The Group Analysis Method in Indigenous contexts: what adaptations are needed to move toward the decolonization of research practices?

Introduction: Internationally, Indigenous peoples continue to endure the impacts of colonialism. Violent assimilation policies and ongoing systemic racism have led to historical trauma. Substance use can be understood as one response to this trauma and is considered a pressing community health concern by several Indigenous Nations in Canada. Given the complexity of this issue—deeply rooted in traumatic history and often accompanied by stigma—research on addiction intervention must adopt participatory, community-based, and culturally grounded approaches. In this context, a Group Analysis Method was employed to examine the challenges of addiction intervention in Indigenous communities and to identify responsive strategies.

Goals & Methods: This communication presents the process implemented and critically analyses its strengths and limitations in addressing the sensitive issue of substance use in Indigenous communities. A three-day seminar was held in November 2017 in Wendake, Quebec (Canada), bringing together 10 Indigenous addiction intervention stakeholders from 9 Nations. Following the Group Analysis Method described by Van Campenhoudt et al. (2005), each participant shared a real-life story related to addiction intervention. Collectively, three stories were selected for in-depth collective analysis to identify areas of consensus and divergence, leading to the co-construction of potential solutions.

Results: The process enabled rich exchanges that laid the groundwork for developing an intervention program. Its collaborative nature and reliance on oral storytelling clearly emerged as culturally appropriate. However, the method offers limited integration of Indigenous epistemologies, and the central role played by researchers in the analysis raises concerns about equitable power sharing.

Conclusions: Some adaptations to the method are necessary to ensure the equitable participation of Indigenous stakeholders and anchor the approach within a decolonizing research framework. Integrating the two-eyed seeing perspective into the Group Analysis Method, the use of graphic facilitation to support collective analysis, are two promising strategies that warrant further exploration.