Abstract
Attention to cultural diversity and cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) has been a longstanding priority in prevention science. However, EBIs for diverse populations present several challenges for broad dissemination and population impact. The five papers in this special issue underscore some of these challenges and offer new ways of thinking and recommendations for the next generation of type 2 translation research. This commentary underscores three broad recommendations, including the need for a more expanded conceptualization and empirical understanding of the core tension between fidelity and adaptation; greater focus on the systems of care that deliver EBIs to culturally diverse populations, including increased attention to such issues as access and engagement; and greater flexibility in strategies to adapt and evaluate interventions within and across communities and settings that serve diverse populations. By offering exemplars and suggestions to address these challenges, these papers collectively help to realign research on cultural adaptation with its ultimate goal of reducing health disparities by ensuring greater access, impact, and equity of prevention services in a dynamic, multicultural society. However, other fundamental challenges remain unaddressed, including the need to reduce inequalities that exist in the health, education, social service, and justice systems that will ultimately support broad diffusion of EBIs for diverse populations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berkel, C., Mauricio, A., Schoenfelder, E., & Sandler, I. (2011). Putting the pieces together: An integrated model of program implementation. Prevention Science, 12, 23–33. doi:10.1007/s11121-010-0186-1.
Brownson, R. C., Colditz, G. A., & Proctor, E. K. (2012). Dissemination and implementation research in health: Translating science to practice. New York: Oxford University Press.
Cabassa, L. J., & Baumann, A. A. (2013). A two-way street: Bridging implementation science and cultural adaptations of mental health treatments. Implementation Science, 8, 90. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-8-90.
Calear, A. L. (2015). Web-based prevention and treatment programmes for internalising problems in youth: Encouraging findings in an expanding research field. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 18, 96.
Castro, F. G., Barrera, M., & Martinez, C. R. (2004). The cultural adaptation of prevention interventions: Resolving tensions between fidelity and fit. Prevention Science, 5, 41–45. doi:10.1023/B:PREV.0000013980.12412.cd.
Castro, F. G., Barrera Jr., M., & Holleran Steiker, L. K. (2010). Issues and challenges in the design of culturally adapted evidence-based interventions. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 6, 213–239. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-033109-132032.
Chambers, D. A., Glasgow, R. E., & Stange, K. C. (2013). The dynamic sustainability framework: Addressing the paradox of sustainment amid ongoing change. Implementation Science, 8, 117. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-8-117.
Collins, L. M., Baker, T. B., Mermelstein, R. J., Piper, M. E., Jorenby, D. E., Smith, S. S., et al. (2011). The multiphase optimization strategy for engineering effective tobacco use interventions. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 41, 208–226. doi:10.1007/s12160-010-9253-x.
Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., & Bernal, G. (2012). Frameworks, models and guides. In G. Bernal & M. M. Domenech Rodríguez (Eds.), Cultural adaptations: Tools for evidence-based practice with diverse populations. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Ferrer-Wreder, L., Sundell, K., & Mansoory, S. (2012). Tinkering with perfection: Theory development in the intervention cultural adaptation field. Child and Youth Care Forum, 41. doi:10.1007/s10566-011-9162-6
Fiscella, K., Franks, P., Gold, M. R., & Clancy, C. M. (2000). Inequality in quality: Addressing socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic disparities in health care. JAMA, 283, 2579–2584. doi:10.1001/jama.283.19.2579.
Gonzales, N. A., Lau, A., Murry, V. M., Pina, A. A., & Barrera, M. J. (2016). Culturally adapted preventive interventions for children and youth. In D. Cicchetti (Ed.), Developmental psychopathology, volume 4, risk, resilience and intervention (3rd ed.). Hoboken: Wiley.
National Research Council and Institute of Medicine. (2009). Preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders among young people: Progress and possibilities. In M. E. O’Connell, T. Boat, & K. E. Warner (Eds.), Committee on the prevention of mental disorders and Substance abuse among children, youth, and young adults: Research advances and promising interventions. Washington, D.C.: National Academics Press.
Olds, D. L. (2002). Prenatal and infancy home visiting by nurses: From randomized trials to commmunity replication. Prevention Science, 3, 153–172.
Ringwalt, C. L., Vincus, A., Ennett, S., Johnson, R., & Rohrbach, L. A. (2004). Reasons for teachers’ adaptation of substance use prevention curricula in schools with non-white student populations. Prevention Science, 5, 61–67. doi:10.1023/B:PREV.0000013983.87069.a0.
Rotheram-Borus, M. J., Swendeman, D., & Chorpita, B. F. (2012). Disruptive innovations for designing and diffusing evidence-based interventions. American Psychologist, 67, 463–476. doi:10.1037/a0028180.
Schoenwald, S. K. (2008). Toward evidence-based transport of evidence-based treatments: MST as an example. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 17, 69–91. doi:10.1080/15470650802071671.
Spoth, R., Rohrbach, L. A., Greenberg, M., Leaf, P., Brown, C. H., Fagan, A., et al. (2013). Addressing core challenges for the next generation of type 2 translation research and systems: the translation science to population impact (TSci impact) framework. Prevention Science, 14, 319–351. doi:10.1007/s11121-012-0362-6.
Stoll, R.D., Pina, A.A., Gary, K., & Amresh, A. (n.d.2017) Usability of a smartphone application to support the prevention and early intervention of anxiety in youth. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2016.11.002.
Winslow, E. B., Poloskov, E., Begay, R., Tein, J.-Y., Sandler, I., & Wolchik, S. (2016). A randomized trial of methods to engage Mexican American parents into a school-based parenting intervention. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 84, 1094–1107. doi:10.1037/ccp0000140.
Zayas, L. H., Bellamy, J. L., & Proctor, E. K. (2012). Considering the multiple service contexts in cultural adaptations of evidence-based practice. In R. C. Brownson, G. A. Colditz, & E. K. Proctor (Eds.), Dissemination and implementation research in health (pp. 483–497). New York: Oxford University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
This paper is a commentary and therefore questions about funding, ethical approval, and informed consent are not applicable.
Conflict of Interest
There are no conflicts of interest to be disclosed.
Additional information
Commentary prepared in response to the Special Issue of Prevention Science: “Challenges to the Dissemination and Implementation of Evidence-Based Prevention Interventions for Diverse Populations”
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gonzales, N.A. Expanding the Cultural Adaptation Framework for Population-Level Impact. Prev Sci 18, 689–693 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-017-0808-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-017-0808-y