Reporting treatment fidelity in behavioral tobacco treatment clinical trials: Scoping review and measurement recommendations Review


Authors: Salloum, R. G.; Rojewski, A. M.; Piper, M. E.; Blalock, J. A.; Borrelli, B.; Boyce, L. M.; Minnix, J. A.; Dogar, O.; Tomko, R. L.; Jorenby, D. E.; Kotsen, C.; Ostroff, J. S.
Review Title: Reporting treatment fidelity in behavioral tobacco treatment clinical trials: Scoping review and measurement recommendations
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Adoption of rigorous standards for reporting treatment fidelity is essential for advancing discovery, validation, and implementation of behavioral treatments. Whereas the NIH Behavior Change Consortium (BCC) developed an assessment tool to assess the quality of reporting and monitoring of treatment fidelity across health behavior change interventions, it has not yet been applied specifically to treatment fidelity in behavioral tobacco treatment trials. AIMS AND METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed, clinical trials of behavioral adult tobacco treatment interventions published in English between 2006 and 2018. Using the BCC treatment fidelity checklist, articles were coded for the presence or absence of various treatment fidelity strategies within each of 5 domains: Design, Training, Delivery, Receipt, and Enactment. Eligible articles (N = 755) were coded by two independent coders. RESULTS: The proportion of reporting strategies varied within the fidelity domains, ranging from 5.2% to 96.3% in Design, 1.9% to 24.9% in Training, 2.6% to 32.3% in Delivery, 5.2% to 44.3% in Receipt, and 6.7% to 43.2% in Enactment. The mean proportion of adherence to treatment fidelity strategies within each domain was: Design (68%), Training (14%), Delivery (15%), Receipt (16%), and Enactment (25%). Only 11 studies achieved ≥80% reporting across >1 fidelity domain. There was no evidence for improvement in fidelity reporting across the 13-year time frame from the initial BCC publication to the present. CONCLUSIONS: These findings illustrate the lack of consistency in fidelity reporting in tobacco treatment trials and underscore the challenges faced in evaluating rigor and reproducibility, as well as interpretation and dissemination of findings. Recommendations are made for improving fidelity reporting in tobacco treatment trials. IMPLICATIONS: The SRNT Treatment Research Network sponsored a scoping review to summarize the current state of reporting treatment fidelity and make recommendations for best practices in reporting fidelity in tobacco treatment trials. The review identified a lack of consistency in fidelity reporting, illustrating the challenges faced in evaluating rigor, and reproducibility, as well as interpretation and dissemination of findings. © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved.For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Journal Title: Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Volume: 24
Issue: 2
ISSN: 1462-2203
Publisher: Oxford University Press  
Date Published: 2022-02-01
Start Page: 150
End Page: 159
Language: English
DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntab140
PUBMED: 34197617
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 1 March 2022 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Jamie S Ostroff
    344 Ostroff
  2. Lindsay Marie Boyce
    18 Boyce
  3. Chris Samuel Kotsen
    11 Kotsen