Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Multilevel Community-Based Culturally Situated Interventions and Community Impact: An Ecological Perspective

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
American Journal of Community Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to apply an ecological perspective to the conduct of multilevel community-based culturally-situated interventions. After a discussion of the emerging consensus about the value of approaching such interventions ecologically, the paper outlines a series of questions stimulated by an ecological perspective that can guide further theory development in conducting multilevel interventions. These questions all derive from the importance of assessing the local community ecology where the intervention occurs. The paper concludes with a series of topics which, taken together, provide a roadmap for further conceptual development of multilevel interventions as vehicles for long-range community impact.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altman, D. G. (1995). Sustaining interventions ion community systems: On the relationship between researchers and communities. Health Psychology, 14(6), 526–536.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beeker, C., Guenther-Grey, C., & Raj, A. (1998). Community empowerment paradigm drift and the primary prevention of HIV/AIDS. Social Science and Medicine, 46(7), 831–842.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Best, A., Stokols, D., Green, L., Leischow, S., Holmes, B., & Buchholz, K. (2003). An integrative framework for community partnering to translate theory into effective health promotion strategy. American Journal of Health Promotion, 18(2), 191–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birman, D., Trickett, E., & Buchanan, R. (2005). A tale of two cities: Replication of a study on the acculturation and adaptation of immigrant adolescents from the former Soviet Union in a different community context. American Journal of Community Psychology, 35(1–2), 87–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, C. (2000). Selling sex in the time of AIDS: The psycho-social context of condom use by sex workers on a South African mine. Social Science and Medicine, 50, 479–494.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, C., Nair, Y., & Maimane, S. (2007). Building contexts that support effective community responses to HIV/AIDS: A South African case study. American Journal of Community Psychology, 39(3/4), 347–364.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Commoner, B. (1971). The closing circle: Nature, man, and technology. New York: Knopf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dalton, J., Elias, M., & Wandersman, A. (2006). Community psychology: Linking individuals and communities. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dworkin, S., Pinto, R., Hunter, J., Rapkin, B., & Remien, R. (2008). Keeping the spirit of community partnerships alive in the scale up of HIV/AIDS prevention: Critical reflections on the roll out of DRBI (diffusion of effective behavioral interventions). American Journal of Community Psychology, 42, 51–59.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, R. (1998). Filling the prevention gap: Multi-factor, multi-system, multi-level interventions. Journal of Primary Prevention, 19, 57–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granovetter, M. (1983). The strength of weak ties: A network theory revisited. Sociological Theory, 1, 201–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green, L. (2006). Public health asks of systems sciences: To advance our evidence-based practice, can you help us get more practice-based evidence? American Journal of Public Health, 96(3), 1–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green, L., Daniel, M., & Novick, L. (2001). Partnerships and coalitions for community-based research. Public Health Reports, 116, 20–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guba, E., & Lincoln, Y. (1994). Competing paradigms in qualitative research. In N. Denzin & Y. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, D., Catalano, R., & Arthur, M. (1992). Promoting science-based prevention in communities. Addictive Behaviors, 27, 951–976.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirsh, G., Levine, R., & Miller, R. (2007). Using systems dynamics modeling to understand the impact of social change initiatives. American Journal of Community Psychology, 39(3/4), 239–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Israel, B., Schulz, A., Parker, E., & Becker, A. (1998). Review of community-based research: Assessing partnership approaches to improve public health. Annual Review of Public Health, 19, 173–202.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, J. (1966). Ecological constraints on mental health services. American Psychologist, 21, 535–539.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, J. (1979). Adolescent boys in high school: A psychological study of coping and adaptation. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, J. (1987). An ecological paradigm: Defining mental health consultation as a preventive service. In J. Kelly & R. Hess (Eds.), The ecology of prevention: Illustrating mental health consultation (pp. 1–35). New York: Haworth Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, J. (2006). On becoming ecological: An expedition into community psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewin, K. (1946). Frontiers in group dynamics. Human Organization, 1, 5–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maton, K., Perkins, D., & Saegert, S. (2006). Community psychology at the crossroads: Prospects for interdisciplinary research. American Journal of Community Psychology, 38, 9–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, R., & Greene, G. (2005). Transferring HIV prevention technology to community-based organizations: How can HIV prevention scientists play an effective role in practice? In E. Trickett & W. Pequegnat (Eds.), Communities and AIDS. