Practitioners' perspectives on the evidence-based Triple P – Positive parenting program implemented in a child maltreatment prevention goal

Triple P, a program aimed at encouraging parents of 0-12 aged children to develop positive parental practices, is currently experimented in two Quebec communities. Triple P is considered an evidence-based program (EBP) since... [ view full abstract ]

Triple P, a program aimed at encouraging parents of 0-12 aged children to develop positive parental practices, is currently experimented in two Quebec communities. Triple P is considered an evidence-based program (EBP) since numerous studies have brought empirical evidence of its efficacy on attaining its goals (preventing child maltreatment, improving parent-children relationship as well as reducing emotional and behavioural problems in children). EBP research has focused much on program efficacy and less on effective implementation process, although implementation quality is as important as program quality to reach the expected outcomes of program interventions. Several implementation factors are directly related to practitioners, such as their self-efficacy level and their attitudes toward the program. In fall 2014, 96 practitioners from Quebec, Canada have been trained to offer Triple P. One year later, six focus groups were conducted with 38 of them (n per group = 4 to 9 participants) using a semi-structured interview guide. The main objective was to draw a clear picture of the practitioners’ experience by identifying perceived barriers and facilitators. It was achieved in the first phase of a qualitative thematic analysis, using verbatim contents, interview summary-sheets and the interviewer’s journal. Results enlighten barriers and facilitators related to four themes : (1) reached parents, (2) perceived outcomes on the workplace, families, communities and practitioners, (3) implementation and integration of the program in the work practice and (4) availability, use and relevance of the support. Results illustrate that practitioners had an overall positive experience with Triple P and its implementation. Furthermore, it appears that those who had the most negative experience were also the ones who made little use of the program or did not use it at all. Such conclusions allow implementation teams to better meet practitioners’ needs, hence maximising implementation quality and consequently program outcomes.