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✪ Determinants of implementation of a stepped care intervention for adolescents and youth living with HIV in Kenya: a qualitative evaluation

Authors:

Nok Chhun, Dorothy I. Mangale, Kawango Agot, Winnie A. Owade, Julie Kadima, Jacinta Badia, James K. Kibugi, Pamela K. Kohler, Grace John-Stewart & Kristin Beima-Sofie

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

✪ Open Access

Published: May 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal BMC Health Service Research

Abstract:

Background

Differentiation of HIV services, a client-centered strategy, may improve care outcomes among adolescents and youth living with HIV (AYLHIV). Understanding health provider perceptions of barriers and facilitators that influence implementation can optimize adoption and sustainment of health systems interventions.

Methods

The Data-informed Stepped Care (DiSC) study was a cluster randomized controlled trial of a stepped care intervention in 24 HIV care facilities in Kenya. At each visit, providers used an assessment tool to allocate AYLHIV to services according to level of need. Stable clients were allocated to differentiated service delivery (DSD) with less frequent visits. Intensified services, including behavioral counseling, were provided for those with greater likelihood of loss to follow-up, mental health issues, or viral non-suppression. We conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with providers across 12 intervention sites between January-February 2023. FGDs used a semi-structured interview guide, grounded in the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, which were audio-recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were analyzed using a team-based rapid turnaround approach to characterize key determinants influencing adoption, reach, and fidelity.

Results

Providers were enthusiastic about, and quick to adopt, the DiSC intervention. They found the DiSC tool easy to use and felt it provided a relative advantage by improving service delivery efficiency and prioritizing time with higher need AYLHIV. Providers noted the importance of tool flexibility to align with changing national guidelines. They expressed concerns about compatibility with existing workflows at facilities exclusively using electronic medical record (EMR) systems, suggesting EMR integration will be needed for intervention sustainment. AYLHIV eligible for DSD benefited from clinic visit intervals that aligned with the school calendar, which posed a challenge for reaching AYLHIV in more intensive steps. Provider collective efficacy was important in consistent implementation of DiSC and was facilitated by continuous quality improvement meetings, access to knowledge and information, and perceived intervention effectiveness. Supportive leadership was an important driver of implementation success, through availing space for mental health counseling sessions and time for client-provider interactions outside standard operating hours.

Conclusions

Consideration of alignment with national policy, integration into clinic workflows, school schedules, and leadership engagement, will be important for sustained use of differentiated care interventions.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05007717. Registration date: July 13, 2021.

**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**

✪ Impact of a stakeholder selected implementation strategy package – fast tracking, provider re-training, and co-location – on PrEP implementation for pregnant women in antenatal care clinics in western Kenya

Authors:

Joseph Sila, Anjuli Dawn Wagner, Felix Abuna, Julia C Dettinger, Ben Odhiambo, Nancy Ngumbau, George Oketch, Enock Sifuna, Laurén Gómez, Sarah Hicks, Bryan J. Weiner, Grace John-Stewart & John Kinuthia

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

✪ Open Access

Published: May 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal Implementation Science Communications

Abstract:

Background

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is recommended for HIV prevention in pregnant and postpartum women at substantial ongoing risk for HIV. In resource-limited settings, there exist gaps in the integration of PrEP into antenatal care.

Methods

We conducted a difference-in-differences analytic approach (3 months pre- and 3 months post) between January 2022 and July 2022 in 8 facilities (4 intervention and 4 comparison) in western Kenya. During the 6-month period, we tested a combination of 2 stakeholder selected implementation strategies – retraining health providers and fast tracking PrEP clients– to improve PrEP delivery. All study facilities dispensed PrEP in the Maternal and Child health clinics (MCH). We evaluated absolute changes in: PrEP penetration, PrEP fidelity, client PrEP knowledge, client satisfaction, and client waiting and service times as outcomes specified a priori while PrEP offer and HIV testing were outcomes specified post hoc. We measured acceptability and appropriateness by providers of the implementation strategies using AIM and IAM respectively.

