Reflexive Challenges in Community Engaged Research in a County Jail

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 26-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emery R. Eaves ◽  
Bailey S. Kohlbeck ◽  
Carolyn Camplain
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Small Community ◽  
County Jail ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Specific Experience ◽  
Local Jail ◽  
Traditional Sense ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
Conducting Research

As local, participatory research becomes more common, the logistics of conducting such research continues to challenge anthropologists' and other researchers' traditional sense of disconnection from research participants. Using interviews with the researchers involved in a study conducted in a local county jail, we consider major barriers to conducting research with incarcerated individuals. Challenges stemmed from concerns about getting to know inmates at the local jail in a small community, as well as frustration with navigating a highly structured and inherently unequal situation. This article will discuss our process, the challenges that have been experienced by others, new challenges we faced, and strategies we utilized to overcome those challenges. In addition, this article will address and explain the specific experience of the authors related to managing the research process, navigating the jail, and working within the established structures of a jail setting.

Employing Indigenous Methodologies to Understand Women’s Perceptions of HIV, Health, and Well-being in Quebec, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-181
Author(s):  
Nadia O’Brien ◽  
Carrie Martin ◽  
Doris Peltier ◽  
Angela Kaida ◽  
Marissa Becker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Indigenous Women ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Indigenous Methodology ◽  
Women’S Perceptions ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Health And Well Being

Guided by an Indigenous Methodology and a participatory research approach, we explored the experiences and priorities of Indigenous women living in Quebec regarding HIV prevention and care, overall health, and well-being. We drew from our research process to identify recommendations for conducting research with Indigenous women. These lessons include: (1) incorporating culturally adapted methods (e.g., sharing circles, arts, ceremony) facilitated participants’ safety and comfort; (2) conducting numerous workshops was valuable in building trust; and (3) validating findings with participants was essential to ensuring that the knowledge, experiences, and priorities of Indigenous women were respected. Our research findings regarding the care needs and priorities of women emphasize the importance of peer-led groups, culturally rooted healing strategies, accessible harm reduction, and social supports. Participatory research, led by members of the communities concerned, imbues the research with local knowledge and wisdom, which ensures the relevance of the research, the appropriateness of its conduct, and enables its overall success.

Practical Steps to Community Engaged Research: From Inputs to Outcomes

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 904-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malika Roman Isler ◽  
Giselle Corbie-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Research Process ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Recruitment Strategies ◽  
Research Paradigm ◽  
Culturally Appropriate ◽  
Community Settings ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Conducting Research

For decades, the dominant research paradigm has included trials conducted in clinical settings with little involvement from communities. However, concerns about the relevance and applicability of the processes or outcomes of such research have led to calls for greater community engagement in the research process. As such, there has been a shift in emphasis from simply recruiting research participants from community settings to engaging community members more broadly in all aspects of the research process. The move toward community engaged research (CEnR) is in part driven by the recognition that inclusion of diverse perspectives in multidisciplinary teams is essential to addressing complex problems. Investigators have come to recognize the inherent value of engaging community members as collaborators in multidisciplinary teams that are conducting research on issues of concern to communities. The insider perspective from community members is now recognized as essential in designing effective and well-received recruitment strategies, culturally appropriate measures, and identifying meaningful and broad-reaching venues for dissemination.

scholarly journals Preventing cardiovascular disease: Participant perspectives of the FAITH! Program

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (12) ◽  
pp. 1710-1723 ◽  
Author(s):  
LaPrincess C Brewer ◽  
Eleshia J Morrison ◽  
Joyce E Balls-Berry ◽  
Patrick Dean ◽  
Kandace Lackore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Participatory Research ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease Risk ◽  
Community Based Participatory Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Community Based Interventions ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Behavior Change Interventions

Striking cardiovascular health disparities exist among African-Americans in Minnesota compared to Whites; however, community-based interventions to address cardiovascular disease risk are lacking. This study explored participant perceptions of a culturally tailored, cardiovascular disease prevention program developed using a community-based participatory research process. Research participation perceptions, program benefits, and program satisfaction/acceptability were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. Overall, acceptability was high. Findings highlight the favorable inclusion of African-Americans (research perception), knowledge gained about healthy lifestyle practices (benefits), and quality of the curriculum/speakers (satisfaction). Community-based participatory research may be useful in fostering the acceptability of behavior change interventions among marginalized African-American communities.

scholarly journals Assistive tools for disability arts: collaborative experiences in working with disabled artists and stakeholders

