METHODOLOGY IN YOUTH DRUG-ABUSE RESEARCH (FROM YOUTH DRUG ABUSE, 1979, BY GEORGE M BESCHNER AND ALFRED S FRIEDMAN SEE NCJ-58731)

• NCJ Number: 58735
• Author(s): M A LAVENHAR
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Lexington Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN APPLYING SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY TO RESEARCH AND EVALUATION IN THE FIELD OF DRUG ABUSE ARE IDENTIFIED AND SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED FOR MEETING THESE DIFFICULTIES.

Abstract

MAJOR EMPHASIS IS GIVEN TO THREE ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY DRUG RESEARCH: ESTIMATING THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM, TREATMENT EVALUATION, AND DRUG EDUCATION EVALUATION. SOURCES OF DATA ON THE INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE OF DRUG USE, ABUSE, AND ADDICTION ARE IDENTIFIED AS POLICE RECORDS, CASE REGISTERS, TREATMENT PROGRAM RECORDS, AND POLLS AND SURVEYS. THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH OF THESE DATA SOURCES ARE DISCUSSED. OBSTACLES TO EFFECTIVE EVALUATION OF DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE VAGUENESS OF EVALUATIVE FINDINGS; LACK OF AGREEMENT ON AIMS, OBJECTIVES, AND CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENT; THE UNAVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATE OUTCOME MEASURES; DIFFICULTIES IN OBTAINING OBJECTIVE AND RELIABLY MEASURED DATA; PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES IN PATIENT FOLLOWUP. FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN TREATMENT EVALUATION ARE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED. RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES FOR TREATMENT PROGRAM EVALUATION INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) MAKE EVALUATION A CONTINUOUS PROCESS TO PROVIDE TIMELY FEEDBACK TO PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF; (2) START WITH AN EXPLICIT STATEMENT OF THE TREATMENT OBJECTIVES AND THE CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVENESS; (3) USE SYSTEMATIC, OBJECTIVE, AND EMPIRICAL DATA; (4) ASSESSMENT OF TREATMENT EFFICACY SHOULD BE BASED ON AT LEAST A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN WHEN TRUE EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY IS NOT FEASIBLE. RESEARCH SHORTCOMINGS OF DRUG EDUCATION EVALUATION STUDIES ARE LISTED, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN EVALUATIONS OF DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE CONSIDERED. TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION NEEDED FOR FUTURE COMMUNITY INTERVENTION IN DRUG ABUSE, TWO BASIC FORMS OF STUDY WILL BE NEEDED: (1) LARGE-SCALE, CONTROLLED LONGITUDINAL STUDIES OF INTENDED OUTCOMES TO INVESTIGATE THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF PROGRAMS; AND (2) SMALLER-SCALE EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO DRUG EDUCATION, WITH EMPHASIS ON DETERMINING WHICH COMPONENTS OF SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS CONTRIBUTE THE MOST TO PRODUCING THE INTENDED OUTCOMES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)