Session: Measuring Multiple Dimensions of and Supports for the Implementation of Evidence-Based Programs (Society for Prevention Research 25th Annual Meeting)

The measurement of implementation when studying evidence-based programs (EBPs) that aim to improve child social, emotional, and behavioral development is essential to determining the key components of EBPs and to ensure their adoption with fidelity in practice. Implementation science research focuses mainly on how much of the intervention is implemented (i.e., dosage) with some additional focus on whether the core components are implemented (i.e., fidelity) and how well an intervention is implemented (i.e., quality). The consideration of how to measure implementation within randomized controlled trials (RCTs) has improved, with a focus on determining when implementation may impact RCT main effects; consideration for how such measurement can be translated in the real world as progress monitoring is also needed. Similarly, although recognized as an important part of an efficacious intervention, the explicit study of implementation support systems and how to enhance the engagement of targeted audiences is also lacking. These gaps hinder the translation of EBPs. This panel examines the implementation findings from 3 RCTs testing the PAX Good Behavior Game (GBG), Coping Power, and the Family Check-Up (FCU). Each study utilizes implementation measures assessing a range of implementation dimensions and/or supports and provides important implications for the dissemination and implementation of EBPs in the real world. The first paper uses mediation modeling to examine the interplay between specific activities a coach engages in and teacher perceptions of the coaching supports, to promote subsequent teacher delivery of games to his/her classroom. The second paper examines patterns of student attendance in a group indicated intervention called Coping Power for early adolescents, to determine whether student, group, or clinician factors relate to student uptake of the program over the course of a school year. The third paper examines fidelity and client engagement in an RCT using both video and audio recordings to determine whether audio recordings, which are less burdensome and can be more practically applied in the real world, can validly assess implementation. A prevention scientist with expertise in implementation and disparities research will serve as a discussant, highlighting common themes and implications for further research related to the measurement of the dimensions of and supports for implementation of EBPs across the three papers. This panel will help identify supports that may be most linked to improved dissemination and implementation efforts, and provide further insight into the complex issues regarding the measurement of multiple aspects of program implementation.