The Role of Behavior Observation in Measurement Systems for Randomized Prevention Trials

Overview

Journal Prev Sci

Specialty Science

Date 2006 Mar 31

PMID 16572301

Citations 24

Authors

James Snyder

John Reid

Mike Stoolmiller

George Howe

Hendricks Brown

Getachew Dagne

Wendi Cross

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The role of behavior observation in theory-driven prevention intervention trials is examined. A model is presented to guide choice of strategies for the measurement of five core elements in theoretically informed, randomized prevention trials: (1) training intervention agents, (2) delivery of key intervention conditions by intervention agents, (3) responses of clients to intervention conditions, (4) short-term risk reduction in targeted client behaviors, and (5) long-term change in client adjustment. It is argued that the social processes typically thought to mediate interventionist training (Element 1) and the efficacy of psychosocial interventions (Elements 2 and 3) may be powerfully captured by behavior observation. It is also argued that behavior observation has advantages in the measurement of short-term change (Element 4) engendered by intervention, including sensitivity to behavior change and blinding to intervention status.

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