Developing systems interventions in a school setting: an application of community-based participatory research for mental health.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
The goal of this study was to develop systems interventions in a public school district using community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods to improve the social and academic functioning of children from racial and ethnic minority populations.

DESIGN:
The study used qualitative methods in the process of problem definition and intervention planning, including in-depth qualitative interviews and stakeholder dialogue groups. The study was conducted at three levels--the school system as a whole, two individual schools, and a multiple-stakeholder participatory group.

SETTING:
The study took place in a public school system in an urban city with a population of 101,355 and in two public schools located in this city.

PARTICIPANTS:
The CBPR team included two researchers, a researcher/consulting psychiatrist in the schools, the director of the special education office, her management team, four teachers, and two school-based administrators.

INTERVENTIONS:
The CBPR group engaged in a process of problem definition and intervention planning at all three levels of the system. In addition, both schools initiated systems interventions to target the needs of their school environments.

RESULTS:
The project led to system interventions at both schools, clarity about the policy constraints to effective collaboration, and increased awareness regarding the behavioral and academic needs of minority children in the schools. The process produced a series of questions to use as a framework in CBPR partnership development.

CONCLUSIONS:
The CBPR approach can expand the scope of mental-health services research, particularly related to services for racial and ethnic minorities.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Mulvaney-Day, Norah E (NE); Rappaport, Nancy (N); Alegría, Margarita (M); Codianne, Leslie M (LM);

Affiliation: Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA 02143, USA. nmulvaney-day(-atsign-)charesearch.org

Grants: P 20 MD000537 (Agency:NCMHD NIH HHS) ; P01 MH59876 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Ethnicity & disease (Ethn Dis), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-; vol 16 (issue 1 Suppl 1) : pp S107-17

Dates: Created 2006/05/09; Completed 2006/08/31; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 16681134, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Child
Consumer Participation
Education
Educational Measurement
Ethnic Groups
Female
Health Services Research - organization & administration

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.