Facilitators and barriers of implementing evidence-based programs delivered by teachers in early childhood education: Findings from the Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR) program as a case study

Evidenced-based programs designed for education settings, often prove effective under research conditions, but are underexplored in real world contexts, revealing a research-to-practice gap. Understanding teachers’ implementation experiences, including facilitators and barriers, is crucial to inform the future scale-up of effective approaches. This study explored the implementation experiences of early childhood teachers (n = 7) incorporating a rhythm and movement intervention into their everyday educational practice. Qualitative interviews investigating the facilitators and barriers teachers experienced were thematically analyzed deductively using an existing ecological framework derived from implementation science. Key findings emerged across the individual, intervention, and contextual levels of the framework. At the individual level, aligning program goals with teachers' interests increased engagement. Coaching options and realistic examples of expected behavioral changes addressed varying levels of professional preparedness and workload constraints. At the intervention level, offering flexible training formats and providing clear evidenced-based rationales boosted teacher engagement. Hard copy materials, troubleshooting guides, and adaptable program design supported individual teacher preferences. Contextually, clear program descriptors enabled teachers to effectively communicate the program's value to leadership. Clear recommendations are made for future program designers and implementers to support the successful scale-up of evidence-based programs within diverse educational environments.