3 - (SYM 22) From Training to Implementation: Perspectives on Staff Training and Treatment Fidelity on a Specialized Inpatient Unit for Youth with Neurodevelopment Disorders

Abstract Body

Background: Treatment fidelity is the extent to which an intervention is implemented exactly as intended. Research has demonstrated deleterious intervention effects due to poor treatment fidelity. There are significant benefits of measuring treatment fidelity, including being able to quantitatively describe how well treatments are being implemented and arguably more importantly, to support staff with ongoing training, due to poor treatment fidelity. There are myriad factors that may affect treatment fidelity, including training, clear description of procedures, and coaching and feedback. This presentation will describe a system for training staff in behavior analytic assessments and treatments and measuring and supporting treatment fidelity on a specialized inpatient unit for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Methods: 316 individual observations of behavioral assessment and treatment sessions were conducted with behavioral therapists on an inpatient psychiatric unit across a period of three years. Task analyses were created for behavioral assessment and treatment protocols. Staff received training through asynchronous video training modules required during orientation, behavior skills training by a senior behavior therapist, and ongoing monitoring of fidelity to protocols and feedback.

Results: Results from the fidelity monitoring program revealed very high overall treatment fidelity to unit protocols (M = 92.34%).

Conclusion: Monitoring fidelity to treatment is an essential part of the implementation of evidence-based interventions, not only in research but also clinical practice. Results demonstrated that a multi-component training program and regular fidelity monitoring can support with high treatment fidelity for behavior analytic assessments and treatments on a specialized inpatient unit.