PROCESS EVALUATION - EXPLAINING THE IMPACT OF DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS (FROM CRITICAL CONCERNS IN THE FIELD OF DRUG ABUSE - PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD NATIONAL DRUG ABUSE CONFERENCE, INC, 1978)

• NCJ Number: 54342
• Author(s): K M DOYLE; M A QUINONES; D YOUNG; J HUGHES
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: Marcel Dekker, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: CONFERENCE HELD IN NEW YORK (NY), 1976

Annotation

THE 'PROCESS' METHOD OF EVALUATING DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS IS DESCRIBED AS IT WAS APPLIED TO A SYSTEM OF SIX DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN NEWARK, N.J.

Abstract

THE MOST COMMON METHOD OF EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS IS THE FOLLOWUP OR OUTCOME STUDY WHICH MEASURES CLIENTS' POSTTREATMENT SUCCESS IN REGARD TO CRITERIA SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT, ANTISOCIAL ACTIVITY, OR USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS. ALTHOUGH SUCH EVALUATIONS HELP IN ANALYZING PROGRAM SUCCESS OR FAILURE, THEY DO NOT EXAMINE THE SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM'S OPERATION THAT PRODUCE PARTICULAR RESULTS. 'PROCESS ANALYSIS' IS THE MEANS BY WHICH THIS FINE ANALYSIS IS PERFORMED. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE INDICATES THAT LITTLE OF THIS TYPE OF EVALUATION RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE IN THE AREA OF DRUG ABUSE. THE METHOD IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH A DESCRIPTION OF THE EVALUATION OF SIX DRUG PROGRAMS OPERATED BY THE NEW JERSEY MEDICAL SCHOOL'S DEPARTMENT OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND COMMUNITY HEALTH, DIVISION OF DRUG ABUSE. THE PROCESS EVALUATION WAS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE TYPES, INTENSITY, AND QUALITY OF TREATMENT REGIMENS OFFERED IN THE VARIOUS DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THESE TREATMENTS AFFECTED DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLIENTS. A LARGE NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL VARIABLES WERE CONSIDERED, INCLUDING STAFF AND CLIENT ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES, AS WELL AS GENERAL PHILOSOPHY (AS OPPOSED TO OBSERVED ACTIONS). QUESTIONNAIRES INQUIRING ABOUT SPECIFIC PROGRAM GOALS OF THERAPIES OFFERED TO CLIENTS WERE COMPLETED BY EACH PROGRAM DIRECTOR; IDENTICAL ATTITUDINAL SCALES WERE ADMINISTERED TO STAFF AND CLIENTS; AND DATA ON INTERACTIONAL VARIABLES AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES WERE GATHERED THROUGH OBSERVATIONS OF STAFF MEETINGS, GROUP SESSIONS, INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, ENCOUNTERS, AND INTAKE INTERVIEWS. THE BASELINE FOR CHANGE IN CLIENTS WAS SOCIAL FUNCTIONING, DRAWN FROM DRUG ABUSE, EMPLOYMENT, CRIMINAL, AND PSYCHIATRIC HISTORIES. TYPES OF EVALUATION INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THIS METHOD ARE DESCRIBED. THE THREE BROAD AREAS OF FINDINGS INCLUDE INFORMATION ON ATTRIBUTES OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO PROGRAM SUCCESS OR FAILURE, ON WHO THE PROGRAM RECIPIENTS ARE AND WHAT NEEDY PERSONS ARE NOT REACHED, AND THE TYPE (COGNITIVE, ATTITUDINAL, OR BEHAVIORAL) OF EFFECTS AND SIDE EFFECTS PRODUCED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)