Lessons From the Field: Developing a Multisite Divorce Education Evaluation Tool

Abstract

ObjectiveIn this Lessons from the Field, we describe the lessons we learned from developing the Divorce Education Assessment Collaborative (DEAC) and creating a longitudinal evaluation plan for divorce education programs across geographically, programmatically, and format‐diverse programs.BackgroundAlthough divorce education programs are commonly mandated for divorcing parents, variability in program content, format, and design can make it difficult to determine the efficacy of such programs. We contend developing a standardized evaluation tool, and making it freely available to programs, is essential for identifying best practices and moderators of program effectiveness.ExperienceMembers of the DEAC share their experiences and insights regarding successes and challenges in coordinating and collaborating to develop an evaluation tool that is concise, but provides key information about program effectiveness and participants' program experiences.ConclusionIdentifying and bringing together an idea champion, invested stakeholders, and critical resources (e.g., seed funding, teleconferencing, document collaboration software) were key components in the development of an effective multisite divorce education evaluation tool.ImplicationsThe strategies used to develop the DEAC may serve as a model for collaborative projects that bridge practice and research.