Whose evidence is it anyway?

The evidence-based practice (EBP) movement has had a significant impact on social work practice and policy in many Anglo-American countries and beyond. While EBP was originally conceived to be the integration of solid research... [ view full abstract ]

The evidence-based practice (EBP) movement has had a significant impact on social work practice and policy in many Anglo-American countries and beyond. While EBP was originally conceived to be the integration of solid research evidence, best clinical practice and client preferences (Sackett et al., 1996), it has come to be increasingly identified with specific practices, which have been established as effective through scientific research according to a clear set of explicit criteria (Drake et al., 2001), i.e., standardization, evaluation through a controlled research design, use of objective measures, and confirmation of findings through different research teams (Torrey et al., 2001). Various entities and organizations, i.e. clearinghouses, professional associations, play a significant role in appraising the degree of research evidence (e.g., promising, effective) of specific practices, and disseminating this information to practice communities. Yet which practices deserve to receive the evidence-based label remains a matter of much discussion and disagreement, and there is indication that divergent conceptualizations exist between practice, policy and research communities about its appropriate use (DiGennaro Reed & Reed, 2008).

Using two studies – one national and one regional – that were conducted in the United States to examine the use of EBP in residential care settings, this workshop has the following aims: (1) It will introduce participants to the process of reviewing and rating practices as 'effective,' using the example of one clearinghouse site's evaluation process. (2) Comparing two different data collection methods used in the studies to elicit information about providers’ use of EBP, participants will have a chance to discuss each method’s advantages and limitations. (3) Lastly, findings of the two studies will be discussed in light of what they reflect about providers’ conceptualizations about EBP and what the implications may be for the implementation of EBP in practice communities.