Results

We observed statistically significant improvements in PrEP penetration and PrEP offer (p < 0.05) and non-significant improvements in fidelity. PrEP penetration increased 6 percent points (p = 0.002), PrEP offer increased nearly 6 percentage points (p = 0.002), and PrEP fidelity increased 4 percentage points (p = 0.202) in intervention vs comparison facilities. Client PrEP knowledge increased 0.45 out of 7 total points (p < 0.001) and PrEP screening increased 13 percentage points (p = 0.001). We observed no significant changes in service time (0.13-min increase; p = 0.249), waiting time (0.03-min decrease; p = 0.796), or client satisfaction (0.04/24 total point decrease; p = 0.849) in intervention vs comparison facilities. HIV testing did not significantly change (7 percentage point decrease, p = 0.305). The implementation strategy bundle was deemed appropriate and acceptable by the providers (appropriateness: 18.5/20; acceptability: 18.5/20). Overall, the implementation strategy bundle was associated with larger increases in implementation outcomes among women receiving a visit other than their first ANC visit, as well as among sites without stockouts of HIV test kits.

Conclusions

A stakeholder-selected implementation strategy bundle that included retraining healthcare workers, fast tracking PrEP clients to reduce waiting time, and PrEP dispensing in MCH improved several implementation outcomes without significantly affecting waiting time or reducing service time.

Contributions to the literature

  • Evidence is sparse on effective implementation strategies that focus on structural- and provider-level barriers to enhance delivery of integrated care in resource-limited settings.
  • Stakeholder-selected strategies are hypothesized to have a better fit to local context and potentially be more effective than externally selected strategies.
    We tested a package of two stakeholder-selected implementation strategies – retraining health providers, fast tracking PrEP clients in a difference-in-differences study in 8 clinics in Kenya.
  • The package was associated with significant improvements in PrEP penetration, PrEP offer, PrEP knowledge, and PrEP screening. It was not associated with significant changes in PrEP fidelity, HIV testing, service time, waiting time, or client satisfaction.
  • The improvement associated with the package was most pronounced among clinics that did not experience substantial stockouts of supplies, suggesting that implementation strategies are not sufficient to overcome gaps in basic resourcing in the presence of critical events.

**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**

✪ Finding the balance between rigour and relevance: implementing adaptations to the implementation of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial of a two-way texting intervention for voluntary medical male circumcision in South Africa

Authors:

Geoffrey Setswe, Sarah Day, Felex Ndebele, Jacqueline Pienaar, Vuyolwethu Ncube, & Caryl Feldacker

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

✪ Open Access

Published: April 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal BMJ Open

Abstract:

Objectives

To document adaptations that were made to the implementation of the two-way texting (2wT) randomised controlled trial (RCT) for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) in South Africa and to provide a nuanced discussion on the differences between adaptations and fidelity in this context.

Design

We conducted a qualitative study using the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications in Evidence-based Implementation Strategies (FRAME-IS) to examine 2wT adaptations. We reported adaptations to the 2wT intervention using two steps. First, we categorised adaptations in a shared study-specific Google Docs that documented participant engagement with the 2wT system, tracked daily RCT implementation notes, reported software bugs and noted reminder emails about adaptations for the research team. Second, we conducted a qualitative assessment of the influence of adaptations on project outcomes via 10 periodic reflection meetings with VMMC implementers. Reflection documentation included notes from field observations, meeting minutes and informal partner check-ins to complete adaptation documentation. Using the FRAME-IS as a codebook, adaptations were categorised.

Settings

The RCT was conducted in rural and urban VMMC clinics in the North West and Gauteng districts of South Africa.

Participants

Implementation scientists and VMMC implementers who implemented the 2wT pragmatic randomised controlled trial (pRCT) were participants for the adaptation study.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcome measure was the adaptations that were made during the implementation of the 2wT pRCT. The secondary outcome measures were fidelity and rigour of implementing adaptations to the 2wT pRCT.

