EVALUATING FAMILY NEEDS SURVEYS - DO STANDARD MEASURES OF RELIABILITYAND VALIDITY TELL US WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW

The search for psychometrically sound instruments that can help determ ine family needs, concerns, and priorities has been accompanied by an equally significant search for effective methods that can evaluate the usefulness of these types of instruments. While standard techniques p rovide some indication of psychometric efficacy, it is only through le ss conventional methods of assessing validity and reliability that the true effectiveness of family needs surveys can be determined. In this paper, we review standard methods for assessing the utility of family needs surveys, suggest alternative strategies, and discuss the specif ic questions of utility that alternative strategies address.