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The Impact of a Prevention Delivery System on Perceived Social Capital: the PROSPER Project

Prevention Science volume 15, pages 125–137 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The current study examined the impact of the PROSPER delivery system for evidence-based prevention programs on multiple indicators of social capital in a rural and semi-rural community sample. Utilizing a randomized blocked design, 317 individuals in 28 communities across two states were interviewed at three time points over the course of 2.5 years. Bridging, linking, and the public life skills forms of social capital were assessed via community members’ and leaders’ reports on the perceptions of school functioning and the Cooperative Extension System, collaboration among organizations, communication and collaboration around youth problems, and other measures. Longitudinal mixed model results indicate significant improvements in some aspects of bridging and linking social capital in PROSPER intervention communities. Given the strength of the longitudinal and randomized research design, results advance prevention science by suggesting that community collaborative prevention initiatives can significantly impact community social capital in a rural and semi-rural sample. Future research should further investigate changes in social capital in different contexts and how changes in social capital relate to other intervention effects.

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Acknowledgments

Work on this paper was supported by research grant R01DA013709 from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. We thank Chungyeol Shin, Lesa Hoffman, Damon Jones, and D. Wayne Osgood for their input on our analysis plan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Sarah M. Chilenski, Mark T. Greenberg & Mark E. Feinberg

  2. University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Malaysia

    Patricia M. Ang

  3. Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

    Richard Spoth

  4. 135 E Nittany Ave, Suite 402, State College, PA, 16801, USA

    Sarah M. Chilenski

Authors
  1. Sarah M. Chilenski
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  2. Patricia M. Ang
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  3. Mark T. Greenberg
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  4. Mark E. Feinberg
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  5. Richard Spoth
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Correspondence to Sarah M. Chilenski.

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Chilenski, S.M., Ang, P.M., Greenberg, M.T. et al. The Impact of a Prevention Delivery System on Perceived Social Capital: the PROSPER Project. Prev Sci 15, 125–137 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-012-0347-5

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Keywords

  • Social capital
  • Community collaboration
  • Prevention team
  • Cooperative Extension System
  • School–community partnership