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Assessing the Evidence

• About evidence-based practice
• Finding research
• Assessing the evidence
• Implementing evidence-based practice

In child welfare, as in any field, most practices are not simply (or easily) determined to be "evidence-based" or "not evidence-based." Each practice must be assessed along a continuum, from those that are supported by extensive, well conducted research to those that are untested and based upon questionable application of theory.

Some questions to consider when assessing identified practices:

Outcomes

How long are the outcomes sustained?

Relevance

Are the outcomes applicable to your research question?

Are the strategies and outcomes consistent with the values of the communities, families, and children you serve?

Theoretical basis

Is the practice informed by accepted child welfare theory?

Credibility

If another group has identified the practice as "evidence-based" or a "best practice," how credible is the source?

What criteria has that group used to make this determination?

Research design

Is the purpose of the study clear?

Is the sample size large enough to be convincing?

Was some effort made to ensure the sample was representative of the larger population (e.g., random selection)?

Was the attrition rate acceptable? (How many people dropped out of the study from the initial group? For what reasons?)

Did the researchers use some form of comparative research design? This might mean:

• The group who received services was compared to another group who did not (control group), and subjects were assigned to the two groups randomly ("experimental design"—this is preferable).
• The group receiving services was compared to a control group, and the subjects were matched by selected characteristics.
• No control group was used, but changes in families receiving services were measured using a consistent pre- and post-test.

Are the conclusions drawn supported by the research results? Do the researchers discuss the limitations of their findings?

Have the researchers taken into account other factors that may have contributed to the outcomes?

Has the research been externally or peer reviewed? Have the results been replicated?

Selected Resources Guide for Child Welfare Administrators on Evidence Based Practice (PDF - 56 KB) National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators (2005) Includes a guide to classifying evidence-based child welfare research. Emerging Practices in the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Office on Child Abuse and Neglect and Caliber Associates (2003) Rates practices in the field of child abuse prevention. Blueprints for Violence Prevention Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV), University of Colorado at Boulder (2003) Identifies effective violence prevention programs and discusses the program review process and selection criteria. Implementation: The Missing Link Between Research and Practice Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, & Wallace APSAC Advisor: American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, 19(1-2), (2007) View Abstract This article explores the challenges and strategies related to implementation of evidence-based treatment interventions into direct practice.

Updated on March 1, 2010