Adaptations in a Community-Based Family Intervention: Replication of Two Coding Schemes

Although program adaptation is a reality in community-based implementations of evidence-based programs, much of the discussion about adaptation remains theoretical. The primary aim of this study was to replicate two coding systems to examine adaptations in large-scale, community-based disseminations of the Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14, a family-based substance use prevention program. Our second aim was to explore intersections between various dimensions of facilitator-reported adaptations from these two coding systems. Our results indicate that only a few types of adaptations and a few reasons accounted for a majority (over 70 %) of all reported adaptations. We also found that most adaptations were logistical, reactive, and not aligned with program's goals. In many ways, our findings replicate those of the original studies, suggesting the two coding systems are robust even when applied to self-reported data collected from community-based implementations. Our findings on the associations between adaptation dimensions can inform future studies assessing the relationship between adaptations and program outcomes. Studies of local adaptations, like the present one, should help researchers, program developers, and policymakers better understand the issues faced by implementers and guide efforts related to program development, transferability, and sustainability.