Results

Between June 2021 and February 2022, 13 adaptations were identified in three phases during the implementation of the 2wT pRCT. The first phase of adaptations aimed to augment study recruitment, including conducting weekend VMMC recruitment camps, using mobile outreach services in the rural site, adding two urban sites to increase recruitment, using weekly WhatsApp calls for updates with all implementing teams, using virtual meetings to implement the 2wT strategy remotely during COVID-19 restrictions and allocating one clinician to work outside of normal working hours. The second phase of adaptations further enhanced enrolments, including adding two local language translations in the usability survey for 2wT men and contributing a portion towards the salary of the implementing staff by the research partner. The third phase included the exclusion of two rural clinics as recruitment sites due to inconsistent mobile phone networks, adding another layer of data quality checks to ensure data quality, training non-clinical counsellors to help with enrolling clients, retraining of staff in the rural site with high staff turnover and using both primary and alternative phone numbers for enrolment to reduce loss to follow-up.

Conclusions

This study made adaptations to the 2wT pRCT without compromising the fidelity of the study. The 2wT pRCT balances rigour (fidelity) and relevance (adaptation). Adaptations should not be confined by rigour but should also not go unchallenged or unverified. We conclude that fidelity can be maintained with adaptations that are implemented to close the gap between research in the laboratory and practice.

**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**

✪ Study protocol for testing the efficacy of the Helping Educational Leaders Mobilize Evidence (HELM) implementation strategy in elementary schools: a hybrid type 3 effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trial

Authors:

Jill Locke, Nathaniel J. Williams, Aksheya Sridhar, Mark G. Ehrhart, Alex Dopp, Marissa Thirion, Christine Espeland, Brandon Riddle, Kelcey Schmitz, Kurt Hatch, Lindsey Buehler & Aaron R. Lyon

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

✪ Open Access

Published: April 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal Implementation Science

Abstract:

Background

Schools need to implement universal student supports that prevent social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties; minimize associated risks; and promote social, emotional, and behavioral competencies. The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of the Helping Educational Leaders Mobilize Evidence (HELM) implementation strategy for promoting school-level implementation leadership, implementation climate, and high-fidelity delivery of an evidence-based practice. We will test HELM with an exemplar EBP, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). The specific aims of the study are to: 1) experimentally evaluate the effects of HELM versus PBIS training and technical assistance only (control condition); and 2) explore for whom, under what conditions, how equitably, and through which processes HELM works to improve outcomes, as well as its cost-effectiveness.

Methods

This study will use a hybrid type 3 effectiveness-implementation trial to provide a rigorous test of the effects of HELM in elementary schools. Schools will be randomly assigned to HELM + PBIS training and technical assistance (n = 21 schools; n = 210 educators) or PBIS training and technical assistance only (n = 21 schools; n = 210 educators) in a 1:1 ratio within cohorts using covariate constrained randomization that accounts for degree of prior PBIS exposure (measured using the Tiered Fidelity Inventory at baseline) and school size. A series of mixed effects models (time within educator, educator within school) will test within-subject/between-subject interactions across three timepoints (12 months total) to examine whether HELM will show steeper gains than the control on implementation leadership (primary outcome), implementation climate, PBIS fidelity, and student outcomes. Mediational analyses will test hypothesized mechanisms of change (i.e., implementation leadership and climate) of HELM on PBIS fidelity. Sequential mixed-methods data collection and analyses will further explore how organizational mechanisms are linked to implementation outcomes. Cost-effectiveness analyses will compare costs and outcomes of PBIS training and technical assistance only versus PBIS implementation with HELM.

Discussion

The nature of leadership support in schools can make the difference between successful and unsuccessful EBP implementation. Testing HELM within the context of PBIS implementation will provide rigorous evidence about whether and how HELM can equitably address important EBP and student outcomes.

