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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: Nurs Outlook. 2011 Aug 15;59(6):318–325. doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2011.06.003

Table 1.

Essential Intervention Content in Research Reports

Intervention Element Description Considerations
Theory Why was a particular intervention (or set of interventions) chosen and what is the mechanism by which it is thought to function?
  • Explicitly identify the theory

  • Link the intervention attributes to theoretical concepts

  • Describe how the intervention functions to achieve the desired goals

Intervention Recipient Who received the intervention?
  • Differentiate between the intervention target and recipient

  • Describe individual or group recipients

  • Describe their preparation

  • Indicate treatment preference

  • Describe incentives, compensation, and/or rewards

Interventionist Who delivered the intervention to the recipients?
  • Identify the interventionist and any relationship to the recipient

  • Identify personal characteristics specific to this project (e.g., ethnicity)

  • Describe their professional credentials

  • Identify specific intervention competence (e.g., training)

Intervention Content What does the intervention entail?
  • Provide clear operational descriptions

  • Describe procedures and materials in sufficient detail so that they can be replicated

  • Indicate how interventions were or could be targeted or tailored

  • Provide information about obtaining further intervention descriptions

Intervention Delivery How was the intervention delivered?
Where and when was the intervention delivered?
How much of the intervention was delivered?
  • Describe the delivery mode

  • Describe the physical and contextual setting

  • Describe the dosage of the intervention (amount, frequency, and duration), including both intended and administered dosage

  • Report on the fidelity of administration

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