2008 · Study · English

Bridging Science to Practice: Achieving Prevention Program Implementation Fidelity in the Community Youth Development Study

Fagan, A. A., Hanson, K., Hawkins, J. D., & Arthur, M. W.

Fagan, A. A., Hanson, K., Hawkins, J. D., & Arthur, M. W. (2008). Bridging Science to Practice: Achieving Prevention Program Implementation Fidelity in the Community Youth Development Study. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(3-4), 235–249. doi.org/10.1007/s10464-008-9176-x

Summary

Paper describing the development, application and results of the implementation-monitoring component of Communities That Care used in the Community Youth Development Study to secure high-fidelity delivery of evidence-based prevention programmes. The system responds to research showing that community-based implementation typically involves adaptations to programme design, content or delivery; lack of fidelity to the standards set by programme designers is one marker of the gap between prevention science and practice and can reduce the participant effects seen in efficacy trials. By using the CTC model to select prevention activities and monitor their quality, the 12 CYDS communities replicated 13 programmes with high adherence to core components and in line with dosage requirements on the number, length and frequency of sessions. The authors read this as evidence that CTC's monitoring system can strengthen community prevention delivery systems and raise the likelihood of the intended participant changes, a practical account of how the fidelity results in the companion paper were achieved.