What educational strategies and mechanisms facilitate EBP use? A mixed methods examination of therapist perceptions within a system-driven implementation of multiple EBPs

BACKGROUND: Many strategies may be used by external consultants (such as treatment developers and trainers) and internal program leaders to support evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation. The goal of this study was to identify which educational implementation strategies are considered by therapists to be most helpful, through which mechanisms, and whether these strategies are linked to EBP use. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 therapists, and 826 therapists completed surveys regarding their perceptions of educational implementation strategies and reported delivery of EBPs within a system-driven, multiple-EBP implementation effort. Using sequential QUAL → QUAN mixed methods, we first identified qualitative themes. Next, we conducted a multilevel logistic regression to examine how quantitative survey items corresponding with qualitative themes predicted EBP use. RESULTS: Initial qualitative thematic analyses revealed four implementation strategies perceived as essential for EBP delivery: connection to a community of trained therapists, ongoing consultation/supervision, availability of internal supervisors trained in the EBP, and access to EBP materials and resources. Quantitative results showed strategies related to connections with a community of trained therapists (i.e., percentage of other therapists at an agency with EBP training and delivery experience as opposed to those who are only trained in the EBP), ongoing consultation/supervision, and having an internal supervisor trained in the EBP (receiving EBP-specific in-house supervision) were significantly associated with EBP use while receiving EBP boosters was not. The closest quantitative indicator corresponding to access to EBP resources, EBP web-based training, was not associated with EBP use. Therapist reported these strategies supported EBP delivery through exposure to other therapists’ cases, guidance/feedback, emotional support, and removing logistic barriers to EBP use. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate how considering therapist perspectives and creating a network of EBP support via supervisors, consultants, and a community of therapists experienced in the EBP may be particularly critical to EBP delivery. PLAIN LANGUAGE ABSTRACT: Public mental health systems are increasingly implementing multiple evidence-based practices (EBPs). There are many strategies that may be used by external consultants (such as treatment developers and trainers) and internal program leaders to support EBP implementation. The goal of this study was to identify which of these internal and external implementation strategies are considered by therapists to be most helpful and how these strategies are linked with continued use of EBPs. First, qualitative interviews with therapists revealed the following strategies are key for supporting their delivery of EBPs: (1) connections to a community of trained therapists, (2) ongoing consultation/supervision, (3) having an internal supervisor at their program who was trained in the EBP, and (4) access to EBP materials and logistic resources. Next, quantitative analyses of survey data examined whether any of the strategies therapists identified as most helpful predicted the continued delivery of EBPs by therapists after initial training. Results confirmed that strategies involving connections with a community of therapists trained in and experienced with the EBP, ongoing consultation/supervision, and having an internal supervisor trained in the EBP were each significantly associated with EBP use. Therapist reported these strategies supported EBP delivery through exposure to other therapists’ cases, guidance/feedback, emotional support, and removing logistic barriers to EBP use. These findings can assist systems and programs in prioritizing implementation strategies to support the sustained delivery of EBPs.