Promoting intervention fidelity: Conceptual issues, methods, and preliminary results from the EARLY ALLIANCE prevention trial

Fidelity refers to the demonstration that an experimental manipulation is conducted as planned. In outcome research, an intervention can be said to satisfy fidelity requirements if it can be shown that each of its components is delivered in a comparable manner to all participants and is true to the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of preventive medicine 2001, Vol.20 (1), p.38-47
Main Authors: Dumas, Jean E, Lynch, Anne M, Laughlin, James E, Phillips Smith, Emilie, Prinz, Ronald J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Child
Child Behavior Disorders - prevention & control
Child, Preschool
clinical trials
conduct disorder
guideline adherence
Humans
information services
Models, Theoretical
Outcome Assessment (Health Care)
Personnel Selection
primary prevention
Program Development
Records as Topic
substance abuse
Substance-Related Disorders - prevention & control
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Summary:Fidelity refers to the demonstration that an experimental manipulation is conducted as planned. In outcome research, an intervention can be said to satisfy fidelity requirements if it can be shown that each of its components is delivered in a comparable manner to all participants and is true to the theory and goals underlying the research. Demonstrating the fidelity of an intervention is a key methodologic requirement of any sound prevention trial. This paper summarizes key conceptual and methodologic issues associated with intervention fidelity, and describes the steps taken to promote fidelity in EARLY ALLIANCE, a large-scale prevention trial currently testing the effectiveness of family, peer, and school interventions to promote competence and reduce risk for conduct disorder, substance abuse, and school failure. The paper presents preliminary results (Trial Year 1) that demonstrate content and process fidelity for two of these interventions, and discusses how the EARLY ALLIANCE methodology may be generalized to address fidelity issues in other prevention studies.
ISSN:0749-3797
1873-2607
DOI:10.1016/S0749-3797(00)00272-5