Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice Flashcards
7 cards from real LSA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice flashcards as text
Which of the following is an example of a PICO question format used in evidence-based practice?
Answer: In adults with depression (P), does cognitive behavioral therapy (I) compared to medication alone (C) improve depressive symptoms (O)?
The PICO format structures clinical questions around Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome for focused and searchable evidence queries.
What is the primary advantage of using a standardized assessment tool over an informal clinical interview?
Answer: Standardized tools provide consistent, normed measurements that allow comparison across clients
Standardized tools offer established reliability, validity data, and normative comparisons, providing more consistent and comparable measurements than unstructured interviews.
A social worker notices that clients from minority backgrounds consistently score lower on a particular assessment tool than the clinical presentation seems to warrant. This concern most likely relates to which measurement issue?
Answer: Cultural bias in the assessment instrument
Cultural bias occurs when an assessment tool systematically disadvantages certain cultural groups, producing inaccurate scores unrelated to the actual condition being measured.
In research terminology, 'external validity' refers to which of the following?
Answer: The degree to which findings can be generalized to other populations and settings
External validity concerns the generalizability of research findings beyond the specific sample and setting to other populations and real-world contexts.
Which sampling method would provide the most representative sample of all social work clients served by a large agency?
Answer: Random sampling
Random sampling gives every member of the population an equal chance of selection, producing the most representative and unbiased sample.
A meta-analysis differs from a systematic review primarily in that it:
Answer: Statistically combines results from multiple studies to produce an overall effect size
A meta-analysis statistically pools data from multiple studies to calculate an overall effect size, providing a quantitative synthesis of the available evidence.
Which research design is best suited for studying the natural progression of a social problem over time within a specific community?
Answer: Longitudinal study
Longitudinal studies follow the same participants or phenomena over extended periods, making them ideal for tracking changes and the progression of social problems.