Evaluation and Program Planning最新文献

{"title":"Barriers and facilitators to recovery support interventions in US Rural Recovery Houses: Implementing the SMART life skills program.","authors":"Madison Ashworth, David Johnson, Robin A Thompson, Grace L Clancy, Jennah Baier, Jean Spielman","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102717","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102717","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As substance use disorder continues to impact millions of Americans, various recovery support treatment and service modalities are being developed, evaluated, and refined for effectiveness. Recovery housing provides substance-free living environments for individuals in recovery and can offer a variety of services and structured programs for residents. One such program that has the potential to enhance resident outcomes is the Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Successful Life Skills program (SLS), a 12-session curriculum that uses a mix of behavioral tools and aspects of the social model of recovery employed by standard mutual aid groups. In this paper, we discuss the implementation barriers and facilitators of a 3-year initiative that aimed to implement SLS in 100 rural recovery houses across the U.S. During this initiative, the study team faced significant barriers in recruitment and program implementation. Recruitment barriers included the unknown landscape of recovery housing, stigma and mistrust in research, inconsistent staffing models, and differing treatment philosophies. Further, access to technology, technical literacy, time constraints for both residents and recovery house staff, and staff turnover created a difficult environment to successfully implement and evaluate the impact of the SLS program. Numerous solutions were employed to overcome implementation and recruitment barriers in recovery housing such as multiple contact methods, collaboration, stakeholder engagement, financial/material support, evaluation flexibility and adaptability, and transparency.</p>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"102717"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145259587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A program evaluation of a healthy lifestyle intervention adapted for individuals with brain injury","authors":"Megan E. Douglas ,&nbsp;Virginia Leidner ,&nbsp;Alyssa Patterson ,&nbsp;Christa Ochoa ,&nbsp;Evan McShan ,&nbsp;Stephanie Calhoun ,&nbsp;Alex Suhalka ,&nbsp;Simon Driver","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Current recommendations are to modify existing evidence-based health interventions rather than building new interventions. Therefore, our team adapted an evidence-based healthy lifestyle intervention to meet the unique needs of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. Previously published outcomes supported clinical trial efficacy of these programs, but it is also important to evaluate programs from a participant perspective. Responses from 58 participants who completed their respective intervention and the program exit survey were analyzed. Quantitative items using a Likert-type scale were summarized using descriptive statistics and responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using a thematic approach. Most program components were rated as “very helpful” and open-ended responses suggested that the program was perceived to be effective, that participants would recommend it, and most got what they wanted out of the experience. Although the program was perceived as helpful, a preference for in-person, rather than video conferencing delivery, was evident in responses. Six themes (<em>Challenges</em>, <em>Change in Lifestyle following the Program</em>, <em>Program Feedback</em>, <em>Telehealth Experience</em>, <em>Social Support</em>, and <em>External Tools</em>) and 38 unique subthemes emerged and will help inform future iterations of similar programs for individuals with TBI and stroke to support healthy lifestyle change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"Article 102716"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145221434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Causal decision-making for speed camera allocation: Methodology and an application","authors":"Yingheng Zhang ,&nbsp;Haojie Li","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102713","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102713","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Speed enforcement cameras are implemented worldwide to regulate driving behaviours and enhance road traffic safety. Proper allocation of speed cameras is quite important. In practice, we should first identify road sites likely to experience larger crash reductions with speed cameras, but this step is commonly simplified as ranking sites based on the historical crash frequency. This paper proposes the use of causal decision-making to refine speed camera allocation rules. Within this framework, the heterogeneous treatment effects (HTEs) of speed cameras on crash frequency across different sites are first modelled by applying causal machine learning methods. Subsequently, by exploiting the trained HTE model, sites with larger predicted road safety benefits (i.e., crash reductions) will be prioritised for allocation. A UK case study is presented to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method. Different speed camera allocation rules, including the HTE-based, historical crash-based, and random allocation, are compared with respect to the number of prevented road traffic crashes. Our empirical results indicate that a larger number of past crashes in general implies a larger safety benefit of the speed camera. Therefore, the historical crash frequency could be regarded as a useful criterion for camera site selection in the absence of additional information. Nonetheless, the HTE-based rule has been found to further enhance the allocation performance. That is, more road traffic crashes could be prevented by adopting the HTE-based rule. In future transportation research and practice, the causal decision-making framework could be applied more generally to costly resource allocation tasks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"Article 102713"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Program design and youth employability outcomes in South Africa: A longitudinal study","authors":"Gina A.N. Chowa ,&nbsp;Rainier Masa ,&nbsp;Graham Zulu ,&nbsp;Miranda