Assignment: Creating a Single-System (Subject) Design Study

The steps at the heart of single-system (subject) research are part of the everyday practice of social work. Each day social workers implement interventions to meet clients’ needs and monitor results. However, conducting proper single-system (subject) research entails far more than these simple day-to-day practices. Proper single-system research requires a high degree of knowledge and commitment. Social workers must fully understand the purpose of single-system (subject) research and the variations of single-system (subject) design. They must develop a hypothesis based upon research and select the right design for testing it. They must ensure the reliability and validity of the data to be collected and know how to properly analyze and evaluate that data. This assignment asks you to rise to the challenge of creating a proposal for a single-subject research study.

To prepare for this Assignment, imagine that you are the social worker assigned to work with Paula Cortez (see the case study, “Social Work Research: Single Subject” in this week’s resources). After an initial assessment of her social, medical, and psychiatric problems, you develop a plan for intervention. You also develop a plan to monitor progress in your work with her using measures that can be evaluated in a single-system research design. As a scholar practitioner, you rely on research to help plan your intervention and your evaluation plan.

Complete the Cortez Family interactive media in this week’s resources. Conduct a literature search related to the chronic issues related to HIV/AIDS and bipolar mental disorder. Search for additional research related to assessing outcomes and theoretical frameworks appropriate for this client. For example, your search could include terms such as motivational interviewing and outcomes and goal-oriented practice and outcomes. You might also look at the NREPP database identified in Week 1, to search for interventions related to mental health and physical health.

Provide a 5-page proposal/research plan for single-system (subject) evaluation for your work with Paula Cortez. 

· Identify the problems that you will target and the outcomes you will measure

· Select an appropriate intervention or interventions (including length of time)

· Identify an appropriate evaluation plan.

Also, Include a description of:

• The problem(s) that are the focus of treatment
• The intervention approach, including length of time, so      that it can be replicated
  • A summary of the literature       that you reviewed that led you to select this intervention approach
• The purpose for conducting a single-system (subject)      research evaluation
• The measures for evaluating the outcomes and observing      change including:
  • Evidence from your       literature search about the nature of the measures
  • The validity and       reliability of the measures
  • How baseline measures will       be obtained
  • How often follow-up       measures will be administered
• The criteria that you would use to determine whether      the intervention is effective
• How the periodic measurements could assist you in your      ongoing work with Paula

Must contain at least 5 references and citations from the following Required Readings:

Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.
Chapter 9, “Is the Intervention Effective?” (pp. 226-244: Read from “Client Satisfaction & Effectiveness” to “Target Problem Scale”)

Document: Corcoran, K., & Hozack, N. (2010). Locating assessment instruments. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp. 65–74). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (PDF)
Copyright 2010 by Sage Publications, Inc.
Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Document: Mattaini, M. A. (2010). Single-system studies. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp. 241–273). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (PDF)
Copyright 2010 by Sage Publications, Inc.
Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Read the following section:
“Social Work Research: Single Subject” (pp. 70–72)

Tankersley, M., Cook, B. G., & Cook, L. (2008). A Preliminary Examination to Identify the Presence of Quality Indicators in Single-subject Research. Education & Treatment of Children, 31(4), 523-548