In this paper we maintain that 21st century science is, fundamentally, a relational process in which knowledge is produced (or co-produced) through transactions among researchers or among researchers and public stakeholders. We offer an expanded perspective on the practice of 21st century science, the production of scientific knowledge, and what community psychology can contribute to these developments. We argue that: 1) trends in science show that research is increasingly being conducted in teams; 2) scientific teams, such as transdisciplinary teams of researchers or of researchers collaborating with various public stakeholders, are better able to address complex challenges; 3) transdisciplinary scientific teams are part of the larger, 21st century transformation in science; 4) the concept of heterarchy is a heuristic for team science aligned with this transformation; 5) a contemporary philosophy of science known as perspectivism provides an essential foundation to advance 21st century science; and 6) community psychology, through its core principles and practice competencies, offers theoretical and practical expertise for advancing team science and the transformation in science currently underway. We discuss the implications of these points and illustrate them briefly with two examples of transdisciplinary team science from our own work. We conclude that a new narrative is emerging for science in the 21st century that draws on interpersonal transactions in teams, and active engagement by researchers with the public to address critical accountabilities. Because of its core organizing principles and unique blend of expertise on the intersection of research and practice, community psychologists are extraordinarily well-prepared to help advance these developments, and thus have much to offer 21st century science.

This study investigated whether hopelessness and depression were risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in African American adolescents and looked at whether religious participation and religious coping protected these students from suicidality. Participants were 212 African American high school students (133 females, 79 males). The results of multiple and logistic regression analyses found that hopelessness and depression were risk factors for suicidal ideation and attempts. Religious coping style was significantly related to suicidal behaviors: Self-directed coping was related to increased hopelessness, depression, and suicide attempts, and collaborative coping was related to increased reasons for living. Gender differences were found in symptoms of depression, religious coping style and religious participation. Results provide additional support for suicide interventions to target hopelessness and depressive symptoms and highlight the importance of examining the role of culturally salient variables, such as religious participation and religious coping style, when developing intervention programs for suicide.

Highlights Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs) may be mitigated by trauma‐informed social environments. However, there is little empirical evidence that show how community approaches can address ACEs. A participatory change process was implemented by a community coalition in response to ACEs. Data was used to track implementation, generate hypotheses and guide a community response to ACEs. Results show how one community initiated steps to build a resilient, trauma‐informed community.

Raghavan et al. (2008) proposed that effective implementation of evidence-based practices requires implementation strategies deployed at multiple levels of the “policy ecology,” including the organizational, regulatory or purchaser agency, political, and social levels. However, much of implementation research and practice targets providers without accounting for contextual factors that may influence provider behavior. This paper examines Philadelphia’s efforts to work toward an evidence-based and recovery-oriented behavioral health system, and uses the policy ecology framework to illustrate how multifaceted, multilevel implementation strategies can facilitate the widespread implementation of evidence-based practices. Ongoing challenges and implications for research and practice are discussed.

Rates of suicide are increasing among African American adolescents and pose a significant public health concern. One area that has received little attention is the relationship between various types of social support and suicide, and the extent to which support moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidality. A total of 212 African American adolescents completed inschool surveys on three types of social support: family support, peer support, and community connectedness. The survey also addressed depressive symptoms and suicidality, as measured by reasons for living, a cognitive measure of suicide risk. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine direct and moderating relationships between types of social support and suicidality. The results indicated that increased family support and peer support are associated with decreased suicidality, and peer support and community connectedness moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidality. Over a third of the variability in reasons for living was predicted by family support, peer support, and community connectedness. Implications for research and preventative interventions for African American adolescents are discussed. KeywordsAfrican American adolescents; depression; suicide; protective factors; social support; family support; peer support; community connectedness In 2006, suicide was ranked as the 11th leading cause of death among persons aged 10 years and older, accounting for 33,289 deaths. However, suicide is the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 24 years. It accounts for 12% of all deaths annually within this age group in the United States (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2010). Although overall rates of suicide attempts among adolescents declined from 2001 to 2007, rates among African American adolescents, a group that has traditionally had lower suicide rates, did not. Indeed, in 2009, African American adolescents reported higher rates of suicide attempts than Caucasian adolescents (CDC, 2010). Despite recent increases in suicide rates among AfricanCorrespondence concerning this article should be addressed to Samantha Matlin, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, The Division of Prevention and Community Research, 389 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut 06511., samantha.matlin@yale.edu. NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptAm J Orthopsychiatry. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2012 January 1.Published in final edited form as: Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2011 January ; 81(1): 108-117. doi:10.1111/j.1939-0025.2010.01078.x. NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptAmerican youth, Caucasian Americans continue to be the focus of most research on suicide (Molock, Puri, Matlin, & Barksdale, 2006). Key risk factors for suicide among youth include presence of a psychiatric disorder, a family history of suicide and psychopathology, stressful life events, and access to firearms (Gould, Greenberg, Velting, & Shaffer, 200...