In process evaluation, which concept refers to implementation fidelity?

In process evaluation, which concept refers to implementation fidelity?

• A. The cost per participant served.
• B. The speed of data collection.
• C. The average outcomes achieved by participants.
• D. The degree to which a program is delivered as intended.

Answer: (D)

Implementation fidelity is about delivering the program as it was designed. In process evaluation, fidelity measures how closely the actual delivery matches the intended content, dose, quality, and timing. This is the best choice because it directly assesses whether the program was implemented as planned, which is the heart of process evaluation. The cost per participant relates to resources used, the speed of data collection concerns logistics, and the average outcomes relate to effectiveness, not how faithfully the program was implemented.

Implementation fidelity is about delivering the program as it was designed. In process evaluation, fidelity measures how closely the actual delivery matches the intended content, dose, quality, and timing. This is the best choice because it directly assesses whether the program was implemented as planned, which is the heart of process evaluation. The cost per participant relates to resources used, the speed of data collection concerns logistics, and the average outcomes relate to effectiveness, not how faithfully the program was implemented.