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Autism research capacity building in Northern Mexico: Preliminary evaluation of an ongoing process
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Autism research capacity building in Northern Mexico: Preliminary evaluation of an ongoing process

Georgina Perez Liz, Guillermo Vela, Arturo Vela, Juan R Maldonado Coronado, Patricia Sanchez Lizardi and Diana L Robins
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, pp 136236132211457-13623613221145787
10 Jan 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221145787
PMID: 36627839
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Research capacity building is a process by which individuals and organizations develop skills and infrastructure resulting in greater ability to conduct useful research. Frequently, research quality and productivity measures focus on outcomes, such as peer-reviewed publications or grants awarded. Such distal measures are not informative when measuring initial stages of research, a common situation in low- and middle-income countries. This study used Cooke’s six-principle framework to assess the progress of an autism research collaborative in northern Mexico. We established 64 criteria across the six principles and rated them as Not Started, In Progress, or Achieved, based on narratives and process documentation collected for this purpose. Ratings were established for the years 2018, 2020, and 2022, which correspond to Years 5, 7, and 9 since the beginning of the collaborative, respectively. As of 2022, Principles 2 and 3 (“Close to practice” and “Linkages, collaborations, and partnerships,” respectively) had all begun; no criteria were rated as Not started. The principles with the highest Achieved rates were “Linkages, collaborations, and partnerships” (90%), and “Infrastructure” (Principle 6, 70%). Cooke’s research capacity building framework is a useful way to monitor progress of research capacity building and contribute to harmonious development of relevant principles at different levels. Lay abstract To inform improvement of care and public policy, quality research is required. Conducting research projects requires skills and infrastructure. Research capacity building is the process by which individuals and organizations develop greater ability to conduct useful research. However, in the scientific community, research quality and productivity measures are often focused on long-term products, such as publications or grants awarded. Those measures are not helpful when measuring initial stages of research, a common situation in low- and middle-income countries. We used a six-principle framework designed by J. Cooke to assess the progress of an autism research collaborative in northern Mexico. We established 64 criteria across the six principles, and rated them as Not Started, In Progress, or Achieved, based on narratives and process documentation collected for this purpose. Ratings were established for the Years 2018, 2020, and 2022. The principles with the highest Achieved rates were “Linkages, collaborations, and partnerships” (90%), and “Infrastructure” (Principle 6, 70%). Cooke’s research capacity building framework is a useful way to monitor progress of research capacity building and contribute to harmonious development of relevant principles at different levels.

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2 citations in Web of Science
2 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Psychology, Developmental
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