1 - (SYM 75) Adaptation and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Team Training Intervention for Multidisciplinary Cross-sector Teams

Background: Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) use multidisciplinary teams to provide coordinated interagency responses to child abuse allegations. Professionals from multiple disciplines must work together effectively to meet shared goals. Team training interventions teach teamwork knowledge and skills and positively impact team functioning. This study adapted an evidence-based team training intervention for CAC teams and examined its preliminary effects on teamwork knowledge and skill use.

Method: We used a community-engaged approach to adapt TeamSTEPPS, an evidence-based healthcare team training, for CAC teams. We used the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications-Enhanced to characterize and document modifications. The adapted training was tested with 6 CACs in the southern US randomized to intervention (4 teams) or waitlist (2 teams). Team members completed pre-training (n = 135), post-training (n = 52), and follow-up (n = 130) surveys assessing perceptions of the training (1-5 scales), teamwork knowledge (0-100%), and teamwork skill use (1-5 scale). Complete pre- and follow-up surveys were obtained from 90 participants.

Results: The adaptation process produced TeamTRACS (Team Training in Roles, Awareness, Communication, and Support). Community members were highly engaged and rated the community-academic partnership positively (M’s > 4.2/5). TeamTRACS was rated as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible (M’s > 4.1). Training attendees rated the content highly relevant and useful (M’s = 4.8) and were very to extremely likely to use the skills taught (M = 4.6). Teamwork knowledge immediately after the training was high (90%). There was a significant interaction between condition and time predicting teamwork knowledge (F = 4.39, p < .04). For participants randomized to TeamTRACS, knowledge increased significantly from baseline to follow-up (76% to 83%); there was no significant change for waitlist participants (74% to 76%). Skill use was high at baseline (M = 4.17) and follow-up (M = 4.19); there were no significant changes over time or by condition.

Conclusions: TeamTRACS is a feasible approach to team training in multidisciplinary, cross-sector teams. Team members find the content and skills relevant and useful. TeamTRACS significantly increased participants’ teamwork knowledge; there were no changes in skill use two months after training. Team training may increase professionals’ capacity to work effectively across disciplines and systems, improving the quality of care in multidisciplinary settings.