The research problem in this study addressed the lack of evaluation criteria used to assess the LIFE curriculum's alignment with the A-H guidelines of the federally funded Title V abstinence education program. These A-H guidelines have existed for almost two decades but no evaluation has been done that measured the degree of alignment between a specific curriculum and the federal A-H guidelines. Using Lewis' theory of the culture of poverty as the foundation, the purpose of this qualitative study that used a constant comparison analysis was to evaluate the level of alignment of the LIFE curriculum with each of the eight guidelines (A-H) of the Federal Title V abstinence education program. The research question that this study sought to address was: Is there is an alignment between the LIFE abstinence education curriculum and the Title V abstinence education Federal Guidelines A-H. The data was collected from the 8 lessons within the LIFE curriculum documents, were then coded using a deductive reasoning strategy. The data was then subjected to content analysis using a qualitative software program, which was Atlas.ti. Learning outcomes from each of the eight LIFE curriculum lessons were listed in a six-column table that showed the alignment of the desired outcome with the evaluation criteria of the A-H guidelines. Overall, the LIFE curriculum was found to be 71% in alignment with the A-H guidelines. This study has policy implications such that it may provide insight to policymakers, parents, and communities regarding the need for further alignment between federal guidelines and abstinence education curriculum. Attention to alignment issues may impact positive social change by assisting in the reduction of pregnancy rates among those ages 10-19 years old.

This study addressed a gap in local practice where the IMPACT! and EXCEL programs for gifted students only received anecdotal evaluation. Despite the existence of established standards, programming for gifted students rarely undergoes rigorous evaluation at the local, state, or national levels. The research project consisted of a summative goal-based evaluation that reported the degree to which the school district's programming met national standards and to identify strengths and weaknesses. The researcher conducted qualitative inquiry of an intrinsic case study to evaluate the programming at a single school district under the theoretical frameworks of pragmatism, differentiated instruction, and self-efficacy. Educators answered a census style survey reporting categorical ratings on each element of the gifted standards with additional explanatory comments on open ended questions. The mode response of the categorical ratings was reported and open ended answers were analyzed using a hybrid coding method. Results showed strength in curriculum and instruction, program design, and identification items with most of these in place in the district. The affective needs and professional development categories had lower scores, with educators citing a lack of social emotional and pedagogical training specific to gifted students. The project was an evaluation report with an action plan devised to improve professional development offerings, increase educator's abilities to address social emotional learning. Historically, programming for gifted students has been considered uninspiring and ineffective and is rarely systematically evaluated and improved. Thus, the project promotes social change by reversing this gap in practice and has potential to benefit the upcoming generation of gifted learners and the local community.

According to the Colorado Judicial Branch, 78 problem-solving courts operate in the 20 judicial districts in Colorado. The Summit County and Eagle County drug court programs are located in Colorado's Fifth Judicial District and have not been previously studied. Evaluating treatment programs for effectiveness contributes to social change because it ensures individuals in need of treatment are receiving the proper services. The Eagle County drug court program had 117 participants and the Summit County drug court program had 33 participants. The Summit County Drug Court used 2 cognitive behavioral therapies: moral reconation therapy and strategies for self-improvement and change. The Eagle County Drug Court used the new Planting Seeds: A Client-Centered Approach to Addiction Treatment program in conjunction with mandatory 12-step support group participation as the basis for their treatment intervention. All participants in both groups completed a pre- and posttest Level of Service Inventory-Revised assessment, which measured the risk of recidivism, and the Adult Substance Use Survey-Revised to assess the severity of their substance use disorder. The data were analyzed using an analysis of covariance and a linear mixed-effects model; posttest Level of Service Inventory-Revised scores served as the dependent variable. Results indicated that successfully completing treatment significantly lowered the risk of recidivism, and that the Eagle County participants were more likely than the Summit County participants to successfully complete treatment. This study contributes to social change by advancing a new intervention that assists in keeping individuals who are in need of services in treatment longer, which in turn lowers their risk to reoffend.

