What does a lack of program fidelity imply about staff adherence to guidelines?

A lack of program fidelity indicates that staff did not adhere strictly to the established guidelines and protocols of the program. This implies that staff may have improvised or deviated from the prescribed methods and practices, which can affect the overall effectiveness and outcomes of the program. Program fidelity is crucial for ensuring that interventions are delivered as intended, and when there is a lack of adherence, it raises questions about the reliability of the implementation and its results.

In this context, the other choices would not reflect this meaning. If staff had followed the program exactly as intended, fidelity would be considered high. Similarly, if staff had received additional training specifically to help implement the program according to guidelines, that would suggest a commitment to fidelity rather than a lack of it. Lastly, strict evaluation on adherence would imply a focus on fidelity, contrasting with the notion of a lack of program fidelity.