Research and Evaluation

CCP has established its reputation as a leading development communication organization through consistent attention to program impact assessment and continual refinement of evaluation methods. Our top-notch research and evaluation team members include pioneers in the field of communication research and are one of the most experienced groups assembled anywhere today. Together they have worked in over 60 developing countries and in all regions of the world.

CCP’s scientific research methodology for development communication program planning and evaluation examines the links between the program activities and changes in the intended population’s knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices in order to determine not only IF change occurred, but how and why, as well. To do so, the research staff at CCP, comprised of 12 PhD-trained researchers, uses both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Quantitative and qualitative research—often implemented in collaboration with local firms—includes household surveys, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, observational studies and exit interviews with users of services (such as clinic clients), group interviews with community members, randomized trials, and other methods such as psychographic and cognitive mapping studies. The research staff at CCP takes advantage of its collective expertise in research methodologies to make sure that the selection of methods fits the needs of the program, whether in its early stages or in the intermediate and final phases.

In our experience, this makes it possible for CCP to be responsive to any design and implementation process used by organizations with whom we might be called upon to work, and to provide appropriate research support at every stage of the process.

Research Theories

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CCP follows a theory-based approach for its program and research activities. Unlike method-based evaluation, which focuses primarily on quantifying change, theory-based evaluation seeks to identify the underlying causal mechanisms and the contextual programmatic elements that generate the observed effects. Specifically, theory-based research focuses on the sources and barriers to behavior change at individual, household, community and environmental levels. Most importantly, it helps identify why programs have an impact and how they can be improved.

Over the past 15 years, the theoretical frameworks that CCP uses have evolved from the simple knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) model prevalent in the 1980s to the current Ideation and Communication for Participatory Development (CFPD) frameworks. Whereas earlier frameworks mainly describe the process of individual behavior change, the Ideation and CFPD frameworks seek to identify the intervening variables, social structures, and causal pathways through which communication affects behavior. These frameworks can be expanded and adapted to respond to any development issue.

Research Methodology

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As theoretical understanding of behavior evolves and grows in complexity, methods—both qualitative and quantitative—are developed and refined to reflect these changes.

CCP has been in the forefront of applying new forms of multivariate causal attribution analysis, such as bivariate probit analysis, treatment effects models, and propensity score analysis. For example, propensity score analysis is a new method that CCP has been using to assess impact and to approximate a randomized control design for full coverage national programs in which no control group is possible. Propensity scoring takes into account all of the characteristics of respondents that predict exposure and the expected outcomes of communication, such as access to media, prior knowledge, predisposing attitudes, and prior behavior.  This information is used to construct a statistically matched treatment (exposed) and control (unexposed) groups of respondents from a post-intervention population survey.  The results obtained from propensity score analysis approximate what would be expected from a classical experimental design in which subjects are randomly assigned to treatment and control groups.

Multivariate regression analysis is also employed to evaluate program effect.  Regression analysis simultaneously measures the effects of multiple behavioral determinants orchestrated by an intervention, and controls for socio-demographic factors, among others, that are outside the realm of the program in order to better assess the true impact of an intervention. Structural equation modeling (SEM) uses multivariate regression techniques, but allows the specification of both direct and indirect causal pathways, thereby providing a more accurate picture of how interventions work in the real world. 

Network analysis maps social and interpersonal relationships and connections within a group and between groups to assess how information diffuses within a group or community and to assess the effects of social influence on the adoption and maintenance of behaviors.

Cost-effectiveness analysis assesses the cost of the intervention relative to its impact by dividing the total cost of the communication intervention by the magnitude of change for selected outcome indicators. This technique allows comparative inferences about different intervention goals and approaches.

Interrupted time-series analysis examines trends in service statistics (or other types of periodically collected data) before and after the intervention to create a strong causal inference of an intervention’s effect. Other types of data can also be analyzed using this approach. For example, media coverage of health issues can be analyzed over time to assess the effectiveness of media advocacy and political advocacy efforts.

Other examples of evaluation techniques include cognitive mapping of concepts, products, or behavioral options as perceived by members of an intended audience. Studies of this type have been used to understand preferences for service delivery outlets and contraceptive methods, and comprehension of characters and storylines in radio and television health drama serials.

In addition to these quantitative methods, CCP also utilizes innovative qualitative methods to explore the root causes of behavior. Examples these methods include:

Community-based participatory research is a framework used to gain a better understanding of the social context in which disease outcomes occur, while involving community partners in the research process, and insuring that action is part of the research process itself.

The participatory ethnographic and evaluation research (PEER) method involves training lay community members to collect narratives from their peers through unobtrusive conversations.

Narrative inquiry involves eliciting people's stories about issues of importance to them as a way of investigating how they think and act in the situated contexts in which they live.  Narratives are frameworks through which people view, understand, and make sense of their experience. In analyzing narratives, the researcher works to actively find the voice of the participant in a particular time and place.

Search the Research Department’s peer-reviewed articles by methodological or theoretical approach, or health topic.