SOME GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATIVE RESEARCH ASSESSING PSYCHO-SOCIAL CHANGE IN INDIVIDUALS

• NCJ Number: 7154
• Author(s): E HERZOG
• Date Published: 1959
• Length: 117 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PSYCHOTHERAPY WAS CHOSEN AS THE SPECIAL AREA OF INVESTIGATION IN THIS OUTLINE OF WORKING PRINCIPLES TO BE USED IN CONDUCTING EVALUATIVE RESEARCH.

Abstract

THIS REPORT STRESSES THAT A MOST DIFFICULT TYPE OF EVALUATIVE RESEARCH DEALS WITH DETERMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EFFORTS TO BRING ABOUT SOCIAL OR EMOTIONAL CHANGE IN INDIVIDUALS. THE AUTHOR ATTEMPTS TO SHOW HOW TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS COMMON TO ALL EVALUATIVE RESEARCH, AND WITH THOSE SPECIAL PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN EVALUATING EFFORTS TO INDUCE CHANGE IN THE BEHAVIOR OF INDIVIDUALS. THE TEXT STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF INITIALLY DEFINING THE PURPOSE OF A STUDY, ESTABLISHING A FIRM BASELINE FROM WHICH CHANGE CAN BE MEASURED. THE RESEARCH MUST THEN CONSIDER THE MEANS BY WHICH CHANGE IS TO BE BROUGHT ABOUT, THE CATEGORIES AND MEASURES EMPLOYED, AND THE POINTS AT WHICH CHANGE CAN BE MEASURED. OTHER QUESTIONS THE RESEARCHER MUST COVER ARE HOW FAIRLY DO THE INDIVIDUALS STUDIED REPRESENT THE GROUP DISCUSSED, ARE THE CHANGES OBSERVED DUE TO THE MEANS EMPLOYED, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE CHANGES FOUND, WERE THERE ANY UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES.