Social Work Commons^™

Evaluating Between The Lines: Problematizing Voice, Power, And Politics In Goal Based And Goal Free Evaluation Methods, Buba Dicko

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

Voice, power, organizational politics, and evaluators’ worldview are in constant flux in social program evaluation. Every social program rolls out based on assumptions on a theory of change (TOC) while every evaluation is also guided by request for evaluation proposal (RFP) operationalized through an evaluation scope of work (SOW). The TOC and evaluation RFPs are likely to carry strong undercurrents of power and politics likely to limit the choice of evaluation methods, tools, and processes due to the prescriptive and compliance-inducing tone. Social program evaluator is in constant dilemma of negotiating rigor amidst pressure of compliance and evaluator subjective worldviews. …

Ethical And Methodological Challenges Of Implementing Social Work Survey Research In Schools: A Perspective From The Suburban United States, Chrisann Newransky, Stavroula Kyriakakis, Karishma D. Samaroo, Delores D. Owens, Azahah Abu Hassan Shaari

International Journal of School Social Work

Many researchers view schools as the ideal setting to study social and behavioral interventions with youth. As trusted community-based organizations, schools are natural partners for social work researchers who focus on bridging the needs of the most vulnerable populations. Awareness and consideration of critical issues related to conducting research within the school system enables social work researchers to plan and conduct rigorous studies while developing sustainable partnerships with schools. This article outlines key ethical and methodological challenges of conducting school-based survey research, and shares lessons learned and recommendations from the evaluation of a dating violence prevention curriculum implemented in U.S. …

Planning And Presenting A Yearly Informational Conference For Grandfamilies, Susan M. Collins 3512464

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Abstract

This practice brief describes the planning and implementation of a local yearly conference for grandparents raising grandchildren. The conference was first held in 2002, and today is offered by a task force consisting of Area Agency on Aging staff, grandparents, Human Service program staff, representatives of various provider agencies and organizations, and academics from a local university. This practice brief describes funding, venue, logistics of the conference day, topics of most interest over the years, and the challenge of reaching grandfamilies. Also described is how evaluation by grandparents has helped the conference evolve to remain relevant and meaningful for …

Community Programs - Evaluating Benefits For Lgbtq Youth: A Program Evaluation Of The Pridelead Program At Youth Services Of Glenview/Northbrook, Michael Bandy

University Honors Program Senior Projects

The objective of this research is to determine how LGBTQ+ youth benefit from the series of programming created for them by Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook. This study specifically focused on the PrideLEAD group, which is made up of high school students who identify as LGBTQ+, who are there to learn leadership skills. This study focused on how the program impacts their self-esteem, their confidence, the way they view the world, the way they handle discrimination when they are faced with it, and how they view their own strengths and challenges as leaders. The survey sought to answer three specific questions …

Experiences And Challenges Of Social Workers Providing Services To Elderly Veterans, Maritza Rivera-Moret

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The social work practice problem of this doctoral action research project was the unmet mental health needs of veterans 65 and older in Puerto Rico. This action research project explored the experiences and challenges of social workers when they offer mental health services to veterans 65 and older. This study was framed using social support theory, integrating the 3 core elements of tangible support, emotional support, and informational support. The data collection technique included a semistructured interview protocol used in a focus group setting. Purposive sampling was used to identify 9 participants who were licensed social workers in Puerto Rico. …

Evaluating Child Maltreatment Prevention Programs & Services: A Qualitative Study, Laura Abrass

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This is a qualitative study looking at the model of child maltreatment prevention programs within a large Midwest metropolitan area. The rate of child maltreatment is alarmingly high in the United States as over 40,000 children die of homicide every year due to child maltreatment (World Health Organization, 2014). Research suggests that there are many factors that can increase the likelihood of a parent maltreating their child including having a stressful home environment, family history of abusive tendencies, substance abuse, or other stressors. With aims of addressing these risk factors associated with child maltreatment, parenting support and skills programs are …

Attune With Baby: An Innovative Attunement Program For Parents And Families With Integrated Evaluation, Sara Beth Lohre

