Fidelity Guidelines and Checklists

Fidelity Guidelines & Checklists for Research-Validated Programs

Implementing a program with fidelity means implementing a program the way it was implemented in the research that provided evidence of effectiveness for that program. Fidelity Guidelines specify how a program was implemented when it demonstrated evidence of effectiveness. To maximize program effectiveness, implementation should be aligned to the research-based specifications in the Fidelity Guidelines. Fidelity checklists, tools for assessing implementation alignment, accompany the Fidelity Guidelines.

What are Fidelity Guidelines & Checklists?

The Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) Principles of Effectiveness (1998) states that ”…programs should be implemented consistent with the manner in which they were implemented when they were demonstrated to be effective…” Fidelity Guidelines specify, for seven key dimensions, how a program was implemented when it demonstrated evidence of effectiveness. The seven key dimensions are Delivery, Dosage, Setting, Materials, Target Population, Provider Characteristics, and Provider Training. To maximize program effectiveness, implementation should be aligned to the research-based specifications in the Fidelity Guidelines. Fidelity Checklists are tools for assessing implementation alignment to the seven key dimensions for specific programs.

What sources are used to develop the Fidelity Guidelines & Checklists?

The following sources are used to develop the Fidelity Guidelines & Checklists:

  • Published, peer-reviewed research that was reviewed for that program's Research-Validated status. Experimental research for Research-Validated programs demonstrates statistically significant behavioral outcomes at least six months after the subjects of the research were exposed to the program.
  • Subsequently published, peer-reviewed research that demonstrates statistically significant behavioral outcomes at least six months after the subjects of the research were exposed to the program.
  • Unpublished research that demonstrates statistically significant behavioral outcomes at least six months after the subjects of the research were exposed to the program.

Download Fidelity Guidelines & Checklists

The chart below identifies Research-Validated Programs for which Fidelity Guidelines and Checklists are available.

  • Program Grades – indicates the grade levels for which there are published materials.
  • R-V Grade Ranges – indicates the grade(s) ranges for which one or more grades showed positive behavioral outcomes.
  • Subject Area Columns (Alcohol and Other Drugs, Violence, and Tobacco) include "Yes" when the program shows positive behavioral outcomes in one or more areas. The cell is blank when there is no peer-reviewed evidence of positive behavioral outcomes in that area.

Please note: Additional downloadable Fidelity Guidelines & Checklists for other Research-Validated programs will be posted here as soon as they are ready for dissemination.

Fidelity Guidelines and Checklists for Research-Validated Programs

Fidelity Guidelines & Checklists
for Research-Validated Programs		 Program
Grades
 R-V
Grade
Ranges		 Alcohol
&
Other
Drugs		 Violence
Tobacco
Botvin’s Life Skills Training Middle School Program (PDF) 6–8 6–8 Yes   Yes
Caring School Community (PDF) K-6 K-6 Yes Yes  
keepin’ it REAL (PDF) 6–8 6–8 Yes   Yes
Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence (PDF) 6–8 6–8 Yes    
Minnesota Smoking Prevention Program (PDF) 4–8 6–8     Yes
Positive Action (PDF) K-12 K-6 Yes Yes  
Project ALERT (PDF) 6–8 6–8 Yes   Yes
Project Toward No Drug Abuse (TND) (PDF) 9–12 9–12 Yes Yes Yes
Project Toward No Tobacco Use (TNT) (PDF) 5–8 6–8     Yes
Reconnecting Youth (PDF) 9–12 9–12 Yes Yes  
Second Step (PDF) PreK-8 K-3   Yes  
S.S. GRIN – Social Skills Group Intervention (PDF) 3–5 3–5   Yes  
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