Research Methods for Social Workers

Basic websites to get ya going...

The Campbell Collaboration: C2-Ripe Library
http://www.campbellcollaboration.org

The Cochrane Library
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/mrwhome/106568753/HOME
The Cochrane Library contains high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. It includes reliable evidence from Cochrane and other systematic reviews, clinical trials, and more. Cochrane reviews provide the combined results of the world’s best medical research studies, and are recognized as the gold standard in evidence-based health care.

California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC) http://www.cachildwelfareclearinghouse.org/
The CEBC provides child welfare professionals with easy access to vital information about selected child welfare related programs. Each program is reviewed and rated utilizing the CEBC Scientific Rating scale to determine the level of evidence for the program. The programs are also rated on a Relevance to Child Welfare Rating Scale.

CDC: The Community Guide
http://www.thecommunityguide.org
The Guide to Community Preventive Services (Community Guide) serves as a filter for scientific literature on specific health problems that can be large, inconsistent, uneven in quality, and even inaccessible. The Community Guide summarizes what is known about the effectiveness, economic efficiency, and feasibility of interventions to promote community health and prevent disease. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services makes recommendations for the use of various interventions based on the evidence gathered in the rigorous and systematic scientific reviews of published studies conducted by the review teams of the Community Guide. The findings from the reviews are published in peer-reviewed journals and also made available on this Internet website.

Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence
http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints
Blueprints for Violence Prevention has identified 11 prevention and intervention programs that meet a strict scientific standard of program effectiveness. Program effectiveness is based upon an initial review by CSPV and a final review and recommendation from a distinguished Advisory Board, comprised of seven experts in the field of violence prevention. The 11 model programs, called Blueprints, have been effective in reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression, delinquency, and substance abuse. Another 18 programs have been identified as promising programs. To date, more than 600 programs have been reviewed.

EBP Substance Abuse Database
http://lib.adai.washington.edu/ebpsearch.htm
The EBP Substance Abuse Database is a small, but growing, database of evidence-based interventions for treating substance use disorders. Interventions were selected according to criteria described on the About EBP page. Each record in the database includes a description of the intervention and its implementation, populations for which it has been shown to be effective, references to supporting literature, the availability of instructional manuals, and author/developer notes and other useful information.

The Evaluation Center’s EBP Metabase
http://www.tecathsri.org/ebp_search.asp?stmode=start
The Evaluation Center’s EBP Metabase v 1.0 is a searchable database of meta-analyses related of mental health interventions. It allows the user to find an intervention related to outcomes of interest and review the evidence of effectiveness.

Matrix of Children’s Evidence-Based Interventions
http://www.nri-inc.org/reports_pubs/2006/EBPChildrensMatrix2006.pdf
The NRI Center for Mental Health Quality and Accountability synthesized key literature reviews which summarized the effectiveness of prevention, intervention, and/or treatment programs that can be applied to child and adolescent mental health services. The purpose was not to redefine or create another hierarchy of what constitutes an evidence-based practice vs. a promising practice or emerging practice, but rather to compile a comprehensive list of interventions or programs that have been evaluated or more rigorously tested, and found to have varying degrees of evidence as to their effectiveness.

National Cancer Institute: Research-Tested Intervention Programs
http://rtips.cancer.gov/rtips/index.do
This website allows the user to find research-tested intervention programs and products, review summary information and usefulness/integrity scores for each program, order or download materials to adapt for use in your own program, and obtain readability scores for products distributed to the public.

National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP)
http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/
NREPP is a searchable database of interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental and substance use disorders. SAMHSA has developed this resource to help people, agencies, and organizations implement programs and practices in their communities.

Preventing Drug Abuse among Children and Adolescents: Examples of Research-Based Drug Abuse Prevention Programs
http://www.nida.nih.gov/Prevention/examples.html
To help those working in drug abuse prevention, NIDA, in cooperation with the prevention scientists, presents examples of research-based programs that feature a variety of strategies proven to be effective. Each program was developed as part of a research study, which demonstrated that over time youth who participated in the programs had better outcomes than those who did not. The programs are presented within their audience category (universal, selective, indicated, or tiered).

