1. Purpose
Background Sample
References
Of the 15 items that were assessed over
social, community, and recreation
subcategories, 5 reached statistical
significance:
– Social 2 and 3
– Community 2, 3, and 4
•Levels of significance varied when groups
were separated or combined. Results from
this initial data collection revealed areas of
improvement in the assessment protocol
to better capture the uniqueness of the
program and more closely track the
program’s performance.
•It is important to note that outcomes were
influenced by attendance and availability
of the task being measured.
Methods
Outcomes
• Two sections of age brackets (29-39
and 40+) were assessed with a total
of 28 individuals.
• To ensure confidentiality, participants
names were omitted at the end of
program and pronouns “he/she” or
“participant” were used.
• Participants members of the local
community and included disabilities
such as Autism, ADD/ADHD, Down
Syndrome, learning disabilities,
moderate behavioral/emotional
disorders, mild to profound intellectual
disabilities, traumatic brain injuries,
visual, hearing and/or physical
impairments
• Due to the nature of the program,
participants vary greatly in functioning
across the various categories that
were assessed.
Implications
• The purpose of this study was to
assess the programmatic success of a
community-based social recreation and
leisure education program with
improving participant functioning. The
goal of recreation therapy is to improve
functioning through purposeful
programming and therapeutic activities.
The process of quality improvement is
vital to the greater recreation
department and more importantly, the
participant. This program assessment
will review the extent to which the
program meets participant growth and
development goals.
• The following research questions were
addressed: “How does a community
based Therapeutic Recreation program
impact participants?” And “Which areas
of the program can we focus on for
improvement?”
Fogarty, J., Farrell, B., & Gutmanis, I. (2014). Promoting
Healthy Living for Seniors: Evaluation of a
Community-Based Program. Therapeutic
Recreation Journal, 48(3).
MacNeil, R. (1988). Leisure Programs and Services for
Older Adults: Past, Present and Future Research.
Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 22(1).
Wilhite, B., & Keller, M. (1996). Integration, Productivity,
and Independence Among Adults with
Developmental Disabilities: Implications for
Therapeutic Recreation. Therapeutic Recreation
Journal, 30(1).
• This study took place during the Spring
semester/season.
• The researchers utilized current
participant evaluation forms and
commercial examples to create a novel
assessment tool specifically for this
program..
• The program was run as normal and
assessment of participant progress was
documented in the form of a
quantitative checklist with levels of
advancement (NA= not applicable, D=
dependent, NI= needs improvement,
A= Advancing, I= Independent) and
qualitative progress notes completed at
the end of each session.
• Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was used
to measure significant growth of
subsections.
• This research gives insight into specific areas of
growth and focus for program developers and
evaluators in the Therapeutic Recreation
department.
• The challenge of assessing a unique program’s
success takes time and effort of staff members
and researchers to map growth accurately and
provide meaning behind the results.
• This assessment helped to foster discussion
about how and how often program evaluation is
completed in a municipal recreation department
and what we can do with our findings.
• As part of a municipal Therapeutic
Recreation department, a social
recreation and leisure education
program that existed prior to this
program assessment was run for a 10-
week period.
• Resulting from a partnership between
ODU-EVMS allowed honors students
to conduct supervised research
studies.
• This program provides the opportunity
to participate in various activities, work
on money handling skills, and socialize
with peers.
• Skills needed for participation: with or
without minimal staff assistance is able
to: complete two-step directions; make
choices; manage personal belongings
and have the desire to participate.
• Four sections of the Friday night outing
group consist of different age brackets
beginning at age 14.