Adaptation

Implementation science is shifting from qualifying adaptations as good or bad towards understanding nuances of how adaptations are made and their impact. Adaptations are a reality of implementation, as they allow those implementing interventions to tailor them to their context. When making adaptations, however, one must be careful ensure that adaptations do not compromise the previously demonstrated effectiveness or efficacy of interventions. This chapter provides an overview of adaptation, as well as practical resources and tools that can be used to adapt existing interventions. Various facets of adaptation are explored, addressing questions related to what adaptation is, why adaptations are made, what types of adaptations exist and how various types of adaptations impact upon implementation and intervention outcomes. The chapter also describes core functions and forms and how they relate to adaptation.