How clinical social workers evaluate practice

Abstract

This study sought to determine how psychodynamically oriented clinical social workers formulate problems, monitor progress, and evaluate change in their own words. Drawing from a purposive national sample of 29 clinicians, this qualitative study found strong engagement in empirically grounded practice evaluation. Problems formulation was portrayed as a complex, challenging process that may take some time; monitoring of progress and summative evaluation were ongoing and not seen as distinct processes. Managed care influenced most of the sample's views regarding evaluation, but master's level training was not portrayed as a strong influence on practice evaluation.