Treatment fidelity in rehabilitation research

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Hennessey, Mary Louise | Rumrill, Jr, Phillip D.

Affiliations: Kent State University, Department of Educational Foundations and Special Services, Center for Disability Studies, 414 White Hall, P.O. Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242-0001, USA. Tel.: +1 330 672 7048; Fax: +1 330 672 2512; E-mail: mlhennes@kent.edu

Abstract: This article describes treatment fidelity and its key role in the design, implementation, and evaluation of applied rehabilitation interventions. The authors address the definition of treatment fidelity, its importance to the research enterprise, threats and barriers inherent in common rehabilitation research settings, and strategies for enhancing treatment fidelity in intervention-based research.

Keywords: treatment fidelity, intervention research, internal validity

Journal: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 123-126, 2003