Ways that Peer Supporters Can Help Peer Researchers in Different Phases of Research
Research Skills Training
Learning how to do the different steps of a research project.
Ways that Peer Supporters Can Help
- Providing resources and connections to training materials that they think are helpful based on their experience in research
- Sharing their own knowledge about the different stages of the research process
- Providing opportunities to shadow, model and/or observe the peer supporter engaging in research activities
- Identifying opportunities for professional development
- Guiding peers through a reflective process to identify areas of strength and needs throughout research actions and tasks
Choosing a Topic for Research
Picking a research topic that is important to people with disabilities. The research topic could include: A question people want to answer; a need people have; a goal people want to achieve.
Ways that Peer Supporters Can Help
- Identifying peers with the lived experience who could contribute to the develop of research questions
- Supporting peers to voice and communicate their ideas of interesting and important research topics based on their lived experiences
Communication
Ways of sharing information with the team about the research project (for example by email or phone or in person or on a video audio conferencing).
Ways that Peer Supporters Can Help
- Advocating for accessible communication materials and methods based on the unique needs of their peers
- Sharing resources to learn how to communicate in remote formats
- Supporting making connections with researchers
- Providing opportunities to model, shadow or observe the peer supporter when communicating in research meetings and discussions
- Supporting team members to communicate in research meetings and discussions
Team Building
Developing and strengthening relationships among team members help them work better together.
Ways that Peer Supporters Can Help
- Help with team building between peer supporters
- Help with team building between various key community members on the research team
- Providing opportunities to share lived experiences to develop rapport
Team Decision Making
Making decisions as a group and making sure everyone is included when making a decision.
Ways that Peer Supporters Can Help
- Advocating for research information and materials to be accessible for all research team members
- Advocating and evaluating that procedures used for decision making are accessible and equitable for all research team members
Data Collection
Getting information from people and places to answer the research question.
Ways that Peer Supporters Can Help
- Modeling and mentoring peers on methods of data collection (i.e., interviewing techniques, administering measures) and data management (i.e., data entry, data transfer, data cleaning)
- Advocating for peer input regarding the accessibility of data collection procedures, materials and equipment
Data Analysis
Figuring out the meaning of the information the team gathered during data collection.
Ways that Peer Supporters Can Help
- Working with the researchers to identify and prepare data for analysis and interpretation by the peers (e.g., data reduction, selecting subsets of data for analysis)
- Providing opportunities for peer to be involved in analysis and interpretation
- Advocating for accessible data presentation to support data interpretation
- Modeling and mentoring peers on methods for data analysis and interpretation
Dissemination
Telling other people what we learned from our research.
Ways that Peer Supporters Can Help
- Reviewing and providing feedback on materials created by the peer (e.g., slides, scripts, videos)
- Co-presenting/co-authoring with peers about study results, conclusions or implications.
- Supporting accessible communication methods for peers to share information
- Helping peers network with others to share information
- Advocating for accessible materials
- Identifying methods and places that target key community members to share findings
References
Domecq, J. P., Prutsky, G., Elraiyah, T., et al. (2014) Patient engagement in research: A systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 14, 89. http://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-14-89.
Dudley, L., Gamble, C., Preston, J. et al. (2015). What difference does patient and public involvement make and what are its pathways to impact? Qualitative study of patients and researchers from a cohort of randomised clinical trials. PLoS ONE, 10(6), e0128817.
Harrison, J. D., Auerbach, A. D., Anderson, W., Fagan, M., Carnie, M. Hanson, C., Banta, J. Symczak, G., Robinson, E. Schnipper, J., Wong, C, & Weiss, R. (2019). Patient stakeholder engagement in research: A narrative review to describe foundational principle and best practice activities. Health Expectations, 22, 307-316.
Sheridan, S., Schrandt, S., Forsythe, L., Hilliard, T. S., Paez, K. A. (2017). The PCORI engagement rubric: Promising practices for partnering in research. Annals of Family Medicine, 15(2), 165–70.