ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In participatory action research (par), researchers, practitioners and the community engage in a research process together. This research approach has the potential to assist in bridging the research-practice gap by starting from practice needs and using joint expertise and experiences to enrich scientific knowledge, optimise clinical practice and empower stakeholders from different backgrounds.
AIM: To discuss the potential benefits of par for clients, professionals and researchers in the field of mental healthcare.
METHOD: Starting from the literature on par, fundamental characteristics and benefits of this research approach in the field of mental healthcare are described and illustrated with an example from practice.
RESULTS: par in mental healthcare can contribute to enriching prepositional and practical knowledge, facilitate positive social change in care delivery, empower all stakeholders, and ultimately make a significant contribution to the integration of research and practice.
CONCLUSION: par is valuable for clients, professionals and researchers in a variety of projects in mental healthcare.
Subject(s)
Community Mental Health Services/organization & administration , Community-Based Participatory Research/organization & administration , Psychiatry , Health Services Research , Humans , Mental Health , Psychiatry/organization & administration , Psychiatry/standards , Research PersonnelABSTRACT
16p11.2 microduplication is linked with a vulnerability for a range of psychiatric and somatic problems, with variable expression and penetration rate. We discuss the phenotypical expression of this microduplication with the case of a brother and sister. Both subjects went through child psychiatric diagnostics and treatment, where a varying degree of developmental delay and symptoms that match an attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder were observed in combination with short stature and low body mass index.
