How Can Implementation Science Advance Behavioral Interventions in Preschool? A Scoping Review and Recommendations.

Abstract

Behavioral interventions delivered in preschools can help young children who need support for their behavior. However, preschool teachers face barriers to implementing behavioral interventions, leading to a research-to-practice gap. To better understand how to support preschool teachers, we conducted a scoping review of determinants (i.e., barriers and facilitators) and strategies used to support the implementation of behavioral interventions in preschool settings. A systematic search identified peer-reviewed manuscripts describing the implementation of teacher-delivered behavioral interventions in preschools. Each included manuscript was evaluated to answer the following questions: (1) what determinants to teacher implementation of behavioral interventions have been explored and (2) what strategies have been identified as promising in addressing determinants (i.e., implementation strategies)? Twenty-two manuscripts met inclusion criteria. Data extraction and synthesis were used to summarize key findings. Results indicate that few studies have explored determinants of implementation, and while these determinants span numerous implementation domains, there was little consensus on common determinants. In contrast, all the included studies deployed an implementation strategy, and there were two clear foci of the strategies: training and quality monitoring. Implications and recommendations are discussed for both the preschool context and the implementation science field.