Participatory Content Analysis — Community-Engaged Textual Analysis

Participatory Content Analysis (PCA) is a qualitative method that integrates community members or stakeholders directly into the content analysis process. Rather than treating participants solely as data sources, PCA positions them as co-analysts who help develop coding categories, interpret textual data, and validate findings. This approach is widely used in health communication, education research, and community-based studies where insider knowledge and cultural context are essential to accurate interpretation.