Applying Research in Social Work- Strategies and Outcomes in Treating Individuals, Families, Groups, and Communities

Applying Research in Social Work- Strategies and Outcomes in Treating Individuals, Families, Groups, and Communities

Social workers need to look for the best interventions, develop innovative programs that can find solutions to complex challenges, and find the most effective treatments. The use of research in the treatment of individuals, societies, communities, groups, and families is considered an evidence-based practice (EBP). EBP is a process involving evaluation and critical thinking of information to identify the most efficient and effective method for treating the client. EBP is based on the practitioner’s expertise, the expectations and values of the client, and the best evidence (Nichols, 2022). Social workers use the most advanced evidence to help inform their practice while also incorporating practitioners’ individual clinical expertise with patients’ preferences and values.

Accordingly, having such a scientific framework can enable social workers to determine the best course of action to take in certain circumstances and for specific individuals, thereby enabling them to serve various clients effectively. For instance, there is strong evidence suggesting that cognitive-behavioral therapy can help individuals with particular anxiety disorders as it enhances the client’s awareness regarding negative thinking patterns and helps them develop better techniques for dealing with stressful situations (Virginia Commonwealth University, 2021). Through research, social workers can use this technique based on their expertise and the client’s preferences to deal with the problem experienced by the client successfully.

I have seen firsthand how research is used in social work to help improve outcomes. Some of the clients with problems such as depression have experienced a significant reduction in their depressive symptoms after various sessions with a social worker using CBT. CBT has been considered highly effective in the management of depression (Oud et al., 2019). By cooperating well with the client, various clients have recorded positive responses.

References

Nichols, D. (2022). Evidence-Based Practice for Social Work. https://guides.lib.umich.edu/EBP-Research

Oud, M., De Winter, L., Vermeulen-Smit, E., Bodden, D., Nauta, M., Stone, L., & Stikkelbroek, Y. (2019). Effectiveness of CBT for children and adolescents with depression: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis. European psychiatry, 57, 33-45.

Virginia Commonwealth University. (2021, January 15). Understanding Evidence-Based Social Work. https://onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu/blog/evidence-based-social-work/

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How do social workers use research to treat individuals, families, groups, communities, and societies?

Applying Research in Social Work- Strategies and Outcomes in Treating Individuals, Families, Groups, and Communities

Give examples and explain outcomes. Have you seen this firsthand in your work or studies in social work?