Trial Registration

Clinical Trials ID: NCT06586723. Date of Registration: August 27, 2024. Prospectively registered. URL of Trial Registry Record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06586723?intr=helm&rank=1

Contributions to the Literature

  • Few effective strategies to enhance evidence-based practice implementation in schools address implementation leadership and climate, and those that do have only been evaluated qualitatively.
  • Schools have unique organizational characteristics, and it is important to test whether organizational implementation strategies developed in other contexts can be effective in improving implementation outcomes in schools.
  • This study will evaluate the effects of a tailored adaptation of the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI) strategy for schools, entitled Helping Educational Leaders Mobilize Evidence (HELM), on implementation mechanisms (implementation leadership and implementation climate), PBIS fidelity, and student outcomes.
  • This study also will explore for whom, under what conditions, and how equitably HELM demonstrates its effects, providing critical information about influence on – and the limitations of – the impact of this organizational implementation strategy.
  • Finally, the study will evaluate the processes through which HELM works to improve outcomes, contributing to the emerging literature on implementation mechanisms, as well as its cost-effectiveness.

**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**

Name of the registry
clinicaltrials.gov.

Peer Review reports

Developing and implementing a process improvement intervention to expand evidence-based psychotherapy in the Department of Defense

Authors:

Jeffrey Cook, Melissa Mistretta, Carmen P. McLean, Jeffrey Mann, Erin Frick, Alan L. Peterson, Stacey Young-McCaughan, Elisa V. Borah, Katherine Anne Comtois, Katherine A. Dondanville, Allison M. Conforte, Jeremy Jinkerson, Zachary K. Jones
81st Medical Group, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi, United States
Hana J. Kim, Jared S. Link, Debra Nofziger, Erik N. Ringdahl, John Waggoner, Craig Woodworth, Craig S. Rosen, & David S. Riggs

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

Subscription Required for Full Text Access

Published: April 2025

Read the full text in the subscription access journal Psychological Services

✪ Outcome preferences in fidelity-adaptation scenarios across evidence-based parenting programs: A discrete choice experiment

Authors:

Kristoffer Pettersson, Philip Millroth, Fabrizia Giannotta, Pernilla Liedgren, Aaron R. Lyon, Henna Hasson, and Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

✪ Open Access

Published: February 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal Implementation Science

Abstract:

Background

Implementing evidence-based parenting programs often involves navigating fidelity-adaptation decisions. While research has explored various aspects of this dilemma, little is known about how practitioners’ outcome preferences influence their decisions in real-world scenarios.

Methods

This study employed a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to investigate the relative importance of five outcomes (Relationship Quality, Satisfaction, Workload Strain, Value Conflict, and Reach) in fidelity-adaptation decisions among 209 practitioners delivering evidence-based parenting programs in Sweden. The DCE presented 25 choice sets across five contextual scenarios, analyzed using Bayesian hierarchical logistic regression.

Results

All five outcomes significantly influenced practitioners’ choices, with Relationship Quality emerging as the most impactful (log-odds: 4.56, 95% CI [4.16, 4.91]). Satisfaction and minimizing Value Conflict showed similar importance (log odds: 2.45 and -2.40, respectively), while Workload Strain and Reach had slightly less impact (log odds: -2.10 and 1.96, respectively).

Conclusions

This study offers a novel perspective on the role of outcome preference in navigating fidelity-adaptation decisions. The strong preference for improving parent-child relationships aligns with core parenting program goals, while consideration of other outcomes reflects practitioners’ holistic approach to implementation. These findings can inform the design of interventions and implementation strategies that balance effectiveness with real-world constraints, potentially enhancing parenting programs’ adoption, sustainability, and impact.

