In today's podcast, I speak with Shaun Eack about schizophrenia and social work. We talk about some basic information that social workers need to know about the diagnosis of schizophrenia; Shaun identifies and describes the positive, negative and cognitive symptoms that are often present in people with schizophrenia. Around 13 minutes into the conversation we switch the focus from diagnosis to the role of the social worker in working with people with schizophrenia. We end our conversation with a discussion of treatment approaches, including a new approach that addresses cognitive content.
Download MP3 [33:19]
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, schizophrenia is a chronic, severe and disabling brain disorder that affects 1.1% of the population over the age of 18. The term “schizophrenia” was coined by Eugene Bleuler from the Greek roots schizein (σχίζειν, "to split") and phrēn, phren- (φρήν, φρεν-, "mind"). Schizophrenia literally means "split mind." But, because of the etymology of the word, schizophrenia is commonly misrepresented as a split personality, or in clinical terms - Dissociative Identity Disorder. The confusion between these two disorders is commonly found in the popular press, and is perpetuated in jokes, such as in this parody of a popular children's rhyme:
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I'm schizophrenic
And so am I
This children's rhyme makes schizophrenia sound like a simple confusion or perhaps a funny condition. Far from funny, schizophrenia is a severely disabling disorder. The symptoms of schizophrenia fall into three broad categories: positive, negative, and cognitive.
Positive symptoms: the presence of sensations, beliefs, and behaviors that would not normally occur. These are the most noticeable symptoms, and often the ones that are used to stereotype people with schizophrenia. Examples of positive symptoms include delusions (beliefs about things that are not true), hallucinations (seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, or tasting things that others do not), slow movements or catatonia, and erratic emotions.
Negative symptoms: the lack of abilities. Examples include: lack of energy, difficulty engaging in social activities, poor motivation, difficulty making friends or functioning in psychosocial contexts.
Cognitive symptoms: There are two categories of cognitive symptoms - neuro-cognitive and social-cognitive. Neuro-cognitive deficits are problems with things like attention, memory, and executive function (the ability to engage in problem-solving). These are basic neuro-cognitive processes that people use in every day life. People with schizophrenia perform 2 standard deviations below average on test of neuro-cognitive functioning. The second category of cognitive symptoms are social cognitive deficits. These are the things that you think or do to act wisely and appropriately in social situations. One example is the ability to recognize social cues. People with schizophrenia have a profound deficit in picking up on social cues.
The combination of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms, can make people with schizophrenia fearful and withdrawn, and cause difficulties in relationships with other.
Bio
Shaun M. Eack received his Ph.D. on November 4, 2008 from the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a predoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. His primary research focus is on the development, implementation, and evaluation of psychosocial treatment methodologies for persons with schizophrenia. He also studies the biopsychosocial factors that contribute to recovery and psychosocial outcomes among this population, and how the elucidation of these factors can serve to aid novel treatment development efforts. In addition, he holds a broad interest in social work education and workforce development as they relate to the provision of care for persons with schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses. He has authored several publications under the mentorship of the late Professor Gerard E. Hogarty on the cognitive and behavioral effects of Cognitive Enhancement Therapy, a novel psychosocial treatment program for persons with schizophrenia. In addition, he has published papers on factors affecting various psychosocial outcomes among individuals with schizophrenia, particularly quality of life, as well as social work workforce development issues as they relate to serving individuals with schizophrenia. He is currently a recipient of an individual predoctoral fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health that focuses on studying a novel domain of social cognition in schizophrenia and its implications for psychosocial treatment development.
[Note: This interview was recorded prior to Shaun's successful disseration defense.]
References and resources
@Health.com. (2008, October 15). Schizophrenia. http://www.athealth.com/Practitioner/Newsletter/FPN_12_10.html
Anderson, C. M., Reiss, D. J., & Hogarty, G. E. (1986). Schizophrenia and the family. New York: Guilford.
Hogarty, G. E. (2002). Personal Therapy for schizophrenia and related disorders: A guide to individualized treatment. New York: Guilford.
