The development of the Watershed Project Outcomes Scale: beneficiaries' and administrators' perspectives in an Iranian sample

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to invent a measure for watershed projects' outcomes from beneficiaries' and administrators' perspectives in an Iranian sample. A demographic questionnaire and the Watershed Project Outcomes Scale (WPOS) were used in this study. Findings indicate the WPOS consists of four factors: cultural development, economic development, social welfare and positive psychosocial transformation. Female and non inhabitant beneficiaries were significantly higher on the WPOS than males and inhabitants. The level of education and local language were effective from beneficiaries' viewpoints toward the watersheds. The governmental administrators had significantly higher positive attitudes on the WPOS than the watershed beneficiaries.

Keywords:

• watershed
• Watershed Project Outcomes Scale
• beneficiaries
• administrators
• demographics

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Abdol-Ali Mansuri, Rahman Rahimian and Homan Shamshiri for their contributions to this research.