Abstract
The Behavior Change Consortium (BCC) has provided a unique opportunity to combine and explore resources, data, processes, and knowledge as a means of strengthening the validity, reliability, and outcomes that compose the field of behavioral science. The workgroups of the BCC were able to transcend disciplinary boundaries by developing a collaborative framework that fused scholarship and creativity to explore research problems in the area of health behavior change theory and intervention. We have identified seven common elements that emerged from each workgroup and fostered inclusion, progress, and ultimately results. These elements were (a) establishing communication channels, (b) identifying objectives, (c) utilizing common measures, (d) obtaining financial support, (e) seeking outside feedback, (f) engaging "big picture" thinking, and (g) bridging theory to practice. In this article we describe the various processes involved in the creation and sustainability of the BCC, including internal and external communications, leadership, workgroup roles, private and public partnerships, and issues associated with data sharing. We also discuss why, in the case of the BCC, the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. We present this example of unparalleled multibehavioral research collaboration as a model to other collaborative efforts that will be spawned by the new National Institutes of Health Roadmap initiative.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 7-10 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Annals of Behavioral Medicine |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | SUPPL. |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2005 |
Funding
As a means of encouraging a regular exchange of ideas and promoting transparency of those interactions, the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research committed to funding a postdoctoral fellowship to facilitate communications and information sharing from a central location. Several virtual communications channels were introduced to complement to existing infrastructure of the BCC’s individual project sites and its cross-site workgroups, including an interactive Web site and private e-mail Listserv. These Internet tools were used to house background materials and resources for the BCC; compile membership rosters; provide individual home pages for each workgroup; post minutes from workgroup conference calls; generate interactive forms for cross-site data collection; plan and organize biannual meetings; and share documents, recommended measures, handouts, and presentations.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- General Psychology
