[Conceptual and methodological challenges in participation research]. / Konzeptionelle und methodische Herausforderungen der Teilhabeforschung.

ABSTRACT

In this contribution we discuss the conceptual and methodological challenges with which participation research must deal to achieve long-term success. It is not the aim of this paper to identify solutions to those problems, but rather to facilitate their discussion by enhancing the awareness of the complexity of implementing high-quality participation research.1. It is important that studies on participation research specify which aspects of the concept "participation" are being addressed, in other words, how the term is being interpreted. This would improve interdisciplinary communication beyond one's immediate research field while increasing cumulative knowledge.2. Fully-developed participation research is generally only conceivable when carried out in an interdisciplinary manner. Its current status can be considered a transition between pre-interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary efforts requiring further development. The key factor to the success of any interdisciplinary activity is each researcher's attitude, that is, interdisciplinary projects must be "carried" by the readiness of the entire team to share as well as question their individual knowledge and expertise and to show a willingness to learn from others. The research's prevailing conditions can make this easier when the functioning, communicative relationships among participation researchers are set up to construct and incorporate an acknowledged repertoire of methodology and knowledge and when participation researchers design specific promotion and career structures.3. Another main element of such shared knowledge would be methods and theories addressing the integrated consideration of personal and environmental characteristics. Social-ecological models, especially those used in the preventive sciences and public health field, would provide a good basis for integrating theories. These models aim to define personal factors in conjunction with aspects of the social and attitudinal environment of an individual to gain deeper understanding of his or her life's reality. The development of these approaches and their implementation in participation research is a key future goal, as these models represent the theoretical basis of interdisciplinary cooperation among those disciplines active in participation research, making them essential to its long-term success.