Team Functioning and Performance in Child Advocacy Center Multidisciplinary Teams

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Team Dynamics
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) utilize multidisciplinary teams to improve child and family outcomes.
• The effectiveness of the CAC model is potentially influenced by the quality of teamwork within these multidisciplinary teams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between team functioning and performance in Child Advocacy Center (CAC) multidisciplinary teams.
• To identify specific aspects of team functioning that correlate with team performance metrics.

Main Methods:

• A statewide sample of 433 multidisciplinary team members from 21 CACs completed surveys on affective, behavioral, and cognitive team functioning.
• Team performance was evaluated using member ratings of overall performance, mental health screening/referral frequency, and caregiver satisfaction surveys.
• Linear mixed models and regression analyses were employed to examine associations between team functioning and performance.

Main Results:

• Affective team functioning (e.g., trust, psychological safety) and cognitive functioning (e.g., clear direction) were significantly linked to higher overall team performance ratings.
• Behavioral functioning (e.g., coordination) and cognitive functioning were associated with increased mental health screening and referral frequency.
• No significant association was found between team functioning and caregiver satisfaction with CAC services.

Conclusions:

• Specific elements of team functioning, such as trust and clear direction, are crucial for enhancing perceived team performance and service delivery efficiency in CACs.
• While team dynamics appear to influence internal performance metrics, they do not directly correlate with caregiver satisfaction.
• Findings suggest focusing on improving team functioning within CACs can enhance specific service outcomes, though further research is needed to understand caregiver satisfaction drivers.