The utility of community-based participatory research: Increasing research engagement among minoritized ethnoracial groups.

Abstract

Objective: This article conceptually examined the need for and utility of community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches for increasing rates of engagement in psychological research among underserved minoritized ethnoracial groups.

Methods: This article examined the literature for relevant studies examining rates of research engagement by minoritized ethnoracial groups, significant factors precluding research engagement, and the consequences of this disparity for mental health outcomes. The theoretical literature outlining the development and utility of alternative, community-based participatory research methods was included. Key features of CBPR were examined along with limitations of current approaches. A case study example of CBPR is provided.

Results: The use of CBPR approaches has been documented to improve health outcomes, reduce stigma toward mental health research and treatment, and build the professional capacity of community partners, particularly among minoritized ethnoracial groups.

Conclusions and implications for practice: CBPR engagement practices are a means of reducing the mental health research gap for ethnic and racial minoritized groups. The use of such approaches in future research and practice will directly inform how existing psychological treatments may be modified per the needs of the patient, address long standing issues of cultural mistrust toward professional institutions, and reduce mental health stigma in underserved communities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).