Evaluation and Action in the Social Environment

Evaluation and Action in the Social Environment provides a description of a framework for doing evaluation and action research in social settings. This book presents the strategies for analysis and intervention in community, health, and human service settings.

Organized into 10 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the impact of social settings on individual behavior. This text then examines the family, community groups, and personal social networks. Other chapters consider the assessment and change in behavioral and physical environments. This book discusses as well the family as an interpersonal system, with emphasis on interactive sequences to show how symptomatic behavior has its own logic in the family context. The final chapter deals with larger and more complex settings and contexts, including schools, medical hospitals, and settings in the legal system.

This book is a valuable resource for sociologists, anthropologists, social scientists, clinical therapists, program evaluators, and social policymakers.

Contenu

List of Contributors
Preface
1 The Action Research Paradigm
The Need for New Paradigms for Social Research and Practice
The Origins of Action Research: Lewin's Legacy
Generic Characteristics of Action Research
Overview of the Book
References
2 Intervention and Evaluation in Family Settings
The Evolution of a Treatment Focus on the Family
A Conceptual Scheme for Understanding and Changing Behavioral Pathology in Families
Evaluation of Family Intervention
References
3 Community Groups: An Empirical Taxonomy for Evaluation and Intervention
Importance of Community Groups
Rationale for Action
Evaluation Scheme
The Taxonomy
Outline for Action
Conclusion
Appendix: Summary of the Community Group Scale Including Sample Items
References
4 Network Analysis and the Logic of Social Support
Introduction
Network Analysis
A Rationale for Action: The Logic of Social Support
Effects of Network Density
Discussion and Empirical Results
Summary
References
5 Action Research in the Built Environment
The Human Dimension in Architecture
An Analytical Scheme for the Environmental Psychologist
A Model of Environmental Change
Evaluation of the Impact of Environmental Change
Summary
References
6 Conducting Behavioral Evaluations in Residential Facilities for Retarded Persons: From Analysis to Action
Functions and Operations of Total Treatment Facilities
Development of the Interaction Recording System
Examples of the Evaluation-Action Sequence
Toward Implementing Action Strategies
References
7 Human Service Programs as Work Organizations: Using Organizational Design to Improve Staff Motivation and Effectiveness
Human Service Programs and Human Welfare
The Human Service Program as a Workplace
A Model of Organizational Design and Its Influence on the Helper
Assessment and Measurement Issues
An Outline for Action with Human Service Programs
Evaluating the Impact of Action in Human Service Programs
Conclusion and Future Directions
A Concluding Note: The Limitations of Formal Models
References
8 The Hospital Environment: Understanding and Modifying Its Impact on the Patient
Introduction
The Hospital Environment: An Overview
A Framework for Understanding the Impact of Hospital Environments
Plans for Action in Special Hospital Areas
Summary
References
9 An Integrated Network of Preventively Oriented School-Based Mental Health Approaches
PMHP's Rationale and Origins
PMHP's Evolution and Workings
Primary Prevention Steps
Summary
References
10 The Role of Research in Changing the Legal System
The Problem
The Data
Prediction
Treatment
Analytic Scheme
Policy Action
Issues in Evaluating Policy Action
Conclusions
References
Subject Index