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Service Providers’ Adherence to an Evidence-Based Parenting Program: What are They Missing and Why?

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Abstract

Awareness of the need to monitor fidelity in delivery of evidence-based programs is increasing. We examined adherence reported by service providers who had delivered multi-session group or individual family-based Triple P-Positive Parenting Program interventions. Service providers completed session-specific checklists from the Triple P manual to indicate whether or not they had delivered the prescribed activities in their most recent session. We focus on service providers who reported less than 100 % adherence (n = 93) to explore patterns of adherence across sessions, delivery formats, and service providers’ experience. We also coded session activities into processes, therapeutic interventions, homework, and exercises to explore whether service providers’ adherence varied by type of session component. Adherence to therapeutic interventions, homework, and exercises was significantly lower in individual format compared to group format, perhaps reflecting the tailoring of interventions to the needs of the family. Adherence to processes and exercises was significantly higher among service providers with more years of experience. Results have implications for research, training, and supervision and will inform the delivery of evidence-based services for children and families in community settings.

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Acknowledgment

We would like to thank Peggy Govers for assistance in coding session activities and Dr. Dwayne Schindler for statistical consulting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada

    Whitney D. Taylor, Veronica Asgary-Eden, Catherine M. Lee & Kathryn J. LaRoche

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  1. Whitney D. Taylor
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  2. Veronica Asgary-Eden
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  3. Catherine M. Lee
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  4. Kathryn J. LaRoche
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Correspondence to Whitney D. Taylor.

Additional information

The data for this study were collected in partial completion of Veronica Asgary-Eden’s doctoral dissertation

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Taylor, W.D., Asgary-Eden, V., Lee, C.M. et al. Service Providers’ Adherence to an Evidence-Based Parenting Program: What are They Missing and Why?. J Child Fam Stud 24, 50–56 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9812-4

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