Evidence-Based Curricular Guidelines for Statistical Education in Social Work

Abstract

The types of statistical analyses used in more than 800 journal articles commonly cited by social workers were examined and comparisons of statistical analyses used in this published research were made between journal articles published in the late 1980s and early 2000. The data clearly indicate little has changed in the statistical methods used by social workers during the past 15 years. This analysis is used to suggest concrete evidence-based curricular guidelines in social work statistical education that meet the governing bodies (Council on Social Work Education and Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work) objectives, and attends to and further enhances the process of incremental statistical learning across all levels of education, with more advanced requirements with each program degree.

Key Words:

• Statistical analysis
• social work
• vertical integration
• curricular guidelines
• evidence-based