Social-cognitive predictors of readiness to use evidence-based practice: A survey of state vocational rehabilitation counselors

Abstract

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is receiving increased attention from vocational rehabilitation (VR) professionals as the demand for accountability in rehabilitation and healthcare systems expands. The purpose of the current study was to determine the level of understanding VR professionals have of EBP with specific attention to perceived self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, barriers, and readiness to use evidence in current practice. Data were collected from 396 rehabilitation counselors, who were recruited from four state VR agencies. Results indicate self-efficacy and outcome expectancy were positively associated with readiness to use EBP, and agency barriers and personal barriers were negatively related to readiness to use EBP. These socialcognitive predictors accounted for 44% of the variance in the stages of change scores, and outcome expectancy was the most significant predictor after controlling for the effect of perceived self-efficacy and barriers. To increase EBP among rehabilitation counselors, efforts should focus on increasing self-efficacy and outcome expectancy of EBP.

Perceived Preparedness to Implement Evidence-Based Practice by Certified Rehabilitation Counselors: A Qualitative Content Analysis

“…With the exception of a subgroup of counselors who disagreed with the implementation of EBP in rehabilitation counseling practice, rehabilitation counselors were generally supportive of the use of EBP in rehabilitation, which is consistent with findings from the previous three quantitative survey studies (Bezyak et al, 2010;Graham et al, 2013;Tansey et al, 2014). However, rehabilitation counselors in the current study provided more detailed descriptions of the specific barriers that preclude the actual use of EBP in rehabilitation counseling practice.…”

“…A majority of rehabilitation counselors in this study and others indicated that they did not have sufficient skills and knowledge to effectively implement EBP in daily practice (Bezyak et al, 2010;Tansey et al, 2014;Yaeda, Iwanaga, Fujikawa, & Bezyak, 2015). To narrow this gap in knowledge and implementation, rehabilitation educators, researchers, and practitioners must all work together to assure that EBP information and materials are accessible and useful to professionals in the provision of rehabilitation services.…”

“…Evidence-based practice (EBP) focuses on delivering services based on the strongest scientific evidence available. As a result, EBP has the potential to help rehabilitation counselors develop an ethical practice by protecting consumers from harmful ineffective interventions (nonmaleficence), improve efficiency in utilization of scarce resources (justice), and enable consumers to exercise self-determination and informed choice (autonomy; Chan et al, 2016; Chan et al, 2011; Chan, Tarvydas, Blalock, Strauser, & Atkins, 2009; Leahy & Arokiasamy, 2010; Tansey, Bezyak, Chan, Leahy, & Lui, 2014).…”

“…Although rehabilitation counselors hold generally favorable attitudes toward EBP, they also reported several challenges related to its implementation in actual practice (Bezyak, Kubota, & Rosenthal, 2010; Graham et al, 2013; Tansey et al, 2014). Therefore, the adoption of EBP in rehabilitation counseling would require major changes on the part of policymakers, educators, researchers, and direct service providers.…”

Utilizing the ICF to Enable Evidence-Based Practice Among Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors

“…For example, VR counselors may lack clinical judgment skills if they are relatively new, or they may have reduced competence in this skill when facing highly complex situations (Austin, 2018). Furthermore, VR counselors often face challenges in integrating EBP in VR settings (Tansey et al, 2014). Within this context, many VR counselors will find it difficult to individualize high quality, evidence-based services to each VR consumer.…”