Community-based participatory action research (CBPAR): A research methodology for impactful, culturally sensitive, and contextually appropriate health psychology

Community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) is a culturally sensitive research methodology which attempts to offer equitable opportunities for research participants (i.e., members of a community), researchers, and all relevant stakeholders to contribute to research decision-making, analysis of an issue and implementation of activities with the goal of achieving social change. CBPAR happens by embracing the human element of research participants and respecting the social realities of the communities. Projects following CBPAR happen in six phases where researchers and communities (1) consult one another to (2) exchange local knowledge, (3) jointly decide on common goals, (4) how to contribute, (5) evaluate, and (6) disseminate the impact of research activities. Though CBPAR may require additional efforts, it contributes through community participation to improved and sustainable changes in outcomes.