Evaluating the implementation and sustainability of an evidence-based parenting program in real-world settings

Participant details
Name and surname: 
Rita Pinto
Home institution: 
Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences at the University of Porto
Location of the Training School: 
Tenerife (Spain)
Dates for the Training School: 
Wednesday, September 7, 2022 to Friday, September 9, 2022
Training School Title: 
How we do generate evidence in family/parenting support?
Research interests: 
Implementation and Sustainability of Evidence-Based Parenting Programs in the Community
TS details
Knowledge and skill acquisition: 

My participation in the EurofamNet training school allowed my professional and personal improvement, providing me with a greater depth of theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of family and parenting support, and a framework for thinking in an integrative and pluralistic way. The training sessions, group discussions, and individual consultations fostered knowledge creation and experience exchange, providing me with a unique opportunity for growth and learning. I learned key ideas for developing and disseminating the best research evidence in family support, namely about best practices for evaluating and sustaining the implementation quality under real-world conditions. As a special added value of this TS, I found the opportunity to network with senior and young researchers extraordinarily relevant, having not only had the chance to receive valuable feedback and critically analyze my Ph.D. project, but also reflected on my strengths and limits as an early career researcher, and my future scientific plans.

Outputs: 

I presented a poster about my Ph.D. project, which aims to evaluate the implementation and sustainability of the Standard Triple P (STP) program in real-world settings. This poster illustrated the five studies that are part of my Ph.D. project, their objectives, methodology, and expected results. Study 1, through a scoping review, aims to establish a comprehensive understanding of how Evidence-Based Parenting Programs (EBPP) have been implemented under real-world conditions, providing a map of the available evidence and identifying knowledge gaps. Study 2 aims to examine how practitioners balanced fidelity and adaptation when implemented the STP. Study 3 aims to analyze the effect of practitioner’s perceived self-efficacy and their expectations about STP outcomes on the implementation fidelity, and to what extent these factors affect the relation between implementation fidelity and the primary intervention outcomes. Study 4 aims to examine the extent to which receiving the STP influenced the family’s trajectory in child protection services and analyze whether this effect varied depending on the implementation characteristics. Study 5 aims to identify the factors that facilitate success and/or create barriers to STP sustainability in real-world settings. Data will be analyzed through a mixed-methods approach. This project sheds light on the implementation and sustainability in real-world settings of an EBPP with families that are engaged with child protective services, informing about implementation fidelity and flexibility. Outcomes will ultimately serve to strengthen the evidence-based practice in child protective services and best assist the families and children who need effective services the most.

Future collaborations: 

keep in touch with other researchers, and we are working on future collaboration on quality standards for implementing parenting interventions.

Video and/or quote describing the experience: 

A unique opportunity for growth, networking, and learning.