Relationships, Reflection, and Response: An Iterative Collaborative Research Process to Address Mental Health inequities.

Abstract

The authors share insights about methodology learned through a three-year (and counting) community-based participatory research (CBPR) process centered on enhancing the mental health of Bhutanese youth in Cincinnati, Ohio. We will illustrate how we collaboratively designed, paused, responded to community and societal concerns, redesigned, and enacted our research goals through multiple iterations, and explain how others might use this process in their own research. By uniting community organizations, university researchers, and the support of Robert Wood Johnson Interdisciplinary Research Leaders we are using this deeply iterative process to address the implications of global and local racism and address mental health inequities. We end with specific suggestions for how researchers can learn from our experiences to enhance the potential for future research to support social justice.