Building Capacity for Community-Engaged Peer-Focused Research: Results From the IRIS Recovery Research Fellowship.

Area of Science:

• Addiction research
• Public health
• Social sciences

Background:

• Engaging peers and service providers in research enhances findings and workforce integration.
• Few initiatives build research skills for peers and academics through collaborative inquiry.
• Community-based participatory research principles guide intersectoral collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop connectedness, commitment to peer workforce integration, trust in research, research skills, and practice-driven studies.
• To foster collaboration between peers, agency staff, and academics in recovery research.
• To enhance the relevance and impact of research on peer recovery services.

Main Methods:

• A fellowship program provided learning sessions and research coaching to 17 peers, agency staff, and academics.
• Mixed methods evaluation included pre- and post-test surveys analyzed with paired-sample t-tests.
• Thematic analysis was used for open-ended responses and Rivers of Life drawings.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant gains were observed in trust in qualitative research, connectedness, and research skills.
• Fellows completed practice-driven studies and contributed to a position paper on peer workforce integration.
• The fellowship increased advocacy for peers and highlighted the value of their contributions to research.

Conclusions:

• Additional professional development is needed to build research capacity for peers and providers.
• Researchers should collaborate with peers to ground inquiry in lived experience and recovery.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration strengthens scientific inquiry and evidence-based practices in recovery services.