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BJSW Advance Access originally published online on August 9, 2007
British Journal of Social Work 2008 38(8):1630-1647; doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcm071
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.

Evidence-Based Practice: An Exploration of the Effectiveness of Voluntary Sector Services for Victims of Community Violence*

Karola Dillenburger, Montserrat Fargas and Rym Akhonzada

Correspondence to Dr. Karola Dillenburger, School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, The Queen’s University of Belfast, 6 College Park, Belfast BT7 1LP, N. Ireland. E-mail: k.dillenburger{at}qub.ac.uk


  Abstract

While there is some debate about what should be considered submissible evidence, there is no doubt that evidence-based practice has become accepted as a benchmark for service delivery in almost all areas of social work. This is not yet the case in the voluntary sector. Yet, social workers and service users rely heavily on voluntary sector services. In this paper, the effectiveness of voluntary sector services for victims of community violence is explored. Using Northern Ireland as a case in point, a time-series study was carried out with seventy-five service users who completed a research inventory (including GHQ-30, BDI-II and PDS) up to four times across a nine to twelve-month period. Additional stressful life events that occurred during this time period were considered and social validity of services was assessed. The results showed that despite detrimental effects of additional life stresses, psychological health and depression scores improved for all service users. Some community-based services (befriending) and some complementary therapies (reflexology) were significantly related to these improvements. Changes in post-traumatic stress disorder symptom severity were not significant. Social validity data were strongly in favour of voluntary sector services.

Keywords: evidence-based practice, GHQ-30, BDI-II, PDS, DISC, community-based services, Northern Ireland, trauma, violence


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