SAMHSA: Evidence-Based Practice Implementation Resource Kits for Mental Health
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/communitysupport/toolkits/about.asp
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) introduce six Evidence-Based Practice Implementation Resource Kits to encourage the use of evidence-based practices in mental health. The Kits were developed as one of several SAMHSA/CMHS activities critical to its science-to-services strategy.

Social Programs That Work
http://www.evidencebasedprograms.org
This site summarizes the findings from well-designed randomized controlled trials that, in their view, have particularly important policy implications — because they show, for example, that a social intervention has a major effect, or that a widely-used intervention has little or no effect. They limit the discussion to well-designed randomized controlled trials based on persuasive evidence that they are superior to other study designs in measuring an intervention’s true effect.

Suicide Prevention Research Center: Best Practice Registry
http://www.sprc.org/featured_resources/bpr/index.asp
The purpose of the Best Practice Registry is to identify, review, and disseminate information about best practices that address specific objectives of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

Other Online Resources and Research

Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior
http://challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu
The Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs to raise the awareness and implementation of positive, evidence-based practices and to build an enhanced and more accessible database to support those practices.

Child Trends
http://www.childtrends.org
Child Trends is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center that studies children at every stage of development. Their mission is to improve outcomes for children by providing research, data, and analysis to the people and institutions whose decisions and actions affect children, including policy makers, program providers, foundations, and the media. Founded in 1979, Child Trends helps keep the nation focused on children and their needs by identifying emerging issues; evaluating important programs and policies; and providing data-driven, evidence-based guidance on policy and practice. Its work is supported by government, foundation, and private sector funders.

ClinicalTrials.gov
http://clinicaltrials.gov
ClinicalTrials.gov provides patients, family members, health care professionals, and members of the public easy access to information on clinical trials for a wide range of diseases and conditions. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its National Library of Medicine (NLM), has developed this site in collaboration with all NIH Institutes and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Child Welfare Information Gateway
http://www.childwelfare.gov
Child Welfare Information Gateway promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families by connecting child welfare, adoption and related professionals as well as concerned citizens to timely, essential information. They provide access to print and electronic publications, websites, and online databases covering a wide range of topics from prevention to permanency, including child welfare, child abuse and neglect, adoption, search and reunion, and much more.

Evidence-Based Behavioral Practice (EBBP)
www.ebbp.org
The EBBP.org project creates training resources to help bridge the gap between behavioral health research and practice. Professionals from the major health disciplines are collaborating to learn, teach, and implement evidence-based behavioral practice (EBBP).

Evidence-Based Group Work
http://www.evidencebasedgroupwork.com
This site is intended to be a link to research-based evidence about group work. The purpose is to make research evidence available to those who want to make group work demonstrably more effective and beneficial to participants.

The e-Community Forums at The Evaluation Center @ Human Services Research Institute
http://tecathsri.org/knowledge.asp
The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Program supports the rigorous scientific evaluation of behavioral health interventions, and the dissemination and implementation of interventions that have strong evidence of effectiveness. The goal is to provide resources for the diverse stakeholders with interest in EBP.

MedlinePlus
http://medlineplus.gov
MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations. Preformulated MEDLINE searches are included in MedlinePlus and give easy access to medical journal articles. MedlinePlus also has extensive information about drugs, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and latest health news.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
www.nimh.nih.gov
NIMH’s Web site contains information on many mental disorders. The site also provides information on NIMH research, publications, and activities. 

National Working Group on Evidence-Based Health Care
www.evidencebasedhealthcare.org
The National Working Group on Evidence-Based Health Care represents consumers, caregivers, practitioners, and researchers committed to promoting accurate and appropriate evidence-based policies and practices that improve the quality of health care services in the United States.

The Ohio Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Coordinating Center of Excellence (SAMI-CCOE)
www.ohiosamiccoe.cwru.edu
Ohio SAMI-CCOE is a technical-assistance organization that helps service systems, organizations, and providers implement and sustain the Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT) model (an evidence-based practice), maintain fidelity to the model, and develop collaborations within local communities that enhance quality of life for consumers of mental health services and their families.

