ABSTRACT
A process is proposed for identifying optimal outcome assessment instruments for residential studies, and an example is provided of the application of this process. Unless the treatment process connections are elucidated, at best a hit-and-miss approach follows for connecting the treatment outcomes to inputs. There are numerous sources of information about treatment outcome assessments for children and youth to review for locating the instruments. The directions for making entries in the log were revised to provide guidance for the parent or guardian, so they also could report on negative incidents before and after treatment. M. W. Lipsey likens this step to opening the black box of service delivery, so that the connections between the inputs, treatment processes, and treatment outcomes become clear. When little or no effect is captured by the treatment outcome assessments, it is difficult to determine whether the inputs were insufficient, the treatment processes were weakly implemented or ineffectual, or the assessments themselves were inappropriate or inaccurate.
