An Interdisciplinary Mixed-Methods Approach to Generate and Mobilize Knowledge: A Workshop for Researchers, Practitioners and Policy Makers

The generation and expansion of knowledge to address complex social problems is rarely well-served by single disciplines working in isolation, as findings from such siloed efforts are frequently limited in scope and social impact. How can scholarly pursuits maximize scientific rigor, include diverse knowledge sources, and address multi-faceted social problems to facilitate social change? We are cross-disciplinary research partners (social work and psychology) with a 15-year history of collaboration in mixed- and multi-method community-based research that draws on the practice-based wisdom of diverse professionals and people with lived experience. To date, our partnership has resulted in 10 joint juried publications, 8 juried conference presentations and over 1.2 million dollars of research funding. Our multi-national collaborations with colleagues in Canada, the United States, Scotland and Australia apply a university-community approach to developing research-based strategies to reduce health and safety risks associated with hoarding in the community. We recently developed an assessment tool that both researchers and community service providers employ to evaluate the severity of risk, enabling more efficient communication across partners leading to socially just interventions based in shared priorities. The development of this assessment will serve as a case illustration to facilitate workshop learning and inspire participants through small group discussion to generate ideas for innovative approaches to their own future research. This session will demonstrate how a research partnership grounded in mutual respect and collaborative problem solving serves as the foundation for scholarly work. Our unique disciplinary perspectives, research methodologies and skills, and shared values are intentionally applied to achieve our common scholarly goals and commitments. We will describe the years of relationship building with diverse community collaborators to establish ourselves as trustworthy partners who engage in scientific pursuits based in mutual aims to resolve a real-world personal and social problem that affects millions of people. Participant self-reflection and active engagement in methodological explorations through carefully designed exercises will be encouraged as we detail the assessment development process including five inter-related mixed-methods scaffolded steps: 1) scoping review of the literature including published and grey literature; 2) Delphi survey of 34 multi-disciplinary provider experts representing 9 sectors); 3) content validation study with unique multi-sector experts, 4) systematic consultation with a 9-member cross-national steering committee, team of 4 lived experience advisors, and 3 community-based content experts; and 5) three national field trial sites to establish assessment reliability and validity. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to think critically in small groups and discuss as a large group the process of knowledge co-creation for knowledge mobilization. Using the case illustration, we will share how our research findings are being disseminated and used and by multi-sector community providers ranging from fire safety to nursing, social work to animal welfare. We will explore how collaborative cross-disciplinary research can foster change, add new knowledge, enhance program evaluation, and amend policy in the field of social work and beyond.