner. I found my study through the Wayne State University Online Library System. The Intervention There were two preventative interventions utilized in the study to address conduct problems and disorders in adolescents: Classroom-Centered (CC) and Family-School Partnership. While both of these interventions were introduced to first graders, the study looks at the occurrence of conduct problems and disorders in the children once they reach sixth grade. The ClassroomCentered intervention focused on improving curriculum and behavior management practices, while developing plans for those children not performing well. The existing curriculum in language arts and mathematics was enhanced through the addition of new and supplementary

Evidence Based Practice

curricular materials designed to increase critical thinking, composition, and listening and comprehension skills (Ialongo et al, 2001, p. 148). When it came to behavior management practices, weekly group meetings encouraged social problem solving. Perhaps the biggest facet of the CC intervention was the Good Behavior Game. The Good Behavior Game was used as a strategy to decrease aggressive and /or disruptive behavior. This aspect of the CC intervention has many activities that relate to the problem at hand. The Good Behavior Game rewards good group behavior as opposed to good individual behavior. The group interaction is critical in social development and learning how to work well with others. The teacher dividing the students into three heterogeneous groups teaches the students how to work in groups with the same and opposite sex. This allows for children to be comfortable around one another and learn how to depend on others, no matter what physical or social differences may lie between them. The checkmarks that each group receives for disruptive behavior, (i.e. talking out of turn and fighting), leads to the children being conditioned to follow the rules they have been given, rather than coming from a teacher or another authority figure. The rewards given to a group with fewer than four checkmarks teaches the children about consequences. The group will realize that when the rules are not followed, you cant expect good results. The game helps kids develop social problem solving and interaction skills in a fun and productive manner. The Classroom-Centered intervention plays an important role because it stresses teacher/student cohesiveness and highlights how important that relationship is to a childs development. The Family-School Partnership intervention, (FSP), was designed to target and improve upon early achievement, aggression, shyness, and concentration issues. The hope was that parentteacher communication, coupled with the parent being educated in useful teaching and child behavior management strategies, would help children improve in those problems areas

Evidence Based Practice

highlighted above. The major mechanisms for achieving those aims were training for teachers and other relevant school staff in parent-teacher communication and partnership building, and went on to say weekly home-school learning and communication activities, and a series of nine workshops for parents led by the first grade teacher and school psychologist or social worker (Ialongo et al, 2001, p. 149). This intervention hoped to show that if parents had certain disciplinary skills to utilize with their children and knew how to facilitate a harmonious environment with the staff at their childs school, then the child will have less issues the older they become. Effectiveness of Intervention and Validity For participation in the interventions, a total of 678 first graders and their families were available from nine Baltimore public schools. Out of the children who received parental consent, they were randomly assigned to three classrooms in each school either employing the CC intervention, FSP intervention, or control conditions. Balancing for gender was also included within the randomization. By the end of their sixth grade year, children who had participated in the CC intervention were less likely to have a lifetime diagnosis of conduct disorder, be suspended from school, to have received or been judged in need of mental health services, and exhibit conduct problems than children who participated in the control setting. Children who participated in the FSP intervention were less likely to show conduct problems than those in the control setting, while girls were less likely to be suspended than girls in the control setting. In my opinion, the interventions were a success because they focused on children, teachers, and parents working together. Children learn from their environment and those in it, which means parents need to make sure they are not exhibiting negative behavior. Teachers also play an important role

Evidence Based Practice

because children are with their teachers a significant amount of time each weekday. That means teachers need to impart positive knowledge and behavior on their students. The research is valid because the Distal Impact of Two First-Grade Preventive Interventions on Conduct Problems and Disorder in Early Adolescence was published in the Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, which is a peer-reviewed journal. The interventions have been mentioned in other peer reviewed journals including the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. Also, the researchers achieved the results they were expecting from the interventions, which were decreased aggressive behavior and conduct problems. Feasibility of Intervention I feel that the ability for an agency to recreate this intervention depends on what the agency focuses on. An agency would have to focus on an area and schools that research shows fits this intervention. To know this, research and surveys would have to be conducted by parents, teachers and students. Even with all of that, there would have to a willingness to participate among all parties involved. That might be difficult because parents are very protective of their children and may take the suggestion of such a study as a shot to their parenting ability. The success rate for such recreation depends on the area, the potential participants, and the competence of the professionals to convey the meaning of the study. There are many advantages and disadvantages of using evidence-based practice in social work practice. The advantages can include helping a client, revising an intervention to fit your client, or revising an intervention that may help a colleague with their client. The disadvantages of using evidence-based practice in social work practice can include harming client, not understanding the intervention being utilized, or utilizing an intervention that has not been tested

Evidence Based Practice

at all. The competence, judgment, and responsibility a social worker should have to their client and profession is very important and connected to how successful a social worker will be with the clients they serve. Conclusion The interventions discussed in this study were very effective and I feel they can be recreated in most situations. One problem I do have with the interventions done in the study is the lack of diversity in race. The interventions focus on the results of a mostly African-American population. It would be interesting to see what effects the interventions would have on children of White, Asian, and/or Native American descent.

Evidence Based Practice

References Ialongo, N., Poduska, J., Werthamer, L., & Kellam, S. (2001). The Distal Impact of Two FirstGrade Preventive Interventions on Conduct Problems and Disorder in Early Adolescence. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 9(3), 146-160.