Measuring Strength-Based Practice
 A growing number of human services programs claim to be using a strengths-based approach in their work. While these agencies and programs certainly "talk the talk" of strengths-based practice, it is unclear whether the services and supports they offer actually reflect a strengths orientation.
A recent article by RTC researcher Beth Green and colleagues* describes the development of a new tool for measuring strengths-based practice in social service programs. This tool, the Strengths-Based Practices Inventory , includes four interrelated subscales that the researchers defined based on the analysis of their data. The first subscale assesses the extent to which practice fosters empowerment, encouraging program participants to mobilize their own skills and resources to meet needs and achieve goals. The second subscale measures the extent to which practice is culturally competent, demonstrating respect for participants' culture, beliefs, history, and background. The third subscale assesses whether program staff are knowledgeable and supportive, and the final subscale focuses on whether staff encourage participants to strengthen bonds with friends, family, and community.
Among these subscales, the one that focused on empowerment appeared to be most central in the overall definition of strengths-based practice. Below, we reproduce the items from that subscale:
- The program staff help me to see strengths in myself I didn't know I had.
- The program staff help me to use my own skills and resources to solve problems.
- The program staff work together with me to meet my needs.
- The program staff help me to see that I am a good parent.
- The program staff encourage me to think about my own personal goals or dreams.
We invite you to post your opinions or comments related to strengths-based practice generally, or to the items in this measure. Here are some questions you might want to consider:
- Does the "picture" painted by the items reflect your understanding of strengths-based practice?
- How do you know if you see strengths-based practice? What is the single most important thing providers can do to be strengths-based in their interactions?
- Is it important to have a measure for strengths-based practice? If so, is this sort of survey approach the most appropriate?
As always, we look forward to hearing from you!
* Green, B. L., McAllister, C. L., & Tarte, J. (2004). The Strengths-Based Practices Inventory: A tool for measuring strengths-based service delivery in early childhood and family support programs. Families in Society, 85 , 326-334.
Your thoughts…
Comments:
 I agree that questions, such as the example provided, give some sense of strengths based practice from the client view. However, the point made by other posters related to the possibility of a halo effect, indicates a need for an observational tool as a supplement to the client questionnaire to truly assess strengths based practice. These tools are not only helpful for assessment, but can also be used as a training tool, indicating behavioral goals for those in training to achieve strengths based practice. As a trainer for Head Start and other early childhood education programs, I would find this tool most helpful.
Linda Scheer Posted Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 07:25 AM
The article has the scale in it too, though you may be able to get more details from the author. Posted Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 08:16 AM
To get a copy of the scale, you could email Beth Green at green@npcresearch.com Posted Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 08:15 AM
As the PI on a community system of care grant I was frustrated with evaluation measures that were required. They were good at documenting sevre emotional/behavioral problems, but insensitive to the treatment gains (outcome); because the individual with chronic mental illness was of course still mentally ill. The true outcomes of quiality of life and coping rarely were measured.
I like simple and unintrusive measures for families like the questions above. Additionally, I strongly believe the millions spent on the past evaluation should in large part be focused and evaluating the management/ administrative level of the system as that is where sustainability needs a stable foundation.
For example: Federally Qualified Health Center Policy defines a billable visit as "within the four wall of the clinic" therefore, any homebased, Wrap around, or off site casemanagement is not billable according to Federal Dept. of Medicare and Medicaid, while the Dept. HHS SAMSA is spending millions to develop these services, but wonders why it is difficult to sustain??? Your tax dollars at work. Posted Friday, April 22, 2005 by Dr. Devers at 01:17 PM
If a program got all high scores on each of these questions, I think we could say with come confidence that they are using a strengths approach. What we need now is better ways to define and teach the skills that people can use so that their clients will want to respond with high marks on a scale like this. So we need a step back not just knowing about what our clients feel about our services, but knowing what exactly we need to do to communicate with our clients and offer help/support that is strengths based. Posted Thursday, April 21, 2005 at 01:33 PM
As a homeless MHC, with addiction issues I can tell you that the above items are met in full by the project I was fortunate enough to be accepted to almost 2 years ago. During this time I have been encouraged to re-evaluate the low opion I had of myself, set asside the lables my former providers had given me (couch surfer, Mentally ill, alcoholic.)and use the strengths and survival technics I learned in order to stay alive on the streets as attributes to build a new life for myself. I was soon able to gain employment in the clinical skills Edu. department of a local university. I was able to achieve this on my own, with the "you really CAN do anything you want to" support system this project offers to all 230 of us. We are membership (client) operated with staff support.
I am giving up my employement with IU to be the model Peer to Peer Support Specialist/Wrap trainer for this project. This is a 25 hour a week payed position. I "graduate" from the project today and start work Monday.
I am no longer labeled "couch surfer," mentally ill and alcohalic as I was when involved in maintence based agencys. It takes effort from your consumer to move from the mindset of symptom maintence to taking personal responsibility for ones own recovery. Ruth Summers Posted Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 11:22 PM
This is a step in the right direction, but I think that to be truly sure we are doing S/B practice, we need to take some time to observe and evaluate the actual techniques used to communicate the SB posture and the quality of the interactions between providers and program participants (as well as doing less labor intensive things such as using a measure like this). Without this information we don't know if we're getting more of a halo effect. In some studies that try to measure empowerment, there is the related problem of finding people who are so grateful to be listened to at all that they rate the scale at the ve5ry top at the outset. Then as time goes on and their expectations become greater, scores decline-- call that the honeymoon effect. Finally, without a good sense of what people are actually doing to communicate a SB posture we don't have good info about how to remedy problems when we encounter them. Posted Tuesday, April 19, 2005 at 06:15 PM
I aree that these questions have come along way, I would like to know if we can measure at the same time how many home services are provided and does this make a difference on the strength that the caregiver fells.It has been my experience that when service meet the families needs they tend to fell that they are useing their strengths. Posted Tuesday, April 19, 2005 at 02:26 PM
I agree that these items reflect strengths-based practice.
I just returned from a CQI review on child welfare practices. The format for this review is based on random cases selected from a region of the state and is similar to the CFSR process. In-home and out-of-home families are interviewed as well. One question we asked did, I believe, reflect a strenght-based practice. The question is "Did you feel like a member of the professional team?" While this primarialy fits with out-of-home care providers, I felt it provided a way to measure strenght-based practice. The addition of the items you have developed would enhance this greatly.
Thanks for your good work,
Alberta Dooley Posted Tuesday, April 19, 2005 at 01:25 PM
Post a Comment:
Return to
Current Featured Discussions Page
Top |
