Organizational Assessment - Eppp Knowledge

1. Which needs assessment type compares present performance to an explicit standard or goal?

   Discrepancy (gap) needs assessment. It highlights differences between actual and ideal states to inform targeted improvements.

2. What is the best definition of process evaluation in a group program context?

   Assessment of implementation, fidelity, reach, and dose delivered. It examines how well the program is executed to ensure alignment with intended design.

3. What is the best definition of formative evaluation in program development and refinement?

   Evaluation used to improve the program during planning or early delivery. It provides feedback for refinement before full implementation to enhance program quality.

4. Which threat to internal validity occurs when pretesting changes participants' later responses?

   Testing (pretest sensitization). Exposure to the test itself can alter behavior or awareness, affecting subsequent measurements.

5. Which framework links inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes to guide program evaluation?

   Logic model (program theory model). It visually represents the program's theory of change to facilitate evaluation planning.

6. What is the best definition of a felt need when conducting a needs assessment with a group?

   Need perceived and reported by stakeholders or participants. It captures the subjective experiences and priorities of those directly involved in the group.

7. What is the best definition of a comparative need in a community needs assessment?

   Need identified by comparing similar groups with different service levels. This method reveals inequities by contrasting service access and outcomes across comparable populations.

8. What is the correct formula for a standardized mean difference effect size for two independent groups?

   $d=\frac{\bar{X}_1-\bar{X}_2}{s_p}$. It standardizes the difference between means to indicate the magnitude of the effect.

9. What is the best definition of outcome evaluation for a group-based intervention program?

   Assessment of changes in target outcomes attributable to the program. It measures the program's effectiveness in achieving desired results attributable to the intervention.

10. Which threat occurs when extreme baseline scores move toward the mean at follow-up without true change?

    Regression to the mean. Extreme values tend to revert to average due to statistical variability, mimicking improvement.

11. What is the primary purpose of a needs assessment in a group, organization, or community setting?

    Identify and prioritize gaps between current and desired conditions. This process determines discrepancies to guide resource allocation and intervention planning in collective settings.

12. What is the best definition of a norm-referenced need in needs assessment?

    Need defined by comparison to a peer group or population norm. This approach identifies needs based on deviations from established benchmarks in similar populations.

13. What is the main limitation of using only administrative records for needs assessment?

    They reflect service users, not unmet need in nonusers. Such records miss individuals who have needs but do not engage with services.

14. What is the best definition of an expressed need in needs assessment terminology?

    Need inferred from service use, waiting lists, or help-seeking behavior. These needs are observable through behaviors indicating demand for services in the population.

15. Which metric best answers whether a group program was delivered as intended by facilitators?

    Treatment fidelity (adherence/competence) measurement. It assesses how closely the intervention follows the planned protocol in delivery.

16. Which data source is best for estimating prevalence of a problem in a target population?

    Epidemiologic or population-based survey data. These methods provide representative data on incidence and distribution within the population.

17. Which threat to internal validity is most likely when outcomes improve due to natural recovery over time?

    Maturation. It refers to changes occurring naturally with time, independent of the intervention.

18. Which threat to internal validity occurs when a major external event affects outcomes during evaluation?

    History. External events can confound results by influencing participants outside the program.

19. Which sampling bias occurs when only those who choose to respond provide needs assessment data?

    Self-selection (volunteer) bias. It skews results as participants may differ systematically from non-respondents in the sample.

20. What is the best definition of summative evaluation in a program evaluation plan?

    Evaluation used to judge overall merit or impact after implementation. It assesses the program's value and effectiveness post-delivery to determine overall success.

21. Which method best captures stakeholder priorities and values during a needs assessment?

    Key informant interviews or focus groups. They allow for in-depth exploration of opinions and insights from knowledgeable individuals.

22. What is the defining feature of a wait-list control design for evaluating a group intervention?

    Controls receive the intervention later; outcomes compared during the wait period. This design ethically provides treatment to all while enabling comparison of immediate effects.

23. Which design uses a comparison group without random assignment to evaluate a program?

    Quasi-experimental design. It approximates experimental control using non-random methods to infer causality.

24. Which evaluation design provides the strongest causal inference about a group program's effects?

    Randomized controlled trial (experimental design). Random assignment minimizes bias, allowing attribution of effects to the intervention.

25. Identify the correct formula for percent change from baseline to follow-up in program outcomes.

    $\frac{\text{follow-up}-\text{baseline}}{\text{baseline}}\times 100\%$. This calculation quantifies the relative improvement or decline in outcomes over time.

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