Manzanares","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102714","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102714","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the association between program design and youth employability outcomes. Using longitudinal survey data from the Siyakha Youth Assets project in South Africa, we analyzed responses from a sample of 1809 youth enrolled in eight different employment programs across the country. Data were collected at four time points over 36 months using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Analyses were conducted on multiply imputed data sets using multilevel mixed-effects regression models, with repeated observations at Level 1 and program design features at Level 2. Results indicate variation in the association between program design features and outcomes. Youth in programs with moderate soft skills training, substantial work experience, and structured job matching reported significantly higher employability attributes, job readiness, and job interviewing skills, and were more likely to apply for jobs than those in programs with minimal soft skills, no work experience component, and unstructured or ad hoc matching. Program duration and technical skills training were not significantly associated with outcomes. The stipend provision showed a significant negative association with career self-management, while all other associations were non-significant. These findings underscore that the design and delivery of youth employment programs, particularly those integrating soft skills, work experience, and labor market matching, are linked to improved outcomes. In contrast, the standalone use of stipends, extended duration, or technical training shows limited effects over time. Results highlight the importance of integrated program design, particularly the inclusion of soft skills, experiential learning, and labor market linkages, in improving youth employment outcomes in South Africa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"Article 102714"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimising student loan recovery in Malawi: Bridging policy gaps, socio-economic realities, and administrative challenges","authors":"Reuben Moyo ,&nbsp;Jimmy Mbelwa ,&nbsp;Evelyn Kachingwe ,&nbsp;Juma Lungo","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102674","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102674","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Malawi, where student loans are crucial for expanding access to higher education, poor loan recovery poses a significant threat to the sustainability of financing and socioeconomic development. The study investigates student loan recovery challenges at Malawi’s Higher Education Student Loans and Grants Board (HESLGB), where rigid salary deductions result in a 32.6% non-repayment rate. A mixed-methods approach, grounded in behavioural economics, analyses survey data from 289 borrowers and interviews with 12 staff. Four themes, including enforcement mechanisms, borrower support systems, repayment schedules, and penalties, highlight barriers linked to a 70% informal workforce and administrative gaps. Unemployment, rigid schedules, and poor tracking impede recovery. We propose income-contingent repayment plans, digital platforms, borrower education, and policy reforms, drawing on regional models to offer scalable solutions for low- and middle-income countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"Article 102674"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Scenario-based planning for urban sustainability: Envisioning an ecological city in Shandiz, Iran by 2032","authors":"Forouzan Taheri ,&nbsp;Mahdi Kolahi","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102711","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102711","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban sustainability in developing countries is often hindered by infrastructural limitations and the complexity of environmental uncertainties. This study applies scenario-based planning to explore future pathways for the development of an ecological city in Shandiz, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, by 2032. Following a six-step scenario planning framework, the research employed a mixed-methods approach, including expert questionnaires to identify and prioritize key drivers, and semi-structured interviews using saturation theory to construct scenario logics. The analysis yielded three distinct future scenarios: the Ideal City (sustainable and inclusive development), the Command City (state-driven but fragile planning), and the Ruined City (unsustainable and fragmented growth). Strategies were formulated to guide urban stakeholders toward realizing the most desirable future. The study contributes to the field of urban futures by demonstrating how participatory scenario planning can support informed decision-making under uncertainty and promote sustainable urban transitions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"Article 102711"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145082108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanisms for institutionalising evaluation: A scoping review","authors":"Carla Cordoncillo Acosta","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102710","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102710","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, there has been growing attention garnered by the institutionalisation of evaluation, with academia as well as international organisations, governments and practitioners engaging more with the topic<em>.