Contributions to the literature
  • This study pioneers the application of discrete choice experiments in exploring fidelity-adaptation decisions.
  • Quantifying practitioners’ outcome preferences provides empirical evidence of complex trade-offs in implementing evidence-based parenting programs.
  • The study’s results provide actionable insights for program developers, policymakers, and implementation scientists on designing interventions that resonate with practitioners’ priorities while maintaining program effectiveness.
  • This research bridges theoretical frameworks and real-world decision-making, advancing our understanding of how various factors influence intervention delivery in practice.

**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**

✪ Not getting better but not getting worse: A cluster randomized controlled pilot trial of a leadership implementation strategy

Authors:

Jill Locke, Catherine M. Corbin, Roger Goosey, Vaughan K. Collins, Mark G. Ehrhart, Kurt Hatch, Christine Espeland, and Aaron R. Lyon

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

✪ Open Access

Published: January 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal Implementation Research and Practice

Abstract:

Background

Implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in schools is fraught with challenges. Even when EBPs are initiated, deterioration of implementation efforts often hinders their long-term success. School leadership behaviors can influence teachers’ EBP implementation. Our study tested an implementation strategy called Helping Educational Leaders Mobilize Evidence (HELM), adapted from the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation strategy, to enhance EBP implementation through improvements in school leadership teams’ implementation leadership and climate to buffer against the deterioration of implementation efforts. This study explores the impact of HELM on theorized mechanisms of change (i.e., implementation leadership, climate), educator-level factors (i.e., implementation citizenship), and implementation outcomes (i.e., fidelity, initiative stability).

Method

One school district and 10 schools in Washington participated. Five of the schools were randomized to receive the HELM strategy and the remaining five schools received an alternative leadership training as an implementation attention control. Teachers at every school (n = 341) received training for an EBP called Positive Greetings at the Door that has been previously demonstrated to reduce student behavior problems. Principals and Assistant Principals (n = 18) received the HELM strategy or alternative leadership training. Three district Administrators also participated in HELM as part of the Organizational Strategy Development meetings.

Results

HELM significantly slowed the average decline of implementation leadership (perseverant leadership and communication), three dimensions of implementation climate (recognition, rewards, and existing supports) and total implementation climate, and one dimension of implementation citizenship (keeping informed). No significant effects were found with regard to implementation outcomes (i.e., fidelity, initiative stability).

Conclusions

HELM shows promise in buffering the deterioration of EBP implementation efforts in schools. HELM positively influenced implementation leadership and climate, which are the hypothesized mechanisms for promoting successful long-term implementation efforts. An appropriately powered trial is needed to determine the efficacy of HELM in the future.

Trial Registration Information

Name of the registry: clinicaltrials.gov
Trial registration number: NCT06340074
Date of registration: March 29, 2024. Retrospectively registered
URL of trial registry record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06340074?intr=helm&rank=

Plain Language Summary

Using practices that have been proven to work in research to support youth social, emotional, and behavioral well-being in schools is hard. Efforts to use these practices decrease across the school year. School leadership behaviors can influence educators’ use of these practices. Our study tested an implementation strategy or support designed to help educators use a research-backed practice called Helping Educational Leaders Mobilize Evidence (HELM). HELM was adapted from the Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI) strategy, to enhance school leadership teams’ specific leadership behaviors to protect against the decline in implementation effort. This study explores the impact of HELM on outcomes related to practice use. One school district and 10 schools in western Washington State participated. Five of the schools received the HELM strategy and the remaining five schools received an alternative leadership training. Teachers at every school (n = 341) received training in a practice called Positive Greetings at the Door (PGD) that has been shown to reduce student behavior problems. Principals and Assistant Principals (n = 18) received the HELM strategy or alternative leadership training. Three district administrators also participated in HELM. HELM unexpectedly slowed the average decline of implementation leadership (perseverant leadership and communication), three dimensions of implementation climate (recognition, rewards, and existing supports), total implementation climate, and one dimension of implementation citizenship (keeping informed). No significant effects were found with regard to use of the practice. The HELM strategy shows promise in slowing the deterioration of practice in schools and positively influenced implementation leadership behaviors.

