Professionals’ management of the fidelity–adaptation dilemma in the use of evidence-based interventions—an intervention study

Background Evidence-based interventions (EBIs) can be effective tools for the prevention of disease and health promotion. However, their implementation often requires a delicate balance between the need to adjust the intervention to the context in which it is implemented and the need to keep the core components that make the intervention effective. This so-called dilemma between fidelity and adaptation is often handled by health professionals in the sustainment phase of an implementation (i.e., once the intervention has been adopted and institutionalized in an organization), but not much is known about how and to what extent health professionals are affected by this dilemma. Focusing on the sustainment phase, this project aims to study (1) how fidelity and adaptation are managed by professionals using an EBI, (2) how the fidelity–adaptation dilemma affects professionals’ psychosocial working conditions, and (3) how a structured decision support influences professionals’ management of the dilemma and their psychosocial working conditions. Methods The study is set in Sweden, and the EBI in focus is a parental program (All Children in Focus). A longitudinal within-person intervention design is used, combined with a cross-sectional survey design. Data sources include web-based questionnaires, brief interviews, fidelity ratings, paper-and-pen questionnaires, and written documentation, collected at multiple time points with both group leaders and parents as respondents. Discussion This project approaches fidelity and adaptation from the perspective of the professionals that manage EBIs during the sustainment phase of implementation. Although it is well known that EBIs continue to change over time, it remains to be understood how the fidelity–adaptation dilemma can be managed so that the effectiveness of interventions is retained or improved, not diluted. Moreover, the project adds to the literature by presenting an occupational health perspective on the fidelity–adaptation dilemma. It is acknowledged that fidelity and adaptation may have consequences for not only clients but also the occupational wellbeing of the professionals managing the dilemma, and subsequently, their willingness and ability to deliver EBIs in a sustainable way.

The Value Equation: Three complementary propositions for reconciling fidelity and adaptation in evidence-based practice implementation

Background There has long been debate about the balance between fidelity to evidence-based interventions (EBIs) and the need for adaptation for specific contexts or particular patients. The debate is relevant to virtually all clinical areas. This paper synthesises arguments from both fidelity and adaptation perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges involved, and proposes a theoretical and practical approach for how fidelity and adaptation can optimally be managed. Discussion There are convincing arguments in support of both fidelity and adaptations, representing the perspectives of intervention developers and internal validity on the one hand and users and external validity on the other. Instead of characterizing fidelity and adaptation as mutually exclusive, we propose that they may better be conceptualized as complimentary, representing two synergistic perspectives that can increase the relevance of research, and provide a practical way to approach the goal of optimizing patient outcomes. The theoretical approach proposed, the “Value Equation,” provides a method for reconciling the fidelity and adaptation debate by putting it in relation to the value (V) that is produced. The equation involves three terms: intervention (IN), context (C), and implementation strategies (IS). Fidelity and adaptation determine how these terms are balanced and, in turn, the end product – the value it produces for patients, providers, organizations, and systems. The Value Equation summarizes three central propositions: 1) The end product of implementation efforts should emphasize overall value rather than only the intervention effects, 2) implementation strategies can be construed as a method to create fit between EBIs and context, and 3) transparency is vital; not only for the intervention but for all of the four terms of the equation. Summary There are merits to arguments for both fidelity and adaptation. We propose a theoretical approach, a Value Equation, to reconciling the fidelity and adaptation debate. Although there are complexities in the equation and the propositions, we suggest that the Value Equation be used in developing and testing hypotheses that can help implementation science move toward a more granular understanding of the roles of fidelity and adaptation in the implementation process, and ultimately sustainability of practices that provide value to stakeholders.