Organizational interventions: A research-based framework for the evaluation of both process and effects

Abstract

Organizational interventions are often recommended when organizations want to improve employee psychological health and well-being. Research, however, has revealed inconsistent results and reviewers have called for research on why interventions either bring about desired change or fail to do so. Answering the “how” and “why” of intervention outcomes requires a close examination of the elements that hinder or facilitate desired outcomes, thus moving beyond evaluation of only the overall effects. In this paper, we present an evaluation framework based on recent intervention research and process-oriented organization theory. The framework offers suggestions for which elements to include when evaluating organizational interventions. Within the framework, elements crucial to intervention evaluation are grouped into four overarching categories that we argue are crucial to evaluation over the five phases of an intervention programme. These categories are: the organizational “actors”; the mental models of those actors; the context of the intervention; and intervention design and process. Evaluation during the process as well as of the overall effects, as recommended by this framework, should throw light on what works for whom, why, how and under which circumstances.     

Examining the Effects of a Low-Cost Prompt to Reduce Retail Theft

The present study evaluated the extent to which a low-cost, antitheft intervention impacted theft and sales in a multiple baseline design across two grocery stores. Previous research has measured the impact on theft of items that have a sign indicating their high theft rate and stickers next to or on the items. In contrast, this study tracked four intervention groups: a group directly marked with a sign and ribbons, two indirectly targeted groups (sign-only and a group down the aisle from the sign-only), and a group with no intervention. Results indicated the largest decrease in theft for one of the indirectly targeted groups, from 45 total items stolen to 13, compared to a smaller decrease in theft (i.e., 64 to 40) for the directly targeted sign and ribbons products. Implications of these findings for applying behavior-based antitheft interventions in retail businesses are discussed and future research is proposed.     

Contextual Interventions for Controlling Alcohol Drinking

The dynamics of an alcohol drinking population are subject to environment-specific control programs. The stochastic model is developed that includes populations of light, moderate, and heavy drinkers, interacting in two contrasting risk-level drinking environments. For colleges with serious drinking problems, the times to disappearance of serious drinkers show that environment-dependent control programs have lasting efficacy when they are implemented according to the risk level of the environments and not by simply focusing on heavy drinking.     

The Political,Social, and Public Health Problems of Binge Drinking in College

Abstract

Despite extensive efforts to decrease alcohol abuse among college students, prevention approaches have had limited success. This study attempted to clarify reasons for this limited success and to identify directions for future interventions by directly interviewing college students on this topic. Five issues were discussed in the focus group interviews: (1) reasons for drinking alcohol, (2) reasons for not drinking alcohol, (3) circumstances surrounding overconsumption of alcohol, (4) topics and methods for prevention, and (5) gender differences in drinking patterns.

The focus group interviews were found to be a valid tool for elucidating sensitive aspects of these issues and the relative importance of these issues to each other. The students revealed how susceptible they are to societal pressures to drink alcohol and how the limitations of their intrapersonal skills affect their alcohol consumption, most notably regarding sexuality issues. The authors contend that improving intrapersonal skills should be a major focus of programs to prevent alcohol abuse.     

Safer sex in a digital world: A Web-based motivational enhancement intervention to increase condom use among college women

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study is a randomized trial of a Web-based intervention to increase condom use among college women. Participants: From October 2012 to March 2013, N = 422 completed baseline questionnaires and intervention procedures. n = 216 completed 3-month follow-up. Methods: Participants completed a decisional balance exercise examining their sex acts over the past 3 months and wrote an essay encouraging young girls to use condoms. All procedures were conducted online. Results: The intervention improved intentions to use and attitudes towards condoms for 3 subscales of condom attitudes. Attitudes following the intervention significantly predicted condom use at 3-month follow-up, and this relationship was mediated by condom intentions immediately post intervention. The relationship between intentions and condom use was moderated by group. Conclusions: The intervention improved condom attitudes and intentions immediately post intervention, and immediately post intervention intentions had a greater impact on condom use at 3-month follow-up among those in the condom intervention compared with those in the control group.     

