Abstract

This is a 3-year, quasi-experimental trial of an intervention diffusion framework. There were 11 intervention and 10 control junior high schools located in either a large Swedish city or the Swedish countryside. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used to evaluate a 2-level model (1,337 students nested in 85 classrooms) for each outcome domain: internalizing and externalizing problems, substance use, socioemotional competence, and perception of a positive school environment. Results showed that framework-related benefits were predominately shown for either 1 gender or 1 gender living in a particular setting. Changes were also primarily of a buffering character, in which a subgroup of comparison participants showed a poorer pattern of change relative to intervention participants. Study results provide (a) evidence for discourse about what is an optimal level of choice for intervention stakeholders to have when implementing interventions and (b) an empirical test of a diffusion framework in routine practice, outside of the United States.