Measures of intervention fidelity can be used to identify specific intervention components promoting desired change - the active ingredients - yet such applications are rare. In the context of a social-emotional learning intervention, we illustrate how fidelity measures can be used to identify program active ingredients. We applied one customary and two novel approaches to creating indices of fidelity. In the customary approach, we averaged fidelity ratings across all core components. In the novel approaches, we computed fidelity indices for specific components by (a) averaging responses from like-items and (b) deriving factor scores from a multitrait, multimethod factor analysis. We then tested indices in relation to achievement gains (N = 1442). Indices derived using novel approaches explained more outcome variance than indices from the customary approach. Further, novel approaches revealed one component as a potential active ingredient. Discussion highlights strengths and limitations of the indices and implications for identifying program active ingredients.

Early Childhood Longitudinal-Birth Cohort data were used to examine the extent to which preschool and kindergarten teachers aligned in their beliefs regarding the importance of school competencies at kindergarten entry, whether misalignment in beliefs predicted academic and sociobehavioral adjustment in kindergarten, and if relations were moderated by children's socioeconomic status. Preschool and kindergarten teachers rated the importance of 12 skills categorized into domains of academic, self-regulatory, and interpersonal competence. In the fall of kindergarten, children were directly assessed on reading and math skills, and kindergarten teachers rated children's approaches to learning, disruptive behavior, and social behavior. Findings revealed (a) misalignment was greatest for teachers’ beliefs about the importance of academic competence (b) greater misalignment in beliefs pertaining to all three domains of competence predicted poorer ratings of approaches to learning, social skills, and lower math achievement, and (c) children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds were more susceptible to the negative influence of misalignment, across adjustment outcomes, compared to their more-advantaged peers. Results are discussed in relation to efforts aimed at promoting alignment within children's early educational contexts.