title: The diffusion of youth-led participatory research in urban schools: the role of the prevention support system in implementation and sustainability.
abstract: This article discusses the dissemination of a process of youth-led participatory research in urban secondary schools within the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation (ISF) developed in collaboration with the CDC and its university partners (Wandersman et al. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(3-4) 2008). The focus here is on the development of the Prevention Support System with respect to general and innovation-specific capacity building. The specific process under study involves youth-led needs assessment and research to inform the planning of prevention programs and policies to address students' health and developmental needs. The article first briefly describes the youth-led research process, its potential benefits, and a case example in two urban secondary schools. It then describes challenges and responses in providing support for the diffusion of this model in 6 secondary schools. The settings are urban public schools with a majority of students of color from diverse ethnic groups: Asian-American, Latino, and African-American. This project constitutes a collaborative partnership with a university school of public health and community-based organizations (CBOs) to build capacity for long-term, sustainable implementation of this innovative process within the local school system. The perspectives of the university-based researcher and the CBO partners on the development and effectiveness of the Prevention Support System are presented.
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Health and Human Development, UC-Berkeley School of Public Health, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-7360, USA. eozer@berkeley.edu
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.forename: Jeremy P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cantor
authors.forename: Gary W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moret
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration; D003256:Community Participation; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D016730:Program Development; D012106:Research; D012574:Schools; D014505:Urban Population