engleski

Challenges in Participative Action Research within Croatian Intervention System for Young Females with Behavioural Problems

The field of behaviour problems in female population is a relatively neglected in research, as well as in theory. Due to that, research was conducted in order to identify and describe risk in young females from multiple perspectives: scientifically-theoretical, professionals' and users' perspectives, with a special attention to the contribution of the perspective of young females in Bedekovčina Residential Treatment (Croatia). The research was based on qualitative methodology and active participation of young females. Two main methods of data collection were used: unobtrusive research methods (analysis of literature and analysis of documents) and interwiev. Total of 23 young females and 10 professionals from Bedekovčina Residential Treatment participated in research. The intention of the research team was to enable active participation of young females in research, in order to gain better understanding of their perspective and their involvement in knowledge creation. However in the process of research, several obstacles to active participation of young females occurred. Those obstacles can be divided in three major groups: 1) system related obstacles (organizational structure, nonexistent culture of participation of beneficiaries) ; 2) person related obstacles (concerning professionals and beneficiaries) ; 3) technical obstacles (related to time, place, equipment and other technical condition for participatory research). Above mentioned obstacles are perceived as challenges in introducing and developing a rather new concept of active participation of young people (young females in this case) in the field of research, within Croatian intervention system for youth with behavioral problems. Potential answers to these challenges are discussed and solution proposed in order to improve the quality of participation in research.

challenges; participation; Croatian intervention system

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