Keshavan, M. S., Tandon, R., Boutros, N. N., & Nasrallah, H. A. (in press). Schizophrenia, "Just the facts": What we know in 2008 Part 3: Neurobiology. Schizophrenia Research. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2008.07.020
Mueser, K. T., & McGurk, S. R. (2004). Schizophrenia. Lancet, 363(9426), 2063-2072.
National Institute of Mental Health. Schizophrenia. Available at:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/schizophrenia/complete-publication.shtml
Bethesda, MD: Author.
Tandon, R., Keshavan, M. S., & Nasrallah, H. A. (2008). Schizophrenia, "Just the Facts" What we know in 2008 Part 1: Overview. Schizophria Research, 100(1-3), 4-19. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2008.01.022
Tandon, R., Keshavan, M. S., & Nasrallah, H. A. (2008). Schizophrenia, "Just the Facts": What we know in 2008. 2. Epidemiology and etiology. Schizophrenia Research, 102(1-3), 1-18. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2008.04.011
Tunner, T. (n.d.). Schizophrenia - how social workers help. Help Starts Here. Retrieved on April 24, 2008 from http://www.helpstartshere.org/Default.aspx?PageID=520
APA (5th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, November 17). Schizophrenia and social work: Interview with Shaun Eack, Ph.D. [Episode 45]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2008/11/schizophrenia-and-social-work-interview.html
Monday, November 17, 2008
Schizophrenia and Social Work: Interview with Shaun Eack, Ph.D.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Measurement in clinical practice and research (Part II): Interview with Dr. Mary Rauktis
[Episode 44] Today’s podcast is the second in a two part series on measurement for clinical practice and research. In today's podcast I speak with Dr. Mary Rauktis about the difference between measurement in the field and measurement in research settings. We talk about some of the ways that social workers can think about measurement as a tool to improve clinical practice, and some ways that social workers in the field can develop measures that will really benefit their clients. We talk about some of the challenges social workers have using measurement tools because of how rarely measures are integrated into social work courses. We talk about some ideas for how to better integrate measurement into social work education, particularly beyond the required research classes. We end Part II with a discussion of some resources for social workers interested in learning more about measurement.
In Part I, Mary and I spoke about about how she became interested in measurement; some key concepts needed to understand measurement including reliability, validity and error; and how to understand measures used in research articles.Download MP3 [29:21]
Dr. Rauktis mentioned that measurement in clinical practice is really about:
Bio
Mary Elizabeth Rauktis Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Research in the Child Welfare Research and Training Program. She is a 1993 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work.
Prior to her appointment at the University of Pittsburgh, she was the Director of Research and Evaluation at Pressley Ridge, an international nonprofit provider of services to children and families. She was an adjunct at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Social Work and Robert Morris University Business School, nonprofit management and a visiting professor at the University of Minho, Institute of Child and Family Studies in Portugal.
Contact Information
The University of Pittsburgh
Room 2326 Cathedral of LearningPittsburgh PA 15260
Office 412 648 1225
Cell 412. 716.9061
fax: 412.624.1159
Mar104@pitt.edu
www.socialwork.pitt.edu
APA (5th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, October 20). Measurement in clinical practice and research (Part II): Interview with Dr. Mary Rauktis [Episode 44]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2008/10/measurement-in-clinical-practice-and_19.html
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Results of the October 2008 Poll
The results from the latest Social Work Podcast poll are in. Twenty-two of you rated your level of agreement with the following statement: My clinical skills have improved from listening to the Social Work Podcast. Fifty percent (11) strongly agreed, 27% (6) agreed, 13% (2)neither agreed nor disagreed, and 8% (2) disagreed or strongly disagreed.
I am honored and pleased that over 77%of you reported that the podcast has improved your clinical skills. My hope is that improved skills will result in better services for our clients. I am also aware that the podcasts have a distinct clinical bias; future podcasts will address topics more relevant to community organizing and administration.
