Integrating Triple P into Existing Family Support Services: A Case Study on Program Implementation

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of "evidence-based" program uptake and implementation. The process of integrating Triple P (levels 2 and 3) into existing family support centers in Alberta, Canada, was examined. We conducted ten individual interviews with directors, and ten group interviews, involving a total of 62 practitioners across ten Triple P pilot sites. Key findings show that there was variability in the approach and extent to which Triple P was integrated into family support centers. Five key factors impacting the integration process emerged from the interviews. These were: (1) the level of development of pre-existing support services; (2) the degree of "fit" between the Triple P program approach and existing agency practice, including the perceived suitability/unsuitability for some client groups; (3) practitioner perceptions of the adaptability of the program; (4) rules about who can and who cannot use Triple P resources; and (5) training and sustainability issues. In addition to identifying specific factors, this study was able to provide some insight as to why and how these factors were significant, thereby adding to the literature on knowledge/program dissemination processes.