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An ecological assessment of community-based interventions for prevention and health promotion: Approaches to measuring community coalitions

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American Journal of Community Psychology

Abstract

Presented an ecological assessment of a community coalition to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse, and related risks. Ecological assessment is defined as occurring at multiple social levels and along a continuum of stages of coalition readiness. The assessment is aided by the triangulation, or combining of assessment methods and strategies. Measures used to assess the coalition's formation, implementation of community initiatives, and production of community impacts are described, along with the triangulation strategies used to enhance the assessment findings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of South Carolina, USA

    Abraham Wandersman, Matthew Chinman, Pam Imm & Erin Morrissey

  2. Center for Community Research, Department of Public Health Sciences, The Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, 27157, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

    Robert M. Goodman

Authors
  1. Robert M. Goodman
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  2. Abraham Wandersman
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  3. Matthew Chinman
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  4. Pam Imm
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  5. Erin Morrissey
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Additional information

We thank our evaluation team members including Erica Adams, Simon Choi, Cindy Crusto, Katie Davino, David delaCruz, Pamela Goodman, Maury Nation, and Diana Seybolt. We also thank the members of the community coalitions for substance abuse prevention and especially the project directors: James Bown, Dian Crain, Johneta Davis, Kelli Kenninson, Paul Pittman, Greg Sparkman, Sheryl Taylor, and Kenneth Wright.

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Goodman, R.M., Wandersman, A., Chinman, M. et al. An ecological assessment of community-based interventions for prevention and health promotion: Approaches to measuring community coalitions. Am J Commun Psychol 24, 33–61 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02511882

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