Reviews evaluation strategies that have been used to assess process and outcome of suicide intervention, ranging from macroanalyses of impact of crisis services on suicide rates in community to microanalyses of competence of individual suicide interventionists. Considers Suicide Intervention Response Inventory, self-administered test of suicide…

Illustrates use of time-series designs for determining efficacy of interventions with fictitious data describing drug-abuse prevention program. Discusses problems and procedures associated with time-series data analysis using Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Averages (ARIMA) models. Example illustrates application of ARIMA analysis for…

Presents a review of behavioral, cognitive, social support, and nutritional components of comprehensive weight control programs. Includes rationale for each treatment component, description of techniques, and relevant research. Claims counselors may assess the individual needs of clients and develop effective weight control programs that match…

As part of the American Psychological Association's centennial, this article presents a reprint of an original work published in 1952 in the "Journal of Consulting Psychology" examining the evidence relating to the actual effects of psychotherapy. (NB)

Describes nature and usefulness of process evaluation techniques, stressing their importance in understanding why and how drug treatment programs succeed and fail. Specific aspects of process evaluation discussed include topics for conducting such analyses, diverse data sources which should be accessed in thorough process evaluation, and decision…

Presents some recent developments in the evaluation of crime prevention and control programs, including the increased use of process evaluation models. Describes the nature, methods, and advantages of the idiographic (or single subject) model as used in social work. (JAC)

Describes the theoretical framework, measurement properties, predictive power, and reliability and validity of the Drug Education School Evaluation Instrument (DESEI), used to determine the effectiveness of the North Carolina Drug Education Schools. The DESEI is included. (BH)

School-based sexual abuse prevention programs implemented in grades K-6 are summarized according to mode and content of presentation, audience and trainer characteristics, and program length. Means for conducting systematic evaluations of these programs are needed in order to enable educators to decide relative advantages and disadvantages of…

Presents a brief rationale for selected aspects of program evaluation in counselor education. A brief description of instrument development, evaluation program objectives, and instrument uses and additional evaluation program components concludes with the presentation of a graduate follow-up instrument. (Author/JAC)

Discusses the experience of the 4-H program with the challenging Federally mandated evaluation. Explores how tensions around both design integrity and practicality were manifested and how this conflict affected a large scale evaluation. Also describes the design that 4-H employed to respond to the Congressional evaluation mandate. (Author/GC)

Several conventional approaches to conceptualization and the measurement of objectives in publicly funded, long-term home care for the non-institutionalized elderly are reviewed critically. The formulation of objectives which focus on immediate, desired consequences of services, and lend themselves to behavioral measurement, is proposed. The…

The Program Standards Evaluation System was developed in response to evaluation requirements in the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. The system includes procedures for using standards data to monitor and evaluate vocational rehabilitation (VR) service outcomes and outputs as well as standards on key procedural issues. This report, which is Appendix A of…

A conception of invalidity as bias is related to content validity for standardized achievement tests. A method of estimating content bias for each of three content domains (a priori, curricular, and instructional) based on the specification of a content taxonomy is also proposed. (Author/CM)

Discusses three measurement approaches to assessing quality of life for individuals with disabilities (quality of life as measure of life satisfaction across life domains, measure of adaptive functioning/environmental mastery, and measure of changes in response to services provided). Provides examples of approaches and discusses implications for…

Discusses the need for better integration of theory and measurement in the design and evaluation of marital communication skills training programs. Recommendations are presented for the use of self-report measures of marital communication and the evaluation of the family theory used in program design. (Author/JAC)