COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH IN THE LENS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL: A MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY PROMOTION PROJECT

Sep 29, 2026

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Community-based participatory research (CBPR) integrates community knowledge into evidence-based practice to strengthen intervention validity. This study addresses limits of top-down CBPR models by developing a conceptual framework with stakeholders through a social capital lens. It examines a mental health literacy promotion project in an East Asian community using nine focus groups with older adults and social workers, followed by co-analysis and co-interpretation with community partners. Findings identify six elements spanning bonding, bridging, and linking social capital.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study Aim and Rationale

CBPR Background and Identified Gaps

Methods

Setting and Participants

Data Co-analysis and Co-interpretation

Findings

Six Critical Elements of CBPR Mechanism

Bonding, Bridging, and Linking Social Capital

Implications for Sustainability and Community Capacity

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 43 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.142 COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH IN THE LENS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL: A MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY PROMOTION PROJECT Jessie Ho-Yin Yau, Wing-Yin For, Ken Tsz-Kin Ho, Stella Lai-Kuen Wong, Cheryl Hiu-Kwan Chui, and Terry Lum, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China (People’s Republic) Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an approach that integrates community knowledge into evidencebased practice, enhancing intervention validity. While existing CBPR models were developed with a top-down approach in the West, their applicability in East Asian contexts and validity maybe limited. CBPR principles emphasize resource and information sharing, yet current models overlook the synergy between network and resource sharing that influences collective actions and outcomes. This study aimed to address these gaps by co-creating a conceptual framework with stakeholders to understand CBPR’s operational mechanism from a social capital perspective. The research focused on a mental health literacy promotion project in an East Asian community, involving nine focus group discussions with older adults (n = 21) and social workers (n = 15), followed by co-analyzing and co-interpreting the data and findings with community stakeholders. Our data suggested six critical elements, which can be broadly grouped under the three primary forms of social capital, underlie the process of CBPR: emotional meaningfulness within a group as a foundation for sustainability, characterized by collective harmony, shared values and norms, and role models (bonding social capital); co-learning and co-production of resources across the groups, stimulated by the knowledge exchange environment (bridging social capital); and breaking hierarchical gaps and fostering equal partnership, induced by resource contributions from each stakeholder and the existence of super connectors (linking social capital) . These elements promote network, skills, knowledge, and resource sharing among various stakeholders for collective actions for sustainability, community capacity building, and the common good.

FAQs

What problem does the study address about existing CBPR models?

It highlights that widely used CBPR models were developed with a top-down approach, and their applicability and validity may be limited in East Asian contexts. It also notes missing synergy between network and resource sharing that affects collective actions and outcomes.

How was the mental health literacy promotion project implemented in the study?

The project involved nine focus group discussions with older adults and social workers. Community stakeholders then co-analyzed and co-interpreted the data and findings together.

What six elements does the study propose for CBPR’s operational mechanism?

The study suggests six critical elements grouped into three forms of social capital: bonding, bridging, and linking. These elements cover group emotional meaningfulness, harmony and shared norms, co-learning and resource co-production, and breaking hierarchical gaps through equal partnership and super connectors.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Finn