Using Within-Group Effect Size Benchmarks to Evaluate the Implementation and Outcome of Clinical Interventions in Service-Oriented Agencies

Abstract

ABSTRACT In recent years a number of benchmarking studies have evolved that can be used to augment the value of one-group outcome evaluations of clinical interventions in social service agencies. The benchmarks are derived from using meta-analytic techniques to calculate aggregate within-group effect sizes separately for the treatment and control groups in the replicated RCTs providing strong research support for various clinical interventions. The purpose of the benchmarking studies was to help decision makers in social service agencies assess whether their clinicians are implementing research supported clinical interventions with adequate fidelity. This article summarizes the seven benchmarking studies that have been completed so far. It reports their aggregate within-group effect sizes and discusses how those data can be used to improve the value of outcome evaluations of clinical interventions in social service agencies where the previous benchmarking studies are not applicable.