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1. Introduction
In the context of evaluation, subjective outcome evaluation or the client satisfaction approach is a widely used strategy to evaluate programs in human services. There are several strengths of subjective outcome evaluation [1–3]. First, it is easy to administer and is low in cost. Second, it focuses on the subjective perception of the respondent, thus avoiding the criticism that evaluation methods are dominated by the views of the experts. Third, it does not require sophisticated statistical techniques in order to analyze the related data. Finally, with the use of validated measures of client satisfaction, there are findings suggesting that there is convergence between subjective outcome and objective outcome findings and thus indicates that subjective outcome can be regarded as a “proxy” for assessing the effectiveness of a program [4].
Traditionally, subjective outcome evaluation has been predominately used to understand the perceptions of program participants (i.e., clients who join the program). However, it is equally important to examine the view of the program implementers, especially those who are not directly involved in the development process of the program. It is quite common that youth programs, such as substance abuse and violence prevention programs, are often designed and developed by academics and experienced field workers but implemented by front-line workers in the field, such as teachers in school settings and social workers in social welfare settings. Facing programs with these characteristics, front-line workers might have strong resistance towards the program because they have had little involvement during the development process. Things get worse when they do not agree with the program philosophy and mission. Furthermore, rumors about additional workload and organizational constraints may adversely affect staff morale, which in turn lowers the workers’ motivation to implement the program in an authentic and enthusiastic manner.
There are several reasons why subjective outcome evaluation should include the perceptions of the program implementers. First, because program implementers are also stakeholders of the developed programs, their views should be understood. According to the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation [5], stakeholders should be identified (Standard U1) and their views should be taken into account (Standard F2). This is consistent with the framework of utilization-focused evaluation [6], which posited that relevant stakeholders should also be involved in the evaluation...
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