Research and Program Evaluation Flashcards

A counselor at a community agency wants to investigate the effectiveness of a new mindfulness intervention on client anxiety levels. They use clients from their morning group as the treatment group and clients from an afternoon group as the control group. Because clients were not randomly assigned to the groups, which research design is being utilized?

Answer: Quasi-Experimental Design

A quasi-experimental design resembles a true experiment but lacks the key element of random assignment to treatment or control groups. [4, 6] This design is often used in real-world settings where randomization is not practical or ethical. [3, 7]

In research methodology, which of the following best describes internal validity?

Answer: The degree of confidence that the causal relationship being tested is trustworthy and not influenced by other factors.

Internal validity is concerned with the extent to which a study's design ensures that the observed effects on the dependent variable are caused by the independent variable and not by confounding variables. [25] It addresses the trustworthiness of cause-and-effect conclusions within the study itself. [5]

A counselor is halfway through implementing a new 12-week career counseling curriculum. They administer a brief survey to participants to gather feedback on the pacing and clarity of materials to make adjustments for the remaining weeks. This is an example of which type of evaluation?

Answer: Formative Evaluation

Formative evaluation is conducted *during* a program's implementation to provide ongoing feedback that can be used to improve the program. [17, 26] It is process-focused, whereas summative evaluation is conducted at the end to assess final outcomes. [2, 20]

A researcher conducts a study comparing an experimental group to a control group and finds a p-value of .04. In social science research, what is the most common interpretation of this result?

Answer: The results are statistically significant, indicating the observed difference is unlikely due to chance, and the null hypothesis is rejected.

In social sciences, the conventional alpha level for significance is typically .05. [8, 10] A p-value less than or equal to .05 (like .04) is considered statistically significant, which means there is strong evidence against the null hypothesis, leading the researcher to reject it. [12, 16]

Which of the following research approaches is most concerned with exploring phenomena through non-numerical data, such as interviews and observations, to understand the richness of lived experiences and meanings?

Answer: Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is an exploratory approach focused on understanding complex human experiences through the collection and analysis of non-numerical data, such as words and narratives from interviews or observations. [1, 15] It aims to illuminate context and meaning. [11]

A school counselor develops a new anti-bullying program. Before implementing any interventions, the counselor collects survey data from students and teachers and reviews disciplinary records to understand the scope, nature, and characteristics of the bullying problem at the school. This initial step is best described as a:

Answer: Needs Assessment

A needs assessment is a systematic process for determining and addressing needs or 'gaps' between current conditions and desired conditions. It is a critical first step in program evaluation that helps to define the problem and establish a baseline before designing or implementing a program.