Cultural Adaptation of Interventions and the a Priori Assessment of Intervention Fit : Exploring Measurement Invariance for American and Swedish Youth Leaving Care

• Purpose: There is a growing literature on the importance of cultural adaptation of research-supported social work interventions. Few studies have however offered systematic methods for the a priori assessment of intervention fit in a new context. The current study explores the use of measurement invariance analyses to help identify whether key theoretical constructs in an intervention’s theory of change may fit differently in a new context.Methods: We draw on data on 13 measures of key constructs in an intervention for youth leaving out-of-home care designed and trialed in the US context (N = 295; 53.1% girls, mean age 17.3) compared to Swedish adolescents (N = 104; 41% girls, mean age 17.5).Results: In general, the results found all the measures to be invariant between US and Swedish samples.Discussion: The original intervention (US) is likely to have a good fit in the new (Swedish) context in terms of the measurement and functionality of its key constructs. There are, however, some indications that certain aspects of the original key constructs may function differently in the Swedish context, highlighting a need to review either measurement or intervention design. A broader conclusion is that measurement invariance can provide a useful tool for research-supported social work practice, namely the systematic a priori assessment of the transferability of an intervention’s theory of change. Some limitations and methodological issues are discussed.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Socialt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Social Work (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

adolescent

article

child

controlled study

female

home care

human

major clinical study

psychometry

social work practice

Swedish citizen

theoretical study

cross-cultural

intervention fit

intervention transfer

Measurement invariance

outcome measures

psychometrics

self-determination model

cross-cultural

intervention fit

intervention transfer

Measurement invariance

outcome measures

psychometrics

self-determination model

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)