Implementing Adolescent Wellbeing and Health Programs in Schools: Insights from a Mixed Methods and Multiple...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Public Health
• Program Implementation Science

Background:

• Implementing school-based health and wellbeing programs is vital for student success.
• Understanding implementation factors is key to maximizing program effectiveness.
• Previous research has not fully explored multi-informant perspectives on program implementation in diverse settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors influencing the implementation of school-based mindfulness and health education programs for ninth graders.
• To examine how program implementation is perceived differently by students, instructors, and observers.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for optimizing program delivery.

Main Methods:

• Convergent mixed-methods, multiple informant design.
• Involved 70 ninth-grade students across three urban schools in low-resourced neighborhoods.
• Data collected from focus groups, instructor/observer fidelity ratings, and instructor responses.

Main Results:

• Four common themes emerged across all informant groups: instructor quality, interactive components, adequate program time, and student-centered scheduling.
• Instructor and observer perspectives highlighted distractions as a significant challenge.
• Theme names varied based on informant group, indicating differing perceptions.

Conclusions:

• Competent, engaging instructors and interactive, well-timed programs are essential for successful implementation.
• Student availability and preferences significantly impact program engagement.
• Addressing environmental and interpersonal distractions is critical for optimizing program outcomes.