SOCW 6311 wk 8 peer responses

Wk 7 responses SOCW 6311

Cedric Brown 

RE: Discussion - Week 7

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Post a logic model and theory of change for a practitioner-level intervention.

Children/Students with substance abuse issues

Input steps

· Identify substance abuse with teen that caused the child to get kicked out of school.

· Provide family and caregivers appropriate materials that is needed for dealing with someone who has substance abuse issues.

Program activities

· Provides substance abuse classes for the child as well as classes for the parents to know how to cope with them.

Output steps

· Have all parties involved attend all of the required meetings that are provided by the program.

Initial outcomes

· Both the parents and the client will be knowledgeable about the dangers and how to deal with the individual who suffers from substance abuse.

Intermediate outcomes

· Parents are knowledgeable about behaviors and tendencies of the client.

· The client who suffers from substance abuse will know the effects of drug use.

· The client will abstain from drug use.

Long-term outcomes

· Client will not participate in any illegal drug use.

· Client will have a healthy and high quality of life (Randolph, 2010).

 

Describe the types of problems, the client needs, and the underlying causes of problems and unmet needs.

     The problem that the teen faces is that they have been kicked out of school for drug use. The client’s needs are that they feel like they are not important and found a crowd that they felt like they belonged to and started to use drugs. Some of the unmet needs that they have are not feeling accepted, loved, or that they belong.

Identify the short- and long-term outcomes that you think would represent an improved condition.

     Short-term outcomes that would represent an improved condition are the client acknowledging that they have a problem and are willing to seek help. Also, the willingness to accept the services being provided to them. A long-term outcome that would represent an improved condition is no more use of any illegal substance going forward.

Then describe interventions that would lead to a change in the presenting conditions.

     An intervention that would fit this client and their family is Family Behavior Therapy (FBT). FBT is an evidence-based treatment option where family members are taught to use behavioral strategies to learn new skills to improve their home environment (Family-Based Approaches, n.d.). During the treatment, all parties involved set goals for behavior for preventing substance use and reducing risky behaviors. Goals are rewarded at each session as an incentive to continue on the right path (Family-Based Approaches, n.d.).

 

Cedric

 

Reference

Family-Based Approaches (n.d.). https://www.drugabuse.gov

Randolph, K.A. (2010). Logic Models. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research

     methods (2nd ed., pp. 547-562). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (PDF)

McKenna Bull 

RE: Discussion - Week 7

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Randolph (2010) suggests that logic models are diagrams of the relationship between a need that a program is designed to address and the actions or interventions taken to address the need and achieve program outcomes (p. 547). This type of model can help practitioners to better understand how various components of a program are intertwined, and connected, and how these components may potentially aid in achieving program goals/outcomes.

Describe the types of problems, the client needs, and the underlying causes of problems and unmet needs.

The primary population for this particular logic model will be adolescent females within a residential treatment center. The presenting problem for this particular population presents as poor emotion regulation, and lack of impulse control. This problem presents in a number of different ways depending on the client and various particulars with their history. Some of the ways in which this lack of emotion regulation and lack of impulse control presents may include: verbal aggression, physical aggression, self-harm, isolation, homicidal ideation, suicidal ideation, etc. Though the presentation varies from individual to individual, it seems that there is often one variable that is common amongst each of the girls. This factor is trauma, and having experienced trauma.  

It could be that a need of this population is to be in a stable, safe environment. Many of these adolescents hail from less than savvy home environments, and often times these home environments exposed them to high levels of traumatic events, or could be the source of the emotion dysregulation. Another need could be to learn coping skills and techniques to help them manage their emotions and impulses more appropriately. It seems that many of these adolescents have not had the chance to learn a number of pro-social behaviors, and coping skills that many other children/adolescents have learned in their youth. Finally, it seems that a need of the client population may be receiving a therapeutically sounds, evidence-based treatment to help them overcome their trauma.

It appears that a primary underlying cause of the problem could be trauma itself. Much of the dysregulation and impulsivity seems to be a result of trauma experienced at a younger age.

Identify the short- and long-term outcomes that you think would represent an improved condition.

