SSW Research & Evidence-Based Practice 2

Question 1

A school social worker wants to evaluate whether a new anti-bullying program is effective. Which research design provides the strongest evidence of causality?

Accepted Answer

Randomized controlled trial with control group

Answer

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the gold standard for establishing causality because random assignment controls for confounding variables.

Question 2

When reviewing a research article, a school social worker notices the p-value is 0.03. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

There is a 3% probability the results occurred by chance

Answer

A p-value of 0.03 means there is a 3% probability that the observed results occurred by chance if the null hypothesis were true.

Question 3

A school social worker uses motivational interviewing with students. This approach is best described as which type of evidence-based practice?

Accepted Answer

Well-supported treatment with multiple RCTs

Answer

Motivational interviewing has been supported by numerous randomized controlled trials across diverse populations, classifying it as a well-supported treatment.

Question 4

Which sampling method would best ensure a representative sample of all students in a large urban school district for a needs assessment?

Accepted Answer

Stratified random sampling by school and grade

Answer

Stratified random sampling ensures proportional representation across key subgroups (schools, grades), maximizing generalizability to the full district.

Question 5

A school social worker is conducting a focus group with parents about mental health services. This is an example of what type of data collection?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative primary data collection

Answer

Focus groups collect rich narrative data directly from participants (primary) in a qualitative format, exploring perspectives and experiences in depth.

(SSW) School Social Worker Practice Test

(SSW) School Social Worker Practice Test

SSW Research & Evidence-Based Practice 2