Evaluating Program Outcomes as Event Histories

Abstract

Social service programs operate in an outcome-driven climate of program service delivery where external funding and regulating bodies demand outcome reporting. Administrative tools are needed to assist with decision-making that aims to improve program services and outcomes. In this article, we present Event History Analysis (EHA) as a statistical tool that can be used to investigate whether particular factors such as client or service characteristics lead to better outcomes in a family preservation program. The authors present a conceptual overview of EHA and discuss its utility as a diagnostic tool for program planning. Additionally, a demonstration of EHA is presented using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The authors also illustrate how EHA can be used to explore program data beyond periodic counts of client outcome success and failure, and make meaningful time-sensitive changes to service delivery. Using three client characteristics that contribute to the risk of abuse: learning disability, family income, and family size, the article discusses the program and practice implications of these variables in working in a family preservation program. The article aims to provide a basic understanding of EHA for social service managers or administrators, since it is quickly becoming a common analytical method in social work research. Equipped with a conceptual understanding of EHA, administrators can direct their program evaluators to conduct EHA on program data.

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