A Statewide Survey of Licensed Clinical Social Workers' Use of Practice Evaluation Procedures

Abstract

This study examined the approaches and methods used by licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) in the state of Utah to evaluate their own practice. The examination focused on the extent to which LCSWs used an empirical approach versus pragmatic indicators (e.g., client statements, practitioner observations, intuition, and inferences) to evaluate their practice. The questionnaire was adapted and modified from other studies to create two indexes: (a) the Empirical Practice and Evaluation index (EPE); and (b) the Pragmatic Self-Evaluation index (PSE). Ninety-six LCSWs returned questionnaires (56% return rate). Respondents were more comfortable with and more inclined to use pragmatic indicators, rather than empirical methods, to evaluate their practice effectiveness. The authors propose that social workers employ both empirical and pragmatic approaches to practice evaluation.