Seven distinguished respondents have critiqued the invited article titled “The NIMH Task Force on Social Work Research Report: Past Accomplishments and Current Challenges.” The article reviewed significant gains in social work research since publication of the Report in 1991 and, also, identified nine significant challenges that still must be addressed if social work research is to optimally meet the

This study introduces recent advances in statistical power analysis methods and tools for designing and analyzing randomized cost-effectiveness trials (RCETs) to evaluate the causal effects and costs of social work interventions. The article focuses on two-level designs, where, for example, students are nested within schools, with interventions applied either at the school level (cluster design) or

Quantitative research plays an instrumental role in facilitating health and wellness. Effective interventions are developed, assessed, and refined through the application of logic and empirical evidence in a scientific milieu characterized by diverse views. However, the increasing colonization of academic discourse by postmodern/critical theory (PCT) may undermine foundational concepts upon which quantitative

Purpose: This article investigates the extent of effectiveness studies of behavioral, psychological, and social interventions aiming for measurable changes at the individual level in Sweden 1990–2019. Methods: The data stems from a retrospective analysis of published literature on effect studies between 1990 and 2019. Results: The results show an increase in published articles reporting on effect studies

Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the overall effects of self-regulation interventions for children living in poverty. Methods: The initial search identified 473 publications of randomized controlled trials, including 25 that met the inclusion criteria. We used a random effect meta-analysis with robust variance estimation to calculate the overall and subgroup effects

Purpose: Over 50% of people with serious mental illness (SMI) smoke cigarettes. This study evaluated whether tobacco use impacted weight loss outcomes during a peer-led healthy lifestyle intervention (PGLB) for people with SMI living in permanent supportive housing (PSH). Method: Data from an effectiveness trial of PGLB examined whether baseline tobacco use moderated the effectiveness of the intervention

Unmentioned challenges to conducting valuable research in social work include the politicization of education and weakened educational standards at all levels. Discovery of what helps clients requires free speech and free inquiry, always a threat to those who prefer authoritarian approaches.

Purpose: Large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated remarkable abilities in natural language tasks. However, their use in social work research is limited by confidentiality and security concerns when processing sensitive data. This study addresses these challenges by evaluating the performance of local LLMs (LocalLLMs) in classifying and extracting substance-related problems from unstructured child

Feldman's appraisal of the current status of social work research, using as its touchstone the 1991 Austin Report, is a frank and fair appraisal of how the discipline has come short of fulfilling its aspirations to become a more science-based profession. In many ways, Feldman has stood in the center of research developments within our field for the past 40 years or longer. He offers informed and thoughtful

Purpose: This study explores the experiences of youth receiving Child Welfare Services (CWS) in Nova Scotia, Canada and their preferred relationships with different service providers and how these relationships may promote or hinder their resilience at different levels of risk exposure. Method: Qualitative interviews with 23 youth (aged 14–19) were analyzed using grounded theory. Results: The analysis

Purpose: This study delves into the effects of labels, specifically crime-first language, on public attitudes toward adolescent girls within the juvenile legal system. Examining fictional vignettes depicting family conflict, the research explores whether the use of language influences the endorsement of punitive responses and if this effect varies across racial and ethnic lines. Method: A large online

The paper replies to three issues that Fedlman raises in his assessment research since the 1991 National Institute of Mental Health Social Work Task Force Report. Three topics are addressed, the need to expand and better prepare the social work research workforce, the profession's current research infrastructure, and improving research- to-practice research translation. Ideas for workforce growth include

Purpose: This single-system design evaluation study assessed whether 18 Beams to Bridges (BTB) program participants would experience increased mental health literacy (MHL). It was hypothesized that MHL scores would increase significantly between the pre-intervention and intermediate assessments, but there would be no significant difference in scores between the intermediate and post-intervention assessments

Purpose: This article introduces the regression discontinuity design (RDD) as a valuable quasi-experimental approach for evaluating social work interventions. Methods: The RDD is outlined, providing guidance on identifying and framing research questions within its structure. Detailed explanations of analytical procedures for estimating intervention effects under both sharp (treatment assignment strictly

In response to Ron Feldman's article on accomplishments and challenges to advance a strong infrastructure for social work research, I offer four additional challenges to consider at this historical juncture.

