About Community Based Participatory Research

Definition of CBPR

Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR), also known as Participatory Action Research (PAR), is an interdisciplinary research methodology in which scientific professionals and members of a specific community work together as equal partners in the development, process, and dissemination of research that is relevant to the community.

Researchers and Community Members serve as equal partners throughout the research process. Partners are expected to learn from each other and respect each other's areas of expertise.

Principles of CBPR

The following Principles of Community Based Participatory Research are derived from [1].

Community Based Participatory Research:

Respects and Recognizes Community as a Unity of Identity: The Community is a group of individuals who share some common interests, values, goals, politics, and characteristics.
Builds on Strengths and Resources in the Community: Researchers use the resources that are internal to the Community when possible, including facilitating the use of resources that may require some additional support or development.
Facilitates Collaborative, Equitable Involvement of All Partners in All Phases of Research: This means that all members of the team will be informed about, and included and involved, in all aspects of the research process.
Integrates Knowledge and Intervention for Mutual Benefit of All Members: Knowledge is informational research findings: the data. Intervention is a plan of action for effecting change in the world based on that data. Information desired by the community will be considered integrated with the community's needs for intervention to create positive change for the community.
Information and Learning is Shared Equally by All Members: The everyone shares their ideas, perspective, and expertise with each other. All parties learn equally from each other.
Involves a Cyclical and Iterative Process: The process of doing science itself is iterative, as is the process of doing CBPR. As project members learn from each other, the work itself is refined. All phases of the research process may be gone over more than once before being implemented, as the each community adds its insight.

Addresses Research Topics from Both Positive and Ecological Perspectives: Positive means an emphasis on outcomes that are beneficial to the health, happiness, and success of the community. Ecological means that whole systems and whole people are looked at, rather than isolated events or single causes.
Disseminates Findings and Knowledge Gained to All Partners: Research findings will be communicated back into the academic and research context, and into the other Commnities, in ways that are most useful for each. For example, findings may be disseminated both as published research papers in scientific journals and as interventions for the direct benefit the Autistic Community.
Involves a Long-Term Commitment by All Partners: This means that "the big picture," or future impact, of work done should be considered by all parties. This does not mean that the same people must be involved in the project over the long term, just that the goals of the project should take the future welfare of all parties into consideration.

Benefits of CBPR

Some of the key benefits to CBPR are as follows. This list is by no means complete or comprehensive.

Community Based Participatory Research:

Helps the Community to get its needs met through research that is actually relevant to the Community's needs;
Helps the research and academic community to do more valid, quality research with respect to the Community;
Helps to bridge gaps in understanding, trust, and knowledge between academic institutions and the Community;
Gets higher quality and more useful results by taking into account the full context of individuals, rather than seeing people in isolation from their environment, culture, or identity;
Provides the ability for empowerment of and equal control by people who historically have had little say in the research performed upon them or about them;

CBPR Process

References

1. Isreal, Barbara A. "Community-Based Participatory Research: Principles, Rationale and Policy Recommendations." Successful Models of Community-Based Participatory Research, pp. 16-22, March 2000, Washington, DC.

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Organization Structure Members Affiliations CBPR	About Community Based Participatory Research Definition of CBPR Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR), also known as Participatory Action Research (PAR), is an interdisciplinary research methodology in which scientific professionals and members of a specific community work together as equal partners in the development, process, and dissemination of research that is relevant to the community. Researchers and Community Members serve as equal partners throughout the research process. Partners are expected to learn from each other and respect each other's areas of expertise. Principles of CBPR The following Principles of Community Based Participatory Research are derived from [1]. Community Based Participatory Research: Respects and Recognizes Community as a Unity of Identity: The Community is a group of individuals who share some common interests, values, goals, politics, and characteristics. Builds on Strengths and Resources in the Community: Researchers use the resources that are internal to the Community when possible, including facilitating the use of resources that may require some additional support or development. Facilitates Collaborative, Equitable Involvement of All Partners in All Phases of Research: This means that all members of the team will be informed about, and included and involved, in all aspects of the research process. Integrates Knowledge and Intervention for Mutual Benefit of All Members: Knowledge is informational research findings: the data. Intervention is a plan of action for effecting change in the world based on that data. Information desired by the community will be considered integrated with the community's needs for intervention to create positive change for the community. Information and Learning is Shared Equally by All Members: The everyone shares their ideas, perspective, and expertise with each other. All parties learn equally from each other. Involves a Cyclical and Iterative Process: The process of doing science itself is iterative, as is the process of doing CBPR. As project members learn from each other, the work itself is refined. All phases of the research process may be gone over more than once before being implemented, as the each community adds its insight. Addresses Research Topics from Both Positive and Ecological Perspectives: Positive means an emphasis on outcomes that are beneficial to the health, happiness, and success of the community. Ecological means that whole systems and whole people are looked at, rather than isolated events or single causes. Disseminates Findings and Knowledge Gained to All Partners: Research findings will be communicated back into the academic and research context, and into the other Commnities, in ways that are most useful for each. For example, findings may be disseminated both as published research papers in scientific journals and as interventions for the direct benefit the Autistic Community. Involves a Long-Term Commitment by All Partners: This means that "the big picture," or future impact, of work done should be considered by all parties. This does not mean that the same people must be involved in the project over the long term, just that the goals of the project should take the future welfare of all parties into consideration. Benefits of CBPR Some of the key benefits to CBPR are as follows. This list is by no means complete or comprehensive. Community Based Participatory Research: Helps the Community to get its needs met through research that is actually relevant to the Community's needs; Helps the research and academic community to do more valid, quality research with respect to the Community; Helps to bridge gaps in understanding, trust, and knowledge between academic institutions and the Community; Gets higher quality and more useful results by taking into account the full context of individuals, rather than seeing people in isolation from their environment, culture, or identity; Provides the ability for empowerment of and equal control by people who historically have had little say in the research performed upon them or about them; CBPR Process References 1. Isreal, Barbara A. "Community-Based Participatory Research: Principles, Rationale and Policy Recommendations." Successful Models of Community-Based Participatory Research, pp. 16-22, March 2000, Washington, DC.
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