OUTCOME MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS FOR USE IN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM EVALUATION (FROM RESOURCE MATERIALS FOR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM EVALUATION - 2ND ED, 1977, BY WILLIAM A HARGREAVES - SEE NCJ-50680)

• NCJ Number: 50686
• Author(s): W A HARGREAVES; M H MCINTIRE; C C ATTKISSON; L M SIEGEL
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 112 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH-36809
• Contract Number(s): N01-MH-2-0105
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO AID PROGRAM EVALUATORS WHO NEED TO SELECT METHODS FOR MEASURING CLIENT RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. RATING SCALES AND INSTRUMENTS ARE DESCRIBED FOR VARIOUS CLIENT GROUPS.

Abstract

IN SELECTING A PARTICULAR MEASUREMENT TOOL, EVALUATORS SHOULD CONSIDER THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS: USING ONE OR MORE OF THE AVAILABLE MEASURING TOOLS, CONSTRUCTING A NEW RATING SCALE, OR MEASURING THE ATTAINMENT OF INDIVIDUAL CLIENT GOALS. SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR MEASURING INDIVIDUAL GOAL ATTAINMENT INCLUDE CLIENTS, CLINICIANS, AND INFORMANTS. ONE ADVANTAGE TO USING A STANDARD MEASURING INSTRUMENT IS THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ABOUT PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES THE INSTRUMENT HAS EXHIBITED IN PREVIOUS STUDIES. ORGANIZING AN EFFICIENT OUTCOME ASSESSMENT REQUIRES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WHO IS TO PERFORM RATINGS AND THE COST OF THE SCALE FORMAT AND COMPUTER INPUT. USEFUL MEASUREMENT APPROACHES INVOLVE GENERAL-PURPOSE SCALES, SPECIAL-PURPOSE INSTRUMENTS, AND CLASSIFICATION INSTRUMENTS. EACH OF THESE APPROACHES IS DESCRIBED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN INFORMATION ON A CLINICAL DRUG UNIT EVALUATION PROGRAM AND NUMEROUS EVALUATION SCALES, INSTRUMENTS, AND FORMS. (DEP)