Tribal Participatory Research: Mechanisms of a Collaborative Model
Abstract
Although much social science research has been conducted within American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities, relatively little research has been conducted by or for those communities. We describe an approach that facilitates the active involvement of AIAN communities in the research process, from conceptualizing the issues to be investigated to developing a research design, and from collecting, analyzing, and interpreting the data to disseminating the results. The Tribal Participatory Research (TPR) approach is consistent with recent developments in psychology that emphasize the inclusion of community members and the social construction of knowledge. We describe the foundations of the approach and present specific mechanisms that can be employed in collaborations between researchers and AIAN communities. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the use of TPR regarding project timelines and budgets, interpretation of the data, and ultimately the relationships between tribes and researchers.
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Research offers a variety of frameworks to decolonize interviews, all of which challenge western academic norms to make space for Indigenous opinions, preferences, and choices.
“Research (Chilisa, 2019; Cox et al., 2021; Fisher & Ball, 2003; Saini, 2012; Smith, 2021; Wilson, 2008; Wright et al., 2019) offers a variety of frameworks to decolonize interviews, all of which challenge western academic norms to make space for Indigenous opinions, preferences, and choices.”
From Indigenous Elder-centered methodology: research that decolonizes and indigenizes (2023) · cites this paper as Fisher & Ball, 2003
The hermeneutic epistemological underpinnings of TPR diverge from western empiricism, emphasizing socially constructed reality within which multiple interpretations of a single phenomenon are possible.
“Namely, the “hermeneutic epistemological underpinnings of the approach diverge from western empiricism, instead emphasizing socially constructed reality within which multiple interpretations of a single phenomenon are possible” (Fisher & Ball, 2003, p. 210).”
From Indigenous Elder-centered methodology: research that decolonizes and indigenizes (2023) · cites this paper as Fisher & Ball, 2003
TPR and CBPR approaches emphasize hearing and addressing community concerns early in the research process to establish trust between researchers and Indigenous populations.
“For example, to overcome the historical distrust of research among AN communities, TPR and CBPR approaches emphasize the importance of hearing and addressing community concerns early in the research process to establish trust between researchers and Indigenous populations (Fisher & Ball, 2003; Tobias et al., 2013).”
From Indigenous Elder-centered methodology: research that decolonizes and indigenizes (2023) · cites this paper as Fisher & Ball, 2003
The TPR approach takes into consideration historical trauma, tribal diversity, seeks tribal oversight, and includes efforts for inclusion of tribal members as study staff.
“The key difference is that the TPR approach takes into consideration historical trauma, tribal diversity, tribal oversight is sought, and there are efforts for inclusion of tribal members as study staff (Fisher & Ball, 2003).”
From Indigenous Elder-centered methodology: research that decolonizes and indigenizes (2023) · cites this paper as Fisher & Ball, 2003
Many forms of Indigenous research methodologies exist that are well evidenced and reflexive.
“In addition, there exist many forms of Indigenous research methodologies (Chilisa, 2019; Cox et al., 2014, 2021; Fisher & Ball, 2003; Saini, 2012; Smith, 2021; Wilson, 2008; Wright et al., 2019) that are well evidenced and reflexive.”
From Indigenous Elder-centered methodology: research that decolonizes and indigenizes (2023) · cites this paper as Fisher & Ball, 2003
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References 57 · Cited by 251
- Authors
- Fisher, P. A., & Ball, T. J.
- Affiliations
- Oregon Social Learning Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Fisher, Philip A.
- ORCID
- Fisher, Philip A.
- Venue
- American Journal of Community Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2003-12
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 3-4
- Pages
- 207-216
- ISSN
- 0091-0562 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2770
- OpenAlex
- W2087247227
- Cited by
- 251
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 5.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Community Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- National Institutes of Health (5r01da012231-05)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH 46690)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA 12231)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Participatory Visual Research Methods
- Keywords
- American Indian and Alaska Native communities, community-based research, researcher-community collaboration, social construction of knowledge, community-engaged research, research dissemination
- MeSH terms
- Community Participation, Cooperative Behavior, Cultural Characteristics, Inuit, Health Services Research, Humans, Indians, North American, Interinstitutional Relations, Psychological Theory, United States, Patient Selection, Cultural Diversity
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