Meeting the Challenge of Doing an RCT Evaluation of Youth Mentoring in Ireland

Brady, Bernadine; O’Regan, Connie

doi:10.1177/1558689809335973

Cited by 22 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…A key difficulty in relation to using experimental designs as a method of understanding behavior change in the field, is the linear understanding of causality and the lack of attention to context (Brady & O'Regan, 2009). Methods for integrating qualitative and quantitative findings are available to overcome this problem, but currently, such methods represent relatively uncharted territory.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Mixed Methods in Improved Cookstove Research

Stanistreet

Hyseni

Bashin

et al. 2015

Journal of Health Communication

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The challenge of promoting access to clean and efficient household energy for cooking and heating is a critical issue facing low- and middle-income countries today. Along with clean fuels, improved cookstoves (ICSs) continue to play an important part in efforts to reduce the 4 million annual premature deaths attributed to household air pollution. Although a range of ICSs are available, there is little empirical evidence on appropriate behavior change approaches to inform adoption and sustained used at scale. Specifically, evaluations using either quantitative or qualitative methods provide an incomplete picture of the challenges in facilitating ICS adoption. This article examines how studies that use the strengths of both these approaches can offer important insights into behavior change in relation to ICS uptake and scale-up. Epistemological approaches, study design frameworks, methods of data collection, analytical approaches, and issues of validity and reliability in the context of mixed methods ICS research are examined, and the article presents an example study design from an evaluation study in Kenya incorporating a nested approach and a convergent case oriented design. The authors discuss the benefits and methodological challenges of mixed-methods approaches in the context of researching behavior change and ICS use recognizing that such methods represent relatively uncharted territory. The authors propose that more published examples are needed to provide frameworks for other researchers seeking to apply mixed methods in this context and suggest a comprehensive research agenda is required that incorporates integrated mixed-methods approaches, to provide best evidence for future scale-up.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Mixed Methods in Improved Cookstove Research

Stanistreet

Hyseni

Bashin

et al. 2015

Journal of Health Communication

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“…While such studies are strong on causality, they are considered problematic for a range of epistemological, ontological and practical reasons (Jacobs, 2003;Plath, 2014). It is argued that the use of RCT methodologies in the social world is difficult due to the need to have an adequate sample size, address ethical concerns and to prevent demoralisation of the control group (Brady and O'Regan, 2009). The EBP movement is also criticised for its focus on outcomes or impact as measured by evaluation, while overlooking the process by which outcomes occurred and discounting practitioner knowledge and expertise (Nevo and Slonim Nevo, 2011).…”

Section: Evidence Based Practice Evidence Informed Practice and Youtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bridging the gap: Using Veerman and Van Yperen’s (2007) framework to conceptualise and develop evidence informed practice in an Irish youth work organisation

Brady

Canavan

Redmond

2016

Evaluation and Program Planning

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While there is considerable support among the policy, practice and academic communities for the idea that practice in youth work should be based on evidence, Veerman and Van Yperen (2007) highlight the fact that little practice in the area of youth care is actually evidence based due to the paucity of experimental studies in the field and the difficulties associated with evaluation of non-standardised interventions such as youth work. They propose a model consisting of levels of evidence, the aim of which is to 'bridge the gap between evidence based and evidence informed practice' (p.218). In order to address the dearth of examples in the international literature of how organisations have dealt with these complexities in practice, this article provides a case study of how a large Irish youth organisation, Foróige, has endeavoured to adopt an inclusive approach to evidence, working towards both evidence based and evidence informed practice. Drawing on Veerman and Van Yperen's (2007) framework, the case study shows that Foróige committed itself to gathering different types of evidence, including logic models and theoretical understandings at the foundation level and experimental design studies of key programmes at the advanced level. The case study focuses in detail on the intermediate level, whereby practitioners were trained to evaluate aspects of their own work, with a view to embedding evaluation and reflection in day to day practice. The process is described and key lessons emerging are discussed.

