Build on work that you have done in previous assignments, but be sure to self-cite any written work that you have already submitted. Select a program that you would like to evaluate.
Submit a 4- to 5-page paper that outlines a plan for a program evaluation focused on outcomes. Be specific and elaborate. Include the following information:
- The purpose of the evaluation, including specific questions to be answered
- The outcomes to be evaluated
- The indicators or instruments to be used to measure those outcomes, including the strengths and limitations of those measures to be used to evaluate the outcomes
- A rationale for selecting among the six group research designs
- The methods for collecting, organizing and analyzing data
Program Evaluation
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Instructor’s Name
Date
Program Evaluation
Introduction
The selected program involves providing counseling and education to caregivers of children with developmental delays. This program is relevant to the selected group due to the challenges they face related to developmental delays of the children (Wang et al., 2019). Most patients or caregivers have little information regarding developmental delays in children, making it difficult for them to live with such children. Through the training, caregivers will understand how to communicate with and assist their children in such situations. Also, discovering that a child has developmental delays can be overwhelming, especially, to the parent (Wang et al., 2019). This program evaluation paper examines the purpose of the evaluation, outcomes to be evaluated, indicators/instruments for measuring the outcomes, limitations of the measures used to evaluate the outcomes, and methods of collecting, organizing, and analyzing data.
The Purpose of the Evaluation
Besides process evaluation, program evaluation is an important practice in program management. This paper is about a program evaluation based on the identified program above. The purpose of this program evaluation is to determine whether the intended outcomes were achieved. According to Giancola (2020), program evaluation tests hypotheses by comparing conditions before and after intervention or by comparing participants with similar individuals who did not take part in the program. Program evaluation is also called outcome evaluation. It is often used after the program has interacted with the target group. This program evaluation will show the extent to which the program is impacting the target group’s behavior. Various objectives have been identified to ensure the program has a positive influence on the target group (Giancola, 2020). These outcomes or objectives will be used to evaluate the success or effectiveness of the program. If the outcomes are achieved, then a conclusion can be drawn that the study was successful or effective (Giancola, 2020). The question to answer is, what is the impact of counseling and education on caregivers of children with developmental delays?
Outcomes to Be Evaluated
Improved knowledge of caregivers about developmental milestones of children. The program aims to train caregivers of children with developmental delays about the developmental milestones of children. They are physical skills or behaviors seen in infants and children during their growth and development. These behaviors include rolling over, crawling, walking, raking, and others (Wang et al., 2019). Another desired outcome is the knowledge about how to care for children with developmental delays. It is one of the main purposes of the study, is to improve the experiences of both children and caregivers. These children need specialized care to help them achieve their developmental stages and help them overcome challenges (Giancola, 2020). Caregivers are expected to acquire reliable and relevant knowledge of the issue. Another outcome is the improved emotional and mental impacts of the developmental situations on caregivers. Parents or guardians with children suffering from developmental delays might become anxious or worried about their children (Wang et al., 2019). The experiences associated with the situation include heavy financial burden, opinions from other people, sadness about the situation, and others, which can have a negative influence on the mental health of caregivers.
Indicators/Instruments for Measuring the Outcomes
Different types of instruments will be used to measure the outcomes of the program. The first instrument is a questionnaire. For instance, pre and post-intervention tests will be used to gauge participants’ knowledge regarding what has been taught (Reichardt & Little, 2019). The pre-and-post tests will cover developmental milestones, as well as how to care for children with developmental delays. A positive change in the participant’s means score would indicate the success of the program. Additionally, open-ended interviews will be used to gauge knowledge. Open-ended interview questions will be asked for the participants to provide answers (Reichardt & Little, 2019). The number of correct answers after the intervention will be compared to the answers before interventions.
Regarding the emotional or mental health of the patients, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) will be used to evaluate the mental health of participants who have undergone counseling sessions. The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria will be used to diagnose participants with mental health problems (De Pablo et al., 2020). After counseling sessions, it will again be used to evaluate the outcomes. The DSM-5 contains diagnostic criteria for almost all mental illnesses. They include anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, depressive disorders, and others. Another instrument is the Likert Scale to measure the attitudes and opinions of caregivers regarding caring for patients with developmental delays (Reichardt & Little, 2019). The five Likert scales allow responders to specify their level of agreement to a statement typically in five points: Strongly disagree, Disagree, neither agree nor disagree, Agree, strongly agree.
These measures used to evaluate the outcomes has both limitation and strengths. The advantage of a questionnaire is that it is considered to be the most cost-effective tool for evaluation (Reichardt & Little, 2019). The disadvantage is that it cannot be utilized for ignorant or for semi-educated people. Interviews, on the other hand, that it allows for detailed assessment of the individuals. the disadvantage of interviews is that It is a time-consuming process. The DSM is providing a concrete assessment of mental health disorders, However, it is criticized for oversimplification of the vast continuum of human behavior (Reichardt & Little, 2019). Last but not least, the Likert scale is easy to work with, report results, conclude, and analyze data. The limitation is that it can easily provide biased results.
The rationale for Selecting the Research Design
The research design selected is quasi-experimental. It looks like an experimental design but lacks random assignment of participants. This study design is less expensive and requires fewer resources to perform. According to Reichardt & Little (2019), quasi-experimental studies evaluate the association between an intervention and an outcome using experiments in which the intervention is not randomly assigned. A quasi-experimental design is not time-consuming because it is simple compared with individual randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or cluster randomized trials.
Methods of Collecting, Organizing, And Analyzing Data
The information about the study population will be gathered using questionnaires and open-ended interviews. The information gathered using the two methods will be used to understand whether or not the caregivers require a training and counseling program (Wang et al., 2019). A questionnaire is a reliable research tool or the instrument used to gather information. Similarly, interviews are directed conversations with specific people for purposes of gathering particular information. descriptive statistics will be used to analyze data.
Conclusion
The selected program involves providing counseling and education to caregivers of children with developmental delays. The purpose of the program evaluation is to show the extent to which the program is impacting the target group’s behavior. The desired outcomes include improved knowledge of and mental health of caregivers. Instruments include questionnaires, interviews, the Likert scale, and the DSM-5. The research design selected is quasi-experimental.
References
De Pablo, G. S., Catalan, A., & Fusar-Poli, P. (2020). Clinical validity of DSM-5 attenuated psychosis syndrome: advances in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. JAMA psychiatry, 77(3), 311-320. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.3561
Giancola, S. P. (2020). Program evaluation: Embedding evaluation into program design and development. Sage Publishers.
Reichardt, C. S., & In Little, T. D. (2019). Quasi-experimentation: A guide to design and analysis. The Guilford Press.
Wang, L., Liang, W., Zhang, S., Jonsson, L., Li, M., Yu, C., … & Rozelle, S. (2019). Are infant/toddler developmental delays a problem across rural China?. Journal of Comparative Economics, 47(2), 458-469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jce.2019.02.003