Empirically Based Interventions Targeting Social Problems

This unique volume demonstrates the effectiveness of applying an evidence-based practice process to the solution of selected social problems. It focuses on social work interventions addressing family, community, and societal factors. Research indicates that reinforcement for positive behavior at the group, organizational, and community levels, as opposed to interventions focusing on the individual, are more likely to result in meaningful improvement in well-being. Chapters address issues such as child maltreatment, educationally disadvantaged children, violence in schools, adolescent sexuality, substance abuse, crime, urban decline and homelessness, unemployment, marital conflict, and chronic medical problems.Empirically Based Interventions Targeting Social Problems is a relevant resource for practitioners and counseling professionals whose work involves interventions with children and families as well as communities. It also is a useful text for graduate students in social work as well as students preparing for other helping professions including psychology, sociology, marital and family counseling, and child development.

John S. Wodarski, PhD, is professor of Social Work at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work in Knoxville. Dr. Wodarski has over 40 years of experience teaching graduate and undergraduate social work students. His main interests include child, adolescent and young adult health behaviors, including research on violence, substance abuse, depression, sexuality, HIV and viral hepatitis prevention, and employment. Dr. Wodarski has written over 65 textbooks and has contributed to over 50 additional texts. Laura M. Hopson, PhD, is an associate professor at the University of Alabama School of Social Work in Tuscaloosa. Dr. Hopson has over 10 years of experience teaching social work students and practitioners. Her research focuses on prevention of health risk behaviors and academic failure among vulnerable adolescents, especially ethnic minority adolescents from economically disadvantaged households. Her work also examines barriers to implementing evidence-based practices in community agencies and strategies for overcoming these barriers. She has authored or co-authored over 50 publications in journals and texts and co-authored the book Research Methods for Evidence-Based Practice with John S. Wodarski.