Spatial and Temporal Aspects of Alcohol-Related Crime in a College Town

Objective: The authors aimed to clarify crime "movement" through the city of Madison to focus efforts to address consequences of student drinking. The authors examined all crime reported by police during the 2003 year. Methods: Using geographical information system (GIS) mapping and 2003 crime data from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the city of Madison, the authors investigated the relationships among high-density alcohol outlets and various city neighborhoods. Results: Different categories of crime showed different temporal and spatial patterns: Serious crimes peaked between 2 and 3AM, coinciding with bar closing time. Less serious crimes peaked between 11PM and midnight. Reports of vandalism peaked in the morning and afternoon. "Hotspots" for different crimes moved throughout the downtown. Results were consistent with problems associated with high-risk student drinking in college communities. Conclusion: These results and maps generated by GIS led directly to changes made by city and university officials to address high-risk drinking.     

A Meta-Analysis of Culturally Sensitive Interventions Designed to Reduce High-Risk Behaviors Among African American Youth

ABSTRACT

This study sought to determine the effectiveness of culturally sensitive interventions (CSIs) in reducing high risk behaviors with African American youth. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effectiveness of CSIs across seven studies. African American youth who participated in CSIs were less likely to engage in high risk behaviors compared to those who did not participate. The effect size was moderate (g = .35). Although the findings should be considered tentative, the results provide an initial quantitative assessment of CSI effectiveness that future evaluations and meta-analyses can build upon as CSI research expands.     

Making Tarefero Pride: The Collaborative Construction of Portable Photomurals for Farmworker Empowerment in Misiones,Argentina

ABSTRACT

This article draws on years of multisited ethnographic fieldwork in Misiones, Argentina to recount the collaborative construction of portable photomurals for farmworker empowerment. The murals depict work, life, and the fight for justice of the farmworkers, called tareferos, who harvest yerba mate, the tea that is Argentina’s most commonly consumed beverage. By making history and the culture of oppression a central focus, this study demonstrates how ethnographic research can support community organizing efforts through building the relationships necessary to forge collaborative, strength-based interventions. Such collaborations can bolster struggles against structural inequality and work to heal community psyches marred by historical trauma.     

Return to work: A comparison of two cognitive behavioural interventions in cases of work-related psychological complaints among the self-employed

We investigated the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and a combined intervention of workplace- and individual-focused techniques among self-employed people on sick leave owing to work-related psychological complaints (such as anxiety, depression, and burnout). Both interventions were based on CBT; however, one was conducted by psychotherapists and involved extensive CBT, while the other was delivered by “labour experts” and consisted of a brief CBT-derived intervention combined with both individual-focused and workplace interventions. One hundred and twenty-two self-employed people who had applied for sickness benefit from an insurance company enrolled in a randomized controlled design. These individuals were assessed before the intervention and then at 4 months and 10 months after the onset of the intervention. The outcome was assessed based on duration of sick leave until partial and full return to work and on psychological complaints. Significant effects on partial and full return were found in favour of the combined intervention: partial return occurred 17 and 30 days earlier in this group than in the CBT group and the control group, respectively. For full return to work, the difference was approximately 200 days. A decrease in psychological complaints was present in each condition but we found no significant interaction effects. The results suggest that work resumption should be addressed earlier in individuals receiving CBT. This insight is of value for the (scarce) literature concerning interventions for individuals who are on sick leave owing to work-related psychological complaints.     

Interventions for Internationally Adopted Children and Families: A Review of the Literature

Internationally adopted (IA) children are at increased risk for health-related, developmental, and behavioral difficulties. This article reviews the literature on various interventions currently used with IA populations; including health-related interventions provided by medical specialists, preparation programs provided by adoption agencies and other social service organizations, treatments for attachment and behavioral disorders, psychoeducational services, programs designed to improve children’s care prior to adoption, and parent-based initiatives. Surprisingly, very little systematic information exists regarding the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent and remediate these difficulties in IA children. Recommendations for future research activity and for best practice approaches to intervention are discussed.