SW 4810 Research II

Running head: Running head: GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP EVALUATION
Summary
For this assignment I had to create an evaluation tool for my field placement agency,
explain why I chose the particular measurement tool, what I expected the outcome to be and
include a codebook for use with SPSS. I chose a simple survey format to determine
demographics and effectiveness of the eight-week workshops provided by the agency. I felt it
was necessary to keep it short so as to obtain as many responses as possible since people
generally dont like to answer long surveys.
This assignment required the use of critical thinking to inform and communicate
professional judgment (Competency 2.1.3). It was necessary to analyze the different methods of
evaluation that could be utilized and determine which would be most effective while provided
the necessary data. This assignment also provided experience in practice-informed research. It
was necessary to know the practices of the agency in determining the best evaluation method for
the desired purpose (Competency 2.1.6).
In learning how to perform research and the different methods available to conduct the
needed research I also learned the importance of and use of research informed practice. It is also
particularly important to have the skills needed in evaluating research and selecting effective
interventions for evidence based practice (Competency 2.1.10.
When I realized I had to take a second course in research I was intimidated to say the
least. I wasnt concerned about the actual research, I think it was the thought of having to deal
with statistics. It did take half the semester for me to learn that it wasnt as bad as I thought it
would be, in fact, I think I am looking forward to doing some research of my own one day.
Before taking this course, I would never, ever have said that!
Grief Support Group Evaluation
New Hope Center for Grief Support: Group Evaluation

Lynda Reimer
Wayne State University
Lynda Reimer
New Hope Center for Grief Support is a small non-profit bereavement outreach center
offering grief support services to children, teens and adults who have experienced the death of a
significant person in their lives. The agency offers on-going grief support groups, eight week
workshops, educational seminars and other resources. They have a small paid staff which
includes one full-time director and three part-time associates. The array of services offered are
made possible by their use of an extensive network of volunteers. The agencies mission is based
on Christian principles but is open to all regardless of religious beliefs.
The agency was founded 24 years ago by a women who suddenly found herself widowed
with young children. Through her experience she saw a need for grief support for young widows
and widowers with children and made it her mission to create the agency to help others in their
grief. It has grown to include all ages and types of loss and provides services to over 2000
people annually. The agency is funded through individual donations, endowments, business
sponsorships, and corporate grants. This enables them to offer services to individuals at no
charge.
The grief support groups are facilitated by trained volunteers who have themselves
experienced a loss and been members of the support groups offered by the agency. The eight
week workshop/small group format begins with a short lecture by an experienced speaker on
topics about the grief process. Participants then break up into small groups based on the type of
loss experienced where they can share, listen and support each other in their grief. The ongoing
support groups are also based on type of loss but meet by-weekly. The group for young widows
and widowers with children meets concurrently with the childrens and teens program. This
makes it convenient for the parent and provides for the needs of children as well.
Lynda Reimer
The evaluation tool that I have adapted for this paper is intended for use with the eight
week workshop/small group participants. The population will include participants that have
attended the workshop/small groups since January 1, 2014. The purpose of the survey is to
determine the demographics of the population and the effectiveness of the workshop/small group
process. This data is necessary to fulfill the requirement of certain grantors who require data
showing the effectiveness of the agencies services and to help the agency determine if
adjustment to services is needed.
According to Dyregrov, Dyregrov, and Johnsen (2013) little empirical data exists on the
effectiveness of grief support groups. Indeed, I have found this to be true. However, the results
of their study on grief groups in Norway is very interesting in that it supports the use of
homogeneity as to type of loss, within the groups. In comparing the results of their evaluation to
the methods used by this agency, I expect to see a positive outcome from the survey results.
Lynda Reimer
5
References
Dyregrov, A., Dyregrov, K., Johnsen, I. (2013). Participants recommendations for the ideal grief
group: a qualitative study. Omega, 67(4), 363-377.
FROM GRIEF TO NEW HOPE WORKSHOP EVALUATION
Thank you for attending the workshop sponsored by XXXXX Funeral Home. Please take a few
moments to complete this evaluation. Your feedback is very important to us. We use it to plan for
future workshops and events. We look forward to continuing to support you.
1. What is your relationship to the person who died? (Circle answer)

