This study presents the development of an instrument to measure activities social service agencies conduct to insure quality service delivery and the barriers to quality that these organizations face. Self-administered anonymous questionnaires were completed by 277 Masters-level social service professionals. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor solution for an 18-item measure of quality-directed activities and a two-factor solution for a seven-item measure of agency barriers. Results of a multivariate regression model indicated that respondent's role, agency's sector of care, strength of perceived public reputation, and accreditation status were associated with overall endorsement of quality-directed activities. Recommendations for further instrument refinement are included.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.