A framework for assessing program institutionalization

This article presents a framework for assessing the institutionalization of programmatic innovations in nonprofit community agencies and in schools. Institutionalization is the attainment of long-term viability and integration of innovations in organizations. Institutionalization is often characterized as the final stage in an innovation diffusion process. The framework was derived from a qualitative study of ten health promotion programs that were innovations in their host organizations. The framework is a two dimensional matrix: one dimension consists of organizational subsystems; the other consists of levels of institutionalization termed passages, routines, and niche saturation. The cells of the matrix are the basis for assessing program institutionalization. Robert M. Goodman is a research assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of North Carolina's School of Public Health. Currently, Dr. Goodman directs a four-year intervention study on the dissemination of tobacco prevention curricular funded by the National Cancer Institute. Allan Steckler is an associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of North Carolina's School of Public Health. Dr. Steckler is also the principal investigator of the National Cancer Institute tobacco prevention study.     

Integrating consultation and program evaluation in school psychology

Consultation approaches to providing psychological services are widely used by school psychologists. Recently, the need for school psychologists to be proficient in educational program evaluation has been recognized. The present paper discusses how school psychologists can use their existing consultation skills as an approach to program evaluation. The integration of consultation skills with evaluation results in an approach to program evaluation that is particularly useful where program goals and objectives are broad and nonspecific (as in many educational innovations). Also, the consultation approach to evaluation is easier for school psychologists to blend with their other roles in schools than the assessment-oriented evaluator role of some evaluation models. The consultation approach to evaluation is illustrated using a federally sponsored training program for school teachers and administrators.     

Guidance program for a ghetto school

High school students from the ghetto have special problems that often need more attention than mere talk. Many students lose all sense of personal motivation and worth, for example, due to overcrowded conditions or teacher conflicts in the school, or lack of money or parental guidance outside of school. To help students find concrete solutions to their problems, a new guidance program is suggested for the ghetto school, and the Center for Personal Advancement, now in effect at a Philadelphia high school, is offered as one example.     

Utilization of program evaluation information in public schools: Perspectives and guidelines for school psychologists

The ability of program evaluators in public schools to design evaluations the result in useful evaluation information is central to the advancement of the field of program evaluation. Unless evaluation information is utilized by program decision makers, the worth of an evaluation can be questioned. In this paper, the issue of utilization of program evaluation information in public schools is addressed. First, perspectives on utilization of evaluation information are provided that are derived from knowledge utilization theory and research. Second, a set of program evaluation guidelines are described that are intended to help enhance utilization of evaluation information by program decision makers. Third, a meta-evaluation of the application of the guidelines in public school settings is reported.     

A signal detection framework for the evaluation of probabilistic forecasts

In this paper I formulate an approach for evaluating probabilistic forecasts in terms of signal detection theory. Signal detection theory provides a powerful perspective for this type of problem, and a rich empirical background including methodological tools as well as an extensive body of research in many domains. I propose procedures which emphasize the maximization of expected utility for the decision maker who uses the forecasts. Further, I suggest approaches to obtaining indices of calibration and resolution within this framework. I also present arguments that the proposed indices will exhibit the same basic properties as do decompositions of Brier's (1950, Monthly Weather Review, 78, 1–3) mean probability score. However, the properties may be reflected in different ways, and hence, the present methods may lead to different conclusions about forecasting ability. Finally, I argue that the use of an expected utility loss function makes this approach more appropriate for practical applications as well as for theoretical research than other procedures with more arbitrary loss functions.     

Antecedents and outcomes of intervention program participation and task priority change among school psychology counselors: A latent variable growth framework

A three-year national intervention program introduced into the School Psychology Service (SPS) in Norway with the aim of increasing systemic level work among SP counselors was investigated. Latent variable growth models based on longitudinal data from 195 SP counselors gave no significant mean level change in systemic level work. This concurred with GLM analyses based on data from a sample of 20 schools. However, retrospective self-reported significant positive mean level change for systemic level work was detected among the SP counselors. Intervention program participation was associated with individual change in systemic level work. Self-efficacy beliefs about systemic level work, and school-related etiology beliefs predicted individual change to a certain degree. Comparison of two rival models gave no support for a hypothesized interaction among intervention program participation and beliefs in their effects on systemic level work. Open-ended questions indicated that individual level workload and the perceived expectations from the schools may have concern for a successful effect of the intervention program in addition to the hypothesized ones. Individual change in systemic level work was positively associated with individual change in job satisfaction.     

Preliminary evaluation of an abstinence-based program for 7th grade students from a small rural school district

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an abstinence-based program designed for 7th grade students (n = 59) from a rural school district. Analysis suggested that after the program more students intended to avoid having sex before marriage but no change was noted for knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy.     

A behavioral program for disruptive junior high school students: Results and follow-up

The 5-year annual and 4-year follow-up results of a collaborative community mental health center-junior high school program for disruptive students are presented. The program is a comprehensive, behavioral, in-school, regular education project characterized by a token economy, parent contracting, major subjects taught in the morning, small class enrollment, small group and individualized instruction, an early release from school contingency option and frequent parent-school communications. Annual controlled outcome results revealed that the program led to significant and consistent reductions in expulsions, suspensions, and grade failure, and variable, often significant, gains in attendance and achievement. Follow-up findings indicated that former program students in senior high school achieved a significantly higher entry rate, greater attendance, better classroom conduct, and a lower frequency of withdrawal from school.One second cohort student had been advanced a grade and was thus added to the original first cohort of 14 students.     

A multicultural framework in counsellor training: A preliminary evaluation

The multicultural module of a postgraduate Diploma in Counselling was evaluated. The evaluation focused both on former students' experience of the relevance of multiculturalism to their counselling and on which of three perspectives on multiculturalism they most agreed with. The findings confirmed and illustrated the relevance of multiculturalism to practice. The counsellors also expressed a clear preference for an integrationist perspective, with a structuralist approach their second choice.     

A follow-up program for suicide attempters: evaluation of effectiveness.

Suicide attempters are a high-risk group in relation to ultimately completing suicide and are usually "treated and released" with little or no follow-up care. A 4-month follow-up outreach program for suicide attempters seen in the emergency room was developed with an emphasis on continuity and quantity of "treatment" received. Suicide attempters were randomly assigned to the "follow-up outreach" or "normal" treatment programs. Measures for the evaluation of effectiveness were (a) incidence of suicide reattempts and purposive accidents and (b) prevalence of drug misuse and excessive use of alcohol. The experimental group showed a statistically significant reduction in suicide reattempts and excessive use of alcohol, while the reduction of drug abuse, although not statistically significant, did conform to a trend indicating improvement. Purposive accidents occured at a relatively equal rate among both groups.