Service providers' initial stance toward the adoption of an evidence-based parenting program

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

This study is part of a two-year demonstration project to implement an evidence-based parenting program called Triple P. It examines service providers' initial stance toward the adoption of Triple P. It also examines the association between initial stance and subsequent program use, using three self-reported indicators: whether or not the provider used the program at least once during the two-year demonstration project, the number of families reached during those two years, and the number of Triple P sessions conducted during the last 6 months. Ninty-two providers from 21 organizations participated in the study and received Triple P training during the fall of 2014. Using latent profile analysis, profiles of providers were identified based on their pre-implementation attitudes toward evidence-based programs (EBPs), self-efficacy, perception of their organization's readiness to implement Triple P, and perception of the facilitators and barriers to its implementation. A two-profile solution was chosen as the best representation of the data. Based on the features differentiating the two profiles, Profile 1 (20.7%, n = 19) was labeled “Skeptics” and Profile 2 (79.3%, n = 73) was labeled “Optimists”. The three indicators of program use did not significantly differ between the two profiles. The results highlighted the importance of both individual and contextual factors influencing individual adoption of EBPs, and provided information on the profiles of providers that should be expected when implementing a new program in a natural setting. They suggest that what matters is not to target only optimistic providers to receive training, but rather provide all providers with adequate support in order to reduce organizational barriers to implementation.