The P.E.P. Report 1969-1973 focuses on the various findings and activities of the Program Evaluation Project. The establishment of validity is one of the major tasks of the developers of a measurement methodology. In this chapter, it is argued that the construct validity approach is essential to an understanding of the validity of Goal Attainment…

The exploratory visit to recent retirees, an outreach component of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union Friendly Visiting Program, was evaluated. A post-test only control group effect study revealed exploratory visits were effective in establishing a link between the program and the retiree. (Author)

GAS (Goal Attainment Sealing) is an administrative technique used to determine program success through defining and measuring program goals. (MB)

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program of the Cooperative Extension Service, Department of Agriculture, seeks to improve the diets of low income families using paid nonprofessional workers called program aides, supervised by professional home economists, to deliver services. (Author/JM)

Bertram S. Brown, former director of the National Institute of Mental Health, discusses conflicts between scientific and value dimensions of evaluation. He relates this conflict to: usefulness of mental health program evaluations; conduct of internal evaluations; release of findings; training; rating of reports; and planned change consultation.…

Strengthened the theory of change approach to evaluating a complex social initiative by integrating it with a quasi-experimental comparison group design. Used the approach in an evaluation of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Urban Health Initiative. Initial findings support the usefulness of the initiative. (SLD)

Evaluation of the Staying Healthy after Fifty program indicated that medical self-care instruction produces substantial improvements in health-related knowledge, skills performance, and actions. It produced no evidence that medical self-care instruction has any effect on health status, use of medical care, or quality of life. (JOW)

A developmental-acquisition model of case management was compared to usual case management services provided for the chronically mentally ill, using a sample of 89 persons referred to a large midwestern mental health center for community support services. The developmental-acquisition model was seemingly successful and deserves further refinement…

Pitfalls of sloppy science are discussed as they relate to the evaluation of human services programs. Differences between trial-and-error methods and the scientific method are discussed; and the requirements for sound research are reviewed, as are the shortcomings of a less rigorous approach. (SLD)

Compares the codes of ethics of 13 professional organizations for community mental health service providers. Results suggest that only two of the codes of ethics address many of the "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing." Provides implications and recommendations for professional organizations. (Contains 20 references and…

Discusses the development and implementation of a surgery-patient education program in two Dutch hospitals. Evaluation of the new program shows that the specified information was provided to only a limited extent, partly because of problems with the implementation process and partly because some information was made available for patients to use…

Strategies to avoid the penalties of extra variation described by J. Cornfield and reduced degrees of freedom in community-level trials were compared in Monte Carlo simulations. The three conditions necessary to ensure nominal Type I and Type II error rates are detailed. (SLD)

The Mariner Model provides a step-by-step systems-building process and tool by which schools, school districts, and communities can develop capacity and create an infrastructure that supports continuous improvement in health-promoting environments for children. The Mariner Model follows a public health program planning development model that is…

The National Preventive Dentistry Demonstration Program assessed the cost and effectiveness of various types and combinations of school-based preventive dental care procedures. The program involved 20,052 first, second, and fifth graders from five fluoridated and five non-fluoridated communities. These children were examined at baseline and…

Article examined the Brookside Park Family Life Center, established by the Boston Model Cities Administration, and how it provides comprehensive health and social services to families. (RK)