The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic andStatistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) is both dominant and controversial as a clinical tool for social workers. However, few studies have assessed how social workers actually use DSM-IV in their clinical practice. A national study using a 72-item questionnaire was conducted with a random sample of 558 of the 7,000 social workers listed in the 1999 Register of Clinical Social Workers. The questionnaire assessed frequency and importance of using DSM-IV. Findings reflected that 78.9% of social workers used DSM often to always, 85.9% gave a DSM diagnosis often to always, but only 50% of social workers would use DSM if not required. Most common reasons for using DSM were to bill insurance (92.6% rated often to always) and to assess clients (78% rated often to always). Likewise, when rating importance of using DSM, the two most important reasons were to bill insurance (90.9% rated very to Paul Frazer and Iris Phillips are Assistant Professors in the 326 SOCIAL WORK IN MENTAL HEALTHextremely important) and to assess clients (58% rated very to extremely important). Agency social workers rated 6 of 11 reasons more important than private practice social workers although both settings rated billing for insurance as most important. Study confirms the importance of DSM in assessing clients and billing for insurance. The authors recommend research to better understand how social workers define assessment and clarify insurance/employer pressure to use DSM.

The purpose of this investigation was to compare how teachers rate themselves with how students rate their teachers on the Teacher Efficacy the External Influences Scale, a scale designed to assess teachers' efficacy in the area of classroom organization and discipline. The participants in this study were seventh-and eighth-grade teachers and their students in a middle school located in a metropolitan area of a midsized, midwestern community in the United States. There were 710 students and 18 teachers participating in this study. The researchers found five of the 13 scale items were statistically significant. The results show that teachers have a positive influence on students' behavior, teachers may relate to most difficult students, teachers might compensate for students' home experiences through good teaching, some students may not respond to any teacher intervention, and students who report being disciplined at home were unlikely to accept discipline at school. This study suggests how the results might improve the collaborative relationships between teachers and students.

This exploratory study conducted at a mid-sized American Midwestern metropolitan university explores service-learning. The study describes the characteristics of students choosing service-learning and examines learning from the students’ perspective. A survey instrument was used to assess the attitudes of 500 randomly selected students, some of whom participated in service-learning projects. Their responses were contrasted with students who did not participate in a service-learning opportunity. The results of this study create a profile of students’ perception of service-learning.

Drug Courts offer alternative sentencing for individuals with drug-related criminal charges, and although there is no mandate requiring a social worker to be a member of the team, this case study concludes that social workers have a unique purpose on the professional team resulting from their generalist and specialist knowledge and skills. The use of this knowledge and skill is illustrated in this descriptive account of the role of a social worker in a midwestern county in the United States. The implication of this case study suggests social workers should be included on drug court teams.

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