Lydia I. Marek

Evaluating Collaboration for Effectiveness Conceptualization and Measurement

Although collaboration is recognized as an effective means to address multifaceted community issues, successful collaboration is difficult to achieve and failure is prevalent. To effectively collaborate, collaborators must recognize the strengths and weaknesses within their own efforts. Using Mattessich and colleagues’ work as a springboard, a seven-factor model of effective collaboration is presented along with an accompanying evaluation tool, the Collaboration Assessment Tool (CAT). Confirmatory factor analysis of the CAT validated the proposed model with all seven collaboration factors demonstrating strong internal consistency. Concurrent validity was established through expected positive intercorrelations between the factors as well as strong positive correlations with the perceived success of collaborative efforts. As evaluators are increasingly asked to evaluate collaborations and coalitions, this conceptual model and tool can provide evaluators with a grounded, reliable, and valid assessment instrument to work with clients to build collaborative efforts in an intentional, comprehensive, and effective manner.

Community-Based Program Research: Context, Program Readiness, and Evaluation Usefulness

ABSTRACT At first glance, the worlds of program professionals and evaluators may seem quite separate. However, there are common issues whose resolution will enhance both program development and research on programs. Program professionals and evaluators have a great deal to learn from each other. As that learning occurs, both program delivery and evaluation research will benefit. Both are concerned about matters of validity, whether it pertains to the nature of the program intervention itself or to the nature of the assessment of the program intervention. To reinforce the development of program evaluation in partnership, this paper discusses key points about evaluation research relevant to both program professionals and researchers. These include the contextual influences on a program, the “readiness” of a program for evaluation, and whether the evaluation research “works” for the program. Underlying our discussion is a call for the development of partnerships around research on programs. In that light, this article elaborates the process steps that should be taken to build program evaluation partnerships, including a discussion of what evaluators and program professionals need to know about each other, and their respective values, interests, and professional perspectives.

Open Groups: Adaptations in Implementing a Parent Training Program

BACKGROUND Programs that focus on positive parenting have been shown to improve parental attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors, and increase parent and child bonding. These programs are typically conducted in a closed group for-mat. However, when individual or community needs are more immediate, programmers sometimes opt for an open group format. To determine the effectiveness of this adaptation to an open group format, the present study compared both groups on parental out-comes. METHODS Both closed and open group formats were offered and implemented between January 2009 and December 2012. Participants for both formats were recruited through similar means and the format placement for each family was determined by the immediacy of the need for an intervention, the time lapse until a new cycle would begin, and scheduling flexibility. Chi-Square analyses were conducted to determine demographic differences between the two groups and gain scores were calculated from the pre- and post-test AAPI-2 scales within a mixed MANOVA to determine group format effectiveness. RESULTS Though open groups contained higher risk families; parental outcome improvements were significant for both groups. All participants, regardless of group membership, demonstrated the same statistically significant improvements following completion of the program. CONCLUSION Findings provide support for adapting group formats when necessary to fit community and individual needs.