Thanks for participating. Please visit again to participate in November's poll.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Measurement in Clinical Practice and Research (Part I): Interview with Dr. Mary Rauktis
[Episode 43] Today’s podcast is the first in a two part series on measurement for clinical practice and research. In today's podcast I speak with Dr. Mary Rauktis about how she became interested in measurement; some key concepts needed to understand measurement including reliability, validity and error; and how to understand measures used in research articles.
In part two of the podcast we talk about the difference between measurement in the field and measurement in research settings. We talk about some of the ways that social workers can think about measurement as a tool to improve clinical practice, and some ways that social workers in the field can develop measures that will really benefit their clients. We talk about some of the challenges social workers have using measurement tools because of how rarely measures are integrated into social work courses. We talk about some ideas for how to better integrate measurement into social work education, particularly beyond the required research classes. We end Part II with a discussion of some resources for social workers interested in learning more about measurement.Download MP3 [34:50]
Mary Elizabeth Rauktis Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Research in the Child Welfare Research and Training Program. She is a 1993 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work.
Prior to her appointment at the University of Pittsburgh, she was the Director of Research and Evaluation at Pressley Ridge, an international nonprofit provider of services to children and families. She was an adjunct at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Social Work and Robert Morris University Business School, nonprofit management and a visiting professor at the University of Minho, Institute of Child and Family Studies in Portugal.
Contact Information
The University of Pittsburgh
Room 2326 Cathedral of LearningPittsburgh PA 15260
Office 412 648 1225
Cell 412. 716.9061
fax: 412.624.1159
Mar104@pitt.edu
www.socialwork.pitt.edu
APA (5th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, October 6). Measurement in clinical practice and research (Part I): Interview with Dr. Mary Rauktis [Episode 43]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2008/10/measurement-in-clinical-practice-and.html
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Update - the Social Work Podcast is back!
[Update] On June 30th 2008, I posted an interview with Kia Bentley about how residents of an in-patient psychiatric facility made meaning out of medication. It was the 42nd episode in 17 months and the Social Work Podcast was going strong. But, as many of you have noticed, it has been three months since the last podcast. I’ve received quite a few emails from you that have asked essentially the same thing - Jonathan – what happened with the podcast? Well, after I posted the podcast with Kia Bentley I packed up my house in Pittsburgh, PA and moved across the state to Philadelphia. So, although my move to Philadelphia didn’t come as surprise, I was surprised at how quickly time passed. I want to give you a brief update of what's been going on and what is in store for the podcast.Download MP3 [5:31]
For those of you who live and listen outside of the United States, and Google Analytics tells me that there are quite a few thousand of you, I wanted to tell you a little something about my new hometown. Philadelphia was founded in 1682 by William Penn, an English Quaker. Philadelphia is known as the city of brotherly love in honor of its Quaker roots. I’ve heard it said that the Quakers came to Philadelphia to do good, and ended up doing very well. Philadelphia is where the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. It is home to the Liberty Bell, Philly Cheesesteaks, Benjamin Franklin, and of course Will Smith. The greater Philadelphia region is home to a number of accredited schools of social work, including Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, Bryn Mawr, West Chester, Widener, LaSalle, and probably some others I haven’t yet heard about. And, uh, The Council on Social Work Education, the accrediting body for schools of social work in the United States is hosting the 54th annual program meeting at the end of October right here in Philadelphia. At this point you’re probably thinking that today’s podcast has been underwritten by the Philadelphia’s visitor’s bureau. I can assure you they have no idea what I’m doing.
An interesting thing happened when the Social Work Podcast took this unexpected break. Podcasting for social work grew in popularity. The National Association of Social Workers posted the first episode of what I hope will become an invaluable podcast resource for social workers. The University of Buffalo School of Social Work started what promises to be a very interesting interview series. 
The number of listeners to this podcast jumped from a weekly average of 73 to 147. Anthony M. Schembri published an editorial in Australian Social Work mentioning the Social Work Podcast as an example of how social workers can incorporate technology into social work education and practice. The Social Work Podcast will be mentioned in two upcoming publications, one by Dr. James Drisko, professor of social work at Smith College, and one by yours truly in the soon to be published second edition of the Social Workers’ Desk Reference.
