1. Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
A Non-Traditional Research Method

2. Today, I’d like to discuss…
CBPR
Rationale
Definition
Underlying principals
Challenges & Benefits
Application to a study
“Statewide Assessment of Sexuality Education in Florida’s Public Schools”

3. How are academic researchers perceived?

4. Rational for conducting research differently…
Increasing research evidence that:
Poor health outcomes are associated with social & physical environment stressors
Skills, strengths & resources exist within communities & among members that can address stressors

5. Rational for conducting research differently…
Historically, communities involved in research have:
Rarely directly benefited from research findings
At times, been harmed by research process & dissemination of findings
Often been denied influence over the research process

6. Rational for conducting research differently…
This has resulted in:
Distrust of, & reluctance to participate in research
Interventions that are not as effective as possible
Calls for more comprehensive & participatory approaches to research & practice

7. Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
Research that takes a partnership approach
All partners:
Participate in each aspect of research process
Contribute their own expertise
Share responsibility & ownership
Goal:
Enhance understanding & capacity to address priority issues
Apply new understanding & capacity to develop & implement interventions tailored to community context & needs
Israel, Schulz, Parker, & Becker, 1998

8. Community-Based vs. Community-Placed

9. Participation Can be health-enhancing in & of itself*
Basic tenet of empowerment
Improves quality of intervention design & implementation
Requires professional/researcher to give up some control
*Eng, et al.

10. Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation
7) Delegated Power
6) Partnership
Degrees of Citizen
Power
5) Placation
4) Consultation
Degrees of Tokenism
3) Informing
2) Therapy
1) Manipulation
Non-participation
Arnstein, SR (1969) AIP Journal,

11. Principles of CBPR Recognizes community as unit of identity
Begins with & builds on community’s strengths/resources
Facilitates collaborative, equitable partnership in all phases of research
Promotes co-learning & capacity building among partners
Integrates & creates a balance between knowledge generation & action for mutual benefit of all partners
Schulz, et al., 1998

12. Principles of CBPR
Emphasizes & addresses community priorities – at multiple socio-ecological levels
Involves systems development through a cyclical & iterative process
Involves a long-term process & commitment
Disseminates findings to & by all partners & community
Schulz, et al., 1998

13. Challenges of using a CBPR approach
Very time consuming - for all partners
Trust among partners is fragile
Who to include in partnership – to ensure representation?
Including partners in all ‘day-to-day’ decision making
Dissemination of findings in timely, useful way
Risk of ‘taking a stand’ for social change
Israel, et al., 1998; Lopez, 2005

14. Benefits of using a CBPR approach: Contributions to communities & science
Enhances relevance & use of data
Enhances intervention design & implementation
Increases quality & validity of research/findings
Has potential to translate research findings to guide development of further interventions & policy change
Israel, et al., 1998

15. Benefits of using a CBPR approach: Contributions to communities & science
Provides resources for communities involved
Joins partners with diverse expertise
Increases trust & bridges cultural gaps among partners
Interventions, & knowledge gained directly benefit the community
Israel, et al., 1998