PubMed: Medline
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/pubmed.html
Provides free access to MEDLINE, NLM’s database of citations and abstracts in the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, health care systems, and preclinical sciences.

Research and Empirical Applications for Curriculum Enhancement in Social Work (REACH-SW)
http://www.danya.com/reach
REACH-SW is a curriculum enhancement tool designed to support faculty in teaching social work students how to apply evidence-based practice (EBP) approaches to social work practice. The tool is also designed to increase scientific literacy skills of faculty – and thus, students – with respect to finding, understanding, and applying empirical research to social work practice. REACH-SW provides faculty the background information they need to know to effectively teach the application of EBP within a variety of social work courses, including Micro and Macro Practice, HBSE Foundations, Program Evaluation, Policy Analysis, Introduction to Social Work Practice, Advanced Social Work Practice, Introduction to Social Work Research, and many others.

Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
www.scie.org.uk
The United Kingdom-based SCIE works to disseminate knowledge-based good practice guidance; involve service users, carers, practitioners, providers, and policymakers in advancing and promoting good practice in social care; and enhance the skills and professionalism of social care workers through tailored, targeted and user-friendly resources.

VA Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI)
http://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/queri
VA’s Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), is designed to translate research discoveries and innovations into better patient care and systems improvements. QUERI focuses on nine high-risk and/or highly prevalent diseases or conditions among veterans: Chronic Heart Failure, Diabetes, HIV/Hepatitis, Ischemic Heart Disease, Mental Health, Polytrauma, Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, and Substance Use Disorders. VA/HSR&D’s Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) works to improve the quality of healthcare for veterans by implementing research findings into routine clinical practice.

Problem areas that contain evidence-based interventions

Evidence-based interventions by topic areas:

EARLY CHILDHOOD

1. Nurse-Family Partnership (A nurse home visitation program for low-income, pregnant women): Randomized controlled trials show major impact on life outcomes of the mothers and their children.
2. Triple P System (A system of parenting programs for families with children age 0-8): Randomized controlled trial of the full system as implemented county-wide shows sizable reductions in child maltreatment and foster care placements.
3. Abecedarian Project (High-quality child care/preschool for children from disadvantaged backgrounds): Randomized controlled trial shows major impact on educational and life outcomes; we note, however, that this was a demonstration project, and it is not yet known if the results can be replicated on a broader scale in typical classroom settings.
4. Perry Preschool Project (High-quality preschool for children from disadvantaged backgrounds): Randomized controlled trial shows major impact on educational and life outcomes; we note, however, that this was a demonstration project, and it is not yet known if the results can be replicated on a broader scale in typical classroom settings.

EDUCATION (K-12)

1. Career Academies (Small learning communities in low-income high schools, offering academic and career/technical courses as well as workplace opportunities): Randomized controlled trial shows a sizable positive impact on earnings of participants eight years after their scheduled high school graduation.
2. Success for All (A school-wide reform program, primarily for high-poverty elementary schools, with a strong emphasis on reading instruction): Randomized controlled trial shows positive impact in raising school-wide reading achievement in grades K-2.
3. Annual Book Fairs in High-Poverty Elementary Schools (Book fairs providing summer reading over three consecutive years, starting at the end of first or second grade): Randomized controlled trial shows a sizable increase in students’ reading achievement.
4. First Grade Classroom Prevention Program (Program that combines a classroom management strategy – the Good Behavior Game – with an enhanced academic curriculum): Randomized controlled trial shows a sizable reduction in substance use, and sizable increases in high school graduation and college enrollment rates.
5. Promise Academy Charter Middle School (A charter middle school in New York City, serving mainly low-income, minority students): Randomized controlled trial shows a sizeable increase in math and English language arts achievement over a three year period.
6. Check and Connect (Dropout prevention program for high school students with learning, emotional, and/or behavioral disabilities): Randomized controlled trials show a sizable decrease in students’ dropout rates, and increase in attendance and academic credits earned.
7. SMART – Start Making a Reader Today (Volunteer reading tutoring program for at-risk readers in early elementary school): Randomized controlled trial shows this low-cost intervention has sizable positive impact on students’ reading ability.
8. Tutoring with the Lindamood Phonemic Sequencing reading curriculum (An intervention for at-risk readers in grades K-2): Randomized controlled trial shows sizable positive impacts on reading ability for students with poor phonological processing (e.g., letter naming, and awareness of the sounds within words).