Research education in social work is becoming increasingly influenced by anti-scientific ideologies. Social work researchers and students now exist in an environment that is moving away from scientific and pedagogical touchstones. These touchstones include the expectation to (a) select research questions, (b) rely upon relevant and applicable methods that are tailored to answer those questions, and

This article examines the development of the concept of transferability in qualitative research and how it is similar to and different from generalization. Transferability is a process of abstraction used to apply information drawn from specific persons, settings, and eras to others that have not been directly studied. The concept of transferability has been minimally discussed in the social science

Purpose: The United States incarcerates a disproportionate number of individuals with mental health concerns, and social workers are the primary professionals interacting with this group as they reenter the community from prison. This prompts the need for effective behavioral health reentry interventions to support the transition from incarceration to community life. Method: This scoping literature

Purpose: This systematic review aimed to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of the main child neglect measures published between 2003 and 2023. Method: Six databases were searched. The methodological quality and psychometric properties of the identified measures were appraised through the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments checklist. Results: A total

Incidents of self-harm present significant concerns in correctional facilities. Purpose: Developing interventions to address self-injury is beneficial to individuals who are incarcerated as well as the security personnel in charge of their care and custody. Method: Four 6-week animal-assisted dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills groups were provided to men and women incarcerated in a jail. Each

In the landscape of academic research and citation practices, the emergence of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence language model developed by OpenAI, represents a transformative leap forward. This paper delves into the multifaceted role of ChatGPT in revolutionizing scholarly endeavors beyond mere plagiarism detection. We explore how ChatGPT facilitates research collaboration, streamlines literature

Purpose: Online group-based interventions are widely adopted, but their efficacy, when compared with similar face-to-face (F2F) psychosocial group interventions, has not been sufficiently examined. Methods: This systematic review included randomly controlled trials (RCTs) that compared an intervention/model delivered in both F2F and online formats. The review adhered to PRISMA guidelines and was registered

PurposeThis study examines the impact of “Change in Direction,” a counseling approach for long-term social assistance recipients in Switzerland.MethodThe results of the study are based on a randomized controlled trial ( n intervention group = 31/32, n comparison group = 50/48). Outcome measures were obtained from a two-wave survey and administrative data.ResultsThe intervention increased clients’ mastery

Following the publication of the groundbreaking report by the National Institute of Mental Health Task Force on Social Work Research in 1991, major gains have been made in building a potent infrastructure for social work research. Since then, however, progress has faltered in key areas and complex new challenges have emerged. These developments are examined and suggestions are set forth regarding how

Purpose: This narrative review explores papers published in peer-reviewed journals reporting research from a practice research module of a qualifying program to examine their potential contribution to knowledge in mental health social work. Methods: A narrative review was undertaken according to the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews of papers published by the first three cohorts of a practice research

Purpose: This study developed and validated a novel measure that captures the diverse positive experiences related to perceived informal support. We also examined its cross-sectional and longitudinal correlates in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Method: We analyzed data from an international clinical trial. Participants with PTSD symptoms completed assessments at baseline

Purpose: The systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of self-management interventions on classroom behaviors and academic outcomes. Methods: Review procedures followed Campbell Collaboration guidelines to search, select, and extract data from published and unpublished studies employing an experimental/quasi-experimental comparison group or single-case experimental design assessing

Purpose: This article builds on the Practice Research Collaboratives (PRCs) as an initiative that developed from the Fifth Conference on Practice Research to provide a platform for practice researchers to engage actively around impact and influence. Research question: The unique features of research activities that enable transformational impact in three cases in social work practice research involving

