Behind the Scenes in Home Visitation Research: RCT Challenges in Community Settings

The intricacies of conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) within community settings, with a particular focus on the Parents as Teachers (PAT) home visitation program. Some key topics include Challenges in Securing Sites for RCTs: Explore the difficulties in persuading community sites to participate in RCTs, including negotiating agreements, addressing concerns, and ensuring commitment. Real-World Implementation Challenges: Gain insights into the everyday obstacles faced during the execution of RCTs in community settings, such as participant recruitment, retention, and adherence to protocols. Research Issues in Outcome Evaluation: Understand Measurement Issues, such as the complexities of selecting and implementing appropriate measurement tools to accurately assess program outcomes. Randomization Processes: Learn about the challenges and strategies involved in ensuring proper randomization, dealing with potential biases, and maintaining the integrity of the study. Addressing Small Effects: We will discuss the statistical and practical approaches to detecting and interpreting significance and small effect sizes in outcome evaluations. And lastly, we will present some highlights of our recent study. The webinar will focus on valuable insights into what works, what doesn't, and why, in the context of home visitation programs.
*This program is a part of the 21st Century Agenda series in partnership with AASWSW - Transformative Research and Practice in Community Collaboration
Presented by:
Craig Winston LeCroy, MSW, Ph.D., The Communitas Professor of Social Work at Arizona State University;
Allison Kemner, Senior Vice President and Chief Research Office, Parents as Teachers National Center