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Infants speak in their own language; sounds, screeches, cries, and howls that help them to communicate their caregiving needs. Unaware, parents may develop a checklist of caregiving approaches to the baby. The infant tells the adult directly what they need, and waits for the parent to respond. Infant talk may change from soft and quiet to loud and aggressive; coos and cries become crying and screams as the infant’s caregiver—communicating the intensity of emotion, urgency of their request, or their frustration with varied and sometimes inadequate, failed, or missing caregiving patterns the infant has no choice but to accept. When …

A Functional Analysis Of Leader Behavior In A Behavioral Health Setting, Jason White

All Theses And Dissertations

A requirement for Maine behavioral health organizations to provide all employees with evaluations lacks guidelines on how to evaluate leader behavior; best practices are to provide a multifaceted evaluation process that includes direct observation. A single-case research design and continuous partial interval recording procedures were conducted on a male behavioral health clinician leading clinical supervision in which the dependent variable was the clinician’s delivery of positive reinforcement and the independent variable was the provider’s increased discussion of case shares. The basic findings showed that leader behavior changed as follower behavior changed to manage the group and meet group goals. The …

Evaluating The Environmental Effectiveness Of Grassroots Environmental Stewardship Organizations In Maryland, Sarah Close, Dana R. Fisher, William Yagatich, Anya Galli Robertson

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

Small organizations that conduct environmental stewardship projects often lack access to the research capacity, funding, or tools needed to evaluate scientifically the environmental effectiveness of the measures they undertake. Still, evaluation of environmental effectiveness, defined here as the implementation of specific local goals, is prudent where projects are carried out with environmental stewardship goals in mind. We propose and test a process for evaluating environmental effectiveness of stewardship programs in a rigorous, yet feasible, approach through analysis of archived documents, program materials, and project inventories, as well as a survey of program participants. Using three franchises of the Watershed Stewards …

Being On The Mat: A Process Evaluation Of Trauma-Informed Yoga For Women With Substance Use Disorders, Amy B. Smoyer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Yoga practice is associated with positive health outcomes, including benefits related to managing substance use disorders and trauma symptomology. However, low-income vulnerable communities have limited access to yoga. This process evaluation of a trauma-informed yoga program for women with substance use disorders demonstrates the feasibility and utility of using noncertified yoga instructors to offer a basic yoga in community-based agencies. Participants describe outcomes related to relaxation, mindfulness, and movement that are well-aligned with their recovery needs. Study findings suggest the utilization of instructors with minimal training has the potential to expand research about and access to yoga among marginalized communities.

The Host Home Program Model For Lgbtq Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Program Evaluation, Megan M. Mcteague

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Youth homelessness is continually on the rise throughout the United States. While youth in general who are experiencing homelessness are at increased risk for victimization, chemical use/abuse, and mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth are at much higher risk for these barriers to well-being, among others. This study evaluated one program that specifically serves LGBTQ youth who are experiencing homelessness. Using a qualitative design, individuals involved in the program were asked to fill out surveys and provide feedback about how the program meets its stated goals of providing shelter, meeting …

Using Kinship Navigators To Assess The Needs Of Kinship Caregivers, Suzanne T. Sutphin

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Kinship care is a viable alternative to foster care for many children, however, the proper supports and services must be in place for the families. This article describes a kinship navigator program for children and kin caregivers involved in Child Protective Services in-home treatment cases. The program was piloted over a three-year period to assess and address the service needs of kinship caregivers. Using the Family Needs Scale as a measurement tool, the results of the evaluation are provided along with a discussion of the need to support caregivers to provide the best outcomes for children in kinship care.

Using Service Learning In The Teaching Of And Research On Program Evaluation, Brandon W. Youker Ph.D, Nicholas Bayer Bs, Allyssa Ingraham Bs

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

Most students who are planning for a career in the health and human services are required to complete a course on program evaluation. This article describes a graduate-level service learning course whereby the instructor divided students into small evaluation teams and assigned the teams one of two distinct models by which to evaluate the same non-profit organization. The teams were assigned either goal-free evaluation or success case method; and they conducted their respective evaluations independently and simultaneously. Each team was responsible for disseminating their findings to the program via a written report in addition to an oral presentation. At the …

Evaluating A Mind-Body Approach For Military Veterans With Chronic Pain, Leah M. Martin