All of the attention is nice, but let’s be honest the social work podcast isn’t a popularity contest, it is a resource for social workers. It is a place where you can get top quality information about topics that will make you a better social worker. So, I’m dusting off some episodes that I’ve been meaning to post for months now, and getting things rolling again. On Monday, October 6th I’m going to post the first of a two part interview with Mary Rauktis about measurement for clinical practice and research. In November I’m going to post an interview with Shaun Eack on schizophrenia. Before the year is out I will post podcasts on Miller and Rollnick’s Motivational Interviewing, the DSM diagnosis Borderline Personality Disorder, and Technology and clinical social work practice. As always I invite your suggestions for podcast topics. If you have expertise in something that social workers should know about and would like to write an episode for the Social Work Podcast, please contact me to talk about the details.
So, to the over 26,000 people who have listened to the Social Work Podcast since January 2007, thanks for your patience. Thanks also to those of you who have purchased social work podcast gear at our CafePress.com store. I’ve posted a new poll on the Social Work Podcast website at http://socialworkpodcast.com asking you if your clinical skills have improved from listening to the social work podcast. Please visit the site and let me know what you think - and thanks for listening.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Making Meaning out of Medication: Interview with Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D.
[Episode 42] Today’s podcast is the third of three interviews with Kia J. Bentley on psychopharmacotherapy. Kia J. Bentley is Professor of social work at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia and has published extensively in the area of psychopharmacotherapy (see references below). Psychopharmacotherapy refers to the treatment of psychiatric disorders with the use of medication. But, as Kia pointed out in our interview, psychopharmacotherapy is not just about giving people medication and calling it a day. It is an approach to treatment that acknowledges the strengths and limitations of medications.
In today’s podcast, Kia talked about a recent, and as of this date unpublished, study she did on the meaning that residents of an in-patient psychiatric facility made out of medication. Kia’s study was qualitative, meaning that she analyzed the text of interviews and drawings from the residents. One of the purposes of qualitative research is to develop a deeper understanding of the meanings that people make out of their lives and experiences. Our conversation turned out to be not only a fascinating view into the meanings that the residents made of medication, but it was also a wonderful sketch of Kia’s process of making meaning out of the interviews and drawings. In qualitative research, the researcher is the analytical tool, and Kia’s struggles with making sense of these meanings is central to qualitative inquiry.Download MP3 [19:54]
Based on an analysis of the residents’ narratives, Kia identified 7 dimensions of meaning, the intersection of which suggested that medication incites meaning, influences identity, and impacts life. The seven dimensions are:
Click on the image below to see a visual representation of these seven domains:
Kia had each resident draw a picture of what medication meant to them. Click on the image below to see the full-sized version of a resident's drawing entitled, "Night of the Butterfly":
In the first interview, Kia and I talked about key concepts and the role that social workers can play in psychopharmacotherapy. In the second interview, Kia talked about best practices for referring clients for psychiatric medications, resources for social workers interested in learning more about psychopharmacotherapy and how social workers can think critically about psychopharmacotherapy for both adults and children.
Today's interview was recorded using Skype. This is because Kia was in Richmond, VA and I was in Pittsburgh, PA. There are some pops and hisses, but not enough to detract from the quality of the interview. If you have questions or comments for Kia or me, please leave your comments below and we'll get back to you.
About Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D.
Dr. Bentley is a tenured Professor, Director of the Ph.D. Program, and Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives in Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University where she has taught since 1989. She publishes, presents and teaches social work practice in mental health, especially serving people with severe mental illness and is involved in several community-based research projects. One research project concerns the meaning of and impact of taking psychiatric medication, in partnership with Gateway Homes, a residential treatment facility for adults with serious mental illness. You can hear more about that project in our third interview. Another in collaboration with colleague Sarah Kye Price, is a study of decision-making about psychiatric medication among pregnant and postpartum women.
