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Partnering with Children Diagnosed with Mental Health Issues: Contributions of a Sociology of Childhood Perspective to Participatory Action Research
Author(s) -
Liegghio Maria,
Nelson Geoffrey,
Evans Scot D.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/s10464-010-9323-z
Subject(s) - participatory action research , mental health , agency (philosophy) , perspective (graphical) , health psychology , action (physics) , public health , sociology , ontology , psychology , citizen journalism , community based participatory research , sense of agency , intervention (counseling) , developmental psychology , social psychology , social science , psychotherapist , medicine , psychiatry , epistemology , nursing , world wide web , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , anthropology , computer science
This paper explores the use of participatory action research (PAR) with children diagnosed with mental health issues. We argue that critiques from the sociology of childhood are useful for guiding PAR with children. First, we describe and critique values and assumptions that underlie research and practice with children who experience mental health issues. Second, we outline key qualities of the sociology of childhood, discuss their implications for PAR with children diagnosed with mental health issues, and touch on ethical issues. Five themes are explored: (a) values, (b) ontology/epistemology, (c) views about children, (d) agency/power in children's relationships with adults, and (e) intervention/change focus. We conclude by encouraging community psychologists to consider PAR with children diagnosed with mental health issues.