Development and evaluation of tailored, theory-informed training to support the implementation of an outcome measure: an explanatory sequential mixed method study.

Purpose: We aimed to describe the development of a tailored, theory-informed training session for an outcome measure (the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory), and evaluate the session's impact on clinician reactions, learning, and behavioural intent.

Materials and methods: We developed the training session using an integrated knowledge translation approach with stroke outpatient rehabilitation clinicians in Québec, Canada. We conducted a mixed-method explanatory sequential evaluation informed by the New World Kirkpatrick Model (reaction, learning, behavioural intent) composed of three surveys followed by interviews. We analyzed survey data using cumulative link mixed models, and interviews using directed content analysis.

Results: Eighty clinicians attended the training session, of which 51 responded to the surveys and 6 participated in interviews. Odds ratios indicate that individuals were more likely to rate themselves higher post-training on most outcomes. During the interviews, participants indicated that: they experienced positive reactions, learning and behavioural impacts from the session, negative attitudes and commitment were due to perceived limitations in the outcome measure, and training impacts were affected by contextual factors including a provincial mandate for the measure.

Conclusion: Implementation teams could adapt this training design process to their context. Further research to understand how educational strategies work would produce more robust guidance.