Program Evaluators and Ethical Challenges

Abstract

A random sample of American Evaluation Association members was surveyed concerning the ethical challenges they encountered in their evaluation work Respondents who indicated that they had faced such challenges differed significantly (in amount and type of evaluation experi ence, as well as professional discipline) from those who said that they had never encountered an ethical conflict. Ethical problems associated with the reporting of findings by the evaluator were, by far, the most frequently mentioned. Also frequently described were conflicts involving the misinterpretation/misuse of results by stakeholders, contracting with stakeholders, and adherence to disclosure agreements. Aframeworkfor interpreting the study's findings, based on understanding the subjective commitment of evaluators to the roles of scientist and/or helping professional, is proposed.