She is the former chair of Central State Hospital’s Human Rights Committee, a state psychiatric facility in Petersburg, Virginia, the former Chair of the Virginia Mental Health Planning Council, and served six years on the Board of Virginia’s chapter of the advocacy organization the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She has been active with the Council on Social Work Education for many years, currently serving as consulting editor of the Journal of Social Work Education and was one of last year’s winners of the “Reviewer of the Year Award.” She is an active and enthusiastic site visit chair and accreditation consultant. In the past she has served on their Commission on the Role & Status of Women for 6 years and their Commission on Accreditation for three.
References and Resources
During the podcast, Kia mentioned that she receives a weekly email about psychopharmacotherapy from Medscape. To learn more about Medscape: Psychiatry and Mental Health, visit http://www.medscape.com/psychiatry. To register for free access to articles and newletters on Medscape, visit https://profreg.medscape.com/px/registration.do?cid=med
APA (5th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, June 30). Making meaning out of medication: Interview with Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D. [Episode 42]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2008/06/making-meaning-out-of-medication.html
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Best Practices and Resources for Psychopharmacotherapy: Interview with Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D.
[Episode 41] Today’s podcast is the second of three interviews with Kia J. Bentley on psychopharmacotherapy. Kia J. Bentley is Professor of social work at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia and has published extensively in the area of psychopharmacotherapy (see references below). Psychopharmacotherapy refers to the treatment of psychiatric disorders with the use of medication. But, as Kia pointed out in our interview, psychopharmacotherapy is not just about giving people medication and calling it a day. It is an approach to treatment that acknowledges the strengths and limitations of medications.
In today’s podcast, Kia talks about best practices for referring clients for psychiatric medications, resources for social workers interested in learning more about psychopharmacotherapy and how social workers can think critically about psychopharmacotherapy for both adults and children. In the first interview, Kia and I talked about key concepts and the role that social workers can play in psychopharmacotherapy. In the third interview, Kia talks about a recent qualitative research study she did to explore the meaning that medication had for residents in a psychiatric facility.Download MP3 [21:08]
Six Best Practices for Referring Clients for Psychiatric Medication (Bentley, Walsh, & Farmer, 2005):
Today's interview was recorded using the "voice-over-internet" program Skype. This is because Kia was in Richmond, VA and I was in Pittsburgh, PA. There are some pops and hisses, but not enough to detract from the quality of the interview. If you have questions or comments for Kia or me, please leave your comments below and we'll get back to you.
About Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D.
Dr. Bentley is a tenured Professor, Director of the Ph.D. Program, and Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives in Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University where she has taught since 1989. She publishes, presents and teaches social work practice in mental health, especially serving people with severe mental illness and is involved in several community-based research projects. One research project concerns the meaning of and impact of taking psychiatric medication, in partnership with Gateway Homes, a residential treatment facility for adults with serious mental illness. You can hear more about that project in our third interview. Another in collaboration with colleague Sarah Kye Price, is a study of decision-making about psychiatric medication among pregnant and postpartum women.
She is the former chair of Central State Hospital’s Human Rights Committee, a state psychiatric facility in Petersburg, Virginia, the former Chair of the Virginia Mental Health Planning Council, and served six years on the Board of Virginia’s chapter of the advocacy organization the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She has been active with the Council on Social Work Education for many years, currently serving as consulting editor of the Journal of Social Work Education and was one of last year’s winners of the “Reviewer of the Year Award.” She is an active and enthusiastic site visit chair and accreditation consultant. In the past she has served on their Commission on the Role & Status of Women for 6 years and their Commission on Accreditation for three.
References and Resources
During the podcast, Kia mentioned that she receives a weekly email about psychopharmacotherapy from Medscape. To learn more about Medscape: Psychiatry and Mental Health, visit http://www.medscape.com/psychiatry. To register for free access to articles and newletters on Medscape, visit https://profreg.medscape.com/px/registration.do?cid=med
APA (5th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, June 17). Best practices and resources for psychopharmacotherapy: Interview with Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D. [Episode 41]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2008/06/best-practices-and-resources-for.html
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Psychopharmacotherapy and Social Work: Interview with Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D.
