Lost in Translation: Bilingual Parent Coaches' Experiences Implementing an Un-adapted Early Childhood Intervention with Non-English Speakers

Abstract

When implementing an evidence-based intervention in new contexts and with different populations, evaluation of not only outcomes, but also implementation processes become necessary. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of bilingual, bicultural parent coaches delivering Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), an early childhood evidence-based home visiting intervention (EBI), to Spanish-speaking families in the United States (U.S.). This qualitative study draws on semi-structured interviews completed with four ABC parent coaches in two U.S. states. All participants identify as female and are bicultural, native Spanish speakers. Analyses resulted in six themes organized into two broad categories: (1) challenges to providing ABC to Spanish-speaking families and (2) positive experiences providing ABC to Spanish-speaking families. Results highlight that in-the-field translation and delivery of an empirically supported early intervention that has not been adapted for use with non-English speakers is challenging even for bilingual, bicultural parent coaches. Opportunities for deep-structure adaptations of the ABC intervention are explored. Practice and research implications also are discussed.

Adapting with Sense: An Update on Culturally Responsive Efforts of the Attachment & Biobehavioral Catch-Up Intervention with Spanish-Speaking, Latinx Families

“…As outlined by Sattler et al (2022), cultural adaptations can be made to evidence-based interventions to make them compatible with the cultural values, meanings, and patterns of a certain population (Bernal et al, 2009). The authors cite the definition from Resnicow et al's (2000) of differentiation between surface-level adaptations as "changes made to activities or materials to reflect observable, superficial characteristics of a particular community or population" (Sattler et al, 2022, p. 2) and deep-structure adaptations as involving changes that incorporate cultural (or geographical, historical, etc.) factors that influences the life and experiences of a target population.…”

“…Examples of modifications from Sattler et al (2022) can be conceptualized as peripheral adaptations (e.g., translating materials to more accessible, less vernacular academic language) since they do not change the ABC core components. Analyzing the need for adaptations for the ABC intervention necessitates considering the program's core components and mechanism of change, in particular whether they are universal or present cross-cultural differences.…”

“…Many of the issues raised in the article are important points that align well with our own thinking about the needs for support and potential ways to address those needs for parent coaches delivering ABC in Spanish with Latinx families. There are also some lingering differences with Sattler et al (2022) regarding our approach and proposed solutions.…”

“…Scaling evidence-based interventions at a community level with diverse populations is undoubtedly one of the major challenges and opportunities for implementation and prevention science currently. Sattler et al (2022) raise important points related to the training, supervisory support, and fidelity monitoring of bilingual parent coaches implementing the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) intervention in Spanish, as well as to the delivery of ABC with Spanishspeaking, Latinx families.…”

“…This response is meant to be a contribution to the discussion informed by the work of members of the ABC dissemination team at the University of Delaware most directly involved in many of the aspects addressed by Sattler et al (2022). In our response, we outline ABC's perspective on cultural adaptations of the intervention, as well as describe our efforts to support parent coaches implementing ABC with communities with diverse cultural backgrounds and languages, particularly in Spanish.…”