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an eight-week Mind-Body Pain Management group at a VA Health Care System in the Midwest. The Mind-Body Pain Management group is offered to Veterans who exhibit symptoms of chronic physical pain. Effectiveness was determined by examining Veterans’ pretest, posttest, and follow-up responses to the Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI), Pain Rating Scale, and the VA Pain Outcomes Questionnaire (VA-POQ). A secondary objective of this study was to investigate potential relationships between Veterans’ demographic information (gender, age, combat history, and service-connected disability status), as well as access to prescription …

An Analysis Of The Re-Education Philosophy And The Applicability To Individual And Group Therapy, Psychoeducation And Skills, Sarah Manthei

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

An evaluation was conducted of the Re-Education philosophy, current practices of individual and group therapy, skills training, and psychoeducation for Level IV special education students diagnosed with an emotional behavioral disorder and/or mental health diagnosis. An assessment of current evidenced based practices for school-based mental health services was integrated. This provided the foundation for recommendations that are congruent with the Re-Education philosophy and for an evaluation tool to measure student success in learning and comprehending the skills curriculums.

Goal-Free Evaluation: A Potential Model For The Evaluation Of Social Work Programs, Brandon Youker

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

Goal-free evaluation (GFE) is an evaluation model where the evaluator is deliberately kept from the stated (or implied) goals and objectives of the program; this is accomplished by appointing a screener to keep goal-related information from the goal-free evaluator. Screening the evaluator from program goals is designed to control bias inherent in goal-based evaluation (GBE), a bias that contaminates the evaluator’s ability to see the program’s true outcomes and true merit. Although GFE has been around for more than half a century, GBE continues to dominate evaluation practice and the literature on GFE remains sparse and highly theoretical. This article …

The Abcs Of Gfe, Brandon Youker

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

Goal-free evaluation (GFE) is the process of determining something’s merit intentionally without reference to its stated goals and objectives. The following PowerPoint presentation describes GFE and discusses preliminary attempts at operationalization. The video concludes with a lively discussion where audience members challenge Dr. Youker on GFE's feasibility and merit. . *This presentation is available at The Evaluation Center's website archived as an Evaluation Café presentation: http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/2012/11/goal-free-evaluation-an-analog-experiment-comparing-goal-free-evaluation-and-goal-based-evalation-utility/

The Impact Of The Mckinney-Vento Program On The End-Of-Grade Test Scores Of Homeless Grade 6 Students, George Hendricks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Congressional concern about homeless students resulted in the McKinney-Vento Act (MCKV) in 2001, which provides funds to local educational agencies (LEAs). MCKV is almost a decade old, yet no evaluations of its academic effectiveness have been reported. Using a systems theory framework, this study answered research questions (RQs) involving whether normally housed students in Grade 6 scored higher than homeless students in Grade 6 in reading (RQ 1) and math (RQ 2) on end-of-grade (EOG) test scores and whether homeless students in Grade 6 from LEAs that received MCKV funding scored better in reading (RQ 3) and math (RQ 4) …

The Logic Of Evaluation And Not-For-Profit Arts Organizations: The Perspective Of An Evaluation Consultant, Brandon Youker

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

This article defines evaluation, describes the logic of evaluation and discusses evaluation as it pertains to not-for-profit arts organizations. The purpose is to explain to not-for-profit arts organizations how an evaluation consultant conceptualizes the task of program evaluation. The article is based on the perspective and experiences of a consultant who was contracted to assist in building the program monitoring and internal evaluation capacities of arts organizations. Understanding the basics of systematic evaluation will assist arts organizations in developing sound program monitoring and evaluation strategies and practices.

From The Viewpoint Of Social Workers: An Exploratory Study Of The Indian Child Welfare Act, Kimberle Michal Hill, Sherry Ann Cortez-Farris

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to explore child welfare workers' opinions as to what the barriers are in implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. The results will contribute to social work practice by addressing the fact that Native Americans represent a disproportional amount of youth and families serviced by Child Welfare and ICWA.

Tools For Evaluating And Strengthening Collaborative Partnerships, Mary Ohmer, Maureen Wilce

Social Work Community Forum 2008

Topics for Today’s Workshop • Building capacity in Community Collaborations through Evaluation: Discussion • Tools for Evaluating and Strengthening Collaborative Partnerships: How the CDC uses evaluation to build capacity –Background –CDC Framework for Program Evaluation –Hands-on Exercise • Review of Evaluation Tools handout

Consequence Of Competing And Complementary Evaluation Approaches: A Case Study., Brandon Youker, Chris Coryn, Daniela Schröter, Michelle Bakerson

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

A poster presentation demonstrating an evaluation of a summer school program for middle schoolers in which the evaluators divided into two teams and simultaneously evaluated the program. The first team examined the students' performance according to the program's ability to achieve stated goals while the second team intentionally avoided any knowledge of or reference to the stated goals and objectives throughout the entire evaluation. The two teams wrote separate reports and then a combined report.

