Developing, monitoring, and reporting of fidelity in aphasia trials: core recommendations from the collaboration of aphasia trialists (CATs) trials for aphasia panel
posted on 2023-10-10, 06:28authored byN Behn, M Harrison, MC Brady, C Breitenstein, Marcella CarragherMarcella Carragher, J Fridriksson, E Godecke, A Hillis, H Kelly, R Palmer, Miranda RoseMiranda Rose, S Thomas, D Tippett, L Worrall, F Becker, K Hilari
Background: Developing, monitoring, and reporting of fidelity are essential and integral components to the design of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in stroke and aphasia. Treatment fidelity refers to the degree to which an intervention is delivered as intended and is directly related to the quality of the evidence generated by RCTs. Clear documentation of treatment fidelity in trials assists in the evaluation of the clinical implications of potential benefits attributed to the intervention. Consideration of the implementation requirements of a research-based intervention as intended in a clinical context is necessary to achieve similar outcomes for a clinical population. Despite this, treatment fidelity is rarely reported in RCTs of aphasia intervention. Aim: To describe fidelity strategies and develop core recommendations for developing, monitoring, and reporting of fidelity in aphasia intervention RCTs. Scope: Relevant conceptual frameworks were considered. The Behaviour Change Consortium comprehensive framework of fidelity was adopted. It includes five areas: study design, training providers, delivery of treatment, treatment receipt, and treatment enactment. We explored fidelity in RCTs with a range of complex aphasia interventions (e.g., ASK, Big CACTUS, COMPARE, FCET2EC, POLAR, SUPERB, and VERSE) and described how different trial design factors (e.g., phase of trial, explanatory vs. pragmatic, number and location of sites, and number and type of treatment providers) influenced the fidelity strategies chosen. Strategies were mapped onto the five areas of the fidelity framework with a detailed exploration of how fidelity criteria were developed, measured, and monitored throughout each trial. This information was synthesised into a set of core recommendations to guide aphasia researchers towards the adequate measurement, capture, and reporting of fidelity within future aphasia intervention studies. Conclusions/Recommendations: Treatment fidelity should be a core consideration in planning an intervention trial, a concept that goes beyond treatment adherence alone. A range of strategies should be selected depending on the phase and design of the trial being undertaken and appropriate investment of time and costs should be considered.
Funding
ASK was funded by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council Grant (APP1060673); Big CACTUS was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (12/21/01) and Tavistock Trust for Aphasia; COMPARE was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Grant (APP1083010); FCET2EC was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF; identifier, 01GY1144) and the German Society for Aphasia Research and Treatment (GAB); POLAR was funded by National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Grants P50 DC014664; SUPERB was funded by The Stroke Association, Psychological Consequences of Stroke - Priority Programme Award (PPA2015-03); VERSE was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council Grant (APP1044973), The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia, and Edith Cowan University, Australia.