2026/03/03 by Dianne Blackwell, Alison E. Lane, Kelsey Philpott-Robinson +1 · 1 voice
Psychology · Health Professions · Neuroscience · #Behavioral and Psychological Studies #Health Policy Implementation Science #Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
paper · doi:10.1177/15394492261422638
openalex publication_date 2026/03/03 · openalex created_date 2026/03/05 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Rationale/Background: 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. Objectives: To develop and validate a fidelity measure for assessing AP implementation for children with self-regulation needs. Methodology: 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. Results: The literature review identified 14 studies with varying coverage of fidelity elements. Expert review ( n = 4) demonstrated 93.4% agreement on core elements. Inter-rater reliability assessment showed 91% agreement between independent raters. Conclusion : 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.