**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**

✪ Looking under the hood of a hybrid two-way texting intervention to improve early retention on antiretroviral therapy in Malawi: an implementation fidelity evaluation

Authors:

Robin E. Klabbers, Caryl Feldacker, Jacqueline Huwa, Christine Kiruthu-Kamamia, Agness Thawani, & Hannock Tweya

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

✪ Open Access

Published: Janurary 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal Implementation Science

Abstract:

Background

While key to interpreting findings and assessing generalizability, implementation fidelity is underreported in mobile health (mHealth) literature. We evaluated implementation fidelity of an opt-in, hybrid, two-way texting (2wT) intervention previously demonstrated to improve 12-month retention on antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in a quasi-experimental study in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Methods

Short message service (SMS) data and ART refill visit records were used to evaluate adherence to 2wT content, frequency and duration through the lens of the Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity. Message delivery and 2wT participant interactions were considered across four core 2wT components: 1) weekly motivational SMS messages; 2) proactive SMS appointment reminders; 3) SMS reminders after missed appointments; and 4) interactive messaging with 2wT staff about transfers and appointment rescheduling. Using mixed-effects logistic regression models adjusted for participant demographics, we examined the effect of core 2wT component fidelity on a) on-time appointment attendance and b) timely return to care after a missed appointment, presenting adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

The 468 2wT participants had a median of 52 study weeks (interquartile range [IQR] 34 – 52) with 6 ART appointments (IQR 4—7) of which 2 (IQR 1 – 3) were missed. On average, participants received a motivation message for 75% (IQR 56%—83%) of enrolled weeks, a reminder before 83% (IQR 67%—100%) of appointments, and after 67% (IQR 0%—100%) of missed appointments. Participants reported 9 transfers and rescheduled 46 appointments through 2wT prompts; 196 appointments were changed via unprompted interaction. Participants with 10% higher expected motivation message delivery were more likely to attend clinic appointments on time (aOR: 1.08; 95%CI: 1.01 – 1.16, p = 0.03). Receiving and responding to an appointment reminder in any way were also associated with increased on-time appointment attendance (aOR: 1.35; 95%CI: 1.03 – 1.79, p = 0.03 and aOR: 1.47, 95%CI: 1.16 – 1.87, p = 0.001, respectively). No associations were found for 2wT messages and timely return to care following a missed appointment.

Conclusion

Greater 2wT implementation fidelity was associated with improved care outcomes. Although implementation fidelity monitoring of mHealth interventions is complex, it should be integrated into study design.

Contributions to the literature
  • Despite the recognized importance of implementation fidelity in digital health research, few studies evaluate and transparently report the extent to which mHealth interventions were implemented as intended.
  • This study presents a framework-based evaluation of the implementation fidelity of a two-way texting intervention for HIV retention in a routine care setting in Malawi. Findings demonstrate how fidelity assessment not only facilitates replication of findings and generalizability assessment, but uncovers implementation challenges and generates hypotheses about intervention mechanisms of action.
  • The benefits and complexity of implementation fidelity evaluation underscore the need to consider fidelity early and integrate monitoring mechanisms into study design.

**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**

✪ Sustainability of an evidence-based intervention supporting transition to independent care for youth living with HIV in Kenya

Authors:

Alina Metje, Sarah Shaw, Cyrus Mugo, Mercy Awuor, Annabell Dollah, Hellen Moraa, Christine Kundu, Dalton Wamalwa, Grace John-Stewart, Kristin Beima-Sofie, and Irene Njuguna

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

✪ Open Access

Published: January 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal PLOS Global Public Health

Abstract:

