A Reflection on Reasons, Preconditions, and Effects of Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Social Work

Over the past decade, there has been an increasing recognition that social work should be evidence based. The potential contribution of evidence-based practice (EBP) to the effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability of social work education and practice has been emphasized (Gambrill, 1999, 2007; Gellis & Reid, 2004; Gilgun 2005; Thyer, 2004). This article reflects on reasons, preconditions, and effects of adopting EBP in social work. These issues are important but are rarely examined. We find that the proponents of EBP in social work are conservative toward the problem that research evidence is not used by practitioners. They neglect the preconditions for implementing EBP and are not sensitive to the negative effects of adopting EBP in social work. Adapted from the source document.