Prosper study of evidence‐based intervention implementation quality by community–university partnerships

Abstract

This study examined a community-university partnership model for sustained, high-quality implementation of evidence-based interventions. In the context of a randomized study, it assessed whether implementation quality for both family-focused and school-based universal interventions could be achieved and maintained through community-university partnerships. It also conducted exploratory analyses of factors influencing implementation quality. Results revealed uniformly high rates of both implementation adherence-averaging over 90%-and of other indicators of implementation quality for both family-focused and school-based interventions. Moreover, implementation quality was sustained across two cohorts. Exploratory analyses failed to reveal any significant correlates for family-intervention implementation quality, but did show that some team and instructor characteristics were associated with school-based implementation quality.The extant literature clearly indicates the need to evaluate the quality of implementation of preventive interventions, particularly those that are evidence-based (Durlak, 1998;Goggin, Bowman, Lester, & O'Toole, 1990;Greenberg, Domitrovich, Graczyk, & Zins, 2001;Mihalic & Irwin, 2003). Although there is an expanding set of evidence-based interventions (hereafter EBIs) shown to be efficacious in reducing youth problem behaviors and promoting positive youth development, low-quality intervention implementation frequently diminishes positive outcomes (Backer, 2003;Domitrovich & Greenberg, 2000; Fixsen, Naoom, Blasé, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005). Quality monitoring is especially important when implementation occurs under real-world conditions, guided by community-based organizations or partnerships . Sustained, high quality implementation by communities is essential to the achievement of greater public health impact of EBIs Lamb, Greenlick, & McCarty, 1998;.Because of the importance of sustained, quality implementation of EBIs by communitybased partnerships, there is a need to systematically evaluate partnership models guiding such implementation . In addition, there is a need to study factors potentially influencing sustained, quality, community-based implementation of EBIs to better understand how to improve implementation systems (Fixsen et al., 2005;Greenberg et al., 2001). These research needs are addressed by the three objectives of the present study. The first objective is to examine adherence rates and other implementation quality ratings NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript achieved through a community-based model for EBI implementation. To study the sustainability of the partnership model, the second objective is to determine how well implementation quality was maintained over time. The third and final objective was to explore whether community team and intervention instructor factors were correlated with implementation quality for family-focused and school-based EBIs. Spoth, Guyll, Trudeau, and Goldberg-Lillehoj (2002) examined the implementat...

School‐based prevention: current status and future challenges

“…The broad dissemination of EBIs is just beginning and there is little experimental or naturalistic/ case-study research to guide such efforts. However, a number of recent reports indicate that with appropriate training and monitoring EBIs can be disseminated with fidelity (Fagan & Mihalic, 2003;Spoth, Guyll, Lillehoj, Redmond, & Greenberg, 2007).…”

Preventive Interventions Addressing Underage Drinking: State of the Evidence and Steps Toward Public Health Impact

“…40,114 Such factors include the readiness and capacity of organizations for implementation, the quality of training and technical assistance, the level of opinion leadership, and support from administrators in the implementation system. The relevant literature also incorporates guidance on factors influencing the quality of implementation of evidence-based interventions, 36,111,115,116 as well as the sustainability of quality implementation. 117 In addition, there is guidance from this body of literature on addressing barriers to dissemination of evidence-based public health interventions and carefully considering how to adapt dissemination strategies that were designed originally for the health care field.…”

“…124 Data indicate that community teams supported by the community-university partnerships can effectively engage prospective intervention participants in evidence-based interventions that can be implemented with quality on a sustained basis, with a range of positive community-level outcomes. 112,116 Most importantly, much more emphasis is needed on the translational function of intervention-related research, defined as the translation of research from basic causes (eg, peer and family influences on young adolescent decisions to drink alcohol) to real-world applications. 125 The translational function centers on translating science into widespread prevention practice.…”

Substance-Use Outcomes at 18 Months Past Baseline

“…Information on their theoretical approach, duration, and objectives follows; more detail on their implementation can be found in an earlier published report. 27 Life Skills Training 28,29 is a 15-lesson universal preventive intervention program with a design guided by social learning theory 30 and problem behavior theory. 31 The primary goals of LST are to promote skill development (e.g., peer resistance, self-management, general social skills) and to provide a knowledge base concerning the avoidance of substance use.…”

“…Across both cohorts, the implementation adherence rates for LST, Project Alert, and All Stars were 89%, 89%, and 91%, respectively. 27 …”