Applying intervention research framework in program design and refinement: a pilot study of youth leadership, compassion, and advocacy program

ABSTRACT

Given social workers’ role in developing programs to respond to social issues, it is important to offer examples on how to apply all steps of intervention research to ensure the development of evidence-informed interventions. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how one specific intervention research framework was applied in the development and refinement of an intervention aimed to foster youth compassion, leadership, and advocacy skills. Further, specific group work skills embedded in the design of the intervention will be shared as well as results from an initial pilot study completed to aid in the further refinement of the curriculum-guided group program.

KEYWORDS:

• Group work
• intervention research
• advocacy
• group work with adolescents
• leadership development
• social change

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was endorsed and funded through the International Association for Social Work with Groups SPARC Program.