The current practice of counseling, psychotherapy, and most helping professions often relies on clinical wisdom with little evidence of what actually works. Clinical wisdom is often a justification for beliefs and values that bond people together as professionals but often fails to serve clients since many of those beliefs and values may be comforting, but they may also be inherently incorrect. Improving the Effectiveness of the Helping Professions: An Evidence-Based Approach to Practice covers the use of research and critical thinking to assist helping professionals make the most effective choices in treating clients with social and emotional problems. The use of evidence-based practice (EBP) comes at a time when managed care and concerns over health care costs coincide with growing concerns that psychotherapy, case management, and counseling may not be sufficiently effective ways of helping people in social and emotional difficulty. Improving the Effectiveness of the Helping Professions provides an easy-to-read, inclusive approach covering EBP with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and terrorism, bereavement, substance abuse, mental illness, and problems experienced by older adults, among others. This text critically reviews the literature on self-help groups, religious involvement, and spirituality. It also includes sources to find best evidence, a simple overview of research concepts, a chapter on critical thinking, and numerous relevant case studies showing the application of EBP. Improving the Effectiveness of the Helping Professions is ideally suited for undergraduate and graduate students in social work, psychology, counseling, criminal justice, psychiatric nursing, and psychiatry. This book should also prove beneficial to all practitioners and specialists in the helping professions.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments & Preface Part 1: THE CORE BELIEFS OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE Chapter 1: An Explanation of Evidence-Based Practice Definitions of EBP Concerns About EBP From the Practice Community Additional Criticisms of EBP With Responses Is Evidence-Based Practice Applicable to the Helping Professions? Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 2: A Simple Guide to Reading and Understanding Practice Research Understanding the Scientific Method A Few Important Issues to Consider When Reading Research The Types of Research Studies Quantitative (Empirical) Designs Controlling for False Findings: Internal and External Validity Internal Validity: Threats to Finding Cause-Effect Relationships External Validity: Problems in Research That Limit Our Ability to Generalize Our Findings to Other Similar People, Situations, or Events Sampling: A General Discussion Sampling a Population Whose Members Are Known: Probability Sampling Sampling a Population Whose Members Are Not Known: Nonprobability Sampling Incorrect Conclusions Reviews of Research That Yield Best Evidence Applying Best Evidence to Practice Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 3: The Importance of Critical Thinking in Evidence-Based Practice Ways of Knowing Mythologized Knowledge Understanding the Logical Progressions in Research Ideas Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 4: Locating Relevant Clinical Research Useful and Not-So-Useful Sources Evaluating the Quality of Articles Reviewed Locating Relevant Research Locating Evidence-Based Material on the Internet Common Internet Sources Summary Integrative Questions References Part 2: HOW EBP VIEWS DIAGNOSIS, ASSESSMENT, AND WORKER- CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS Chapter 5: Using Evidence-Based Practice in Diagnosis Concerns About the Diagnostic Process Reducing Errors in Diagnosis The Adverse Impact of Labeling Case Study: A Culturally Sensitive Diagnosis Examples of EBP Diagnostic Data Case Study: A Misdiagnosis Highly Aggressive and Violent Young Children Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 6: Evidence-Based Practice and Psychosocial Assessments Case Study: Evidence-Based Practice and the Assessment Process The Psychosocial Assessment Outline and the Relevant Information Pertaining to the Case Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 7: Evidence-Based Practice and the Client-Worker Relationship: The Significance of the Therapeutic Relationship Defining the Therapeutic Relationship Evidence of the Importance of the Therapeutic Relationship to Treatment Outcomes Gender and the Therapeutic Relationships Racial and Ethnic Variables in Therapeutic Effectiveness Case Study: A Positive Therapeutic Relationship Summary Integrative Questions References Part 3: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE WITH SPECIAL CLIENT POPULATIONS Chapter 8: Evidence-Based Practice Wth Cluster B Personality Disorders The Four Types of Cluster B Personality Disorders Developmental Theories Explaining Cluster B Personality Disorders Treating Cluster B Personality Disorders: An Evidence-Based Practice Perspective Case Study: EBP With a Borderline Personality-Disordered Client Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 9: Evidence-Based Practice With Victims of Violence and Terrorism Understanding the Link Between Trauma and the Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder The Potential for Developing PTSD The Prevalence of PTSD The Impact of Recent Acts of Terrorism Case Study: Adapting to a Terrorist Attack Best Evidence of Effective Treatment for PTSD The Recovery Process Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 10: Evidence-Based Practice With Substance Abusers Diagnostic Markers of Substance Abuse Best Evidence for the Treatment of Substance Abuse Case Study: A Brief Intervention After an Alcohol-Related Car Accident Research Problems and Best Evidence Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 11: Evidence-Based Practice With Mental Illness and Mood Disorders The Extent and Impact of Mental Illness Definitions of Mental Illness and Mood Disorders Treatment Effectiveness Research Case Study: Spontaneous Remission From Mental Illness Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 12: Evidence-Based Practice With Terminal Illness and Bereavement Terminal Illness A Case Study: EBP With Terminal Illness Bereavement Case Study: EBP With Prolonged Grief Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 13: Evidence-Based Practice With Anxiety and Depression in Older Adults Anxiety in Older Adults Best Evidence for the Treatment of Anxiety With an Older Adult Population Case Study: Anxiety in an Older Client Depression in Older Adults Best Evidence for Treating Depression in Older Clients Case Study: Depression in an Older Adult Single-Subject Approaches to Evaluate Depression in Older Adults A Goal Attainment Scale Measuring Improvement in Depression How to Calculate the Overall Gain Made on a Goal Attainment Scale Summary Integrative Questions References Part 4: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE AND ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO HELPING Chapter 14: Evidence-Based Practice and the Significance of Religion and Spirituality Definitions of Spirituality and Religious Involvement The Impact of Spirituality and Religious Involvement on Physical and Mental Health Case Study: A Client Using Religion to Cope With a Traumatic Childhood Why Does Religious and Spiritual Involvement Impact Physical and Mental Health? Should Issues of Religion and Spirituality Be Included in the Work of the Helping Professions? Case Study: Religious Issues Discussed in Treatment Problematic Research Issues Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 15: Evidence-Based Practice and the Effectiveness of Indigenous Helpers and Self-Help Groups Self-Help Groups The Indigenous Leaders of Self-Help Groups Case Study: An Indigenous Helper Starts a Self-Help Group Best Evidence of the Effectiveness of Self-Help Groups Q and A With the Author About the Meaning of These Studies Case Study: Referral of a Client to a Self-Help Group for Severe Depression Summary Integrative Questions References Part 5: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE AND FUTURE TRENDS, SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT, AND FINAL WORDS Chapter 16: The Future of Psychotherapy The Need for Practice Research Alternative Ideas for Research on Treatment Efficacy The Future of the Helping Professions A Case Study: An Incompetent Worker Treats Chronic Depression A Different Kind of Future: Workers Share Their Thoughts Summary Integrative Questions References Chapter 17: Some Final Words Social Involvement Avoiding Serious Practice Issues Final Words Summary Integrative Questions References About the Author Index