Developing Strategies for Child Maltreatment Prevention: A Guide for Adapting Evidence-Based Programs

This document provides guidance to administrators and program directors on how to decide whether adaptations should be made, and if so, how best to make them.

It is important to consider that adaptations will likely have implications on program results, and that those can be undesired or unintended outcomes. While it may seem that adapting a program is easier than implementing a program with fidelity, it is often not the case. Not only does adapting an intervention require a thorough understanding of the program theory and core components, but it may also require additional resources to monitor the adaptation and evaluate the outcomes. (NREPP, 2012).

In this guide, we will discuss the following things:

1. Implementation and adaptation
2. Debate: are adaptations good or bad?
3. Categorizing different types of adaptations
   1. Valence
   2. Timing
   3. Fit
   4. Box: More on Cultural Adaptations
4. How to plan ahead for adaptation
   1. Examples of planned adaptation frameworks
5. Importance of documenting, monitoring, and evaluation
6. Examples from the field