Participatory RTA: An adaptation of Reflexive Thematic Analysis for use with Community Researchers

• In Event: Feminist Methods

Abstract

Scholars and activists are increasingly calling for a shift away from traditional research methods prioritizing Western-informed research practices to more inclusive methodologies, such as Indigenous or Feminist approaches, which center alternative ways of knowing and uplift knowledge created by marginalized communities. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods are a promising approach for decolonizing research methods, as studies suggest these methods generally lead to actionable and relevant findings. However, CBPR projects require ample resources to develop capacity for meaningful participation among community partners. As such, community partners are less likely to be engaged in the data analysis phase of research, despite clear benefits for strengthening results, ensuring relevance of findings to communities, and promoting meaningful change.

In this paper, we describe our ongoing CBPR process for analyzing qualitative data collected as a part of a mixed methods evaluation of a guaranteed income program focused on pregnancy and birth outcomes. We partnered with Community Researchers (CRs), who are Black and Pasifika mothers, to conduct the evaluation study. Lessons learned include 1) the importance of a pre-existing relationship with CRs, built over years of collaboration, prior to engaging in qualitative analysis and 2) the need for rejecting traditional research timelines to ensure all participating in the analysis are fully trained in and understand the process, and to allow time for discussing alternative viewpoints. Notably, developing relationships and adjusting timelines is not possible without sufficient budget for training and compensation. Utilizing a collaborative analytic approach has strengthened the quality, rigor, and applicability of our findings thus far, and supported the personal and professional development of our CRs. We suggest that researchers who aspire to challenge traditional methods of knowledge generation build ample time and resources into their project budgets and timelines and that funders prioritize and adequately resource projects employing participatory methods.

Authors

• Stephanie Arteaga, University of California-San Francisco

• Reiley D Reed, University of California, Berkeley

• Breezy Powell, University of California, Davis

• Erin Hubbard, University of California, Berkeley

• Maile Chand, University of California, Davis

• Anjeanette Coats, University of California, Berkeley

• Nakaya Frazer, University of California, Berkeley

• Brittany Chambers Butcher, University of California, Davis

• Anu Manchikanti Gomez, University of California, Berkeley