Intervention Fidelity. Only 14 of the studies in the
present meta-analysis measured whether the intervention was
implemented as intended. Gresham et al. (2001) concluded
that the failure of studies to provide intervention fidelity data
makes it extremely difficult to conclude whether a social
skills intervention was ineffective because of an ineffectual
intervention strategy or because the strategy was poorly implemented.
Poor intervention fidelity may significantly diminish
the outcomes of the social skills intervention and
diminish the implementers’ ability to make decisions regarding
the effects of individual strategies. Furthermore, social validity
data were collected in only 12 of the studies in the
analysis. Social validity refers to the social significance of the
treatment objectives, the social significance of the intervention
strategies, and the social importance of the intervention
results (Gresham & Lambros, 1998). Thus, it involves ensuring
that the consumers (parents and teachers) believe that the
selected intervention strategies are effective and appropriate,
and that the social objectives are important for the child
to achieve. Social validity often has a direct impact on intervention
fidelity. If the intervention lacks social validity,
consumers are less likely to exert the effort necessary to implement
the intervention, thus diminishing intervention fidelity.
School personnel and researchers should make a concerted
effort to collect data related to intervention fidelity.
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