Development of a Fidelity Instrument for Delivering the Alert Program <sup>®</sup> for Self-Regulation
<b>Rationale/Background:</b> The Alert Program® (AP) is widely used to support children with self-regulation challenges, yet inconsistent implementation may affect outcomes. A standardized fidelity measure is needed to ensure consistent delivery across research and practice settings. <b>Objectives:</b> To develop and validate a fidelity measure for assessing AP implementation for children with self-regulation needs. <b>Methodology:</b> Using an implementation framework, we conducted a narrative literature review following SANRA guidelines to identify structural, process, and content elements essential to AP delivery. A preliminary fidelity measure underwent expert review, revision, and inter-rater reliability assessment. <b>Results:</b> The literature review identified 14 studies with varying coverage of fidelity elements. Expert review (<i>n</i> = 4) demonstrated 93.4% agreement on core elements. Inter-rater reliability assessment showed 91% agreement between independent raters. <b>Conclusion</b>: The developed fidelity measure provides a foundation for research using the AP and offers practitioners a method to ensure implementation consistency in supporting children with self-regulation challenges.
Authors
- Shelly J. Lane (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3689-1760)
- Dianne Blackwell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6767-0103)
- Alison E. Lane (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0378-9716)
- Kelsey Philpott-Robinson
Institutions
- La Trobe University (AU)
- University of Newcastle Australia (AU)
- Colorado State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- OTJR Occupational Therapy Journal of Research
- Published
- 2026-03-03
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1177/15394492261422638
- Primary Topic
- Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00