Despite advanced treatments for child mental health, many children don’t access services including evidence-based interventions (EBIs). Barriers and facilitators of EBI adoption in mental health settings depend on both external and internal factors of an organization, with intervention flexibility being an important factor as it relates to the various needs of diverse populations. Thus, adapting EBIs to enhance their flexibility may allow for better alignment within a population, context, and setting, and may also enhance providers’ attitudes towards their appeal and usability in practice.

Description:

This study aimed to describe an EBI adaptation process and examine the relationships between provider attitudes of EBIs prior to and following a standardized adaptation process of an evidence-based intervention for children with oppositional defiant disorder. A total of 232 providers from 14 agencies in the New York Metropolitan area were trained in the intervention and 49 (21%) delivered the intervention with clients. Attitudes towards EBIs were measured by the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale at baseline and post-test.

Lessons Learned:

Results indicated that openness towards EBIs increased from baseline to post-test among providers who delivered the intervention. As for specific adaptations made, the majority or providers reported modifications pertaining to the structure and process of the intervention.

Recommendations/Implications:

It is imperative that future research aim to increase understandings of adaptation processes and their relationships with attitudes towards EBIs as a step towards improving the uptake and usability of EBIs in practice.