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Despite concerns around the use of technology-based interventions, they are increasingly being employed by social workers as a direct practice methodology to address the mental health needs of vulnerable clients. Researchers have highlighted the importance of using innovative technologies within social work practice, yet little has been done to summarize the evidence and collectively assess findings. In this systematic review, we describe accounts of technology-based mental health interventions delivered by social workers over the past 10 years. Results highlight the impacts of these tools and summarize advantages and disadvantages to utilizing technologies as a method for delivering or facilitating interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the globe, social workers serve schools in a variety of capacities, providing services such as skills training; individual, group, and family counseling; crisis intervention; home visits; parent support and education; and advocacy for students, families, and school systems. To date, no synthesis of the literature exists examining tier 1 and tier 2 cross-national school-based social work interventions. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was twofold: (1) to identify tier 1 and tier 2 school-based interventions that involve social workers and (2) to examine the extent to which the interventions are efficacious with school-based youths. A computerized search with inclusion and exclusion criteria was conducted using several databases. Eighteen studies were included for the final sample in this review. Effect sizes were calculated for all outcomes to determine magnitude of treatment effect. Results indicated that most of the studies were conducted in the United States (n= 14) and half (n = 9) of the included interventions were tier 1. Many positive effect sizes were found. Interventions aimed to treat a variety of outcomes such as sexual health, aggression, self-esteem, school attendance, identity, and depression. More research is needed to determine the effectiveness of school-based social work worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers provide services to a variety of clients and are challenged with finding interventions that meet the multifaceted needs of diverse populations. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is becoming an increasingly popular therapy that offers flexibility and effectiveness in treating challenging cases. The purpose of this review is to provide social work researchers and practitioners with an explanation of the clinical application of ACT. The article provides a systematic review of the existing efficacy of ACT with various health illnesses. The authors gathered articles from multiple databases that investigated ACT as an intervention with psychological and physiological health illnesses and calculated corresponding effect sizes. Effect sizes indicated that ACT is a promising intervention for those with anxiety disorders, depression, psychosis, trichotillomania, epilepsy, chronic skin picking, and diabetes. The research on ACT and its promising applications to help clients with various health illnesses provide social workers with promising alternatives for approaching challenging illnesses. Although the empirical base continues to show promise for ACT, additional research using larger sample sizes and more rigorous designs is needed before more definitive claims can be made about the effectiveness of ACT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Schools are large providers of mental health services for children and adolescents. Recent educational policy initiatives at the federal level have ushered in Response to Intervention and school-wide behavior supports that have potential to involve teachers in school mental health interventions. Little research exists investigating the involvement of teachers in school mental health services or the level of efficacy associated with teachers providing these services. This paper conducts a systematic review to investigate the extent to which teachers a) are the primary school-based service providers, b) collaboratively work with other professionals to provide services, and c) what levels of interventions within the Response to Intervention (RTI) framework apply to these interventions. This paper further evaluates how efficacious teachers and school mental health professionals are in impacting outcomes in previous studies. Results indicated that out of the 49 school mental health studies analyzed, teachers were actively involved in 40.8% of mental health interventions evaluated, and were the sole providers of interventions in 18.4% of the studies. It was also found that many of these school mental health interventions were universal (Tier 1) and took place in the classrooms. Further examination of findings suggested that different personnel, such as school mental health professionals and teachers, achieved similar outcomes across the studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]