Review Of Exploring Evaluator Role And Identity., Carolyn Sullins, Brandon Youker

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

A book review of "Exploring Evaluator Role and Identity" edited by Katherine E. Ryan and Thomas A. Schwandt (2002).

Values Driven Evaluation, P. Cristian Gugiu, Nadini Persuad, Brandon Youker

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

Values are the basis for defining what aspects of the evaluand should be considered meritous in a particular context. They are something which is in principle or quality intrinsically valuable or desirable. So in evaluation, factual premises describe performance, while value premises can be thought of as the qualities that, when converted to standards, determine the degree to which the performance was good or bad, worthwhile or worthless, and significant or insignificant. Value premises can be validated using commonsense or based on such things as the severity of needs, resource efficiency, legal requirements, professional requirements, and so on. There are …

Review Of The Evaluation Exchange, Volume Xi(1), Xi(2), And Xi(3), Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

The Evaluation Exchange is a free, online evaluation periodical (http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/eval.html) published by the Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) three or four times annually. It is aimed at addressing issues that program evaluators frequently encounter. The journal emphasizes innovative methods and approaches to evaluation, emerging trends in practice, and practical applications of evaluation theory. It is designed to serve as a medium for evaluators, program practitioners, funders, and policymakers.

Research Implications In The Prevention Of Child Abuse And Neglect, Jeanette Harder

Social Work Faculty Publications

Child abuse and neglect is a problem of vast proportions. Research on the effectiveness of child abuse and neglect prevention programs is critical for the provision of effective and efficient services. This paper provides a critical analysis of the research methodologies on child abuse and neglect prevention programs at the secondary and tertiary levels, as represented in the empirical literature. The paper begins by outlining the levels of prevention, and by describing child abuse and neglect prevention programs, as published in the empirical literature. This paper then goes on to describe and analyze the research conducted on these programs, to …

Prevention Of Child Abuse And Neglect: An Evaluation Of A Home Visitation Parent Aide Program Using Recidivism Data, Jeanette Harder

Social Work Faculty Publications

Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine the secondary and tertiary prevention of child abuse and neglect through an evaluation of the Parent Aide program at the Child Abuse Prevention Center in Dallas, Texas. Method: Using a quasi-experimental, retrospective research design, this project compared abuse recidivism rates for those parents who completed, dropped out, or refused to participate in a home visitation child abuse prevention program. Results: Parents who completed the Parent Aide program had fewer subsequent, substantiated reports to Child Protective Services (CPS) of child abuse or neglect than those parents who refused to participate or dropped …

The Needs Of Informal Grandparent Caregivers And How They Are Met At The Kinship Family Center, Emily Jane Osborne-Lewis, Shanta Lashawn Clardy

Theses Digitization Project

Seventeen grandparent caregivers, who have primary responsibility for one or more grandchildren and do not have a parent of the grandchildren living in the household, were interviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of the services offered by Kinship Family Center (KFC), a non-profit support agency for relative caregivers and the children in their care. Kinship Family Center is a program of the Central City Lutheran Mission and is funded by the San Bernardino County Department of Children's Services. The researchers found that KFC was an effective asset for informal grandparent caregivers. For grandparents, it was a source of support and comfort …

Values And Goal-Free Evaluation: A Case Study, Brandon Youker

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

How does a goal-free evaluator deal with values? Which values? Whose values? This presentation argues that the goal-free evaluator takes a consumerist perspective. Thus the evaluator's values are in serving the program's consumers and satisfying the consumers' needs.

International Association For Impact Assessment, Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) defines impact assessment as “the process of identifying the future consequences of current or proposed action.” “IAIA is a forum for advancing innovation, development and communication of best practice in impact assessment. Its international membership promotes development of local and global capacity for the application of environmental assessment in which sound science and full public participation provide a foundation for equitable and sustainable development.”