Many practitioners, referral sources and treat-ment agencies have wanted an accurate and standardized way to objectively assess coun-seling and treatment effects or outcome. A common problem associated with outcome studies is accepting outcome standards as representative of their criteria. For example, what is the criterion for successfully completing a driving class that removes points from participants’ drivers’ licenses? Is the criterion at the end of the class "that participants have learned the presented materials?" In many cases, the answer is "no." The criteria accepted by many driver’s license departments are that participants paid their fees and attended the class. Questions about what participants learned are moot issues.

To study counseling and treatment outcome, we must define and accept the outcome criteria. Risk & Needs Assessment, Inc. (Risk & Needs) selected the following six scales (measures or areas of inquiry) to represent DVI Pre-Post outcome criteria:

Rather than just measure each of these areas of inquiry upon counseling or treatment comple-tion and state whether or not the client benefited from counseling or treatment, it was decided to establish these scale scores at program intake. Then, using the client as their own "control," post-counseling scores are compared to pre-counseling and pre-treatment scores. This procedure can be effective if we accept the following:

1. The six scales cited above are accepted as "outcome" criteria. Then, administering the DVI Pre-Post at counseling/treatment intake and again upon program completion allows comparison of pretest and posttest scores.
   
   
2. The test's time referent must be the "here-and-now." History should not be included in the test's scoring methodology. Then, by comparison, posttest scores can be higher, lower or remain the same as pretest scores.
   
   
3. The same test is administered at pretest (program intake) and posttest (program completion) intervals.

Clients with problems at intake would be expected to benefit from counseling and treatment (and their scores would decline at posttest). If clients had "no problems" at intake, their posttest scores would be expected to remain the same. However, when posttest scores exceed or are higher than pretest scores, something is wrong because the clients’ problem(s) became worse.

Everybody won’t agree with these DVI Pre-Post criterion measures. And, if you don’t agree with this operational criterion, you shouldn’t use the DVI Pre-Post. It’s important to remember we are talking about domestic violence offenders when contemplating these six scales (measures).

As always, additional information can be provided upon request. Our telephone number is (602) 234-3506, our fax number is (602) 266-8227 and our e-mail address is hhl@riskandneeds.com.

* * * * *