The true experiment, with its random assignment, allows evaluators to state with increased confidence that the intervention, and not some other factor, is responsible for the given results. Still, it will be necessary to monitor that equivalence to see if it is indeed true. An example of this is in the relationship between cancer and cigarette smoking. In determining the relationship between family violence and other problems, evaluators must often account for other problems that might also be present in abusive families.
True experiments can be difficult to use in family violence research.
The random assignment element can also make them difficult to use in an evaluation setting. Often, administrators and other program stakeholders that seek an evaluation want to know if their on-going program is effective. It is also doable for a more intense program, illustrated by the following example. However, before attempting a randomized trial of a secondary prevention program, it is strongly suggested that evaluators consult with individuals who have expertise in this area. The researchers looked at a variety of family functioning variables as indicators of program impact.