Background
PD COMM trial
Investigating the complexity of PD COMM interventions via process evaluation
Aims and objectives
Methods/design
Data collection
Data collection method | Time points |
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Therapist questionnaire (TQ) | Prior to start After therapists have treated their last PD COMM participant |
Observations of therapists’ LSVT training and additional workshops organized by the trial researchers | Prior to start Yearly workshops |
Semi-structured in-depth interviews | |
• With participants | After 3-month assessment |
• With speech and language therapists and SLT assistants | Two time points: midway and at the end of therapists’ involvement in the trial |
Critical incident reports (CIRs) | Throughout therapists’ involvement in the trial |
SLT treatment record form (SLT TRF) | Every therapy session |
Standard NHS SLT home-based therapy (HBT) diary | Completed when home-based therapy is prescribed by speech and language therapists |
LSVT home-based therapy (HBT) diary | Completed once for each of the 4 weeks of LSVT |
Objectives | Analytical questions | Data sources |
---|---|---|
Establish a programme theory that explains how PD COMM interventions are expected to work | What are the components of the PD COMM interventions? Which are core? Which are peripheral? What are the interactions between the components of the PD COMM interventions? | OBS, TQ, therapists’ interviews, TRF, HBT diaries |
Investigate the implementation of trial interventions from the perspective of therapists | What were therapists’ opinions of the PD COMM interventions? | Therapists’ interviews, CIRs, OBS |
What experience of delivering the PD COMM interventions did the therapists have prior to the start of the trial? | TQ, therapists’ interviews | |
What were therapists’ motivations for joining the trial? | TQ, therapists’ interviews | |
To what extent did the training help therapists ‘feel ready’? | OBS, therapists’ interviews | |
How did ‘learning time’ impact the way therapists delivered the PD COMM interventions? | TQ, therapists’ interviews, TRF | |
To what extent did therapists feel supported in their role as research therapists? | TQ, therapists’ interviews, CIRs | |
What challenges did therapists face? How did they manage them? | OBS, therapists’ interviews, CIRs | |
How did therapists feel about the way they recorded content and results from therapy sessions? | Therapists’ interviews, TRF | |
How did therapists work on building rapport with participants? | Therapists’ interviews, TRF, CIRs | |
How did the PD COMM interventions compare with the therapists’ routine way of practicing? | TQ, therapists’ interviews, CIRs | |
What are the therapists’ views regarding the resources allocated to the trial? | TQ, therapists’ interviews | |
How have therapy outcomes impacted the therapists’ level of motivation/engagement? | Therapists’ interviews, CIRs | |
To what extent did therapists tailor the PD COMM interventions to participants’ needs? | TQ, therapists’ interviews, TRF, CIRs, HBT diaries | |
How did therapists feel about their research role versus their client-centred approach to practice? | Therapists’ interviews, CIRs | |
To what extent did therapists follow the trial intervention protocol? | TQ, therapists’ interviews, TRF | |
To what extend did therapists feel supported by their environment? | TQ, therapists’ interviews, CIRs | |
Investigate participants’ experiences and views about their involvement in the PD COMM trial | To what extent did participants engage in the trial? | Participants’ interviews, HBT diaries |
What did participants think of their involvement in the trial? | Participants’ interviews | |
How did the therapy sessions impact their everyday routine? | Participants’ interviews, HBT diaries | |
What were participants’ motivations for joining the trial? | Participants’ interviews | |
Can participants identify positive/negative impacts of their involvement in the trial? | Participants’ interviews |
Therapist questionnaire
Observations of therapists’ training and trial workshops
Semi-structured in-depth interviews
Critical incident reports
SLT treatment record form
Home-based therapy diaries
Data analysis
Quantitative data
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What NHS standard SLT entails
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How therapists structured the intervention (including who delivered it and where as well as how time was reportedly allocated to different aspects specified by the research team)
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How regularly participants attended scheduled appointments
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How closely participants reported adhering to the type and dosage of home practice activities agreed between them and their therapist, and whether they attended adjuncts to therapy such as group activities