Lost in Translation: Bilingual Parent Coaches' Experiences Implementing an Un-adapted Early Childhood Intervention with Non-English Speakers

Abstract

When implementing an evidence-based intervention in new contexts and with different populations, evaluation of not only outcomes, but also implementation processes become necessary. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of bilingual, bicultural parent coaches delivering Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), an early childhood evidence-based home visiting intervention (EBI), to Spanish-speaking families in the United States (U.S.). This qualitative study draws on semi-structured interviews completed with four ABC parent coaches in two U.S. states. All participants identify as female and are bicultural, native Spanish speakers. Analyses resulted in six themes organized into two broad categories: (1) challenges to providing ABC to Spanish-speaking families and (2) positive experiences providing ABC to Spanish-speaking families. Results highlight that in-the-field translation and delivery of an empirically supported early intervention that has not been adapted for use with non-English speakers is challenging even for bilingual, bicultural parent coaches. Opportunities for deep-structure adaptations of the ABC intervention are explored. Practice and research implications also are discussed.