Implementing a multilevel prevention strategy under an intersectoral partnership: The case of the Triple P Program

The use of so-called “multilevel” strategies to prevent child maltreatment and behavior and emotional problems in children is increasingly being promoted by experts in the early childhood education and intervention field. These approaches aim to cover the needs of an entire population with different levels of interventions addressing specific needs. Although these strategies have gained in popularity, few studies have explored the processes involved in implementing these strategies. The present study contributes to addressing gaps in the implementation science literature by documenting the implementation process of a multilevel prevention program by an intersectoral partnership as perceived by staff managers and practitioners. Specific objectives were to describe the experiences of the actors involved in the implementation process, and to determine the extent to which the actual implementation process aligned with the theoretical model on which the implementation was based. Data were obtained from qualitative interviews with implementation coordinator, program managers and front-line practitioners that were analyzed using a thematic approach. Findings support in some ways the conceptualization of the implementation model used while also helping to refine that model by suggesting certain dynamics that might inhere in complex, multilevel implementations based on intersectoral partnerships. Our findings thereby contribute to advancing the empirical understanding of the conditions for implementing multilevel prevention programs in the context of intersectoral partnerships.