[Episode 40] Today’s podcast is the first of three interviews with Kia J. Bentley on psychopharmacotherapy. Kia J. Bentley is Professor of social work at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia and has published extensively in the area of psychopharmacotherapy (see references below). Psychopharmacotherapy refers to the treatment of psychiatric disorders with the use of medication. But, as Kia pointed out in our interview, psychopharmacotherapy is not just about giving people medication and calling it a day. It is an approach to treatment that acknowledges the strengths and limitations of medications.
In today's podcast, we talked about why social workers should be familiar with psychopharmacotherapy, legal and ethical limitations of social workers discussing medications with clients, some challenges social workers might have with agency policy around medications, and the role of social workers on a treatment team. The second interview focuses on best practices for referring clients for psychiatric medications, resources for social workers interested in learning more about psychopharmacotherapy and how social workers can think critically about psychopharmacotherapy for both adults and children. In the third interview, Kia talks about a recent qualitative research study she did to explore the meaning that medication had for residents in a psychiatric facility.Download MP3 [23:21]
Today's interview was recorded using Skype. This is because Kia was in Richmond, VA and I was in Pittsburgh, PA. There are some pops and hisses, but not enough to detract from the quality of the interview. If you have questions or comments for Kia or me, please leave your comments below and we'll get back to you.
About Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D.
Dr. Bentley is a tenured Professor, Director of the Ph.D. Program, and Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives in Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University where she has taught since 1989. She publishes, presents and teaches social work practice in mental health, especially serving people with severe mental illness and is involved in several community-based research projects. One research project concerns the meaning of and impact of taking psychiatric medication, in partnership with Gateway Homes, a residential treatment facility for adults with serious mental illness. You can hear more about that project in our third interview. Another in collaboration with colleague Sarah Kye Price, is a study of decision-making about psychiatric medication among pregnant and postpartum women.
She is the former chair of Central State Hospital’s Human Rights Committee, a state psychiatric facility in Petersburg, Virginia, the former Chair of the Virginia Mental Health Planning Council, and served six years on the Board of Virginia’s chapter of the advocacy organization the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She has been active with the Council on Social Work Education for many years, currently serving as consulting editor of the Journal of Social Work Education and was one of last year’s winners of the “Reviewer of the Year Award.” She is an active and enthusiastic site visit chair and accreditation consultant. In the past she has served on their Commission on the Role & Status of Women for 6 years and their Commission on Accreditation for three.
References and Resources
During the podcast, Kia mentioned that she receives a weekly email about psychopharmacotherapy from Medscape. To learn more about Medscape: Psychiatry and Mental Health, visit http://www.medscape.com/psychiatry. To register for free access to articles and newletters on Medscape, visit https://profreg.medscape.com/px/registration.do?cid=med
APA (5th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, June 1). Psychopharmacotherapy and social work: Interview with Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D. [Episode 40]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2008/06/psychopharmacotherapy-and-social-work.html
Monday, May 19, 2008
The Birth of "Rubin and Babbie" and Other Stories: Interview with Allen Rubin, Ph.D.
[Episode 39] In this episode of the social work podcast, I continue my conversation with author Dr. Allen Rubin. We talked about how he came to co-author Research Methods for Social Work (the most widely used social work research text) and his most recent text - Practitioner's Guide to Using Research for Evidence-Based Practice. We talked about one of his current research projects - the development of a scale that can be used to evaluate how well social workers are learning evidence-based practice. We ended our conversation with Allen talking about a series of books he is co-editing with David Springer that will have practical "how-to" chapters on evidence-based approaches to today's most important clinical issues.Download MP3 [15:31]
Dr. Rubin is the Bert Kruger Smith Centennial Professor in the School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin, where he has been a faculty member since 1979. He served as an editorial reviewer for 14 professional journals, was a founding member of the Society for Social Work and Research and served as its vice president from 1996 to 1998 and then as its president from 1998 to 2000. He is the recipient of many awards, including the co-recipient of the Society for Social Work and Research Award for Outstanding Examples of Published Research, the 1993 recipient of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work's Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the 2007 recipient of the Council On Social Work Education's Significant Lifetime Achievement in Social Work Education Award. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Rubin continues to be a big fan the Pittsburgh Steelers football team.
