Jennifer Ann Morrow

Reconceptualizing Evaluator Roles

The current evaluation literature tends to conceptualize evaluator roles as a single, overarching orientation toward an evaluation, an orientation largely driven by evaluation methods, models, or stakeholder orientations. Roles identified range from a social transformer or a neutral social scientist to that of an educator or even a power merchant. We argue that these single, broadly construed role orientations do not reflect the multiple roles evaluators actually assume as they complete the activities encompassing an external evaluation. In contrast to the current literature, this article suggests that typical evaluation activities create functional demands on evaluators, and that evaluators respond to these demands through a limited number of specified evaluator roles. This depiction of a set of specific multiple evaluator roles, generated in response to particular evaluation activities and their associated demands, has implications regarding how evaluation is conceptualized, practiced, and studied. This article concludes with a discussion of these implications.

Parental Use of Physical Punishment as Related to Family Environment, Psychological Well-being, and Personality in Undergraduates

Childhood experiences of physical punishment were examined as related to perceptions of family environment during childhood and affective and personality outcomes of college students. From the 274 respondents who participated, scores were compared for the participants with the 75 highest and 75 lowest physical discipline scores based on the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTSPC-CA). Respondents who experienced the highest level of physical punishment in their families of origin reported higher family conflict, more negative parental relationships, greater family worries, more depressive symptoms, more perceived nonsupport, greater identity problems, and more negative social relationships. Respondents in the low physical punishment group reported higher positive family affect. Results suggest that experiencing physical discipline as a child may be related to one’s family environment and psychological well-being in young adulthood.

A Principal Components Analysis and Validation of the Coping with the College Environment Scale (CWCES).

The present study describes the development and initial validation of the Coping with the College Environment Scale (CWCES). Participants included 433 college students who took an online survey. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) revealed six coping strategies: planning and self-management, seeking support from institutional resources, escaping through substance (pills, alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana) use, seeking support from friends, spirituality, and seeking support from family. Together, these components accounted for 57.12% of the variance. Validation of the CWCES included examining gender differences on the components and correlations between the six components and sense of belonging measures. College students experience considerable stress. Colleges can use information from the CWCES to help students cope with stress more effectively and possibly improve student retention.

Variance in Broad Reading Accounted for by Measures of Reading Speed Embedded Within Maze and Comprehension Rate Measures

Maze and reading comprehension rate measures are calculated by using measures of reading speed and measures of accuracy (i.e., correctly selected words or answers). In sixth- and seventh-grade samples, we found that the measures of reading speed embedded within our Maze measures accounted for 50% and 39% of broad reading score (BRS) variance, respectively. Combining reading speed with Maze accuracy to form Maze rate increased explained BRS variance by <2%. For our comprehension measures, reading speed accounted for 22% and 36% of BRS variance, which increased significantly to 49% and 44% when our reading comprehension rate measures were added to our models. Discussion focuses on the relationships between the measure of aloud reading speed embedded within many brief reading rate measures and the validity and sensitivity of these measures.

Development and Validation of the Cultural Competence of Program Evaluators (CCPE) Self-Report Scale

No self-report measure of cultural competence currently exists in program evaluation. Adapting items from cultural competence measures in fields such as counseling and nursing, the researchers developed the Cultural Competence of Program Evaluators (CCPE) self-report scale. The goals of this study were to validate the CCPE and to assess differences in level of cultural competence among program evaluators based on various demographic variables. The sample consisted of 174 evaluators. Principal components analyses revealed three factors of the CCPE: cultural knowledge, cultural skills, and cultural awareness. The overall alpha of the CCPE was .88, and convergent validity was established via significant positive correlations between the CCPE and the Multicultural Counseling Inventory (MCI). Additionally, individuals who had received cultural competence training scored significantly higher on the CCPE, and receipt of cultural competence training was a significant predictor of scores on the CCPE.

Reducing Power Differentials in the Classroom Using Student-Based Quantitative Research Scenarios: Applications in Undergraduate and Graduate Research Methods Classrooms

Courses: Undergraduate Research Methods, Graduate Research Methods Objective: To assist students in distinguishing independent and dependent variables, appropriate research designs, and statistical analyses through the evaluation of research scenarios intended to reduce power differentials in the classroom.

In their own voices: trauma survivors' experiences in overcoming childhood trauma

It is estimated that child abuse and neglect result in direct (e.g., health care, law enforcement, judicial system) and indirect (e.g., special education, lost productivity to society) costs of approximately 103 billion dollars each year. Why do some abuse survivors display healthy functioning as adults while others display a variety of physical and psychological health problems? It was the goal of this study to discover what positive influences, both internal and external, that individuals relied on to overcome childhood trauma. Five main themes emerged from the data. The five themes are as follows: Spirituality/Faith in God, Supportive Others, Therapeutic Relationships, Self-Determination, and Expressive Writing. A description of these themes and selected quotes from participants are described.

Focusing, Situating, and Grounding Micro–Level Evaluation Field Experiences An Instructional Tool

Evaluator training field experiences seek to reinforce applicable content knowledge and promote applied skills. For students, even a small-scale field experience focusing on limited components of a larger evaluation process can seem particularly challenging. Students often do not recognize the relevance of established evaluation resources capable of focusing, situating, and guiding their early professional practice efforts. For example, anticipating relevant evaluation standards and ethical principles and understanding the potential guidance they offer—in the context of student’s field experiences—requires more than their cursory acknowledgment. This article identifies the challenges that students encountered with course-embedded, small-scale field experiences and introduces the development and application of an instructional tool to help them: (a) more strategically focus evaluation field experiences; (b) situate experiences in terms of the larger evaluation to which it is contributing; as well as (c) ground experiences in terms of relevant evaluation standards, ethical principles, and evaluator competencies.