Changing habits of mind: Seven concrete lessons for aspiring community-based researchers

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles share foundational elements with occupational justice, including empowerment, self-determination, and meaningful engagement. However, most research follows conventional methods that reinforce expert-novice hierarchies and do not engage participants as equal partners throughout the research process. This may be due, in part, to the fact that transitioning from conventional research to CBPR requires thinking differently about the research process from beginning to end. CBPR often conflicts with conventional research protocols and timelines and necessitates re-framing the roles of participant and researcher. Unfortunately, it is difficult to change habits in any context, including habits of mind, which shape how researchers think and interact. In this article, the author uses a critically reflexive process to describe challenges transitioning from conventional research to CBPR with mental health Clubhouses in Hawai'i and provides seven practical lessons for researchers who aspire to begin using CBPR. These focus broadly on question development, community representation, engaging an internal research team, transparency, capacity, power, and preparedness. Ideally, this work can assist other researchers and practice scholars aspiring to support social transformation through participatory research practices, thereby shifting the status quo.