Dr. Rubin can be heard talking about research for social work practitioners and advice for young social work investigators at the Social Work Podcast. This series of interviews was recorded using Skype.
References and Resources
- National Association for Social Workers (n.d.). What IS social work research?. http://www.socialworkers.org/research/researchMore.asp [electronic resource]
- National Institute of Mental Health (n.d.). Information for Researchers - Grants. NIMH website: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research-funding/grants/index.shtml
- Rubin, A. (2006). Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice and Evaluation. Wadsworth.
- Rubin, A. (2007). Practitioner's Guide to Using Research for Evidence-Based Practice. Wiley.
- Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. (2007). Research Methods for Social Work. (6th edition) Wadsworth. [Google Books preview of 5th edition]
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, May 19). The birth of "Rubin and Babbie" and other stories: Interview with Allen Rubin, Ph.D. [Episode 39]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2008/05/birth-of-rubin-and-babbie-and-other.html
Monday, April 28, 2008
Advice for young social work investigators: Interview with Allen Rubin, Ph.D.
[Episode 38] In today's podcast, I continue my conversation with Dr. Allen Rubin about social work research. Allen shared his advice for young social work investigators - that is social work researchers who are just starting out in their career as researchers. Allen talks about the value of getting a postdoc, the importance of getting hooked up with a federally-funded investigator for social workers interested doing federally-funded research, having good relationships with social work agencies, and the challenges of actually doing social work research. Allen shared his thoughts on the problems with so-called hot methodologies and the realities of pursuing federal funding.Download MP3 [24:29]
Dr. Rubin is the Bert Kruger Smith Centennial Professor in the School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin, where he has been a faculty member since 1979. He served as an editorial reviewer for 14 professional journals, was a founding member of the Society for Social Work and Research and served as its vice president from 1996 to 1998 and then as its president from 1998 to 2000. He is the recipient of many awards, including the co-recipient of the Society for Social Work and Research Award for Outstanding Examples of Published Research, the 1993 recipient of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work's Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the 2007 recipient of the Council On Social Work Education's Significant Lifetime Achievement in Social Work Education Award. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Rubin continues to be a big fan the Pittsburgh Steelers football team.
Dr. Rubin can be heard talking about research for social work practitioners [Episode 37] and his current research and publishing projects [Episode 39] at the Social Work Podcast. This series of interviews was recorded using Skype.
References and Resources
APA (5th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host). (2008, April 28). Advice for young social work investigators: Interview with Allen Rubin, Ph.D. [Episode 38]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2008/04/advice-for-young-social-work.html
Monday, April 14, 2008
Social Work Research for Practitioners: Interview with Allen Rubin, Ph.D.
[Episode 37] In today's podcast, I talked with Dr. Allen Rubin about research and social work practice. You might recognize the name Rubin from the widely used social work research text "Rubin and Babbie," or as it is officially known, Research Methods for Social Work. In addition to the Rubin and Babbie text, he has authored well over 100 publications, most recently focusing on evidence-based practice.
Since so many of us have learned research from the Rubin and Babbie text, myself included, I thought it would be appropriate to interview Allen for the first social work podcast on social work research. I'm excited about offering a series on social work research because research is essential to good social work practice. Most practitioners I know have an impressive command of assessment, diagnosis, intervention and the myriad of factors that go into providing services to clients. These same practitioners get fairly lost in even the most basic research articles and couldn't distinguish an ANOVA from a logistic regression to save their life. So, I thought I would take this opportunity to find out what research concepts Allen Rubin thought were essential for social work practitioners to understand.
