Evaluating Partnership Quality and Outcomes Within an Autism Community Collaborative

Participatory approaches are increasingly emphasized in autism research, yet evaluations of partnership processes and outcomes remain limited. The present study sought to evaluate partnership processes and outcomes within an autism community collaborative that spanned three years. Study aims were to evaluate to what extent members rated their participation in a community collaborative as reflective of principles of partnership and engagement as well as member perceptions of engagement and partnership.

Participants (n = 20) completed survey items assessing synergy, decision-making, and satisfaction with engagement in the collaborative; sixteen participants completed semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed using rapid qualitative and inductive content analysis.

Survey ratings reflected high partner engagement and satisfaction. Qualitative results generally aligned with survey results while revealing how partnership processes contributed to these outcomes. Themes related to the experience of establishing shared values, relational communication, diversity of perspectives within the collaborative, drivers of experience, and community engagement.

The present work provides further evidence on how relational processes, shared values, and inclusive communication shape partnership outcomes.