This briefing provides a concise introduction and practical tips on selecting and using validated measures in services designed to help reduce the impact of harmful parental conflict.
Based on our full-length guide, Measuring parental conflict and its impact on child outcomes, this briefing sets out some rules of thumb for using outcomes measures appropriately – including:
Selecting outcome measures
- Select a measurement tool based on anticipated outcomes.
- Consider measurement tools that are appropriate for your target participants.
- Select a number and combination of measures that ‘fit’ together as a whole.
- Conduct further due diligence to finalise your selection of measures.
Using outcome measures
- Consider research ethics, including informed consent and data protection.
- Measures should be used in their entirety.
- Measures should be administered in the same way every time and for each group.
- Be aware of the strengths and limitations of the measures you are using.
Managing challenges – what to do if:
- The measure you would like to use is too long.
- The selected measure needs to be adapted to the context.
- Some of the questions you would like to assess are not included in the measure.
