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Table 2 Kazdin’s criteria for establishing a mechanism

From: A systematic review of empirical studies examining mechanisms of implementation in health

Term

Definition

Strong association

Association between implementation strategy and mechanism AND between mechanism and behavior change.

Specificity

One plausible construct accounts for behavior change.

Consistency

Replication of observed results across studies, samples, and conditions.

Experimental manipulation

Direct manipulation of implementation strategy or proposed mediator or mechanism shows impact on outcomes.

Timeline

Causes and mediators temporally precede effects and outcomes.

Gradient

Dose response relationship between mediator and outcome.

Plausibility or coherence

Explanation invokes other info and steps in a process-outcome relation that are reasonable or supported by other research.