Adaptations in a Community-Based Family Intervention: Replication of Two Coding Schemes

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Public Health
• Program Evaluation

Background:

• Evidence-based programs (EBPs) require adaptation during community implementation, yet this is often theoretical.
• The Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14 is a family-based substance use prevention program frequently disseminated in communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To replicate two coding systems for examining adaptations in large-scale disseminations of the Strengthening Families Program.
• To explore the interrelationships between different dimensions of facilitator-reported adaptations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two established coding systems to analyze self-reported adaptations from community-based implementers.
• Applied these systems to large-scale dissemination data of the Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14.

Main Results:

• A few adaptation types and reasons comprised over 70% of all reported changes.
• The majority of adaptations were logistical, reactive, and not aligned with the program's core objectives.
• The coding systems proved robust when applied to self-reported data from community settings.

Conclusions:

• Findings support the reliability of the coding systems for assessing adaptations in real-world settings.
• Understanding adaptation dimensions can guide future research on program outcomes.
• This study informs program developers, policymakers, and researchers on implementation challenges, transferability, and sustainability.