Gonzalez, Manny J.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between licensed clinical social workers' (LCSWs) skepticism and knowledge about dissociative identity disorder (DID) and their accurate diagnosis of the disorder as moderated by specialized training about DID and/or postmaster’s experience with diagnosis and treatment of the disorder. The following research questions guided the study.
• RQ1a. Is there a relationship between LCSWs’ level of skepticism and level of knowledge about DID.
• RQ1b. Is there a relationship between LCSWs’ level of skepticism and accurate diagnosis of the disorder?
• RQ1c. Is there a relationship between LCSWs’ level of knowledge about DID and accurate diagnosis of the disorder?
• RQ2a. Does specialized training about DID affect the diagnostic accuracy of the disorder?
• RQ2b. Does post-master’s clinical experience with diagnosing and treating DID affect the diagnostic accuracy of the disorder?
Using a cross-sectional research design and informed by philosophical underpinnings of epistemology and skepticism and Kahneman’s model of diagnostic reasoning (Kahneman, 2011), the data for this study were collected via an online survey of randomly selected LCSWs (N=85) in Florida. The survey consisted of a diagnostic vignette with a very short answer (VSA) response, the Skepticism and Knowledge Scales (SKS) comprising 11 items that assess skepticism, six items that assess knowledge, and 13 distractor items (Hayes & Mitchell, 1994), and a demographic questionnaire with 12 items, two of which quantified specialized training about and clinical experience with DID.

The purpose of this study was to explore how social work practitioners employed in schools perceive their level of competency in suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention and to identify educational and professional challenges specific to this area of inquiry. This study sought to explore the following research questions: 1) How do school social workers perceive their level of competency in suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention with at-risk suicidal children and youth? 2) What are school social workers educational or professional challenges in providing suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention? This research study was predicated on a qualitative research design and conventional content analysis. The research design allowed for an in-depth examination of school social workers’ ability to make critical decisions when providing suicide prevention, assessment and intervention to youth at risk of suicide. The findings of this study suggest that, despite past and current education, training, and clinical practice experience working with at-risk suicidal youth, continual training is necessary in increasing perceived professional competency and addressing familial, organizational and societal challenges pertinent to at-risk suicidal youth.