ABSTRACT
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a research paradigm and approach that can be used to engage research participants as collaborators in the research process. CBPR was created to address criticisms of traditional research, which often left subjects feeling used by the researcher, without getting much in return for their participation. This approach maximizes the benefit to the community through full participation in the research process, including formulation of the problem, identification of the data to be gathered, and how results will be used (O’Fallon & Dearry, 2002). Consequently, CBPR requires researchers to reevaluate and expand their perception of expertise and to suspend their ownership of the research process. Researchers become partners in the research endeavor with the very people who are being studied. In this chapter we will describe the key components, tasks, and processes of CBPR and how it can be used to maximize the impact of research for individuals, couples, families, and communities. Finally, we will discuss common ethical issues related to CBPR and strategies for overcoming these issues when using this approach.