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minkler, M., & Wallerstein, N. (Eds.). (2003). Community-based participatory research for health. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohatt, J., Hazel, K., Allen, J., Stachelrodt, M., Hensel, C., & Fath, R. (2004). Unheard Alaska: Culturally anchored participatory action research on sobriety with Alaska natives. American Journal of Community Psychology, 33(3/4), 263–274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. (1977). A case study in collaboration: The Chicano Pinto research project. Journal of Social Issues, 33(4), 144–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapkin, B., & Trickett, E. (2005). Comprehensive dynamic trial designs for behavioral prevention research with communities: Overcoming inadequacies of the randomized controlled trial paradigm. In E. Trickett & W. Pequegnat (Eds.), Communities and AIDS. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roussos, S., & Fawcett, S. (2000). A review of collaborative partnerships as a strategy for improving community health. Annual Review of Public Health, 21, 369–402.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saegert, S., Klitzman, S., Freudenberg, N., Cooperman-Mroczek, J., & Nassar, S. (2007). Healthy housing: A structured review of published evaluations of US interventions to improve health by modifying housing in the United States, 1990–2001. American Journal of Public Health, 93(9), 1471–1477.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, S. (1972). The creation of settings and the future societies. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schensul, J. (2005). Sustainability in HIV prevention research. In E. Trickett & W. Pequegnat (Eds.), Communities and AIDS. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulz, A., Israel, B., & Lantz, P. (2004). Assessing and strengthening characteristics of effective groups in community-based participatory research partnerships. In C. Garvin, L. Guiterrez, & M. Galinsky (Eds.), Handbook of social work with groups (pp. 309–325). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer, M., & Weeks, M. (2005). The Hartford model of AIDS practice/research collaboration. In E. Trickett & W. Pequegnat (Eds.), Communities and AIDS. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smedley, B., & Syme, S. (Eds.). (2000). Promoting health: Intervention strategies from social and behavioral research. Institute of Medicine. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sofear, S. (2000). Working together, moving ahead: A manual to support effective community-based coalitions. New York: City University of New York, Baruch College, School of Public Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trickett, E. J. (1996). A future for community psychology: The contexts of diversity and the diversity of contexts. American Journal of Community Psychology, 24(2), 209–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trickett, E. J. (1998). Towards a framework for defining and resolving ethical issues in the protection of communities involved in primary prevention projects. Ethics and Behavior, 8(4), 321–337.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trickett, E. J. (2002). Culture, context, and collaboration in AIDS interventions: Ecological ideas for enhancing community impact. Journal of Primary Prevention, 23(2), 157–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trickett, E. J. (2005). Community interventions and HIV/AIDS: Affecting the community context. In E. Trickett & W. Pequegnat (Eds.), Community interventions and AIDS (pp. 3–27). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trickett, E. J., & Birman, D. (1989). Taking ecology seriously. A community development approach to individually-based preventive interventions. In L. Bond & B. Compas (Eds.), Primary prevention in the schools. Hanover: University Press of New England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trickett, E. J., & Espino, S. R. (2004). Collaboration and social inquiry: Multiple meanings of a construct and its role in creating useful and valid knowledge. American Journal of Community Psychology, 34(1–2), 1–69.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trickett, E. J., Kelly, J. G., & Todd, D. M. (1972). The social environment of the high school: Guidelines for individual change and organizational development. In S. Golann & C. Eisendorfer (Eds.), Handbook of community mental health (pp. 331–406). New York: Appleton-Century Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trickett, E. J., & Schmid, K. (1993). The social context of the school: An ecological perspective on school, adolescents in schools, and intervention in schools. In P. Tolan & B. Cohler (Eds.), Handbook of clinical research and practice with adolescents. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. (2005). A response to strengthening Australia’s social and emotional fabric. Melbourne: VicHealth.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, J., & Wehlage, G. (1995). Community collaboration: If it’s such a good idea, why is it so hard to do? Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 17(1), 23–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoshikawa, H., Wilson, P., Peterson, J., & Shinn, M. (2005). Multiple pathways to community-level impacts in HIV prevention: Implications for conceptualization, implementation, and evaluation of interventions. In E. Trickett & W. Pequegnat (Eds.), Communities and AIDS (pp. 28–55). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology (MC285), University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL, 60607-7137, USA

    Edison J. Trickett

Authors
  1. Edison J. Trickett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edison J. Trickett.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Trickett, E.J. Multilevel Community-Based Culturally Situated Interventions and Community Impact: An Ecological Perspective. Am J Community Psychol 43, 257–266 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-009-9227-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-009-9227-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation