Participatory action research (PAR) research: critical methodological considerations

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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore a range of key deliberations with regards to adopting participatory action research (PAR) and privileged access interviewer (PAI) approaches and methodologies within research on substance use.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is a reflective piece; it adopts a mixture of applied practice and theory considerations. These conceptualisations capture what are still relatively early understandings and uses of such methodologies, acquired across several decades of research and service provision experiences. The paper is structured around some of the sequences of the research process and as such provides a broad framework for such approaches.FindingsPAR and PAI approaches utilise several key theoretical considerations. There are many critical issues associated with adopting these approaches, including those of ethics, funding, involvement, language, resources and support. Three key principle reasons (moral, political and research based) help explain why the authors should see more adoption of such approaches in substance use-related research.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper represents authors’ views which are by their nature very subjective.Practical implicationsImplementation of the key considerations highlighted within this paper can lead to an active adoption of PAR and PAI methodologies within alcohol and drug research. Increasing the use of such methodologies will allow commissioners, researchers and service providers to develop a more nuanced understanding of the experiences of and responses to alcohol and drug use.Originality/valueThis paper captures critical conversations at a time of increased calls for service user involvement across all aspects of alcohol and other drug provision, including evaluation and research