An urban elementary school in the northeast was lacking formal methods to evaluate its support systems for teachers. This formative evaluation of the school's support systems for new teachers and staff was conducted using a mixed methods design to address the problem. The purpose of this evaluation was to determine the indicators of progress or need of improvement of effectively supporting teachers through mentoring, professional development, and collaboration. The theoretical framework for the study was Kirkpatrick's 4 levels of evaluation: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. The evaluation was also guided by questions about the extent, perceived effectiveness, strengths, and weaknesses of the support systems. Data were collected using surveys from 33 teacher participants and interviews with 10 teacher participants. Qualitative data analysis involved emergent coding for themes and sub-themes. Inconsistent support emerged as a support weakness and a comforting school community emerged as a support strength. Frequencies and ratios of survey items were calculated and reported. Key findings were that 60% of the participants perceived the support systems to be adequate and 79% perceived the mentor and new teacher meetings to be effective. However, 36% of respondents reported that all support systems needed some improvements. A full report including recommendations was prepared for the stakeholders at the school and district levels. Implications for positive social change include higher retention and enhanced performance of beginning teachers, which may help to improve learning outcomes for students.

Consumers need to acquire financial knowledge and confidence in order to take effectual actions to accumulate adequate retirement wealth and improve their overall financial well-being. Thus, quality financial education programs are needed to empower consumers to achieve these goals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Utah State University (USU) Retirement and Savings Seminar as measured by participant satisfaction and participants‘ financial knowledge, financial confidence, and financial behavior change compared to a similar group of non-participants. The program evaluation was guided by a logic model developed for the seminar. Data for this study were collected with three online questionnaires emailed to USU employees who enrolled in the seminar as well as a comparison group matched by gender and employment category. A total of 188 individuals responded to the surveys, with subsamples of 54 treatment group participants and 134 comparison group participants. Results from chi-square crosstabulations and an independent samples t test revealed that age, total household income, and current retirement assets were the only significant group differences between seminar participants and non-participants. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the Retirement and Savings Seminar is a beneficial program. Overall, seminar participants reported that they were very satisfied with the seminar and would recommend it to other university employees in the future. Results from the hierarchical regression models found a significant increase in seminar participants‘ financial knowledge and financial confidence from the pretest to the posttest. Additionally, seminar participants improved their financial knowledge and financial confidence scores more than non-participants above and beyond group differences in age, total household income, and pretest scores. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA found that financial behavior also increased more for seminar participants than for non-participants two months after completing the seminar. According to the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM), individuals progress through five stages of behavior change to modify a problem behavior or acquire a positive behavior. Consistent with this theory, a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test indicated that the seminar helped seminar participants to progress to a higher TTM stage of change more than non-participants.

One of the largest populations with whom social workers work are individuals with disabilities. Due to the increase of children with disabilities, it is important to evaluate the programs in which the children participate. Camp Koinonia is a program at the University of Tennessee that works with children with multiple disabilities for one week a year. The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation on Camp Koinonia in 2009 (n = 109). This study assessed age,(continuous variable, n = 109) gender (male, n = 61; female n = 48), category of disability (cognitive, n = 50; physical, n = 59) and type of disability (cerebral palsy, n = 17; down syndrome, n = 21; autism spectrum disorder, n = 18; and mental retardation, n = 22). This study compared the previously mentioned variables to physical, cognitive, and emotional outcomes as measured by an altered version of the Functional Assessment of Characteristics for Therapeutic Recreation, Revised (FACTR-R). The results of reliability analysis found that each subscale of physical (a = .71), cognitive (a = .80), and emotional (a = .83) outcomes of the FACTR-R were reliable. A multiple groups confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the FACTR-R which found that this measurement tool was a good tool to use. The results of this study found that the children with physical disabilities had statistically significant improvements with their physical outcomes. Specifically, the children with cerebral palsy had statistically significant improvements in physical outcomes. There were also statistically significant improvements in children with autism spectrum disorders and emotional outcomes. A discussion of limitations and recommendations for future research is presented.

This study utilizes longitudinal, mixed-method data drawn from participants in an environmental education/international immersion program for middle high-school students to study outcomes and processes associated with program participation. Studies of program outcomes and processes are important for better understanding the design and impact of youth programs. The first study investigated the relationships between experience types (i.e., indirect vs. direct) and learning outcomes (i.e., knowledge vs. attitudes). In other words, what is the difference in impacts between reading a book about the rain forest and actually traveling to the rain forest? Findings suggest that experience type plays a significant role in the type of learning outcomes as well as how these outcomes influence behavior. More specifically, direct experiences appear to catalyze knowledge in a way that facilitates future behavior development. The qualitative data also suggest that participants' perceptions of perceived freedom during the program moderated whether participation was experienced as direct or indirect. The second study employed a social development model (SDM) to understand the relationship between within program socialization processes and program outcomes. The model provided a good fit for the data and predicted a significant portion of the variance in environmental behavior after controlling for baseline levels of this outcome variable. Additionally, analysis of qualitative data produced a proposed model of shared activities and bonding that suggests youth valued experiences where adults participated with them as equals rather than as disciplinarians or administrators. The final study provided insights regarding the degree to which the program was implemented as originally planned and how the domains of implementation integrity influenced program outcomes. The findings suggest that of the measured implementation domains, only participant responsiveness was significantly related to program outcomes. Data also suggest that implementer efficacy can have differing impacts on program adherence. The qualitative data suggest that most participants positively perceived the program and felt it was well organized. In sum, the findings provide a holistic perspective of the processes and outcomes of this program. Rather than merely presenting an overview of program impacts, the study offers insights into the processes (e.g., socialization) and characteristics (e.g., experience types) that produced observed outcomes. Thus, the study presents a more complete picture of what individuals gained through their participation in this program as well as the processes that led to these gains.

