Program Theory of Change

A program theory of change (PToC), also referred to as an action theory, causal pathway, intervening mechanisms theory, logic model, program theory, or theory of change, is a set of statements that describe the process and the mechanisms (i.e., the how and why) through which a program is thought to work and the outcomes it intends to affect. Program theories of change are built upon beliefs and assumptions developed through such [Page 1315]means as personal experience, social science theories, or previous programs. Typically depicted through a diagram or model, a PToC explains the causal process through which change is expected to occur as a result of a program’s intervention. Generally, a PToC uses a set of “if, then” statements to represent the mechanisms of change ...