Forms & Functions Repository
ENGAGER Program
A complex behavioral and social intervention designed to support individuals leaving prison.
Description
Using a complex social and behavioral intervention as an example, this study explained how using ‘Realist Formative Process Evaluation’ (Realist FPE) during the pilot testing phase of an intervention resulted in enhanced understanding and nuanced iterations of the core theory and functions of an intervention. Realist FPE seeks to inform intervention theory through formative assessments that inform iterative intervention changes with the goal of determining how the intervention works, for whom, and in which contexts.
Citation
S. L. Brand et al., “Building programme theory to develop more adaptable and scalable complex interventions: Realist formative process evaluation prior to full trial,” Evaluation, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 149–170, Apr. 2019, doi: 10.1177/1356389018802134.
Table with the Intervention's Functions and Forms
| Functions | Forms |
| Building trust and engagement | Release day working (supporting the prisoner on the day of release); tailoring delivery to individual context (for example, prisoners with history of substance abuse). |
| Doing practical and emotional work | Prioritizing practical supports, which engender feelings of emotional support in participants and increased willingness to engage with practitioner. |
| Using the mentalisation-based approach | Engage with ‘everyday crises’ experienced by the participant to teach the link between feelings, behavior, and actions. |
| Sharing participant’s personal goals and action plans with their health and social care professionals | Release day working (advocacy and support with appointments at supportive services). |