Building Effective Research Teams When Conducting Drug Prevention Research with Minority Populations

SUMMARY This article offers guidelines on how to structure effective research teams for drug abuse research with minority populations. Highlighted are several advantages and disadvantages of being a minority researcher who heads a project in a minority community. Contributions to understanding the social, political, and economic context of minority populations are discussed from the point of view of minority researchers. The paper argues that cultural differences color both the product and process of the research endeavor. It reviews the special considerations related to the organizational structure, culture, and climate pertinent to a minority researcher. This article presents recommendations that others may find useful in building teams for drug abuse research with minority populations.