Why is treatment fidelity such a major concern in intervention ...

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Why is treatment fidelity such a major concern in intervention research?
 
  a. If treatment fidelity is not maintained, it has a direct influence on statistical conclusion validity and power analysis, especially when samples are large.
  b. The project team may differ about how an intervention is applied, and these varying ways of application must be discussed before marketing can occur.
  c. Intervention research can take place over many months. It is important for internal validity that the intervention be applied in the same way every time.
  d. Interventions, especially those involving products that are centered in the health care realm, must reflect the ethical standards of the profession.

Question 2

In the process of interventional research on the efficacy of omega 3 fish oil in decreasing blood sugar in diabetic adults, which event would appear just before widespread dissemination?
 
  a. A randomized clinical trial testing the effects of omega 3 fish oil on blood sugar in 300 ambulatory diabetic adults
  b. Proof of the safety of the prescribed dose of omega 3 fish oil
  c. Several replication studies of the effects of omega 3 fish oil on blood sugar in hundreds of ambulatory diabetic adults
  d. Efficacy studies to establish outcome effects of omega 3 fish oil and optimal treatment regimens in adults

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Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Treatment fidelity has to do with the accuracy, consistency, and thoroughness in how an intervention is delivered according to the specified protocol, treatment program, or intervention model. Strict adherence to treatment specifications must be evaluated on an ongoing basis during the course of a study. Intervention fidelity is defined as the adherent and competent delivery of an intervention by the interventionist as set forth in the research plan, and this fidelity is of utmost importance to the inference of the study's internal validity in intervention-based research. Treatment fidelity is important in the conduct of all intervention-based research, but it is especially critical for complex interventions such as those involving information dissemination, social support, counseling, and other interventions intended to bring about changes in health behaviors and psychosocial outcomes.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
Theory-based intervention research can begin with a concept analysis of the problem or the intervention intended to address it. By dissecting the components of problems and plausible solutions, investigators can gain clarity of the issues at hand. After pre-clinical work, proof of the safety of an intervention and estimates of effect occur; following that are efficacy studies to establish outcome effects and optimal treatment conditions. Then a randomized controlled trial is conducted. This is followed by replication and/or long-term follow-up.

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