Innovatively Supporting Teachers' Implementation of School-Based Sex Education: Developing A Web-Based Coaching...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Promotion
• Educational Interventions

Background:

• Effective implementation of behavioral change interventions is critical but often overlooked.
• Teachers are key implementers in school-based health programs, yet receive limited support beyond technical assistance.
• The Dutch school-based sexual health program, Long Live Love, required enhanced teacher support for optimal implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically develop a web-based coaching intervention for teachers.
• To support teachers in the complete and faithful implementation of the Long Live Love sexual health program.
• To provide insight into the development process of theory- and evidence-based interventions for intermediaries.

Main Methods:

• The Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol was utilized for theory- and evidence-based intervention development.
• The IM process involved needs assessment, defining change objectives, selecting intervention methods, and program integration.
• A web-based coaching intervention was designed using unobtrusive coaching principles, tailored for teachers.

Main Results:

• Teachers' implementation behavior showed inconsistencies in program delivery, differing from developers' intentions.
• A discrepancy existed between teachers' perceived and actual need for support in program implementation.
• The developed web-based intervention aimed to modify teachers' implementation behavior regarding completeness and fidelity.

Conclusions:

• Web-based interventions can facilitate behavioral change in intermediaries with differing perceptions of their needs.
• The Intervention Mapping protocol is valuable for scientifically guiding intervention development.
• The developed intervention aligns with target group needs and preferences, addressing implementation challenges.