What is Fidelity of Implementation?

Fidelity of Implementation is the commitment to following all policies and procedures when
delivering an intervention. It is a critical aspect of any program implementation and research endeavor to evaluate effectiveness.

Why should fidelity of implementation be addressed?

Any program implementation and evaluation should address fidelity of implementation issues when evaluating a program. After all, the outcome of the evaluation will determine if the program is used again or elsewhere in the future. If the process of implementation is not verified and changes were made, results may be positive but you may not know why or how they were achieved. Problems would certainly be uncovered in future implementations when similar results were not realized.

What does fidelity of implementation involve?

When looking at fidelity of implementation, the central question is was the program delivered exactly as written and prescribed. The curriculum written for the program should have been followed exactly using the lessons and corresponding materials. This includes presenting lessons as outlined and using questions, homework and other activities at the right time and in the correct sequence. Additionally, strict adherence to timeline both in program entirety and also meeting certain benchmarks (i.e., number of lessons taught each week and for how long) should be documented and checked.

How can fidelity of implementation be measured?

Measuring fidelity of implementation is essential because it yields important information about why, when and how programs work. When measuring fidelity of implementation, the following should be considered: An independent external evaluator should measure fidelity of implementation periodically; Fidelity should be measured separately for every intervention component; When identifying indicators, evaluators must consider many components of fidelity (adherence, dosage, quality of delivery, etc.); Fidelity should be reported for the entire sample or a randomly-selected subsample; An independent evaluator should specify thresholds, assess and report the extent to which key intervention components are implemented with fidelity.

Having these details clearly defined in advance sets the foundation for a high quality and rigorous evaluation.