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Creed
Keyword(s):  
Special Needs ◽  
Research Impact ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Visual Artists ◽  
Content Type ◽  
British Council ◽  
Artistic Work ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the experiences in working collaboratively with physically impaired visual artists and other stakeholders (e.g. disability arts organisations, charities, personal assistants, special needs colleges, assistive technologists, etc.) to explore the potential of digital assistive tools to support and transform practice. Design/methodology/approach – The authors strategically identified key organisations as project partners including Disability Arts Shropshire, Arts Council England, the British Council, SCOPE, and National Star College (a large special needs college). This multi-disciplinary team worked together to develop relationships with disabled artists and to collaboratively influence the research focus around investigating the current practice of physically impaired artists and the impact of digital technologies on artistic work. Findings – The collaborations with disabled artists and stakeholders throughout the research process have enriched the project, broadened and deepened research impact, and enabled a firsthand understanding of the issues around using assistive technology for artistic work. Artists and stakeholders have become pro-active collaborators and advocates for the project as opposed to being used only for evaluation purposes. A flexible research approach was crucial in helping to facilitate research studies and enhance impact of the work. Originality/value – This paper is the first to discuss experiences in working with physically impaired visual artists – including the benefits of a collaborative approach and the considerations that must be made when conducting research in this area. The observations are also relevant to researchers working with disabled participants in other fields.

scholarly journals ‘You want to deal with power while riding on power’: global perspectives on power in participatory health research and co-production approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. e006978
Author(s):  
Beatrice R Egid ◽  
María Roura ◽  
Bachera Aktar ◽  
Jessica Amegee Quach ◽  
Ivy Chumo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
Social Ecology ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Structural Level ◽  
Research Partnerships ◽  
Global Perspectives ◽  
Traditional Research ◽  
Participatory Health Research ◽  
The Social

IntroductionPower relations permeate research partnerships and compromise the ability of participatory research approaches to bring about transformational and sustainable change. This study aimed to explore how participatory health researchers engaged in co-production research perceive and experience ‘power’, and how it is discussed and addressed within the context of research partnerships.MethodsFive online workshops were carried out with participatory health researchers working in different global contexts. Transcripts of the workshops were analysed thematically against the ‘Social Ecology of Power’ framework and mapped at the micro (individual), meso (interpersonal) or macro (structural) level.ResultsA total of 59 participants, with participatory experience in 24 different countries, attended the workshops. At the micro level, key findings included the rarity of explicit discussions on the meaning and impact of power, the use of reflexivity for examining assumptions and power differentials, and the perceived importance of strengthening co-researcher capacity to shift power. At the meso level, participants emphasised the need to manage co-researcher expectations, create spaces for trusted dialogue, and consider the potential risks faced by empowered community partners. Participants were divided over whether gatekeeper engagement aided the research process or acted to exclude marginalised groups from participating. At the macro level, colonial and ‘traditional’ research legacies were acknowledged to have generated and maintained power inequities within research partnerships.ConclusionsThe ‘Social Ecology of Power’ framework is a useful tool for engaging with power inequities that cut across the social ecology, highlighting how they can operate at the micro, meso and macro level. This study reiterates that power is pervasive, and that while many researchers are intentional about engaging with power, actions and available tools must be used more systematically to identify and address power imbalances in participatory research partnerships, in order to contribute to improved equity and social justice outcomes.

Teacher Exit Survey Development Through a Researcher–Practitioner Partnership: A Collaborative Approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Naff ◽  
Kimberly Good ◽  
Valeria Robnolt ◽  
Angela Allen ◽  
Meredith Parker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
School Context ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Community Context ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
School Year ◽  
Exit Survey ◽  
Education Community ◽  
Study Team ◽  
Future Data

This article details the community-engaged research process employed by a researcher–practitioner partnership (RPP) to develop and pilot a common exit survey of teachers from participating school districts at the end of the 2018–2019 school year. This development occurred with input from school district representatives serving on a study team as well as through ongoing conversations with district human resource directors. There were three goals for this process: (1) to develop a common exit survey relevant to local needs with a strong conceptual framework, (2) to increase response rates and establish consistent administration practices in the region, and (3) to inform future data collection and analysis related to the broader RPP study on teacher retention. The resultant instrument articulated nine common categories of reasons for leaving based on analysis and adaptation of regional exit surveys: retirement, personal reasons, teacher preparation, compensation and benefits, career advancement/switch or higher education, community context, district context, school context, and testing and accountability context. Exit survey items are provided with reliability and validity information, and theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Building Support for Practice Research

2021 ◽  
pp. 167-174
Author(s):  
Charles Auerbach
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Practice Research ◽  
Research Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Building Research ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Employee Groups ◽  
Broad Understanding

This chapter was designed to provide readers a broad understanding of factors that should be considered when attempting to implement research in a practice environment. Common obstacles to conducting research in practice settings are discussed in this chapter and include administrative factors, work demands placed on practitioners, the availability of research knowledge and skills, and the research tradition of some professions. To address these, recommendations have been developed to remediate these barriers. These involve building support and demand for practice research by increasing its value to stakeholders, the development of and/or accessibility to research skills, and providing the infrastructure necessary to conduct practice research. The importance of including practitioners in the process of building research capacity is discussed. In order to increase the chances of success, capacity building must be collaborative. All activities should include representation from all employee groups that will either participate in the research process or be consumers of research.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document