Evaluation and Research
Mission
The mission of Pressley Ridge Evaluation and Research (as part of the Pressley Ridge Institute) is to further the scientific knowledge on practices that improve mental health, educational, social and vocational outcomes for children, youth and young adults and their families. Our research focuses on measurement of practices that fit within the Re-Education model. The focus of our outcomes work is on socially validated measures of treatment outcomes. Our consultation services are focused on helping organizations to monitor fidelity to values-driven practice models through continuous quality improvement.
Research
The Restrictiveness of Living Environment Scale (ROLES)
The Restrictiveness of Living Environment Scale (ROLES) is widely used in measuring the restrictiveness of living environments for youth. The ever changing programs and services environment for children and families prompted three groups of practitioner-researchers from Casey Family Programs, Girls and Boys Town, and Pressley Ridge to re-conceptualize and revise the ROLES.
The intent of the revised ROLES is that it remains a practical measure of youth movement, thereby keeping the simplicity of the original ROLES, while providing greater discrimination between programs and settings through the addition of secondary scales. Planning and instrument design has been conducted over the past eighteen months.
A pilot test of the Restrictiveness Evaluation Measure for Youth (REM-Y) was recently completed, and the results suggested that this scale can be a useful and practical tool for practitioners. Currently underway is an extensive data collection process using this new instrument. This data will be used to create a companion scale of General Environment Types (GET), resulting in a comprehensive system of measurement for this important construct about living environments for youth.
Measuring the Essentials of Re-Education Programs
This Re-ED project's focus is to create standards for determining how consistent a program is to the principles of Re-education, and to examine Re-ED program effectiveness.
Other project goals include the development of self-assessment and system measurement tools that:
- Provide clear definitions of the Re-ED Essentials.
- Encourage discussion about what Re-ED is and is not.
- Serve as a diagnostic tool that programs can use in self study and quality assurance efforts.
- Help agencies strengthen existing programs and develop new ones.
- Verify that agencies included in major AREA publications are Re-ED consistent.
- Serve as a means for validating the Re-ED approach in research studies.
Therapeutic Alliance
Therapeutic Alliance (TA) refers to the relationship that develops between a client and a clinical professional. It is characterized by an emotional bond, agreement on therapeutic tasks and goals, and trust between the therapist and the client. TA is consistent with the principles of Re-ED, and is considered essential in helping clients make positive changes in their lives.
This research represents a collaboration between Pressley Ridge and the Vanderbilt University's Center for Mental Health Policy. Students and teacher-counselors from The Ohiopyle Wilderness Program and the Day School/Partial Hospitalization Program and Treatment Foster Care are participating in this study, the goals of which are to:
- Identify the professional help-giver characteristics that enhance TA.
- Identify intervention strategies which encourage TA.
- Examine the correlation between help-giver and student ideas regarding critical characteristics of TA.
Evaluation
Measuring outcomes is a key part of all our services. Our outcomes have helped Pressley Ridge compete for contracts, change program operations, lead new service development, and shape child and family service policies. Most importantly, we believe monitoring our outcomes has improved the lives of kids and their families.
Outcomes: What We Measure
We've studied a core set of outcomes
over the years; below is a quick list.
- Severity and type of problems
- School attendance & graduation
- Employment status
- Restrictive-ness of living environment
- Type of school placement
- Involvement in the legal system
- Pregnancy & parenthood
- Use of drugs, alcohol & tobacco
- Aggression and harm
- Family problems
- Leisure activities
- Satisfaction with school, life, & work
- Satisfaction with our services
We also examine length of stay, types of services provided, cost of services, and numerous demographics (e.g., age, race, gender, diagnosis, problems at entry).