Novel Methods for Screening: Contributions from Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Implementation Science
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Preventative interventions are crucial for children exposed to maltreatment.
• Real-world intervention effectiveness often lags behind clinical trial results.
• Provider implementation fidelity is key to successful real-world outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate pre-training screening measures for predicting provider fidelity.
• To assess the utility of screening for the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) intervention.

Main Methods:

• Two screening measures were tested: one assessing valuing of attachment/openness, another assessing initial skill via vignettes.
• Provider fidelity to the ABC intervention was assessed across 197 sessions.
• Data from 42 providers were analyzed, controlling for experience and education.

Main Results:

• Both screening measures significantly predicted provider fidelity to the ABC intervention.
• Screening tool effectiveness persisted even after accounting for provider experience and education.
• These findings highlight the potential of targeted screening for improving intervention delivery.

Conclusions:

• Pre-training screening measures can effectively predict provider implementation fidelity.
• Developing similar screening tools for other interventions is recommended.
• Targeting specific provider qualities and behaviors can enhance intervention outcomes.