CATCH - CHALLENGES OF CONDUCTING PROCESS EVALUATION IN A MULTICENTER TRIAL

This paper discusses the challenges faced when collecting process eval uation information in a school-based, multicenter field trial. Experie nces from the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CA TCH) are shared as a means of illustrating the challenges that are pre sented and ways of meeting the challenges. The scope and magnitude of the trial (96 schools across four sites) and the diverse population pa rticipating in the trial (including children and adults representing a cultural and socioeconomic mix) present challenges that are compounde d by conducting research in a highly structured school setting. In suc h a trial, thoughtful consideration must be paid to what data should b e collected, how data should be collected, how to collect data on tail ored interventions, gaining and maintaining schools' cooperation, coll ecting data in year-round schools, and assuring data quality.