title: Engagement in Training as a Mechanism to Understanding Fidelity of Implementation of the Responsive Classroom Approach.
abstract: Fidelity of implementation of classroom interventions varies greatly, a reality that is concerning because higher fidelity of implementation relates to greater effectiveness of the intervention. We analyzed 126 fourth and fifth grade teachers from the treatment group of a randomized controlled trial of the Responsive Classroom® (RC) approach. Prior to training in the intervention, we assessed factors that had the potential to represent a teacher's readiness to implement with fidelity. These included teachers' observed emotional support, teacher-rated use of intervention practices, teacher-rated self-efficacy, teacher-rated collective responsibility, education level, and years of experience, and they were not directly related to observed fidelity of implementation 2 years later. Further analyses indicated, however, that RC trainers' ratings of teachers' engagement in the initial weeklong RC training mediated the relation between initial observed emotional support and later observed fidelity of implementation. We discuss these findings as a way to advance understanding of teachers' readiness to implement new interventions with fidelity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology in Education School of Education, University of Pittsburgh, 5937 Wesley W. Posvar Hall, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA. swanless@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Shannon B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Wanless
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, 405 Emmet Street South, Charlottesville, 22904, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Rimm-Kaufman
authors.affiliation: T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, 411 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
authors.forename: Tashia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abry
authors.affiliation: Department of Instructional Psychology & Technology David O. McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
authors.forename: Ross A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Patton
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004644:Emotions; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016730:Program Development; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012574:Schools; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012919:Social Behavior; D012944:Social Support; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Emotional support; Engagement; Fidelity of implementation