Acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of Rural School Support Strategies for behavioral interventions: a mixed methods evaluation over two years of a hybrid type 3 implementation-effectiveness trial

BACKGROUND: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a framework for implementing evidence-based interventions for preventing behavioral issues and improving climate in schools. The implementation of school-wide PBIS with fidelity is complex, requiring leadership commitment, teaming, and coordination of systems for tracking behaviors and consequences. Putting these components in place while ensuring alignment with the values and needs of the school community can be difficult for schools with fewer resources, such as rural schools. Implementation supports are needed, including strategies such as technical assistance, but it is unclear whether lower-cost modalities such as virtual support are acceptable, appropriate, and feasible and whether perceptions vary throughout the implementation process. METHODS: A type 3 hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial is taking place in 40 Idaho schools, testing a bundle of implementation supports selected to meet the needs of schools in rural areas. Supports include technical assistance from an implementation support practitioner (ISP), didactic trainings, virtual learning sessions, and an online resource portal. Surveys and interviews in the first 2 years of implementation (fall 2019 to spring 2021) explored outcomes of acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility regarding the implementation supports among more than 150 school stakeholders. RESULTS: Evaluations showed high acceptability and appropriateness of the PBIS concepts and training. The 20 schools receiving additional implementation support rated the technical assistance and support from the project’s ISPs as the most acceptable and appropriate resource. Reasons for acceptability were the relationship built with the ISP, the ISP’s expertise, and being a “neutral party.” Although in-person support from the ISP was preferred, remote support was acceptable and increased feasibility of attendance. Virtual learning sessions were acceptable for learning and collaboration, particularly in the second year of implementation, once ISPs had developed closer relationships with school teams. CONCLUSIONS: School staff found training, technical assistance, and virtual learning sessions to be acceptable and appropriate. Virtual formats of training and technical assistance decreased in acceptability but increased feasibility of attendance. In-person support was preferred during initial implementation, and virtual support was more acceptable thereafter. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was prospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03736395), on November 9, 2018. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43058-023-00478-4.