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Zero Effects in Substance Abuse Programs

Author

Listed:
  • David Rindskopf

    (City University of New York)

  • Leonard Saxe

    (City University of New York)

Abstract

The evaluation of community-based programs poses special design and analysis problems. The present article focuses on two major types of errors that can occur in such evaluations: false positives—incorrectly declaring a program to be effective—and false negatives—incorrectly declaring a program to be ineffective. The evaluation of a national demonstration of community- based programs to reduce substance abuse, Fighting Back, is used to illustrate several ap proaches to reduce the probability of errors. Both those errors that are affected by the design and those by analytic approaches are considered. Ways to assess multiple outcomes and to match the complexity of the program with design and analytic strategies are proposed. Community trials are complex interventions, and, although they can provide very useful information, their outcomes have to be understood in terms of the constructs they test and the contexts within which they are carried out.

Suggested Citation

  • David Rindskopf & Leonard Saxe, 1998. "Zero Effects in Substance Abuse Programs," Evaluation Review, , vol. 22(1), pages 78-94, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:evarev:v:22:y:1998:i:1:p:78-94
    DOI: 10.1177/0193841X9802200104
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yin, Robert K. & Kaftarian, Shakeh J., 1997. "Introduction: Challenges of community-based program outcome evaluations," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 293-297, August.
    2. Susser, M., 1995. "The tribulations of trials--intervention in communities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 85(2), pages 156-158.
    3. Feinleib, M., 1996. "New directions for community intervention studies," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 86(12), pages 1696-1698.
    4. Saxe, Leonard & Reber, Emily & Hallfors, Denise & Kadushin, Charles & Jones, Delmos & Rindskopf, David & Beveridge, Andrew, 1997. "Think globally, act locally: Assessing the impact of community-based substance abuse prevention," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 357-366, August.
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