Bridging the gap from science to practice: A CHILD-BRIGHT study of the uptake of psychosocial interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their carers. [#127]

Title: Bridging the gap from science to practice: A CHILD-BRIGHT study of the uptake of psychosocial interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their carers.

Description: Many interventions designed to optimize the development and quality of life of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) and their families are psychosocial in nature, yet little is known about how these interventions are moved from the research setting into practice. This study seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice by exploring the processes used by scientists and decision-makers in health, education, and social services in the development, testing, scaling up, and adoption of psychosocial interventions for children with NDD and their caregivers. We will use online surveys and semi-structured interviews guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Science (CFIR) 2.0 (Damschroder et al, 2022) to explore areas of alignment and difference between what decision-makers are doing and consider influential, and what scientists are doing and consider influential in their work. We aim to describe the current situation and help bridge the gap between these two groups to facilitate the development of psychosocial interventions that have a high likelihood of being implemented. This will ensure the availability of safe, effective supports for families, and value for research dollars.

Specifics: Study Population:
Study participants must be:

Working in Canada

Decision-makers in health, education, and social care service sectors responsible for choosing psychosocial programs for those with NDD and their caregivers.

Scientists developing such programs.

Participant Obligation:
Participation involves completing a 10–15-minute survey, followed by an optional 30–60-minute interview. The study is being conducted in English and in French.

Email Contact bridgingthegap@iwk.nshealth.ca for more information.

Location: Halifax, approved in Halifax. Online surveys and videoconferencing.

Project lead: Project leads: Dr. Patrick McGrath (IWK) and Dr. Lucyna Lach (McGill), Postdoc: Dr. Kimberly McIvor (IWK).

Study Dates: July 1, 2024 to December 24, 2024

Study Website: https://bridgingthegapstudy.my.canva.site/bridging-the-gap-from-science-to-uptake