Factors associated with provider self‐efficacy in delivery of evidence‐based programs for children,youth, and families

Investments in training real‐world behavioral health providers in evidence‐based programs (EBPs) can be costly; thus, it is important to understand which providers may be more or less likely to implement such approaches after training. Provider self‐efficacy is associated with implementation of EBPs, but research on factors associated with provider self‐efficacy is less common. An exploratory, cross‐sectional, quantitative survey examined factors associated with provider self‐efficacy among 150 real‐world service providers who reported delivering EBPs to children, youth, or families in one U.S. state. Factors found to be associated with higher self‐efficacy included profession, workplace support, and extent of training received; difficulty engaging families was associated with lower self‐efficacy. Self‐efficacy was found to be associated with program use but not fidelity. Several organization‐level variables were identified as both facilitators and barriers to implementation of EBPs. Implications for research and practice are discussed.