Spouse
Child
Parent
Sibling
Significant other
Friend
Other
2. How long ago did he/she die? (Circle answer)
1-3 months
3. Are you?
Male
or
4-6 months
7-12 months 1-2 years
2-4 years
female (circle one)
4. How did you hear about the workshop?
Church
Friend
Internet
Other
5. How many of the eight group sessions did you attend?
___________________________________________
6. What topic was most helpful?
_______________________________________________________________
Funeral Home
Lynda Reimer
TOPICS: Grief Journey, Pitfalls, Feeling the Pain, Im Not Angry, Families Not the
Same, Holidays,
Letting Go, Moving Forward
7. Was the format (speaker/small group) helpful? (circle one)
8. Did you find being separated by type of loss helpful?
Y or N
Y or N
9. Have you attended any other grief support group sessions?
Y or N
10. If yes, how did From Grief to New Hope compare to other groups?
____________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________
11. What did you expect to gain from this group?
__________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
___________
12. Do you plan to continue meeting with members of your small group?
or
13. Would you recommend New Hope workshops to others? Y or N

15. Please answer the following questions on a scale from 1-5. (1- strongly disagree, 2somewhat disagree, 3-neutral, 4-somewhat agree, 5- Strongly agree)
Lynda Reimer
7
Before the workshop
After the
workshop
I feel overwhelmed
3
I feel lonely
3
I feel hopeless
3
I feel depressed
3
I cry frequently
3
I have trouble sleeping

3
I sleep more
3
I feel able to talk about my loved one

3
I feel interested in socializing again

3
I feel like I can be happy again

3
Lynda Reimer
8
CODEBOOK
Question #1 in the survey: What is your relationship to the person who died?
Variable label: Relationship
Variable description: Relationship to deceased
Variable values: 1=spouse, 2= child, 3= parent, 4=sibling, 5=significant other, 6=friend, 7= other
SYSMIS=999
Level of Measurement: Nominal
Question #2 in the survey: How long ago did he/she die?
Variable label: Time
Variable description: Time since death
Variable values: 1= 1-3 mos., 2 = 4-6 mos., 3 = 7-12 mos., 4 =1-2 years, 5=2-4 years, 6=
SYSMIS= 999
Level of Measurement: Interval
Question #3 in the survey: Are you male or female?
Variable label: Gender
Variable description: Gender
Variable values: 1 = male, 2 = female, SYSMIS= 999
Question #4 in the survey: How did you hear about the workshop?
Variable label: How heard
Variable description: How heard about workshop
Variable values: 1= church, 2= friend, 3= internet, 4= funeral home, 5= other, SYSMIS=999
Question #5 in the survey: How many of the eight group sessions did you attend?
Variable label: Attendance
Variable description: number of sessions attended
Variable values: Range from 1-8, SYSMIS=999
Level of Measurement: Ratio
Question #6 in the survey: Which topic was most helpful?
Variable label: helpful topic
Variable description: most helpful topic
Variable values: 1=Grief Journey, 2=Pitfalls, 3=Feeling the Pain, 4=Im Not Angry, 5=Families
Not the Same, 6=Holidays, 7=Letting Go, 8=Moving Forward, SYSMIS=999
Lynda Reimer
Question #7 in the survey: Was the format (speaker/small group) helpful?