Purpose: This study sought to validate the psychometric properties of the Network Composition Survey (NCS), a multi-dimensional conceptualization of social support for individuals who are incarcerated. Methods: Data included 1,539 individuals recruited in 50 prisons across four states to participate in the pilot trial of a prison reentry program. Exploratory factor analysis using the first support

Purpose: Present study investigated the effectiveness of school-based intervention programs on reducing aggression among children and adolescents. Method: A thorough search was carried out on 12 electronic databases. Seventeen studies were finalized, and meta-analyses were performed using a random effect model on RevMan software. Results: Findings reveal that existing school-based programs have a significant

Purpose: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a training program for social workers who provide services for promoting the career and life development (CLD) of non-engaged youth (NEY). Methods: A quasi-experimental design was utilized to compare the changes between the training ( n = 58) and the comparison groups ( n = 48). Focus groups and individual interviews with training participants ( n

Purpose: The Theory Evaluation Scale (TES) is a psychometric tool for analyzing theoretical frameworks that guide practice. Its flexibility assumption contends that a single rater or a panel of experts can evaluate a given theory and the two sets of scores will be comparable. This study tests this assumption, using a popular practice model in social work: the Strengths Perspective (SP). Method: A panel

Purpose: This paper compares two iterations (in-person and online) of a multi-stage continuing education program for improving high-risk decision-making among mental health workers. Methods: The mixed-methods study analyzed the following: (1) physiological and psychological arousal during simulated patient interviews; (2) physiological and psychological arousal recorded during real-time decision-making

In social work, practitioners are often faced with situations in which they have to choose an intervention. A fundamental ethical principle of social work practice is to minimize the risk of advers...

Purpose: This meta-analytic study aimed to assess the overall effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) for adolescents’ problems in the school context. Methods: According to the Prefe...

Last year researchers made substantial progress in work relevant to the practice of cardiac anesthesiology. We reviewed 389 articles published in 2022 focused on topics related to clinical practice...

The present study fabricated high-performance silica/epoxy resin nanocomposites having a low coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CTE) and a high glass transition temperature (Tg). This was acc...

In the era of globalization, institutional translation has become increasingly important. The Panda Books Series (PBS) is an exemplar of institutional translation that translates and disseminates C...

As competition over grant funding increases, nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are increasingly likely to enter into contracts with government agencies to ensure funding stability and accomplish organ...

Purpose: Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is practiced by social workers in clinical, community-based services, but no reviews of the outcome research have been completed. Methods: A meta-anal...

Purpose: To fulfill their supervision and counseling responsibilities to foster parents, social workers need an effective way to indirectly monitor foster children's mental health and learning abil...

Social work scholars have long questioned the validity and utility of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) licensing exams. Data released in 2022 revealed severe disparities in pass rates b...

Purpose: Brief interventions have been applied to the problem of suicide. This systematic review quantitatively and qualitatively examined the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI)-infuse...

Purpose: Mental health providers are well-positioned to engage in suicide prevention efforts, yet implementation depends on skill acquisition and providers often report feeling underprepared. This ...

Purpose: Treatment adherence is a central component of implementation fidelity and key to our understanding of client outcomes. This study examines treatment adherence in the Neurosequential Model ...

Purpose: Parental support is theorized to promote healthy child development and is a frequent target of brief parenting programs. However, evaluations of these brief programs often rely on parents’...

The Support and Aid to Families Electronically (SAFE) pilot program was developed through a community–university partnership to support parents of elementary students in Ontario, while providing st...

Self-determination theory (SDT) is an evidence-based approach to programs promoting behavioral change. Social work researchers are increasingly incorporating SDT into program planning and evaluatio...

Purpose: This article describes the process used to develop and pilot the Social Work Education Assessment Project (SWEAP) Curriculum instrument, a standardized multiple-choice test developed to as...