</em> Recent publications, in particular the books edited by Stockmann and Meyer (2020, 2022, 2023) that bring together various experiences occurring in different European, American and Asian countries, have contributed significantly to the conceptual and theoretical development of the field. However, the predominant analytical frameworks used to assess institutionalisation are primarily designed to support international comparisons and to quantify the degree of institutionalisation across countries. As such, they tend to emphasise measurable indicators or enabling conditions, often overlooking the specific mechanisms and institutional arrangements that underpin the development and sustainability of evaluative practices. This article addresses that gap by conducting a scoping review of 29 case studies from 12 countries with different evaluation traditions. Rather than focusing on levels of institutionalisation, the analysis identifies and categorises the institutional arrangements and mechanisms most frequently used to embed evaluation within public administration. In doing so, it offers a structured overview intended to support public sector managers—particularly in contexts with limited evaluation traditions—in reflecting on and designing appropriate strategies to strengthen evaluation systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"Article 102710"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145082118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implementing statewide literacy and special education training in the U.S.: A mixed-methods evaluation","authors":"Deborah K. Reed,&nbsp;Anna S. Gibbs,&nbsp;Julie K. Owens","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address gaps in the field’s knowledge about implementing educator preparation program (EPP) reforms at scale, this mixed methods study gathered data from one U.S. state’s instructors to understand their perceptions of and experiences complying with new legislation and implementing state-provided training modules for future K-5 literacy and special education teachers and leaders. Across the state’s 40 EPPs, 188 survey responses and 24 focus group participants’ comments were gathered. Instructors generally agreed with the policy goals and appreciated the evidence base of the module content. However, they recommended improving student engagement and providing more implementation guidance and tools. Overall, the data suggested there was a lack of systematic implementation planning that potentially hampered reform efforts. Lessons learned about implementing policies at scale are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"Article 102712"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of “Sport for the Strong” – A project for the integration of children and adolescents with special educational needs into club sports","authors":"Lisa Affengruber ,&nbsp;Ludwig Grillich ,&nbsp;Marie-Therese Schultes ,&nbsp;Isolde Sommer","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102700","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102700","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Research shows that children and adolescents with disabilities have significantly lower levels of physical activity than their nondisabled peers. The project “Sport for the Strong” aimed to familiarize children and adolescents with special educational needs with a variety of sports activities by offering training sessions as part of the school curriculum to integrate them into sports clubs.</div></div><div><h3>Aims</h3><div>We conducted outcome and process evaluations. While the outcome evaluation focused on the project’s effects on the participants’ well-being, the process evaluation concentrated on barriers to and facilitators for the project’s implementation in the two settings: schools and sports clubs.</div></div><div><h3>Methods and procedures</h3><div>At the time of data collection, 314 pupils with special educational needs were involved in the project. The average age of the children and adolescents was 12 years (standard deviation: 3.1). Of the participants, 41 % were girls and 59 % were boys. For the outcome evaluation, we administered questionnaires to the participating parents (n = 79), teachers (n = 75), and trainers (n = 11). For the process evaluation, we conducted two focus groups with seven trainers (4 female), five parents (one couple and three mothers), and three teenagers (2 boys and one girl).</div></div><div><h3>Outcomes and results</h3><div>The outcome evaluation showed that almost all the parents, trainers, and teachers experienced a positive effect on the participants’ well-being. The most striking barriers to implementation at schools and sports clubs were: the small number of training sessions at school; difficulties in communication between trainers, clubs, and parents; and the low numbers of trainers being actively involved in sports clubs. The facilitators for implementation were: good communication between parents and trainers and good cooperation between teachers and trainers.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions and implications</h3><div>This project showed that sports programs being inclusive of children and adolescents with special educational needs has a positive effect on these participants’ well-being. Good communication and cooperation between trainers, teachers, and sports clubs are significant elements for successful implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"Article 102700"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145087753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating gendered fault lines: Nigeria’s COVID-19 stimulus through a feminist political economy and OECD-DAC lens","authors":"Chukwuemeka Onyebuchi Onyimadu ,&nbsp;Oluwaseun Blessing Adetutu","doi":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines the gender responsiveness of Nigeria’s COVID-19 fiscal stimulus, the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), through a feminist political economy lens, using the UN Women–ILO gender assessment toolkit. By analyzing macroeconomic data, sector trends, and policies, it assesses whether the ESP effectively addressed the pandemic's uneven socio-economic impacts on women, particularly in the informal sector. The results show that although the ESP included interventions for vulnerable groups and women-led businesses, it lacked a comprehensive strategy for gender mainstreaming and failed to address underlying inequalities in care work, labour participation, and access to health and social services. The paper calls for policy reforms that prioritize women’s economic independence and social protection systems. Beyond its policy relevance, this study contributes to evaluation research by demonstrating how macroeconomic stimulus programs can be assessed using OECD-DAC evaluation criteria and a feminist political economy perspective. This demonstrates how gender-sensitive evaluation frameworks can yield valuable insights for national policy design and inform approach shows how gender-sensitive evaluation frameworks can produce insights for national policy design and the international evaluation community. The study adds to the discussion on gender-responsive recovery in Africa by providing evidence-based recommendations for future fiscal policy responses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48046,"journal":{"name":"Evaluation and Program Planning","volume":"114 ","pages":"Article 102694"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}