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“…Study 1, the quantitative component of the research, sits in the positivist tradition which views patterns of behaviour as observable and explainable through objective causal laws in science (Fossey, Harvey, McDermott, & Davidson, 2002;Rubin & Babbie, 1989). Study 2, the qualitative component of the research, adopts an interpretive stance (Brady & O'Regan, 2009;Weber, 2003). Further details of how these different paradigms sit together are contained within the Methodology Chapter (Chapter 4).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It uses a deductive approach for the purpose of testing the study's hypotheses (Bryman, 2008). Study 2, the qualitative component of the research, adopts an interpretive stance (Brady & O'Regan, 2009;Weber, 2003) and is inductive. A qualitative methodology affords detailed insight into a specific social interchange, in this case, to gain an understanding of supervisees and supervisors perceived and constructed meaning of their clinical supervision experience (Fossey et al, 2002;Padgett, 1998).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Examples of studies where mixed methods research have been successfully employed in this field include the examination of the adoption of evidence-based practice by community mental health practitioners (Gioia & Dziadosz, 2008), the investigation of sensitive organisational issues (Jehn & Jonsen, 2010), and the evaluation of a youth mentoring program (Brady & O'Regan, 2009) .…”

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confidence: 99%

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Clinical supervision, burnout and intent to leave: an Australian mixed methods study of community-based allied health professionals

Saxby¹

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ObjectiveClinical supervision is widely recognised for providing professional support, professional development and clinical governance for healthcare workers. Despite the growing uptake of clinical supervision, there have been few studies about the effectiveness of supervision for allied health professionals and fewer studies conducted within the Australian health context. This study aims to identify the perceived effectiveness of clinical supervision of allied health professionals in an Australian metropolitan community health setting. The study also sought to identify those factors that contribute to effectiveness and the relationship between clinical supervision effectiveness, burnout and intention to leave, as well as any profession-specific differences. MethodologyThe research has a two-phase, explanatory-sequential, mixed methods design. In Study 1, participants (n = 82) anonymously completed an on-line questionnaire, administered through the health service's intranet at 8 months post-implementation of the intervention, a structured model of clinical supervision. Study 2, commenced 12 months postimplementation and comprised several focus groups (n = 26), separately attended by supervisees (n = 15), and supervisors (n = 11). The sample was drawn from the population of allied health professionals (N = 120) who were receiving or providing supervision within the study location.The on-line questionnaire sought demographic data, work history and the number and length of supervision sessions. Clinical supervision effectiveness was operationalised using the Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale-26 (MCSS-26©); burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory; and intention to leave was operationalised using the Intent to Leave Scale. ResultsEighty-two allied health professionals participated in Study 1, resulting in a 68% response rate. Ages ranged from 24 to 66 years, and females accounted for 89% (n = 71) of all respondents. The professions of occupational therapy, physiotherapy and social work together comprised 73% of the total number of participants. Twenty-six allied health ii professionals participated in the five focus groups of Study 2. All participants were female, with 81% belonging to the professions of occupational therapy, physiotherapy and social work.Overall, clinical supervision was perceived as effective. In the main, supervisee's responses illustrated that supervision provided effective professional support, education and guidance for professional practice.'Time', as well as specific procedural factors, were found to be important in relation to Significant associations were found between clinical supervision effectiveness and burnout and intention to leave. Highly efficacious supervision was significantly and negatively associated with Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization. In addition, higher scores on "Finding Time" were significantly correlated with lower scores of Emotional Exhaustion.Effective supervision was significantly and positively associated with Personal Accomp...

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Meeting the Challenge of Doing an RCT Evaluation of Youth Mentoring in Ireland

Cited by 22 publications

References 14 publications

The Role of Mixed Methods in Improved Cookstove Research

The Role of Mixed Methods in Improved Cookstove Research

Bridging the gap: Using Veerman and Van Yperen’s (2007) framework to conceptualise and develop evidence informed practice in an Irish youth work organisation

Clinical supervision, burnout and intent to leave: an Australian mixed methods study of community-based allied health professionals

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