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SOME PROBLEMS IN COMMUNITY PROGRAM EVALUATION RESEARCH

NCJ Number
55855
Journal
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Volume: 46 Issue: 4 Dated: (1978) Pages: 792-805
Author(s)
E L COWEN
Date Published
1978
Length
14 pages
Annotation
PROBLEMS IN EVALUATING COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED, WITH COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM EVALUATIVE RESEARCH THE CASE IN POINT.
Abstract
CERTAIN ERRORS IN DESIGNING AND CONDUCTING COMMUNITY SERVICE EVALUATION STUDIES FLOW NATURALLY FROM THE SPECIAL HAZARDS OF DOING RESEARCH IN THE COMMUNITY. THESE HAZARDS INCLUDE THE LOW PRIORITY EVALUATION THAT MAY EXIST IN THE AGENCY'S VALUE HIERARCHY, THE AGENCY'S VIEW OF THE EVALUATOR AS A 'FOREIGN BODY', THE THREAT THAT EVALUATION POSES TO A PROGRAM'S FUNDING OR PERSONNEL, PROBLEMS IN GAINING ENTRY TO COMMUNITY SYSTEMS, THE COMPLEX RESEARCH DEMANDS IMPOSED BY LONGITUDINAL PROGRAMS, THE VULNERABILITY OF SUCH PROGRAMS TO CHANGE, THE INVOLVEMENT OF COMMUNITY REVIEW GROUPS, AND GROWING CONCERN ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS AND INVASION OF PRIVACY. A KEY OBSTACLE TO SOUND EVALUATION STUDIES IS THAT THE GOALS OF THE RESEARCHER AND THOSE OF THE AGENCY FREQUENTLY WORK AT CROSS PURPOSES. AGAINST THIS BACKDROP, SPECIFIC PROBLEMS IN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIVE RESEARCH RELATE TO SOURCES OF DATA BIAS, ISSUES OF DESIGN, THE CHOICE AND USE OF CRITERIA, AND EXPERIMENTAL CONTROL. ALTHOUGH COMMUNITY PROGRAM EVALUATION STUDIES CAN BE IMPROVED, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE PURITY OF LABORATORY RESEARCH WILL EVER BE ACHIEVED. CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS MAY HAVE TO COME ABOUT SLOWLY AND CUMULATIVELY, BASED ON THE CONVERGENCE OF FINDINGS FROM MANY INDIVIDUAL, LESS-THAN-IDEAL OUTCOME STUDIES. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)