Date of Award
Summer 8-22-2021
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Antonio J. Polo, PhD
Second Advisor
Kathryn Grant, PhD
Third Advisor
Megan Greeson, PhD
Abstract
Despite evidence of equal or greater need for mental health services among youth from racial and ethnic minority (REM) and low-income backgrounds, these youth are less likely to receive treatment when it is needed. When they do receive care, it is typically not evidence-based. To address these disparities, advocates and scholars have promoted the use of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in schools serving REM and low-income youth. However, challenges with the implementation of EBIs in schools have limited their uptake and impact in this setting, especially for this student population. Implementation science offers new ways of examining the process of bringing EBIs to schools in order to understand what factors contribute to or impede their success. This case study examines the implementation process for EBIs in the context of one of the nation’s largest school districts using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) framework. Interviews with 13 stakeholders in the school system (7 clinicians, 6 administrators) were used to understand: 1) which barriers and facilitators impact the implementation process across various stages, and 2) how student racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds impact the implementation process in elementary and middle schools. A hybrid deductive-inductive qualitative content analysis revealed several barriers and facilitators that appeared across different EPIS phases and that were endorsed by both clinicians and administrators. The results largely corroborated findings from prior implementation studies in schools, while filling in important gaps on administrator perspectives and the impact of student sociodemographic factors. Implications and recommendations for implementation programs in school districts are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Castro, Ashley Sahel, "Multilevel Stakeholder Perspectives on the Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions in a Large, Urban School District" (2021). College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations. 401.
https://via.library.depaul.edu/csh_etd/401
SLP Collection
no