This document was printed from the website of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), which you can access at http://www.cebc4cw.org/
This document was printed from the website of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), which you can access at http://www.cebc4cw.org/
With guidance from the Advisory Committee and the Scientific Panel, the CEBC is continuously making improvements to the content and functionality of the website. In 2008, the Scientific Panel assessed the clarity of the CEBC's scientific rating process. The primary focus of the scientific rating process is to provide an accurate understanding of the level of scientific evidence supporting each program reviewed on the CEBC. With the experience of rating over 100 discreet programs highlighted on the website, the CEBC staff and Scientific Panel determined a significant change in the Scientific Rating Scale was necessary in order to accurately reflect the findings of the review process. It was decided that while it is logical to have a hierarchical numerical rating of programs with empirical support, the same was not true for programs that lacked adequate research evidence. Prior to January 2009, this large group of programs had been rated as "4-Lacks Adequate Research Evidence*." The numerical rating of 4, however, implied a relative level of evidence compared to those rated 3 or 5. In fact, the programs previously rated "4-Lacks Adequate Research Evidence" did not have enough research evidence to rate. Therefore, as of January 2009, those programs lacking adequate research evidence to rate remained on the website, but their numerical scientific rating was removed and the programs previously rated a 1, 2, 3, 5, or 6 were renumbered from 1-5. Those programs previously rated "4-Lacks Adequate Research Evidence" are now listed as "Not Rated" so the CEBC user will know which programs have been reviewed, but lack adequate research evidence to rate.
* Even this rating title had been changed from "4-Acceptable/Emerging Practice - Effectiveness is Unknown" in mid-2008 due to the realization that the title did not clearly inform the CEBC user of the lack of adequate research evidence for these programs.