RESEARCH ON THE OUTCOME OF SOCIAL WORK THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS - A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

• NCJ Number: 16761
• Journal: Journal of Health and Social Behavior Volume: 13 Dated: (1972) Pages: 3-17
• Author(s): S P SEGAL
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: American Sociological Review
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDIES CONSIDERED ARE GROUPED ACCORDING TO TWO CLIENT POPULATIONS (SOCIAL PROBLEM AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY-BASED PROBLEMS), NATURE OF THE THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION USED, AND ONE OUTCOME CATEGORY - PREVENTION VS. AMELIORATION.

Abstract

QUESTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPING A THERAPEUTIC TECHNOLOGY ARE CONSIDERED. DIFFERENCES IN TYPES OF TREATMENT ARE ALSO CONSIDERED. GIVEN THE POPULATION AND THE TYPE OF THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION, ISSUES ARE RAISED AND EVALUATIONS MADE ABOUT THE ADEQUACY OF OUTCOME RESEARCH IN THE PARTICULAR AREA OF INTEREST. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT MUCH MORE WORK IS NEEDED TO DELINEATE THE SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY, AND THAT ONCE THESE TECHNIQUES ARE DELINEATED, THEY MUST BE EVALUATED ON THE BASIS OF DESIRED OUTCOME FOR GIVEN POPULATIONS. HE MAINTAINED THAT THE EVIDENCE WITH RESPECT TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL WORK THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION REMAINS EQUIVOCAL, ALTHOUGH THE TRENDS IN THE DATA POINT STRONGLY IN THE NEGATIVE DIRECTION. A TWO PAGE LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)