Handbook of Methodological Approaches to Community-Based Research: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods

The field of community psychology has focused on individuals' and groups' behavior in interaction with their social contexts, with an emphasis on prevention, early intervention, wellness promotion, and competency development. Over the past few decades, however, community-based applications of the newest research methodologies have not kept pace with the development of theory and methodology with regard to multilevel data collection and analysis. The Handbook of Methodological Approaches to Community-Based Research is intended to aid the community-oriented researcher in learning about and applying cutting-edge quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. The Handbook presents a number of innovative methodologies relevant to community-based research, illustrating their applicability to specific social problems and projects. These methodological approaches explore individuals and groups in interaction with their communities and provide examples of how to implement and evaluate interventions conducted at the community level. The chapters discuss how particular methodologies can be used to help gather and analyze data dealing with community-based issues. Furthermore, they illustrate the benefits that occur when community theorists, interventionists, and methodologists work together to better understand complicated person-environment systems and the change processes within communities.

About the Author :
Dr. Leonard A. Jason is a professor of psychology at DePaul University, where he is the director of the Center for Community Research. He has published over 650 articles and 75 book chapters on such social and health topics as the prevention of, and recovery from, substance abuse; preventive school-based interventions; multimedia interventions; the diagnosis and treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome; and program evaluation. Dr. Jason has been on the editorial boards of seven peer-reviewed psychology journals and has edited or written 23 books. He is a former president of the Division of Community Psychology of the American Psychological Association and a past editor of The Community Psychologist. Dr. David S. Glenwick is a professor of psychology at Fordham University, where he has been the director of the graduate program in clinical psychology and is currently co-coordinator of its specialization in clinical child and family psychology. He has written more than 125 articles and book chapters and edited six books, primarily in the areas of community and preventive psychology, clinical child psychology and developmental disabilities, and the teaching of psychology. Dr. Glenwick is a former president of the American Association of Correctional Psychology and a former editor of the journal Criminal Justice and Behavior and has been on the editorial boards of four peer-reviewed psychology journals.

Review :
"The editors and authors have done a tremendous service to the field by bringing together the full range of community-based research methods in a single, comprehensive volume. The result is a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, students, and community organizations alike." --Keith Humphreys, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Stanford University "There is no genre of research more essential to enhancing quality of life in contemporary society than community-based research. And there is no compendium of community-based research methods that is more comprehensive, intellectually stimulating, and practically useful than the current volume. A tour de force--and a great service to the field." --Kenneth Maton, PhD, Professor of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County "A must-have for any methodologist in the community field. Jason and Glenwick again give us the latest and most applicable methodologies for dealing with the complexities to be found within communities." --John Moritsugu, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Pacific Lutheran University, and President, Society for Community Research and Action "This book should be mandatory for any graduate program in community psychology and is an essential resource for researchers and change agents working on community-based concerns. The chapters are well illustrated with examples and I actually could follow most of them--a testimony to the authors!... Even if one is not actively engaged in research, the chapters in this book provide valued window into what one is reading in research reports, which, in turn, often influence practice and policy, but not always wisely or appropriately." --Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D., Community Psychologist "...[S]hould be mandatory for any graduate program in community psychology and is an essential resource for researchers and change agents working on community-based concerns." ----Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D., Community Psychologist "Each well-crafted, easily read chapter describes the method, instructs on how to use it, and provides a case study... a valuable resource for any evaluators who work in community-based settings."--Community Psychology AEA TIG Newsletter