title: Comparison of intervention fidelity between COPE TEEN and an attention-control program in a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Fidelity in implementing an intervention is critical to accurately determine and interpret the effects of an intervention. It is important to monitor the manner in which the behavioral intervention is implemented (e.g. adaptations, delivery as intended and dose). Few interventions are implemented with 100% fidelity. In this study, high school health teachers implemented the intervention. To attribute study findings to the intervention, it was vital to know to what degree the intervention was implemented. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to evaluate intervention fidelity and to compare implementation fidelity between the creating opportunities for personal empowerment (COPE) Healthy Lifestyles TEEN (thinking, emotions, exercise, and nutrition) program, the experimental intervention and Healthy Teens, an attention-control intervention, in a randomized controlled trial with 779 adolescents from 11 high schools in the southwest region of the United States. Thirty teachers participated in this study. Findings indicated that the attention-control teachers implemented their intervention with greater fidelity than COPE TEEN teachers. It is possible due to the novel intervention and the teachers' unfamiliarity with cognitive-behavioral skills building, COPE TEEN teachers had less fidelity. It is important to assess novel skill development prior to the commencement of experimental interventions and to provide corrective feedback during the course of implementation.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, 1585 Neal Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USA, Prevention Research Center, Arizona State University, 900 S. McAllister Ave, Suite 205, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA and College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 400 N. 3 St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA stephanie.kelly@zona.net kelly.901@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, 1585 Neal Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USA, Prevention Research Center, Arizona State University, 900 S. McAllister Ave, Suite 205, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA and College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 400 N. 3 St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA.
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oswalt
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, 1585 Neal Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USA, Prevention Research Center, Arizona State University, 900 S. McAllister Ave, Suite 205, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA and College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 400 N. 3 St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA.
authors.forename: Bernadette Mazurek
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Melnyk
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, 1585 Neal Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USA, Prevention Research Center, Arizona State University, 900 S. McAllister Ave, Suite 205, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA and College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 400 N. 3 St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacobson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D008019:Life Style; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D012649:Self Concept; D014481:United States