Practitioner's Guide to Using Research for Evidence-Based Practice » (1st Edition)

ALLEN RUBIN, PhD, teaches in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas, Austin. He is world-renowned for his work in research methods and clinical practice and served as president of the Society of Social Work and Research from 1998-2000. He is the recipient of the Council on Social Work Education 2007 Significant Lifetime Achievement in Social Work Education Award.

Praise for Practitioner's Guide to Using Research for Evidence-Based Practice

"An extraordinary and important book. Its approach to evidence-based practice is very sound, realistic, and generous to the complexities of everyday practice. It provides an excellent practitioner's desk book to those who want to implement evidence-based practice. Reading and using this book is a must."

—Haluk Soydan, PhD, University of Southern California, School of Social Work

"This book is informative to old-timers like me, and I would imagine to those new to the research enterprise and evidence-based practice. Allen Rubin has done it again! Another fine contribution to research and the advancement of evidence-based practice."

—Kevin Corcoran, PhD, JD, Portland State University, School of Social Work

"This book has the potential to change practice in the helping professions. Rather than focusing on how to conduct research, Practitioner's Guide to Using Research for Evidence-Based Practice instead shows readers how to understand the literature....In particular, Rubin's generous use of humor and the inclusion of simple, practice-relevant examples make this book a pleasure to read."

—Aron Shlonsky, PhD, University of Toronto, Faculty of Social Work

"I particularly like the integration of research methods and EBP; this is the book's major innovation in my mind as it allows readers to see the connections between research and practice. Rubin also succeeds by taking very complex EBP principles and explaining them in practical terms."

—Jeffrey M. Jenson, PhD, University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work

An accessible and intelligent guide that provides readers with the step-by-step skills they need to effectively appraise and use research as part of the evidence-based practice process

Practitioner's Guide to Using Research for Evidence-Based Practice gives essential and practical guidance on how to integrate research appraisal into evidence-based practice endeavors to ensure the best client care.

Written by a top scholar, this reader-friendly book presents you with the knowledge you need about various research designs and methods so that when engaging in the evidence-based practice (EBP) process you can:

• Determine which interventions, programs, policies, and assessment tools are supported by the best evidence

• Find and critically appraise qualitative and quantitative research studies in seeking evidence to answer different kinds of EBP questions

• Measure treatment progress and outcomes

Practitioner's Guide to Using Research for Evidence-Based Practice is an important, new book that will show you how to easily appraise and integrate research supporting evidence-based treatments that improve the delivery of care and optimize treatment success.

Preface     xiii
Acknowledgments     xix
Overview of Evidence-Based Practice
Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice     3
Emergence of Evidence-Based Practice     5
Defining Evidence-Based Practice     6
Evidence-Based Practice Is Not Restricted to Clinical Decisions     11
Developing an Evidence-Based Practice Process Outlook     11
Easier Said than Done     15
Key Chapter Concepts     16
Review Exercises     17
Additional Readings     18
Steps in the EBP Process     19
Question Formulation     19
Evidence Search     20
An Internet Search Using Google Scholar and PsycINFO     23
Critically Appraising Studies and Reviews     27
Selecting and Implementing the Intervention     28
The Importance of Practice Context: A Policy Example     29
Monitor Client Progress     32
Feasibility Constraints     32
Key Chapter Concepts     35
Review Exercises     36
Additional Readings     37
Research Hierarchies     38
More Than One Type of Hierarchy for More than One Type of EBP Question     39
Qualitative andQuantitative Studies     41
Types of EBP Questions     42
Key Chapter Concepts     56
Review Exercises     57
Additional Readings     58
Critically Appraising Studies for EBP Questions about Intervention Effectiveness
Criteria for Inferring Effectiveness     61
Internal Validity     62
Measurement Issues     68
Statistical Chance     72
External Validity     78
Synopses of Research Studies     80
Key Chapter Concepts     82
Review Exercises     83
Additional Readings     84
Critically Appraising Experiments     85
Classic Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design     86
Posttest-Only Control Group Design     89
Solomon Four-Group Design     90
Alternative Treatment Designs     92
Dismantling Designs     93
Placebo Control Group Designs     94
Experimental Demand and Experimenter Expectancies     96
Obtrusive versus Unobtrusive Observation     98
Compensatory Equalization and Compensatory Rivalry     98
Resentful Demoralization     99
Treatment Diffusion     99
Treatment Fidelity      101
Practitioner Equivalence     101
Differential Attrition     103
Synopses of Research Studies     105
Key Chapter Concepts     107
Review Exercises     108
Additional Readings     109
Critically Appraising Quasi-Experiments: Nonequivalent Comparison Groups Designs     110
Nonequivalent Comparison Groups Designs     111
Additional Logical Arrangements to Control for Potential Selectivity Biases     113
Statistical Controls for Potential Selectivity Biases     118
Pilot Studies     123
Synopses of Research Studies     126
Key Chapter Concepts     128
Review Exercises     128
Additional Readings     129
Critically Appraising Quasi-Experiments: Time-Series Designs and Single-Case Designs     130
Simple Time-Series Designs     131
Multiple Time-Series Designs     134
Single-Case Designs     135
Synopses of Research Studies     144
Key Chapter Concepts     148
Review Exercises     149
Additional Reading     150
Critically Appraising Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses     151
Advantages of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses     152
Risks in Relying Exclusively on Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses     154
Where to Start     154
What to Look for When Critically Appraising Systematic Reviews     155
What Distinguishes a Systematic Review from Other Types of Reviews?     161
What to Look for When Critically Appraising Meta-Analyses     162
Synopses of Research Studies     174
Key Chapter Concepts     176
Review Exercises     178
Additional Readings     178
Critically Appraising Studies for Alternative EBP Questions
Critically Appraising Nonexperimental Quantitative Studies     181
Surveys     182
Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Studies     193
Case-Control Studies     195
Synopses of Research Studies     197
Key Chapter Concepts     201
Review Exercises     203
Additional Readings     203
Critically Appraising Qualitative Studies     204
Qualitative Observation     205
Qualitative Interviewing     208
Qualitative Sampling     211
Grounded Theory     212
Frameworks for Appraising Qualitative Studies     213
Synopses of Research Studies      218
Key Chapter Concepts     223
Review Exercises     227
Additional Readings     228
Assessing Clients and Monitoring Their Progress
Critically Appraising and Selecting Assessment Instruments     231
Reliability     232
Validity     236
Sensitivity     241
Feasibility     244
Sample Characteristics     245
Locating Assessment Instruments     246
Synopses of Research Studies     248
Key Chapter Concepts     250
Review Exercises     252
Additional Readings     252
Monitoring Client Progress     253
A Practitioner-Friendly Design     255
Feasible Assessment Techniques     258
Summary     268
Looking Ahead     270
Key Chapter Concepts     272
Review Exercises     273
Additional Reading     273
Critical Appraisals of Study Synopses at the End of Chapter 4     274
Critical Appraisals of Study Synopses at the End of Chapter 5     277
Critical Appraisals of Study Synopses at the End of Chapter 6     280
Critical Appraisals of Study Synopses at the End of Chapter 7      283
Critical Appraisals of Study Synopses at the End of Chapter 8     285
Critical Appraisals of Study Synopses at the End of Chapter 9     288
Critical Appraisals of Study Synopses at the End of Chapter 10     292
Critical Appraisals of Study Synopses at the End of Chapter 11     295
Glossary     299
References     313
Index     319