An introduction to adaptive interventions and sequential multiple assignment randomized trials

Abstract

Disease prevention and management interventions sometimes require adjustment based on individual response or changing needs during intervention. Adaptive interventions provide a framework for practitioner decisions about whether, when, how and for whom to alter an intervention for best outcomes. In the first hour of this course, we introduce adaptive interventions including key elements of an adaptive intervention, contexts in which adaptive interventions are beneficial, and important considerations in the development of adaptive interventions. The second hour of this course is devoted to the sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART). We will demonstrate how SMARTs inform the development of high-quality adaptive interventions, discuss the research questions related to adaptive interventions that SMARTs can address, and offer considerations for designing SMARTs. We will provide multiple examples of adaptive interventions and SMART experiments. Resources for further reading and training will also be provided.