Psychometric Evidence for the School Organizational Conditions for Mental Health Programming Measure: Assessing the Organizational Context for Implementing Evidence-Informed Programming in Ontario Schools

School Mental Health https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-025-09742-5 ORIGINAL PAPER Psychometric Evidence for the School Organizational Conditions for Mental Health Programming Measure: Assessing the Organizational Context for Implementing Evidence‑Informed Programming in Ontario Schools Nicole S. J. Dryburgh1,2,3 · Li Wang1,2 · Ruth Repchuck1,2 · Alisha R. Matte1,2 · Kevin Runions2,4,5 · Katholiki Georgiades1,2 Accepted: 15 January 2025 © The Author(s) 2025 Abstract Programming aimed at promoting positive student mental health and reducing or preventing mental-ill health is common within schools in Ontario. A brief, valid, and scalable measure was needed to assess the organizational conditions, or the capacity, readiness, and resources of schools to successfully implement and sustain this programming. In partnership with School Mental Health Ontario, an intermediary organization that facilitates uptake of student mental health programming in schools across the province, the objectives of the current study were to adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the School Organizational Conditions for Mental Health Programming Measure for principals. An 18-item measure was completed by 623 principals across the province (from 35 school boards (i.e., districts); 79% elementary, 16% secondary, and 5% both elementary and secondary). A measure of mental health emergency readiness was used to assess convergent validity. Results from item response theory and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported a final 14-item measure assessing four domains: (1) School Mental Health Leadership, (2) Engagement and Collaboration with External Partners, (3) Mental Health Strategy and Action Planning, and (4) Data-Informed Quality Improvement. The final measure demonstrated excellent internal consistency (αs = 0.83–0.91) and measurement invariance across elementary and secondary schools, and schools in urban and rural areas. Scores were positively associated but not redundant with mental health emergency readiness (rs = 0.31 −0.42). The School Organizational Conditions for Mental Health Programming Measure is a brief measure that shows promising psychometric evidence for evaluating the organizational conditions of schools for supporting student mental health-related programming. Keywords School mental health · Evidence-based practice · Measure · Organizational conditions Introduction * Katholiki Georgiades 1 Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada 2 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada 3 Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA 4 School Mental Health Ontario, Hamilton, ON, Canada 5 Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia Schools are often the first point of contact for students experiencing mental health concerns in the province of Ontario, Canada, and offer several advantages that can overcome financial and structural barriers to accessing mental health care. These features make schools an ideal setting for delivering evidence-informed programming to promote positive mental health and reduce or prevent mental-ill health (Anderson et al., 2017; Bringewatt & Gershoff, 2010; Fazel et al., 2014; Georgiades et al., 2019; Weist et al., 2023). However, the capacity to implement such programming varies across schools, highlighting the need for valid measures to assess the school-level organizational conditions that Vol.:(0123456789) School Mental Health support implementation. Toward this end, the goal of current study was to adapt and evaluate a measure to assess principals’ perspectives of the organizational context for implementing evidence-informed mental health-related programming, spanning from the promotion of positive mental health and the prevention of mental-ill health or addressing concerns, in Ontario schools. Assessing the implementation factors for supporting mental health-related programming in schools is critical as these factors directly influence the uptake and effectiveness of interventions. Research on prevention and promotion programming in schools, such as on social–emotional curricula, demonstrates that well-implemented programs can double academic gains compared to poorly implemented ones (Durlak et al., 2011). These findings underscore the need to consistently assess the organizational factors that can either hinder or promote the delivery of mental health interventions (Durlak & DuPre, 2008). Frameworks for implementation also emphasize the importance of evaluating factors across different contexts to ensure successful program delivery (Domitrovich et al., 2008). Researchers have emphasized the need for measures to be used for these purposes that demonstrate strong psychometric properties (see Lendrum & Humphrey, 2012). Organizational conditions, or the capacity, readiness, and resources to successfully implement programming, are particular factors that play a pivotal role in the successful implementation of interventions in organizations. In healthcare settings, for example, organizational features like leadership, collaboration, resources, and ongoing monitoring have been found to be crucial for the adoption of evidence-based practices (Coles et al., 2020; Li et al., 2018; Yano, 2008). In school settings, where leadership and the alignment of new programs with existing programming are essential (Short, 2016; Thoonen et al., 2012), research has identified several organizational conditions that contribute to implementation success, including leadership support and organizational capacity (see Durlak & DuPre, 2008; Fixsen et al., 2005). A systematic review of universal mental health prevention programs identified several promising implementation strategies, including monitoring and providing feedback, engaging principals, and holding regular implementation team meetings (Baffsky et al., 2023). Gathering feedback from key partners, such as students and families, is also viewed as a priority for ensuring effective implementation (Locke et al., 2019; Moore et al., 2021). Research in the Ontario context suggests that relevant organizational conditions include components such as adequate knowledge and training of staff, resources, leadership, and shared vision and goals (Short, 2016), as well as protocols for decision-making, role clarity, implementation, collaboration, system communication, and measurement and monitoring (School-Based Mental Health & Substance Abuse Consortium, 2013). Despite this evidence and the availability of various frameworks addressing implementation (see Owens et al., 2014), there is a paucity of validated measures designed to assess implementation factors relevant to the unique context of Ontario schools. Much of the literature on implementation factors relevant to school mental health programming has focused on universal intervention (...truncated)