Moving an Evidence-Based Parenting Program Into the Community.

Area of Science:

• Child development
• Parenting interventions
• Clinical psychology

Background:

• Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) is an evidence-based parenting program.
• Previous randomized clinical trials demonstrate its efficacy in enhancing parent sensitivity.
• Implementing interventions in community settings often results in reduced effectiveness due to fidelity challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a microanalytic fidelity assessment tool for the ABC program.
• To determine if using this fidelity tool can maintain intervention effects in a community setting.
• To explore implications for the community-based delivery of other evidence-based interventions.

Main Methods:

• A microanalytic fidelity assessment tool was developed for the ABC program.
• This tool was integrated into training, supervision, and certification processes.
• Parent sensitivity was measured in 108 families with children aged 6 months to 2 years.

Main Results:

• The microanalytic fidelity assessment facilitated high-fidelity delivery of the ABC program in the community.
• Parent sensitivity improvements in the community setting were comparable to those observed in laboratory settings.
• The findings suggest that rigorous fidelity monitoring can preserve intervention effects.

Conclusions:

• A microanalytic fidelity assessment is crucial for successful community-based implementation of parenting interventions like ABC.
• This approach can help bridge the gap between efficacy in randomized trials and effectiveness in real-world settings.
• The developed fidelity tool offers a model for maintaining the quality of other evidence-based programs delivered in the community.