Implementing Second Step: Balancing Fidelity and Program Adaptation
Abstract
We explored Norwegian primary school teachers' fidelity in their use of Second Step, a social competence intervention program. The investigation examined teachers' (N = 17) use of the program and their perceptions of fidelity of implementation through semistructured interviews. The findings suggest that, to a large extent, teachers adapt the program to their own needs. The rationale for adapting the program is relatedto the needs of pupils, the features of the program, and teachers' individual beliefs and experiences. The extent of implementation at school level appears to influence teachers' fidelity, as teachers who reported implementing the program with greater fidelity were mostly in schools with a formalized approach.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Implementation factors that span outer and inner contexts include engaging strong leadership across system and organizational levels, using specific management strategies, attending to organizational and individual factors, and anchoring new programs across system levels.
“A number of implementation factors span outer and inner contexts. These include engaging strong leadership across system and organizational levels, use of specific management strategies, attending to both organizational and individual factors, and anchoring new programs across system levels (Larsen & Samdal, 2007).”
From The Roles of System and Organizational Leadership in System-Wide Evidence-Based Intervention Sustainment: A Mixed-Method Study (2016) · cites this paper as Larsen & Samdal, 2007
Cites
(1990) · Cited by 24,217 · see citing works
(1998) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 18,397 · see citing works
Qualitative evaluation and research methods
Ellis, D. J. (1990) · International Journal of Information Management · doi:10.1016/0268-4012(90)90041-p · Cited by 17,942 · see citing works
Teachers' beliefs and educational research: cleaning up a messy construct
Pajares, M. F. (1992) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/00346543062003307 · Cited by 9,007 · see citing works
The New Meaning of Educational Change
Fullan, M. (2010) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203609071 · Cited by 8,231 · see citing works
InterViews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing
Flinders, D. J. (1997) · Evaluation and Program Planning · doi:10.1016/s0149-7189(97)89858-8 · Cited by 7,227 · see citing works
Handbook of educational psychology
(1997) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.34-3084 · Cited by 4,850 · see citing works
Handbook of Educational Psychology
Berliner, D. C., & Calfee, R. C. (2013) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203053874 · Cited by 3,212 · see citing works
The New Meaning of Educational Change
(1991) · School Effectiveness and School Improvement · doi:10.1080/0924345910020406 · Cited by 2,713 · see citing works
Dusenbury, L. (2003) · Health Education Research · doi:10.1093/her/18.2.237 · Cited by 1,671 · see citing works
Borko, H., & Putnam, R. T. (1996) · Cited by 1,655 · see citing works
Elliott, S. N., & Wallace, D. (2008) · Encyclopedia of Special Education · doi:10.1002/9780470373699.speced1851 · Cited by 821 · see citing works
Pianta, R. C., Paro, K. M. L., Payne, C. C., Cox, M. J., & Bradley, R. H. (2002) · The Elementary School Journal · doi:10.1086/499701 · Cited by 653 · see citing works
Huberman, A. M., & Miles, M. B. (1984) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-0390-7 · Cited by 509 · see citing works
Elias, M. J., Zins, J. E., Graczyk, P. A., & Weissberg, R. P. (2003) · School Psychology Review · doi:10.1080/02796015.2003.12086200 · Cited by 483 · see citing works
Quality of School-Based Prevention Programs: Results from a National Survey
Gottfredson, D. C., & Gottfredson, G. D. (2002) · Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency · doi:10.1177/002242780203900101 · Cited by 474 · see citing works
Grossman, D. C. (1997) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.277.20.1605 · Cited by 443 · see citing works
Fullan, M. J. (1992) · Cited by 395 · see citing works
Measuring the fidelity of implementation of a mental health program model.
McGrew, J. H., Bond, G. R., Dietzen, L. L., & Salyers, M. P. (1994) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-006x.62.4.670 · Cited by 379 · see citing works
Connell, D. B., Turner, R. R., & Mason, E. F. (1985) · Journal of School Health · doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.1985.tb05656.x · Cited by 363 · see citing works
Frey, K. S., Hirschstein, M. K., & Guzzo, B. A. (2000) · Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders · doi:10.1177/106342660000800206 · Cited by 324 · see citing works
Factors in the implementation of task-based teaching in primary schools
Carless, D. R. (2003) · System · doi:10.1016/j.system.2003.03.002 · Cited by 294 · see citing works
Cultivating leadership in schools: connecting people, purpose, and practice
(2001) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.39-2319 · Cited by 294 · see citing works
Measuring the fidelity of implementation of a mental health program model.
McGrew, J. H., Bond, G. R., Dietzen, L. L., et al. (1994) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.62.4.670 · Cited by 284 · see citing works
Why Program Implementation is Important
Durlak, J. (1998) · Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community · doi:10.1300/j005v17n02_02 · Cited by 265 · see citing works
Representation in Teaching: Inferences From Research of Expert and Novice Teachers
Hogan, T. M., Rabinowitz, M., & Craven, J. (2003) · Educational Psychologist · doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3804_3 · Cited by 200 · see citing works
Researching community psychology: Issues of theory and methods.
