Remote training of behavioral intervention facilitators: model development and lessons learned

Intervention facilitator training is critically important for successful implementation of complex behavioral interventions. As remote intervention delivery becomes more common, remote training, whereby training components are deployed using digital technology, has emerged as an alternative to traditional in-person training. However, evidence-based guidelines remain limited for implementing remote training tailored to remote intervention delivery.

We developed and applied the Groundwork-Implementation-Feasibility (GIF) model to the remote training of facilitators preparing to remotely deliver PRIDE in HIV Care, an HIV prevention intervention for sexually diverse and gender expansive populations in Kazakhstan.

Guided by the GIF model, the remote facilitator training included formative assessment and planning, a five-day workshop featuring demonstration and real-play exercises, and ongoing individualized feedback. All facilitators completed the workshop with high satisfaction. Remote training increased access to digital training materials and enabled the development of remote-specific skills. By engaging in the training remotely themselves, facilitators gained parallel process insight that helped them anticipate challenges faced by intervention recipients, including technical difficulties, privacy concerns, and unstable connection.

Overall, remote intervention facilitator training for remote intervention delivery offers advantages beyond cost reduction, requires remote-specific skills, and leverages parallel processes to strengthening technical, content, and engagement abilities. While the GIF model provides a framework for developing future remote training programs, the growing use of technology in behavioral health interventions underscores the need for training that prepares facilitators for the technical, interpersonal, and ethical complexities of digital intervention delivery.

https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02786615, identifier NCT02786615.