title: Collaboration strategies in nontraditional community-based participatory research partnerships: lessons from an academic−community partnership with autistic self-advocates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects involve local communities defined by race, ethnicity, geography, or occupation. Autistic self-advocates, a geographically dispersed community defined by disability, experience issues in research similar to those expressed by more traditional minorities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to build an academic-community partnership that uses CBPR to improve the lives of people on the autistic spectrum.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) includes representatives from academic, self-advocate, family, and professional communities. We are currently conducting several studies about the health care experiences and well-being of autistic adults.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have learned a number of strategies that integrate technology and process to successfully equalize power and accommodate diverse communication and collaboration needs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CBPR can be conducted successfully with autistic self-advocates. Our strategies may be useful to other CBPR partnerships, especially ones that cannot meet in person or that include people with diverse communication needs.
authors.affiliation: Oregan Health and Science University, USA.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolaidis
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raymaker
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dern
authors.forename: Elesia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ashkenazy
authors.forename: Cody
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boisclair
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baggs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D012650:Self Disclosure