Variable label: helpfulness
Variable description: helpfulness of workshop format
Variable values: 1=yes, 2=no, SYSMIS=999.
Level of Measurement: nominal
Question #8 in the survey: Did you find being separated by type of loss helpful?
Variable label: separate loss
Variable description: separate loss helpful
Question #9 in the survey: Have you attended any other grief support group sessions?
Variable label: attended others
Variable description: attended other grief support groups
Level of Measurement: nominal
Question #10 in the survey: If yes, how did From Grief to New Hope compare to other
group?
Variable label: comparison
Variable description: comparison to other groups
Variable values: string variable, SYSMIS=999.
Level of Measurement: Qualitative Data String I think its nominal
Question #11 in the survey: What did you expect to gain from this group?
Variable label: expectations
Variable description: Expected to gain from group
Variable values: string variable, SYSMIS=999.
Level of Measurement: Qualitative Data String I think its nominal
Question #12 in the survey: Do you plan to continue meeting with members of your small
group?
Variable label: continue meeting
Variable description: plan to continue meeting
Question #13 in the survey: Would you recommend New Hopes workshops to others?
Lynda Reimer
Variable label: recommend
Variable description: would you recommend workshops
Please answer the following questions using a scale between 1-5
(1- strongly disagree, 2-somewhat disagree, 3-neutral, 4-somewhat agree, 5- Strongly agree)
Question #14 in the survey: Before the workshop I felt overwhelmed.
Variable label: overwhelm_pre
Variable description: feeling overwhelmed before workshop
Variable values: 1=strongly disagree, 2=somewhat agree, 3=neutral, 4=somewhat agree,
5=strongly agree, SYSMIS=999.
Level of Measurement: Ordinal
Question #15 in the survey: After the workshop I felt overwhelmed.
Variable label: overwhelm_post
Variable description: feeling overwhelmed after workshop
Question #16 in the survey: Before the workshop I felt depressed.
Variable label: depress_pre
Variable description: depressed before workshop
Question #17 in the survey: After the workshop I felt depressed.
Variable label: depressed_post
Variable description: feeling depressed after workshop
Question #18 in the survey: Before the workshop I felt lonely.
Variable label: lonely_pre
Variable description: feeling lonely before workshop
10
Lynda Reimer
Question #19 in the survey: After the workshop I felt lonely.

Variable label: lonely_post
Variable description: felt lonely after workshop
Question #20 in the survey: Before the workshop I cried frequently.
Variable label: cried_pre
Variable description: cried frequently before workshop
Question #21 in the survey: After the workshop I cried frequently.
Variable label: cried_post
Variable description: cried frequently after workshop
Question #22 in the survey: Before the workshop I frequently had trouble sleeping.
Variable label: sleeping_pre
Variable description: trouble sleeping before workshop
Question #23 in the survey: After the workshop I frequently had trouble sleeping.
Variable label: sleeping_post
Variable description: trouble sleeping after workshop
Question #24 in the survey: Before the workshop I was sleeping more.
11
Lynda Reimer
Variable label: sleepmore_pre
Variable description: sleep more before workshop
Question #25 in the survey: After the workshop I am sleeping more.
Variable label: sleeping_post
Variable description: sleep more after workshop
Question #26 in the survey: I feel able to talk about my loved one (before workshop).
Variable label: talk_pre
Variable description: talk about deceased before workshop
Question #27 in the survey: I feel able to talk about my loved one (after workshop).
Variable label: talk_post
Variable description: talk about deceased after workshop
Question #28 in the survey: I feel interested in socializing again (before workshop).
Variable label: social_pre
Variable description: socialize before workshop
Question #29 in the survey: I feel interested in socializing again (after the workshop).
Variable label: social_post
Variable description: socialize after workshop
12
Lynda Reimer
Question #30 in the survey: I feel like I can be happy again (before the workshop)
Variable label: happy_pre
Variable description: can be happy again before workshop
Question #31 in the survey: I feel like I can be happy again (after workshop).
Variable label: happy_post
Variable description: can be happy again after workshop
Question #32 in the survey: Do you have any other comments about the workshop?
Variable label: comment
Variable description: open comments about workshop
Variable values: string variable, SYSMIS=999
Level of Measurement: Qualitative Data String
13

SW 4810 Research II

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Running head: Running head: GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP EVALUATION

Grief Support Group Evaluation

New Hope Center for Grief Support: Group Evaluation

FROM GRIEF TO NEW HOPE WORKSHOP EVALUATION

1. What is your relationship to the person who died? (Circle answer)

7-12 months 1-2 years

female (circle one)

4. How did you hear about the workshop?

9. Have you attended any other grief support group sessions?

13. Would you recommend New Hope workshops to others? Y or N

I have trouble sleeping

I feel able to talk about my loved one

I feel interested in socializing again

I feel like I can be happy again

Question #7 in the survey: Was the format (speaker/small group) helpful?

Question #19 in the survey: After the workshop I felt lonely.

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