School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
Synergia Consulting Ltd., Auckland 1011, New Zealand.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 May 15;17(10):3457. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17103457.
Group model building (GMB) is a qualitative method aimed at engaging stakeholders to collectively consider the causes of complex problems. Tackling inequities in community nutrition is one such complex problem, as the causes are driven by a variety of interactions between individual factors, social structures, local environments and the global food system. This methods paper describes a GMB process that utilises three system mapping tools in a study with members of a multicultural, low-income community to explore declining fruit and vegetable intake in children. The tools were: 1) graphs over time, which captures the community's understanding of an issue; 2) cognitive mapping, which enables participants to think systemically about the causes and consequences of the issue; 3) causal loop diagrams, which describe feedback loops that reinforce the issue and identify potential actions. Cognitive mapping, a tool not usually associated with GMB, was added to the research process to support the gradual development of participants' thinking and develops the skills needed to tackle an issue from a systems perspective. We evaluate the benefits and impact of these three tools, particularly in engaging participants and increasing understanding of systems thinking in order to develop and mobilise action. The tools could be adapted for use in other community-based research projects. Key learnings were the value of genuine partnership with a local organisation for longevity of the project, recruitment of key decisionmakers from the community early in the process, and allowing time to create sustainable change.
群体模型构建（GMB）是一种定性方法，旨在让利益相关者共同考虑复杂问题的原因。解决社区营养中的不平等问题就是这样一个复杂的问题，因为这些原因是由个人因素、社会结构、当地环境和全球食品系统之间的多种相互作用驱动的。本文方法描述了一个 GMB 过程，该过程在一项针对多元文化、低收入社区成员的研究中使用了三种系统映射工具，以探讨儿童水果和蔬菜摄入量下降的问题。这三种工具是：1）时间图，它捕捉了社区对一个问题的理解；2）认知映射，使参与者能够系统地思考问题的原因和后果；3）因果关系图，它描述了强化问题并确定潜在行动的反馈循环。认知映射是一种通常与 GMB 不相关的工具，被添加到研究过程中，以支持参与者思维的逐步发展，并培养从系统角度解决问题的技能。我们评估了这三种工具的好处和影响，特别是在吸引参与者和提高系统思维理解方面，以制定和动员行动。这些工具可以适用于其他基于社区的研究项目。主要经验是与当地组织建立真正的伙伴关系以确保项目的长期可持续性，在项目早期从社区中招募关键决策者，以及为可持续变革留出时间。
