Implementation of evidence-based services for youth: assessing provider knowledge

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychology
• Mental Health Services Research
• Psychometric Instrument Development

Background:

• Provider knowledge is a key barrier to implementing evidence-based services (EBPs) for youth.
• Existing research on provider knowledge is limited by a lack of validated assessment tools.
• Accurate measurement of knowledge is crucial for effective dissemination of EBPs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the utility and psychometric properties of the Knowledge of Evidence-Based Services Questionnaire (KEBSQ).
• To assess provider knowledge of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for common youth psychopathology.
• To provide a reliable instrument for measuring EBP knowledge in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Development of the KEBSQ, a 40-item self-report measure.
• Inclusion of items covering practice elements from supported and unsupported protocols.
• Assessment across four prevalent childhood problem areas: anxious/avoidant, depressed/withdrawn, disruptive behavior, and attention/hyperactivity.

Main Results:

• The KEBSQ demonstrated adequate psychometric properties.
• Findings supported the questionnaire's temporal stability and discriminative validity.
• The KEBSQ showed sensitivity to training, indicating its potential for measuring knowledge change.

Conclusions:

• The KEBSQ is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing provider knowledge of EBPs in youth treatment.
• This tool can facilitate research and practice aimed at improving EBP dissemination.
• Future research should explore further applications and refinements of the KEBSQ.