Research partnerships with schools to implement prevention programs for Mexican origin families.
We describe critical participatory principles and practices used in a successful multiyear partnership between university researchers and a public elementary school district to implement an efficacy trial of the Puentes program, a family-based program to prevent school disengagement and mental health problems in Mexican origin seventh graders. We highlight the role of the School Advisory Board (SAB) as the principle structure facilitating the collaboration and the expansion of roles and power sharing that evolved over the course of the project. We also present the results of a focus group conducted to evaluate the school district's perspective on the partnership. We end by sharing conclusions regarding the critical aspects of the partnership. EDITORS' STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS: Researchers and educators alike will benefit from the lessons on how to work together toward effective and sustainable prevention programming.
Dumka
Larry E
LE
School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 873701, Tempe, AZ 85287-3701, USA. larry.dumka@asu.edu
Mauricio
Anne-Marie
AM
Gonzales
Nancy A
NA
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003256:Community Participation; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008603:Mental Health; D008800:Mexico; D010358:Patient Participation; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012574:Schools; D014481:United States