Discussion
COLLAPSE
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Discussion 1: Treatment Evaluation
Many social work students dread taking research classes. They often view the courses as unnecessary to be a good social worker when, in fact, the opposite is true. How do you really know that your interventions are working, unless you evaluate them? As a social worker it is essential to identify in a quantifiable manner whether a treatment is helping the client or if it needs to be abandoned for another approach. In the past, social workers depended on recognizing a client’s progress through their own observations. Today, with a significant push both in the field of social work and among insurance companies to provide evidenced-based practice, social workers now are expected, more than ever, to evaluate their practice. Selecting the proper measurement/evaluation tool, based on the clients’ presenting concerns and treatment goals, will provide the evidence-based practice that is expected by the field.
For this Discussion, review this week’s Learning Resources, including the course-specific case studies. Select either Abdel or Pedro from the course-specific case studies provided and search the Mental Measures Yearbook database to identify potential scales that could be used to evaluate the treatment. Select one of the scales you identified and consider why it might be useful in evaluating treatment. Finally, think about the validity and reliability of that scale.
Note: The course-specific case study you select should differ from the case study you selected in Week 6.
Post by Day 3 a description of the scale you might use to evaluate treatment for the client in the case study you selected and explain why you selected that scale. Be sure to reference the case study you selected in your post. Finally, explain the validity and reliability of that scale.
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Here is a sample paper done from my class and it should be something like this.?
This is the case of Pedro.
In the case study of Pedro, he appears to be dealing with many issues. Not only has he experienced devastating loss in his life, but he feels he is to blame for that loss. In addition, Pedro is also handling his own physical illness of HIV and Hepatitis C, but has not been medication compliant in the past.
While researching the Mental Measures Yearbook database to identify potential scales that a social worker could use to evaluate treatment for Pedro, I identified 3 different assessment scales that I thought might be helpful. The first is The Global Assessment Scale by Spitzer, Gibbon, & Endicott. The purpose of the Global Assessment Scale is to evaluate the overall functioning of a subject during a specified time period on a continuum from psychological or psychiatric sickness to health. (Spitzer, Gibbon, & Endicott,1985). The second assessment scale would be The Health Dynamics Inventory by Saunders & Wojcik. This inventory was developed to assess mental health status. It is used to screen new patients for mental health problems as well as measure treatment progress with continuing patients. (Saunders & Wojcik, 2003). The third potential assessment scale that may be useful with this client is The Health Status Questionnaire 2.0. This scale is designed to measure physical and social functioning and emotional well-being of the client.. (Health Outcomes, et-al, 1994).
Out of these three assessment scales, I like the Health Dynamics Inventory because it is the most current, however, as to what I feel would be the most helpful in the treatment evaluation for Pedro, it would have to be the Health Status Questionnaire 2.0. A lot of Pedro's background stems from addiction and mental health., however, his current problems are his physical health and how it relays to his mental health. This test is short with an average time of 10 minutes to take it. This is also benefits Pedro, as he is not always very cooperative with the social worker.
This test appears valid, though has been out of print since 2015. It does not state whether a newer scale has been created in its place. After reading several reviews of this assessment scale, I can conclude that it is reliable in measuring the clients perceived health status. (Health Outcomes, et-al, 1994). This is important because Pedro's mental health is dependant on how he perceives his current diagnosis.
References:
Health Outcomes, I., & RAND Health Services, P. (1994). Health Status Questionnaire 2.0.
Saunders, S. M., & Wojcik, J. V. (2003). Health Dynamics Inventory.
Spitzer, R. L., Gibbon, M., & Endicott, J. (1985). Global Assessment Scale.
Readings
Required
Reading
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year.Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].Working with Immigrants and Refugees: The Case of Abdel
Working with Clients with HIV/AIDS: The Case of Pedro
