Development and evaluation of a community-engaged research training program: Building capacity of Marshallese stakeholders and academic researchers to conduct health research

Pacific Islanders are a growing, yet understudied population who suffer from high rates of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Given the historical trauma experienced by Pacific Islanders, community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an appropriate way to conduct research focused on reducing the health disparities observed in this population. This paper presents the process of engaging the Marshallese community to design, conduct, and evaluate a community-engaged research training program. The goal of the program was to build the capacity of both academic researchers and community stakeholders to conduct CBPR for the purpose of addressing health disparities identified and prioritized by the Marshallese community. The program included both didactic training and experiential mentored research components delivered over a period of two years. Eleven Marshallese community stakeholders and eleven academic researchers participated in the program. Results indicated that the program successfully increased participants’ knowledge regarding the CBPR process. Groups of participants have completed exploratory research projects based on the topics identified by the community. The evaluation adds important insights to the current CBPR training literature and can inform future CBPR trainings. Keywords community-basead participatory research, community-engaged research, Pacific Islanders, minority health, health disparities, interprofessional trainin

Heterogeneity in Youth Symptom Trajectories Following Psychiatric Crisis: Predictors and Placement Outcomes

The authors examined heterogeneity in symptom trajectories among youths following psychiatric crises as well as the psychosocial correlates and placement outcomes associated with identified trajectories. Using semiparametric mixture modeling with 156 youths approved for psychiatric hospitalization, the authors identified 5 trajectories based on symptoms over the 16 months following crisis: high improved, high unimproved, borderline improved, borderline unimproved, and subclinical. Membership in unimproved symptom groups was associated with less suicidality, younger age, more youth hopelessness, and more caregiver empowerment. Improved symptom group membership predicted long-term decreases in days in out-of-home placements. More important, and in contrast with general impressions from the existing literature, findings suggest that a substantive proportion of youths with serious emotional disturbance sustain high levels of symptomatology following intensive mental health services

Exploring multiliteracies, student voice, and scientific practices in two elementary classrooms

This study explored the voices of children in a changing world with evolving needs and new opportunities. The workplaces of rapidly moving capitalist societies value creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills which are of growing importance and manifesting themselves in modern K-12 science classroom cultures (Gee, 2000; New London Group, 2000). This study explored issues of multiliteracies and student voice set within the context of teaching and learning in 4th and 5th grade science classrooms. The purpose of the study was to ascertain what and how multiliteracies and scientific practices (NGSS Lead States, 2013c) are implemented, explore how multiliteracies influence students’ voices, and investigate teacher and student perceptions of multiliteracies, student voice, and scientific practices. Grounded in a constructivist framework, a multiple case study was employed in two elementary classrooms. Through observations, student focus groups and interviews, and teacher interviews, a detailed narrative was created to describe a range of multiliteracies, student voice, and scientific practices that occurred with the science classroom context. Using grounded theory analysis, data were coded and analyzed to reveal emergent themes. Data analysis revealed that these two classrooms were enriched with multiliteracies that serve metaphorically as breeding grounds for student voice. In the modern classroom, defined as a space where information is instantly accessible through the Internet, multiliteracies can be developed through inquiry-based, collaborative, and technology-rich experiences. Scientific literacy, cultivated through student communication and collaboration, is arguably a multiliteracy that has not been considered in the literature, and should be, as an integral component of overall individual literacy in the 21st century. Findings revealed four themes. Three themes suggest that teachers address several modes of multiliteracies in science, but identify barriers to integrating multiliteracies and scientific practices into science teaching. The issues include time, increased standards accountability, and lack of comfort with effective integration of technology. The fourth theme revealed that students have the ability to shape and define their learning while supporting other voices through collaborative science experiences. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries