Insider-outsider Positionality in Participatory Action Research Exploring Informal Social Support of Pakistani Families with an Intellectually Disabled Child

Practicing reflexivity and guarding one’s positionality are foundational principles in qualitative research, especially within Participatory Action Research (PAR), where the researcher actively engages with participants. Understanding how these concepts shape the research process is critical for ensuring rigor, credibility, and ethical accountability in studies involving vulnerable populations such as families of children with intellectual disabilities (ID). This paper critically examines how the lead author’s dual positionality, both as an insider with lived family experience and as an outsider in my professional role, shaped the methodological decisions and reflexive processes during the PAR study conducted in Pakistan. It aims to provide reflective insights into how such positionality impacts the co-construction of knowledge and influences the overall trustworthiness of qualitative research. The paper draws on a doctoral Participatory Action Research project involving five families of children with ID in Karachi, Pakistan. Data were collected through interviews, participant observations, reflective journaling, drawings, sociograms, and family group discussions. The study employed reflexive strategies at each stage to monitor the researcher’s subjectivity for equitable and inclusive collaboration in the study. The detailed outline of the methodological decisions is discussed, detailing the steps taken based on the researcher’s constant reflection on her positionality, personal experiences, and subjectivity for the enhanced credibility of the participatory study. The application of reflexivity and positionality enriched the research process by fostering transparency and co-learning. Reflexive journaling, collaborative analysis, and participant validation were instrumental in identifying and managing potential biases. Navigating my dual role enhanced participant trust but also required careful negotiation of boundaries and assumptions. This paper highlights the methodological value of continuous reflection on one’s insider-outsider identity in PAR. It offers practical insights for novice and experienced researchers on maintaining rigor through reflexivity and aligning positionality with critical, participatory inquiry frameworks, particularly when the focus is on bringing the voices of the most vulnerable to the center of scholarly discourse.