Participatory research in psychology - A practical example in the field of drug counseling

Abstract

This article gives insights into the work of the self-help- and research-group of the »Projekt Selbstverständigung über Drogengebrauch« as an example of participatory research in psychology. In a first step the basics of the project will be discussed by distinguishing it from other approaches in drug research, positioning it within the field of participatory research and analyzing it in regard to its theoretical basics. In a second step the practical work of the project will be described to illustrate problems that emerged as well as first solutions that could be helpful for further development of participatory research. Key words: Critical Psychology, participatory research, action research, narcotics, addiction, self-help organization