Short-term outcomes are those client changes or benefits that are most immediately associated with the program’s outputs (Randolph, 2020, p. 550). In this case, some of the short-term outcomes that may represent an improved condition amongst this population could be things such as: (1) improved emotion regulation and impulse control as evidenced by less incidents of self-harm, verbal aggression, physical aggression, decreased thoughts of homicide or suicide, etc., (2) increased levels of engagement in school, therapy, peer interactions, and (3) ability to communicate emotions and feelings in an appropriate, pro-social manner.

Long-term outcomes are also referred to as program impacts or program goals (Randolph, 2010, p. 550). Long-term outcomes for this population may be reflected as follows: (1) maintained ability to regulate emotions and manage impulses (similar evidence as before), and (2) the ability to function and engage in society, maintain employment, be self-sufficient, and engage in appropriate relationships with partners, friends, and family.

Then describe interventions that would lead to a change in the presenting conditions.

The intervention identified for this population could be a combination of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and prolonged exposure (PE). Lang et al. (2018) suggests that DBT’s skills, modalities and commitment strategies make it effective for stabilizing high-risk behaviors and possibly even unstable home environments, addressing generalized difficulties with interpersonal functioning and emotion regulation, but it does not necessarily address trauma. For trauma, this same study suggests utilizing PE as a treatment modality in congruence with DBT. Both DBT and PE have been proven effective in treating adolescents. It has been suggested that the integration of DBT and PE to treat adolescents who have experienced trauma, are presenting with high-risk behaviors, and emotion dysregulation could be of great benefit to this ever growing population (Lang et al., 2018, p. 416). Based on the identified problem(s), needs of the population, underlying factors, and desired outcomes, it seems that this DBT-PE approach could prove useful in providing adequate care to these young girls.

References (Be sure to search for and cite resources that inform your views).

Lang, C. M., Edwards, A. J., Mittler, M. A., & Bonavitacola, L. (2018). Dialectical behavior therapy with prolonged exposure for adolescents: Rationale and review of the research. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 25(3), 416–426. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2017.12.005

Randolph, K. A. (2010). Logic models. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp. 547-562). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

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RESPONSE

Dear Cedric Brown,

Excellent post on this week’s discussion topic on the logic model and theory of change for a practitioner-level intervention. I agree with the points you have put across concerning an intervention for children or students with substance abuse problems. Some of the strengths of the logic model involve its plan to offer classes to both the child and their parents on how to deal with the problem of substance abuse. Another strength is the use of Family Behavior Therapy (FBT) to prevent substance abuse and reduce risky behaviors (Randolph, 2010). However, there are a few weaknesses to this logic model which include the assumptions both the children and their parents will agree to join the program. Another weakness is that the program does not put into consideration the fact that the program may not work on some children and end up abusing drugs again.

The best way to understand the issue of substance abuse among teens and how it affects their education can be understood by researching the root of the problem. Problems such as drug use by parents, past traumatic experiences, and abuses at home are among the common cause of substance use among teens (Tice,  Lipari, & Van Horn, 2017). The intervention will work better and produce more positive outcomes if the root cause of the issue of drug use among the teen is well understood.

References

Randolph, K. A. (2010). Logic models. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp. 547-562). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Tice, P., Lipari, R. N., & Van Horn, S. L. (2017). Substance use among 12th grade aged youths, by dropout status. The CBHSQ report.

RESPONSE

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Dear McKenna Bull,

Great discussion post! You have, in great depth, detailed very important points on a logic model that can be used to offer intervention to adolescent females with poor emotion regulation, and lack of impulse control. I agree with you on all the different aspects you have touched concerning the handling of this problem. Some of the strengths of your logic model involve the need to identify the primary cause of this behavior among the target population which in this case our have identified child trauma. The other strength is the intervention programs you have proposed to use in this case which includes dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and prolonged exposure (PE) (Randolph, 2010). However, the logic model presents a weakness in the assumption that past traumatic experiences are the sole root cause of such behaviors.

The problem of poor emotion regulation and lack of impulse control especially among adolescent girls can be a result of many factors including trauma, drug use, and a victim of bullying, genetic factors, and exposure to violence in media among others (Schick, & Cierpka, 2016). Thus, determining what exactly is the cause of the poor emotion regulation and lack of impulse control can help to devise the best intervention for the patients for improved results.

References

Randolph, K. A. (2010). Logic models. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp. 547-562). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Schick, A., & Cierpka, M. (2016). Risk factors and prevention of aggressive behavior in children and adolescents. Journal for educational research online, 8(1), 90-109.

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