title: The power of a collaborative relationship between technical assistance providers and community prevention teams: A correlational and longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Historically, effectiveness of community collaborative prevention efforts has been mixed. Consequently, research has been undertaken to better understand the factors that support their effectiveness; theory and some related empirical research suggests that the provision of technical assistance is one important supporting factor. The current study examines one aspect of technical assistance that may be important in supporting coalition effectiveness, the collaborative relationship between the technical assistance provider and site lead implementer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four and one-half years of data were collected from technical assistance providers and prevention team members from the 14 community prevention teams involved in the PROSPER project.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spearman correlation analyses with longitudinal data show that the levels of the collaborative relationship during one phase of collaborative team functioning associated with characteristics of internal team functioning in future phases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that community collaborative prevention work should consider the collaborative nature of the technical assistance provider - prevention community team relationship when designing and conducting technical assistance activities, and it may be important to continually assess these dynamics to support high quality implementation.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, United States; The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, The Pennsylvania State University, United States. Electronic address: sem268@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chilenski
authors.affiliation: The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, and the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, The Pennsylvania State University, United States.
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.affiliation: The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, The Pennsylvania State University, United States.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.affiliation: Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas, United States.
authors.forename: Lesa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, United States.
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Feinberg
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, United States.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, United States.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Welsh
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, United States; Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, United States.
authors.forename: D Max
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Crowley
authors.affiliation: Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute, Iowa State University, United States.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spoth
mesh_terms: D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006126:Group Processes; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration
keywords: Community collaboration; Cooperative Extension System; Evidence-based programs; Implementation quality; PROSPER; Prevention; Technical assistance