EXPLORING USE OF RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT THEORY FOR CROSS-BORDER RELATIONSHIPS TO BUILD CAPACITY IN HIV PREVENTION

This study examines cross‐border collaboration among community‐based organizations, health departments and practitioners in a city and neighboring county that provide HIV prevention services. Relationship management theory was used to assess trust, reciprocity, control mutuality, commitment, satisfaction, mutual understanding and mutual legitimacy for purposes of HIV prevention. Relationship management theory used here is uniquely suited to inform community psychology because it offers characteristics of relationships that may be used to understand the ability of myriad types of organizations to work together toward a common goal. Findings from in‐depth interviews and focus groups revealed a framework for understanding collaboration via the lens of inter‐organizational relationship management, where jurisdictional borders had influence on collaboration efforts, and resource disparity guided goal attainment.