Integrating and sustaining evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in routine care is crucial to improving HIV treatment outcomes among youth living with HIV (YLH). However, EBIs are often not sustained post clinical trial. An Adolescent Transition Package (ATP) delivered by health care workers (HCWs) and tested in Kenya in 2021 significantly improved YLH readiness to transition to independent care. Post-trial, participating clinics could continue using the ATP. We conducted 30 in-depth interviews with health care workers to evaluate determinants of continued ATP implementation one-year post-trial. Interviews used semi-structured guides, informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research version 2.0 (CFIR v2.0). Transcripts were analyzed thematically to identify key influences of ATP sustainment and fidelity post-trial. Effective training during and after the trial, and continued internal and external support for implementation, were crucial for sustained acceptability and feasibility. In contrast, staff shortages and high turnover, lack of integration into the existing electronic medical system, and maintaining staff motivation were barriers to ATP sustainment. Implementation fidelity was limited by workforce constraints and HCW beliefs about the importance of individualizing content and delivery to be responsive to individual client needs. ATP adaptability afforded optimization of delivery to overcome workforce constraints and meet client needs, increasing HCW perceptions of feasibility and motivating continued use. Alignment between observed impact and care provision goals further motivated ongoing ATP utilization. Strategies to ensure continued training and integration of tools into existing systems have the potential to further enhance ATP sustainability.

**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**

✪ Study protocol for a hybrid type 3 effectiveness-implementation trial of a team-based implementation strategy to support educators’ use of a social engagement intervention

Authors:

Jill Locke, Aksheya Sridhar, Wendy Shih, Stephanie Shire, Andria B. Eisman, Emily Kim, Adora Du, Christine Espeland, & Connie Kasari

University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.

✪ Open Access

Published: January 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal Implementation Science

Abstract:

Background

Remaking Recess (RR) is a school-based evidence-based peer social engagement intervention for autistic students. RR involves direct training and coaching with educators; however, educators face several barriers to implementation at both the individual- and organizational-levels. This protocol paper describes a multi-site study that will test whether an educator-level implementation strategy, coaching, with or without a school-level implementation strategy, school-based teams, will maximize educators’ use (fidelity and sustainment) of RR for autistic students and their peers who are socially-isolated, rejected, or peripheral and may need additional support during recess.

Methods

This study will employ a hybrid type-3 effectiveness-implementation trial. Fifty-five elementary schools will be recruited as well as 121 educators (e.g., classroom assistants, aides), 55 general and special educator teachers, and 83–138 other school personnel (e.g., administrators). Additionally, at least 118 autistic students and allistic or non-autistic classmates will be recruited as RR recipients. Participants will complete baseline assessments at the beginning of the year, and all schools will be provided RR training. Schools will be randomized to coaching with or without school-based teams. This study will measure RR fidelity (primary outcome), RR sustainment, as well as peer engagement, social network inclusion, and social skills (secondary outcomes). It is expected that coaching with school-based teams will improve both RR fidelity and social network inclusion, while coaching with and without school-based teams will result in improved peer engagement and social skills.

Discussion

Previous research has documented barriers to RR implementation at both the individual- (provider) and organization-level (school). Using multi-level implementation strategies such as coaching with school-based teams may address these barriers and support RR implementation in schools. Findings from this study may guide future efforts to scale up tailored implementation strategies for use in public school districts, with the ultimate goal of increasing intervention access and improving student outcomes.

Trial registration

Name of the Registry: clinicaltrials.gov.
Trial Registration: Clinical Trials ID: NCT06559267.
Date of Registration: August 15, 2024. Prospectively registered.

Contributions to the literature

Remaking Recess (RR) is an intervention that improves peer engagement and classroom inclusion in autistic students. Educators, who play an important role in supporting autistic youth and their peers who are socially-isolated, rejected, or peripheral during the school day and at recess, can deliver RR.
Schools face many challenges, at both the individual- (i.e., educator) and organizational-levels (i.e., school), when implementing new interventions.
This study will evaluate the impact of two implementation strategies on the fidelity and sustainment of RR: (a) individual direct coaching for educators (coaching), and (b) supporting a team of school personnel (school-based teams) in addition to coaching.

**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**