From Education to Advocacy and Activism: Alternative Approaches for Translating Family Science to Policy

Historically, translational family science frameworks focused on policy have delimited the roles family scientists can play and the approaches they can implement within the scientific realm. In this article, we call for an expanded translational research‐to‐policy framework that is inclusive of such roles as policy educator, scholar‐advocate, and scholar‐activist. We argue that, depending on the policy topic or context of one's research, different approaches and roles are needed to move family research to policy, especially when working with marginalized and disenfranchised families. We then present 3 approaches to family policy engagement, particularly at the local and state levels: family impact seminars, deliberative policy processes, and community‐based participatory research. Each approach positions the family scientist to perform different roles—from policy educator to scholar‐advocate to scholar‐activist—in their translational work. We offer our reflections across roles and approaches and provide recommendations for future translational family science in the policy arena.
Source: Family Relations - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research