(1990) · American Psychological Association eBooks · doi:10.1037/10073-000 · Cited by 197 · see citing works
Fagan, A. A., & Mihalic, S. W. (2003) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.10045 · Cited by 197 · see citing works
McCormick, L. K., Steckler, A., & McLeroy, K. R. (1995) · American Journal of Health Promotion · doi:10.4278/0890-1171-9.3.210 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
Implementing reciprocal teaching in the classroom: Overcoming obstacles and making modifications.
Hacker, D. J., & Tenent, A. (2002) · Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0663.94.4.699 · Cited by 147 · see citing works
EISENHART, M. A., Shrum, J. L., Harding, J. R., & Cuthbert, A. M. (1988) · Educational Policy · doi:10.1177/0895904888002001004 · Cited by 143 · see citing works
Teachers' Progress toward Becoming Expert Strategy Teachers
Duffy, G. G. (1993) · The Elementary School Journal · doi:10.1086/461754 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
Violence prevention: Program effects on urban preschool and kindergarten children
McMahon, S. D., Washburn, J. J., Felix, E. D., Yakin, J., & Childrey, G. (2000) · Applied and Preventive Psychology · doi:10.1016/s0962-1849(00)80004-9 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Implementing prevention programs in high-risk environments: Application of the resiliency paradigm.
Gager, P. J., & Elias, M. J. (1997) · American Journal of Orthopsychiatry · doi:10.1037/h0080239 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Perry, C. L., Murray, D. M., & Griffin, G. (1990) · Journal of School Health · doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.1990.tb05890.x · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Enhancing Implementation of the Teenage Health Teaching Modules
Parcel, G. S., Ross, J. G., Lavin, A. T., Portnoy, B., Nelson, G. D., & Winters, F. (1991) · Journal of School Health · doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.1991.tb07857.x · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Seven Teachers' Acceptance of Transactional Strategies Instruction during Their First Year Using It
El‐Dinary, P. B., & Schuder, T. (1993) · The Elementary School Journal · doi:10.1086/461761 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Diebold, C. T., Miller, G., Gensheimer, L. K., Mondschein, E., & Ohmart, H. (2000) · Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation · doi:10.1207/s1532768xjepc1101_8 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Pianta, R. C. (2003) · School Psychology Review · doi:10.1080/02796015.2003.12086203 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Collins, M. E., Lane, T. S., & Stevens, J. W. (2003) · Families in Society The Journal of Contemporary Social Services · doi:10.1606/1044-3894.75 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Korthagen, F. A. J. (2001) · Teaching and Teacher Education · doi:10.1016/s0742-051x(00)00055-x · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Richardson, V. (2001) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b0-08-043076-7/02453-0 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Dynamic adaptation process to implement an evidence-based child maltreatment intervention
Aarons, G. A., Green, A. E., Palinkas, L. A., Self-Brown, S., Whitaker, D. J., Lutzker, J. R., Silovsky, J. F., Hecht, D. B., & Chaffin, M. J. (2012) · Implementation Science · doi:10.1186/1748-5908-7-32 · Cited by 449 · see citing works
“Scaling-out” evidence-based interventions to new populations or new health care delivery systems
Aarons, G. A., Sklar, M., Mustanski, B., Benbow, N., & Brown, C. H. (2017) · Implementation Science · doi:10.1186/s13012-017-0640-6 · Cited by 399 · see citing works
Aarons, G. A., Green, A. E., Trott, E., Willging, C. E., Torres, E. M., Ehrhart, M. G., & Roesch, S. C. (2016) · Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research · doi:10.1007/s10488-016-0751-4 · Cited by 251 · see citing works
Kirk, M. A., Moore, J. E., Stirman, S. W., & Birken, S. A. (2020) · Implementation Science · doi:10.1186/s13012-020-01021-y · Cited by 258 · see citing works
Aarons, G. A., Green, A. E., Willging, C. E., Ehrhart, M. G., Roesch, S. C., Hecht, D. B., & Chaffin, M. J. (2014) · Implementation Science · doi:10.1186/s13012-014-0183-z · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Hansen, W. B., Pankratz, M. M., Dusenbury, L., Giles, S. M., Bishop, D. C., Albritton, J., Albritton, L. P., & Strack, J. (2013) · Health Education · doi:10.1108/09654281311329268 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Sanetti, L. M. H., Dobey, L. M., & Gritter, K. L. (2011) · Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions · doi:10.1177/1098300711405853 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Bauml, M. (2015) · Journal of Research in Childhood Education · doi:10.1080/02568543.2015.1040565 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Oterkiil, C., & Ertesvåg, S. K. (2014) · Educational Management Administration & Leadership · doi:10.1177/1741143214523011 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Schools’ readiness and capacity to improve matter
Oterkiil, C., & Ertesvåg, S. K. (2012) · Education Inquiry · doi:10.3402/edui.v3i1.22014 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Brown, J. A., Jimerson, S. R., Dowdy, E. T., Gonzalez, V., & Stewart, K. (2012) · Psychology in the Schools · doi:10.1002/pits.21639 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Sadjadi, M., Blanchard, L., Brülle, R., & Bonell, C. P. (2021) · Health Education Research · doi:10.1093/her/cyab029 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Finno-Velasquez, M., Fettes, D. L., Aarons, G. A., & Hurlburt, M. S. (2014) · Journal of Children s Services · doi:10.1108/jcs-06-2014-0030 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Approaches to Measuring Implementation Fidelity in School-Based Program Evaluations
