Teaching BSW Research with an Experimental Design Study

Abstract

This paper presents a mental health module for adoption in the latter weeks of the basic BSW research course, to introduce students to experimental designs. Utilizing a research report of a study comparing two community mental health treatment approaches, in which an experimental design was employed without denying or compromising services to any clients, the module reviews basic mental health/mental illness concepts and the debate about the DSM. This article explains how the module fits into the research and BSW curricula; reviews and critiques the article; describes in detail the content of the teaching module, with suggested class exercises and assignments; and identifies supplemental readings.