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Tasks of Extension Family Food Aides: A Cluster Analysis 1
Author(s) -
Beavers Irene,
Smith Ruth L.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
family and consumer sciences research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.372
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1552-3934
pISSN - 1077-727X
DOI - 10.1177/1077727x7300100401
Subject(s) - task (project management) , residence , cluster (spacecraft) , purchasing , psychology , computer science , scale (ratio) , demography , operations management , geography , engineering , sociology , cartography , systems engineering , programming language
This research was designed: (1) to identify clusters of tasks and determine frequency of task performance of Extension food aides in Iowa and (2) to examine relationships between tasks performed by aides and place of residence, length of time on the job, age, and educational level of aides. A task list was developed, validated by experts, and pretested. Food aides responded on a 3‐point scale to the frequency of performance of 124 tasks. Data from the 167 respondents were used to derive a 124 by 124 correlation matrix. Tasks with intercorrelations above .35 were clustered and 10 clusters were formed. Based on mean scores for task clusters, the task clusters performed most frequently were teaching concepts related to nutrition, supplementing resources, and purchasing food. Demographic charac teristics of food aides were not significantly correlated with individual tasks. The content of the findings could serve as a guide for training of aides in other states, and the research model for task analysis might be replicated in other states.