we have been involved for I about two years in an attempt to plan and carry out a meaningful evaluation of the mental health program in operation in several communities in the county.We wanted an evaluation which would be more nearly objective than a tabulation of judgments about improved mental health in the community. We were aware that this required the resolution of a number of problems which had plagued evaluation research for some years. In reviewing the kinds of problems which have been typical in such research, one might classify them as follows:1. Criteria selection-the identification of the kinds of changes which a successful program should make in the people of the community.2. Hypothesis formation-the statement of hypotheses about the expected changes, which are (a) conceptually clear and valid statements about improved mental health; (b) applicable to all the people of the population sampled; and (c) specific enough to permit valid and reliable measurement.3. Assessment-the development and the empirical validation of efficient methods of measuring the expected changes in the people of the community.
4.Sampling-the selecting of a sample of communities which will permit (a) as broad a generalization of the findings as possible; (b) a definition of the subsamples of people who respond to the program and those who do not respond; and (c) a definition of the population which the total sample represents, and of the subpopulations which the subsamples represent.5. Design-the construction of a research design which will (a) separate the effects of the program from the effects of the many other influences operating in the community; (b) give results independent of the differing conditions under which the program functions in different communities; and (c) permit a definition of the conditions under which the program is successful, and those under which it is not successful.6 . Data treatment-the selection and application of statistical methods of maximum precision and best fit to the form of the design and the data. 7. Reporting-the communication of the findings in a manner appropriate * Presented at the 1955 Annual Meeting in a Round Table on "Research for the Evaluation of Community Mental Health Service," Margaret C.-L. Gildea, M.D., Chairman. The research and service programs on which this paper is based are programs of the St. Louis County Health Department. The investigation is supported by a research grant
A program in community mental health education has been described that can be developed in any community. Because it offers a broad opportunity for active participation by lay people it builds good morale and a wide base of understanding and popular support of mental health principles and needs. The method of selecting and training discussion leaders is described; the merits of various audio-visual tools for this purpose are considered. Successes and failures of the program are discussed.
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