Background: In 2010, a massive earthquake left the capitol Port-au-Prince in ruins and destroyed infrastructure providing electricity, piped clean water, and waste removal to the region. Water, sanitation, and hygiene intervention programs attempt to reduce the burden of water-related disease in earthquake-affected regions. However, there are few evaluations of these programs, especially following natural disasters. Methods: Data provided by Samaritan’s Purse Canada’s WASH program were examined. The data set included a household (N=1198) and a latrine (N=167) survey that recorded household use of laundry pads, bath houses, hand-pumped drilled wells, health and hygiene education sessions, and latrines as well as demographic data. Data analysis was conducted in IBM SPSS Version 20.0. Descriptive statistics were computed, and statistical relationships were analyzed for 1.) Health and hygiene education session attendance and program outcomes and 2.) Household diarrheal disease and program interventions Results:This study found that households attending any of four health and hygiene sessions were significantly more likely to use program-provided bath houses and hand-pumped wells (p Discussion: This study concluded that health and hygiene session attendance is positively associated with the utilization of program interventions. However, further improvements in data collection methodology are needed to fully understand the effects of this multi-intervention WASH program on target communities.

Throughout the last three decades there has been a shift in the provision of crisis services from the hospital to the community (Joy, Adams, & Rice, 2007). Further, the needs of individuals experiencing crises differ, making it essential that these community organizations are able to adapt to each client that they serve (Krupa, Stuart, Mathany, Smart, & Chen, 2010). Program evaluations are one way to determine if, and how, best services are being provided. Using a utilization-focused (Patton, 1997) process evaluation (Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, 2007) framework, the purpose of this study was to explore client perspectives on the services that they are receiving from Crisis Management Service (CMS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants based on questions generated with CMS staff support. Using the general inductive approach (Thomas, 2006), transcripts were analyzed and eight dimensions emerged. The results illustrate client experiences with CMS, client perspectives on the care that they are receiving from CMS, and the benefits they are receiving from being involved with CMS. However, the findings also indicate, that participants would like to change some elements of the program (e.g., having more constant support and having more finances). This study provides valuable insight on clients’ perspectives, particularly that of vulnerable clients in crisis situations, an area that is not extensively researched. This research may also benefit individuals in helping professions as it highlights the effects of working from a strength-based model with at-risk individuals, and the need to engage clients in their move to a healthier lifestyle.

Background: In 2010, a massive earthquake left the capitol Port-au-Prince in ruins and destroyed infrastructure providing electricity, piped clean water, and waste removal to the region. Water, sanitation, and hygiene intervention programs attempt to reduce the burden of water-related disease in earthquake-affected regions. However, there are few evaluations of these programs, especially following natural disasters. Methods: Data provided by Samaritan’s Purse Canada’s WASH program were examined. The data set included a household (N=1198) and a latrine (N=167) survey that recorded household use of laundry pads, bath houses, hand-pumped drilled wells, health and hygiene education sessions, and latrines as well as demographic data. Data analysis was conducted in IBM SPSS Version 20.0. Descriptive statistics were computed, and statistical relationships were analyzed for 1.) Health and hygiene education session attendance and program outcomes and 2.) Household diarrheal disease and program interventions Results: This study found that households attending any of four health and hygiene sessions were significantly more likely to use program-provided bath houses and hand-pumped wells (p<0.05). Attendance was also significantly associated with increased knowledge of diarrheal disease prevention and hand washing technique. Households using the program-provided hand pump reported lower rates of diarrhea in children under five years old. Discussion: This study concluded that health and hygiene session attendance is positively associated with the utilization of program interventions. However, further improvements in data collection methodology are needed to fully understand the effects of this multi-intervention WASH program on target communities.