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Methodological Notes on Conducting Transdisciplinary Research

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Converging Disciplines

Abstract

Substance use and related problems are an important topic of transdisciplinary (TD) urban health research. This chapter reviews various multiple and responsive methods that were utilized with hard to reach adolescent populations such as delinquents, dropouts and street involved youth. Stories and example of practical applications contrasting a unidisciplinary with the TD approach are drawn from two recent Toronto studies. The Drugs, Alcohol and Violence International (DAVI) study is compared to the more TD Youth Pathways Project (YPP) to illustate 3 main issues. These include the impact on formulation of the research questions, methods of data collection, and stakeholder involvement. The importantance of conveying findings to a broad audience including policy makers is also considered. Although the advantages of a transdisciplinary over a unitary disciplinary approach are primarily considered, some cautionary comments will also be raised.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to other DAVI team members, particularly Lana Harrison, the American co-PI, and Edward Adlaf, the Toronto co-investigator, for the rich experience provided by working with them. The YPP research team consists of Patricia Erickson, Christine Wekerle, Edward Adlaf, Jennifer Butters, Tara Bruno, Tyler Frederick, Deborah Goodman, Andrew Hathaway, Katharine King, Maritt Kirst, Bruce Leslie, Paul Links, Lori Ross, and Carol Strike. Members’ openness, willingness to discuss all the issues inherent in the study, and break new ground in collaborative effort helped immeasurably to make this research an exemplar of TD in action.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 2S1

    Patricia G. Erickson

  2. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Patricia G. Erickson & Jennifer E. Butters

Authors
  1. Patricia G. Erickson
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  2. Jennifer E. Butters
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patricia G. Erickson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, College St. 155, Toronto, M5T 3M7, Ontario, Canada

    Maritt Kirst

  2. Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael's Hospital, Bond Street 30, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Ontario, Canada

    Nicole Schaefer-McDaniel

  3. St. Michael's Hospital, Bond Street 30, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Ontario, Canada

    Stephen Hwang

  4. St. Michael's Hospital, Bond Street 30, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Ontario, Canada

    Patricia O'Campo

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Erickson, P.G., Butters, J.E. (2011). Methodological Notes on Conducting Transdisciplinary Research. In: Kirst, M., Schaefer-McDaniel, N., Hwang, S., O'Campo, P. (eds) Converging Disciplines. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6330-7_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6330-7_7

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-6330-7

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