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

1. Carrera Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program (A comprehensive, year-round youth development program for economically disadvantaged teens): Multi-site randomized controlled trial shows sizable reductions in teen pregnancy and births, and increases in high school graduation and college enrollment.
2. Big Brothers Big Sisters (Volunteer mentoring program for disadvantaged youth, ages 6-18): Randomized controlled trial shows sizable decrease in youths’ drug and alcohol use and violent behavior.

CRIME/VIOLENCE PREVENTION

1. Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (A foster care intervention for severely delinquent youths): Randomized controlled trials show sizable reductions in youths’ criminal activity.
2. Amity Prison Therapeutic Community (Provides counseling/decision-making skills to inmates with drug problems, to prepare them for re-entry into the community): Randomized controlled trial shows reduction in reincarceration rate, and increase in average time to reincarceration.
3. Multisystemic Therapy for Juvenile Offenders (A treatment targeting multiple factors linked to anti-social juvenile behavior): Randomized controlled trials show sizable decrease in criminal behavior by juvenile offenders, but effectiveness may depend critically (i) on close adherence to the intervention’s key features and (ii) population/setting in which it is implemented.

HEALTH CARE FINANCING AND DELIVERY

1. Transitional Care Model (A nurse-led hospital discharge and home follow-up program for chronically ill older adults): Randomized controlled trials show major reductions in rehospitalizations and health care costs.

HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS

1. Critical Time Intervention (A case management program to prevent recurrent homelessness in people with severe mental illness): Randomized controlled trials show a sizable decrease in rates and duration of homelessness.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

1. LifeSkills Training (Middle school substance abuse prevention curriculum): Randomized controlled trials show sizable decrease in students’ substance abuse.
2. Staying Free (A low-cost smoking cessation program for hospitalized smokers who are willing to make a quit attempt): Randomized controlled trials show sizable increase in confirmed abstinence from smoking one year after patient discharge from the hospital.

MENTAL HEALTH

1. Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Depression prevention program for youth at elevated risk of serious depression): Randomized controlled trials show sizable effect in preventing clinical depression.

EMPLOYMENT AND WELFARE

1. Canadian Self-Sufficiency Project (Earnings supplements for long-term welfare recipients who find full-time work and leave welfare): Randomized controlled trials show sizable increase in participants’ employment rates, job earnings, and family income; and reductions in poverty and welfare dependency.
2. Los Angeles Jobs-First Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) Program (to quickly move welfare recipients into the workforce): Randomized controlled trial shows sizable increase in employment rates and job earnings, reduction in welfare dependency, and savings to the government.
3. Minnesota Family Investment Program (Earnings supplements for welfare recipients who find work): Randomized controlled trial shows a sizable increase in employment and earnings, and reduction in poverty rates, for single-parent, long-term welfare recipients (but not other welfare recipients).
4. Portland Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Program (to quickly move welfare recipients into the workforce): Randomized controlled trial shows sizable increase in employment rates and job earnings, reduction in welfare dependency, and savings to the government.
5. Riverside Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) Program (to quickly move welfare recipients into the workforce): Randomized controlled trial shows sizable increase in employment rates and job earnings, reduction in welfare dependency, and savings to the government, especially for single parents.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Child Immunization Campaign with Incentives (Monthly immunization camps in poor Indian villages, combined with small incentives for parents to have their children immunized – e.g., a $1 bag of lentils): Randomized controlled trial shows a major increase in childhood immunizations.
2. Primary School Deworming Project (Provides low-cost drugs to children in Kenya to eliminate parasitic worms): Randomized controlled trial shows sizable positive impact on children’s health and school attendance.

The best of the best websites