During our interview, Allen made it clear that there is at least an entire textbook worth of research concepts that social workers should know. He was kind enough, though, to identify and define a few essential concepts that he thought social workers needed to understand in order to be informed consumers of empirical research. My friends will be vindicated knowing that he did not include ANOVA and logistic regression in his list of key concepts. He did, however, suggest that social workers should understand the difference between reliability and validity, how to identify sources of error in measurement, and researcher and respondent bias. He talked about these concepts within the framework of evidence-based practice. He distinguished the process of evidence-based practice from evidence-based practices.Download MP3 [27:10]
Dr. Rubin is the Bert Kruger Smith Centennial Professor in the School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin, where he has been a faculty member since 1979. He served as an editorial reviewer for 14 professional journals, was a founding member of the Society for Social Work and Research and served as its vice president from 1996 to 1998 and then as its president from 1998 to 2000. He is the recipient of many awards, including the co-recipient of the Society for Social Work and Research Award for Outstanding Examples of Published Research, the 1993 recipient of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work's Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the 2007 recipient of the Council On Social Work Education's Significant Lifetime Achievement in Social Work Education Award. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Rubin continues to be a big fan the Pittsburgh Steelers football team.
Dr. Rubin can be heard sharing his advice for young social work researchers [Episode 38] and his current research and publishing projects [Episode 39] at the Social Work Podcast. This series of interviews was recorded using Skype.
References and Resources
APA (5th ed) citation for this podcast:
Singer, J. B. (Host), (2008, April 14). Social work research for practitioners: Interview with Allen Rubin, Ph.D. [Episode 37]. Social Work Podcast. Podcast retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://socialworkpodcast.com/2008/04/social-work-research-for-practitioners.html
Monday, March 24, 2008
Race and Social Problems: Interview with Dean Larry E. Davis
[Episode 36] Today's podcast is on Race and Social Problems. On January 15, 2008, I spoke with Dr. Larry E. Davis, Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh, the Donald M. Henderson Professor, and Director of the Center on Race and Social Problems. In our conversation, Dean Davis defined racism, the role of race in understanding social problems, and about how issues of race may or may not change as the percentage of whites in the United States continues to decrease discussed. We talked about some of the racial and gender issues in the current election and talked about how race is different from gender as a point of diversity. We also talked about race and social work, and what social workers can do to fight racism. We ended our conversation with a discussion of the Center on Race and Social Problems and what the Center is doing to fight racism. Download MP3 [45:17]
Dean Davis received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan's dual-degree program in social work and psychology in 1977. His professional interests include interracial group dynamics, the impact of race, gender, and class on interpersonal interactions, African American family formation, and youth. Prior to becoming the Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh in 2001, Dr. Davis had been a faculty member since 1977 at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was a Professor of Social Work and Psychology and the holder of the E. Desmond Lee Chair in Ethnic and Racial Diversity.
He has received research funding from sources such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, and National Institute of Mental Health. Dean Davis is the recipient of the University of Pittsburgh's Chancellor's 2007 Affirmative Action Award.
Because today's podcast is a bit longer than most, and because there is no transcript of the podcast, I have included 17 topics and their time points in the podcast. I have also included links to terms or references that can be found on the web (mostly through Wikipedia).
Definitions of terms used in the podcast:Mulatto: Mulatto (Spanish mulato, small mule, person of mixed race, mulatto, from mulo, mule, from Old Spanish, from Latin mulus.) is a person of mixed black and white ancestry or the offspring of one white parent and one black parent or someone 50% black and 50% white. Notable Mulattos: Fredrick Douglas, Alicia Keys, Bob Marley, Halley Berry, Barak Obama.
References and resources
Octoroon: a person of fourth-generation black ancestry. An octoroon has one parent who is a quadroon and one white parent. In other words, the person has one black great-grandparent and seven white great-grandparents.
Miscegenation: (Latin miscere "to mix" + genus "kind") is the "mixing" of different "races."
Center on Race and Social Problems: http://www.crsp.pitt.edu/
Grieco, E. M., & Cassid