# Presentation: 458997

## Wayne M. Harding, Ed.M.,Ph.D.
Social Science Research & Evaluation, Inc.
Burlington, Massachusetts 01803

- Wayne M. Harding, Ed.M.,Ph.D.
- Social Science Research & Evaluation, Inc.
- Burlington, Massachusetts 01803

## Two Common Questions

- Where can I find a list of science-based programs and information about how to implement them?
- When, and by how much, can I change   the program without diminishing its effectiveness?

## Fidelity – Did you keep it the same?

- “The agreement (concordance) of a replicated program or strategy with the specification of the original.” (Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Decision Support System, 2001)
- “The degree of fit between the developer-defined components of a program and its actual implementation in a given organizational or community setting.”
-      (Backer, 2002)

## Fidelity – A Complication

- There are two types: fidelity to the original program, and fidelity to the proposed/planned program.
- 	(Cummins et al., 2002)

## Adaptation – How did you change it? 

- “Deliberate or accidental modification of the program.” (Backer, 2002)
- Types – additions, deletions, or modifications to content, delivery method, target population, setting, or delivery agent. (Formica and Harding, 2001)

## Adaptation – Complications

- Adaptation may continue.
-     (Formica and Harding, 2001)
- Adaptations to the evaluation are potentially as significant as adaptations to the program. (Formica and Harding, 2001)

## Advantages & Disadvantagesof Replication & Adaptation

## Why is this an issue?

- Replication is hard.
- Limited supply of science-based programs makes adaptation likely.

## Adaptation HappensTypes and Frequency of Adaptations among MassCALL Sub-recipients (Formica and Harding, 2001) 

## Objectives

- 1.	To increase participants’ understanding of current research findings on fidelity, adaptation, and effective program implementation.
- 2.	To increase participants’ understanding of the importance of balancing fidelity to a program with adaptations to that program.
- 3.	To increase participants understanding of strategies/guidelines for striking a balance between fidelity and adaptation.

## Agenda

***1:15-1:45 ******	*****Paul Brounstein of CSAP**, will continue to frame the issues, review 		research findings, and discuss CSAP projects concerning fidelity and 	adaptation.
***1:45-2:00*** 	**Paul Brounstein***** ***will respond to questions.
***2:00-2:15 ******	*****Break**
***2:15-3:00   ******	*****Karol Kumpfer, developer of Strengthening Families Program,****	****	****(SFP) and a practitioner of SFP; Andrea Taylor, developer of Across ****	****Ages (AA) and a practitioner of AA***** ***will address*** ***common questions 	they are asked about fidelity/adaptations, their recommendations for 		balancing fidelity and adaptations for these programs, and evidence 		about the efficacy of adapted versions of these programs.
***3:00-3:20*** 	**Karol Kumpfer and Andrea Taylor,***** ***will respond to questions.
***3:20-3:30*** 	**Deborah McLean Leow, of the NECAPT,***** ***will summarize lessons 		learned and recommendations.

## References

- Cummins, M., Goddard, C., Formica, S, Cohen, D., and Harding, W. (2002) An Approach to Assessing the Fidelity of Prevention Programs.  Paper presented at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, Effectiveness and Dissemination in Prevention Research, Seattle, Washington, May 31.
- Backer, T.E. (2001).  Finding the balance:  Program fidelity and adaptation in substance Abuse prevention.  Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP).
- CSAP’s Decision Support System (Prototype 4.0). (2001). Website accessed on May 16, 2002 from:  http://www.preventiondss.org/.  Rockville, MD:  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP).
- Formica, S. and Harding, W. M.  (2001). Documentation of adaptations to science-based programs implemented by MassCALL sub-recipient communities.  Massachusetts Collaboration for Action, Leadership, & Learning (MassCALL), Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, Boston, MA.