Bickman, L., Riemer, M., Brown, J. L., Jones, S., Flay, B. R., Li, K., DuBois, D. L., Pelham, W. E., & Massetti, G. M. (2009) · Journal of research in character education · doi:10.1108/ce-12-2009-0005 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Farklı Ülkelerde Değerler Eğitimi ve Değer Eğitimi Programlarından Örnekler
Dönmez, Ö., & Uyanık, G. (2022) · Temel Eğitim Araştırmaları Dergisi · doi:10.55008/te-ad.1099697 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Outcome Studies of Social, Behavioral, and Educational Interventions
Fräser, M. W., Guo, S., Ellis, A. R., Thompson, A. M., Wike, T. L., & Li, J. (2011) · Research on Social Work Practice · doi:10.1177/1049731511406136 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Can social-emotional learning programs be adapted to schools in Pakistan? A literature review
Barlas, N., Sidhu, J., & Li, C. (2021) · International Journal of School & Educational Psychology · doi:10.1080/21683603.2020.1850374 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Hoye, A. V., Larsen, T. B., Søvik, M. L., Wold, B., Heuzé, J.-P., Samdal, O., Ommundsen, Y., & Sarrazin, P. G. (2014) · Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports · doi:10.1111/sms.12352 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Self-citationThe role of physical structures in implementing the Norwegian guidelines for healthy school meals
Holthe, A., Larsen, T. B., & Samdal, O. (2009) · Health & Place · doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.09.001 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationAdvancing the state-level tracking of evidence-based practices: a case study
Walker, S. C., Sedlar, G. R., Berliner, L., Rodriguez, F. I., Davis, P. A., Johnson, S. L., & Leith, J. (2019) · International Journal of Mental Health Systems · doi:10.1186/s13033-019-0280-0 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Okkinga, M., van Gelderen, A. J. S., van Schooten, E., van Steensel, R., & Sleegers, P. J. C. (2021) · Reading Psychology · doi:10.1080/02702711.2021.1887019 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Lee, J. (2023) · International Journal of Educational Development · doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102870 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
International adoption of the Second Step program: Moderating variables in treatment effects
Moy, G. E., Polanin, J. R., McPherson, C., & Phan, T.-V. (2018) · School Psychology International · doi:10.1177/0143034318783339 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Jones, L., Bates, G., Downing, J., Sumnall, H. R., & Bellis, M. A. (2009) · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Teaching reading strategies in classrooms: does it work?
Okkinga, M. (2018) · doi:10.3990/1.9789036544481 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
E., M., Pettersson, A., Ivarsson, A., Ryk, C., A., S. L., & Kostenius, C. (2024) · Cogent Psychology · doi:10.1080/23311908.2024.2435097 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Sünkür, M. Ö., & YILMAZ, F. (2025) · Athens Journal of Education · doi:10.30958/aje.12-2-8 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Soraida, S., Nurwati, N., Sekarningrum, B., & Gunawan, W. (2025) · Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies · doi:10.1080/17450128.2025.2570524 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Nese, J. F. T. (2009) · University Libraries (University of Maryland) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Building Capacity in Order to Strengthen Teaching and Learning
Harsh, S. (2018) · doi:10.1002/9781118955901.ch5 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
An examination of the implementation of the Second step program in a public school system
Pedraza, L. M. (2009) · Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida)
Povenmire-Kirk, T. (2008) · Scholars' Bank (University of Oregon)
Thorns, A. J. (2016) · Digital Commons - NLU (National Louis University)
The Role of Implementation in Leisure, Experiential Education, and Recreation
Gagnon, R. J. (2017) · TigerPrints (Clemson University)
Fighting Aggression in the Schools: Evaluating the Second Step Curriculum
Monk, M. M., & Krach, S. K. (2023) · Children & Schools · doi:10.1093/cs/cdad010
Enacting the curriculum: The interplay of pedagogical beliefs, motivation, and fidelity
Tutal, Ö. (2026) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0349102
Öğretmenlerin Türkiye Yüzyılı Maarif Modeli Öğretim Programlarına Bağlılık Düzeylerinin Belirlenmesi
Satmaz, İ., & Girgin, D. (2026) · Bayburt Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi · doi:10.35675/befdergi.1781353
Moderating Variables in the Treatment Effects of Second Step
Moy, G. E. (2014)
- Authors
- Larsen, T., & Samdal, O.
- Affiliations
- Betanien University College (NO)
- University of Bergen (NO)
- Venue
- Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2007-04
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-29
- ISSN
- 1047-4412 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-768X
- OpenAlex
- W2090196122
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 8.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Early Childhood Education and Development
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Keywords
- implementation fidelity, program adaptation, teacher perceptions, primary school teachers, teacher beliefs, Norwegian schools
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
